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The Longwood University
Style Manual |
Imagine that you enter a parlor. You come late. When you arrive, others have long preceded you, and they are engaged in a heated discussion, a discussion too heated for them to pause and tell you exactly what it is about. In fact, the discussion had already begun long before any of them got there, so that no one present is qualified to retrace for you all the steps that had gone before. You listen for a while, until you decide that you have caught the tenor of the argument; then you put in your oar. Someone answers; you answer him; another comes to your defense; another aligns himself against you, to either the embarrassment or gratification of your opponent, depending on the quality of your ally's assistance. However, the discussion is interminable. The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart, with the discussion still vigorously in progress.
Kenneth Burke, The Philosophy of Literary Form (110-111)
Context is everything. What a surgeon does under any other circumstances is assault with a deadly weapon.
attributed to Jesse Jackson
In joining the university community, you are entering a whole range of evolving "conversations" like the one that Kenneth Burke describes: each course you take encompasses many related and overlapping controversies, inquiries, and discussions to which you now have the opportunity to contribute. In fact, learning how to participate in these conversations in meaningful ways is a big part of why you are here. Each academic conversation has its own history and its own rules; you have to learn how to "listen" for them and then use them in your own contributions. In academic and professional communities, of course, these conversations--and your contributions to them--are often in written form. By reading textbooks, articles, web pages, and other text materials related to a topic, you are learning the vocabulary, logic, and evidence used in that particular conversation. Conscious use of this knowledge whenever you "put in your oar" is at the heart of effective academic writing.
Good academic writing is deliberate. It is the result of informed decision-making; such decisions depend on knowing the context of the writing situation. The Greek word rhetoric means the study of effective writing and speaking. All of us use rhetorical skills in ways we don't even have to think about in familiar settings. You talk one way to a three-year-old and another to your grandfather; you respond to one advertisement for a product more than to another advertisement. Your university writing courses will make you more aware of these unconscious rhetorical choices and will help you learn how to make effective choices in settings and writing situations that are new to you.
This manual will make the shift to writing at the University easier. Remember that a mechanically perfect paper is not the only goal of university-level writing. Admittedly, grammar, spelling, and punctuation are important. You cannot gracefully communicate information and ideas when the reader is constantly distracted by spelling errors. Still, the lack of potholes does not mean that your road goes where it should. You must continue to develop the ancient rhetorical skills of clear thinking. The emphasis on clear and informed thinking in university writing is at the core of your education and is a skill you can use in every course and throughout the rest of your life.
At the beginning of each course, your instructor will give you a syllabus. Do not put off your writing or reading assignments until the last day. Plan out each week in advance and keep on schedule. If you need quiet to read or write, get out of the dorms and go to an empty classroom or the library. Essays should be written in a first draft as far ahead of the due date as possible. This will leave you time to rethink, revise, and proofread your work. You need to get away from a paper before you can reread it objectively.
You should also plan ahead for your reading. In order to read effectively, you must have some idea of what to look for. Poor readers are "passive" readers; they tend to read through an assignment only once. Skillful readers approach their reading tasks quite differently. They glance through the table of contents or the major headings of the assignment first. They ask themselves questions: What is the basic outline of the material? What issues or topics will be covered? What do I already know or think about the topic? After this rapid first view, they think about the "conversation" itself: What examples might the author use? What kinds of arguments? They then go back and read the material carefully. Finally, they develop some conclusions about the material: Do they agree with the writer's approach? The use of examples? The thesis? How does the material change what they had previously thought about the topic? This close attention to other people's writing will sharpen your own, because in addition to learning about the topic, you will be learning the history and the rules of that particular conversation.
Make sure you know the location of your instructor's office and the times when s/he will be available for conferences; these times are set aside specifically to answer any questions you have about class material or writing assignments. At least
once during the semester, your English instructor will have an individual conference with you. Be sure to bring to the conference all the papers which you have written for that instructor's course. Do not throw out any written work (including research paper notes and tests) until you have received your grade for the semester. Keep all papers, frequently referring to them and learning from the instructor's comments on them.
Bear in mind that none of the conversations in which you are involved is entirely separate from the others. Strive to see ways that your courses relate to one another. Think about how they differ, too, and what reasons there might be for those differences. Each time you fulfill a writing assignment for any class, picture the particular conversation you are entering. How will you contribute?
