Your first essay will be a Response Essay. You can find the instructions for this assignment by selecting Assignments from the menu at the top of the class in LEO. The instructions are also linked to in Content in Week 2.

The response essay asks you to examine a source, or a group of sources, and discuss your reactions to it. The essay will incorporate source material summary into its discussion but will also integrate your reactions to the source material. I have uploaded a short section at the top of the Week 1 Content page from the following text: Graff, G. and Birkenstein, C. They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. Please read over the material posted. As you read over the material, take notes on your response to it. You will use those notes in your response to this discussion.

• What is the article's main point? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
• What does your experience tell you about this situation?
• Do the template strategies introduced work? Why? Why not?
• What does the evidence say?

In this discussion topic, you will post a short description of, section of, and response to Graff and Birkenstein's material. This topic is designed to help you understand rhetorical strategies in the reading material and to practice writing responses to academic material.

1. After reading over the Graff and Birkenstein material and taking notes on your response, please post a short description of Graff and Birkenstein's argument about academic writing.

2. Post a single template list from the reading. (The templates begin in Chapter 1 on page 22.) Please include a single sentence explaining how the template is meant to be used according to Graff and Birkenstein.

3. Post your response to the template section that you've chosen.

Please respond to two fellow students as well in this discussion topic.