Outcomes Statement for Freshman Composition
Approved by English Department Faculty 12/99
Introduction
The freshman composition course at Longwood University addresses Goal Two of the General Education Requirements: The ability to write and speak logically, clearly, precisely, and the ability, through accurate reading and listening, to acquire, organize, present, and document information and ideas. The following list of intended outcomes for the composition course is based on the revised Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition prepared by the National Council of Writing Program Administrators, whose explanation of the philosophy and purpose underlying the statement is adapted below:
This statement describes the common knowledge, skills, and attitudes sought by the first-year composition program at Longwood University. It is not merely a compilation or summary of what currently takes place. Rather, this Outcomes Statement articulates what composition teachers nationwide have learned from practice, research, and theory. This document intentionally defines only "outcomes," or types of results, and not "standards," or precise levels of achievement. The setting of standards will be addressed in future action by the English Department.
Learning to write is a complex process, both individual and social, that takes place over time with continued practice and informed guidance. Therefore, it is important that teachers, administrators, and a concerned public do not imagine that these outcomes can be taught or assessed in reduced or simple ways.
The following statements, adapted to reflect our departmental consensus, describe only what we expect to find at the end of English 150. Helping students demonstrate these outcomes beyond the freshman composition course requires an understanding of how students actually learn to write. As writers move beyond first-year composition, their writing abilities do not merely improve. Rather, students' abilities not only diversify along disciplinary and professional lines but also move into whole new levels where expected outcomes expand, multiply, and diverge. For this reason, each statement of outcomes for first-year composition is followed by suggestions for further work that builds on these outcomes.
Rhetorical Knowledge
By the end of first-year composition, students should
* Focus on a purpose
* Respond to the needs of different audiences
* Respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations, including literary analysis
* Use conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation
* Adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality
* Understand how genres shape reading and writing
* Write in several genres of academic expository prose
Students will be prepared to benefit from subsequent instruction--by all programs and departments--addressing
* The main features of writing in their fields
* The main uses of writing in their fields
* The expectations of readers in their fields
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
By the end of first-year composition, students should
* Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating
* Understand a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing,
and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources
* Integrate their own ideas with those of others
* Recognize relationships among language, knowledge, and power
Students will be prepared to benefit from subsequent instruction--by all programs and departments--addressing
* The uses of writing as a critical thinking method
* The interactions among critical thinking, critical reading, and writing
* The relationships among language, knowledge, and power in their fields
Processes
By the end of first-year composition, students should
* Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text
* Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading
* Understand writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention and
re-thinking to revise their work
* Understand the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes
* Learn to critique their own and others' works
* Learn to balance the advantages of relying on others with the responsibility of making their own decisions
* Use technology appropriately
Students will be prepared to benefit from subsequent instruction--by all programs and departments--addressing
* The need to build final results in stages
* The use of collaborative peer groups for purposes other than editing
* The necessity of saving extensive editing for later parts of the writing process
* The application of technologies commonly used to research and communicate within their fields
Knowledge of Conventions
By the end of first year composition, students should
* Learn common formats for different kinds of texts
* Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics
* Practice appropriate means of documenting their work
* Control such features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Students will be prepared to benefit from subsequent instruction--by all programs and departments--addressing
* The conventions of usage, specialized vocabulary, format, and documentation in their fields
* Strategies through which better control of conventions can be achieved
Source for original WPA Outcomes Statement: <http://www.mwsc.edu/~rhodes/outcomes.html
The Composition Sequence at Longwood
The composition courses at Longwood are an important part of the General Education core curriculum. English 150, taken during either the first or the second semester of your freshman year, prepares you to adapt to the range of academic writing situations that you will find throughout your university experience. English 400, taken during your junior or senior year, prepares you to use reading and writing as acts of educated citizenship in a diverse democratic society.
Like all General Education courses at Longwood University, both English 150 and English 400 will ask you to approach the course material and discussions with the following questions in mind:
1. What kinds of questions get asked in this particular field, and how do people in this discipline look for answers?
2. How does asking these kinds of questions change what people know about this subject?
3. What ethical issues come up in this field, and how do people talk about these issues?
4. How does new knowledge in this field change the world? How can learning this new knowledge change us?
5. What are some of the different ways of looking at this subject?
6. Where can we find information about this subject, and how can we tell how good that information is?
7. How can we present information about this subject effectively when we write or talk about it?
8. How does this subject connect to other subjects and other classes?
9. Why is knowledge of this subject important to a responsible citizen?
English 150: Rhetoric and Research
As a course addressing General Education Goal 2, English 150 will develop your "ability to write and speak logically, clearly, precisely," as well as your "ability, through accurate reading and listening, to acquire, organize, present, and document information and ideas" (Longwood General Education Policy, 2001).
Instruction in English 150 will focus on tasks involving academic writing, reading, listening, and speaking. This includes the processes involved in academic inquiry. Different instructors will require different readings and different writing assignments. Students in all classes, however, will write at least 4000 words including revisions, using a variety of strategies for a range of different purposes and audiences. At least one of these papers will be written in class, and one will be a longer research paper. During the semester, you and your instructor will have at least one individual conference about your writing.
In English 150, you will learn to:
*
Understand and adapt to rhetorical and contextual differences in tasks involving writing, reading, speaking, and listening
*
Engage in academic inquiry using and evaluating a variety of sources, incorporating and documenting source material appropriately, and avoiding plagiarism
*
Develop flexible processes for engaging in academic writing
* Develop knowledge of conventions for different kinds of texts and demonstrate substantial control of the conventions of Edited American English
* Reflect on and make judgments about your own texts and writing processes
(Longwood General Education Policy, 2001).
English 400: Active Citizenship: An Advanced Writing Seminar
As a course addressing General Education Goal 14, English 400 will develop your "ability to synthesize and critically analyze through written discourse and a common educational experience information pertaining to issues of citizen leadership" (Longwood General Education Policy, 2001).
English 400 is an interdisciplinary seminar that focuses on reading and writing as ways of using the skills and background you have developed at the university to engage in responsible citizenship. Though different instructors will require different readings and different writing assignments, all sections of the course offered during a given semester will center their activities on the same public issue, which will vary from year to year. In English 400, you will learn to:
*
Engage in the process of citizen leadership by investigating multiple perspectives on an important public issue
*
Understand the nature of public discourse/debate as determined by purpose, audience, and context
*
Choose appropriate formats in writing for a variety of purposes
*
Analyze the effectiveness of their own texts and processes for specific rhetorical situations
*
Understand how the knowledge, skills, and values learned in general education are interwoven and interrelated, and how they can contribute to the process of citizen leadership
(Longwood General Education Policy, 2001).
The Writing Center provides a free tutorial service available to all students to help them improve their writing and handle writing assignments in any university course effectively. You may make a single half‑hour appointment for assistance on a particular writing problem or a series of appointments. The Center is not an editorial service, but with permission from your instructor the tutors can help you to think through a particular writing assignment, develop a structure for your paper, or revise a draft. They can also help you to work on points of grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, or organization that are habitual problems in your writing. The Writing Center is a part of the Academic Support Center and is staffed by tutors trained in teaching writing. To find out what hours it is open or to make an appointment, call the Academic Support Center, 395-2391.
Electronic and Computer Software
The English faculty has agreed to allow students to use spelling and grammar checkers for all written material in English courses. Use of such software does not relieve students of the burden to edit and carefully proofread such work. Students are responsible for all work turned in.
CAUTION: These programs will not detect and correct all errors. Spell checkers, for example, only check to see if the word in question is a word. Thus, if you type "form" when you want "from," the program will not flag this as an error since "form" is a word. Grammar and style checkers can miss errors, and they can also suggest corrections that are unnecessary or inappropriate. While such programs may be helpful, they do not replace careful proofreading.
In addition to providing specialized Library resource sessions, the Library staff has an e-mail service called "Ask a Librarian" designed to help you locate information. This service is accessed through the Library's web site.
The "Longwood Student Handbook" defines cheating as "the receiving or giving of help, in any manner whatever, on written assignments, examinations, or any work which has been pledged to be within the Honor Code requirements" (57). This definition clearly prohibits students not only from writing work for another student, but also from editing or proofreading another student's work except with specific permission from the instructor. Sometimes in writing classes, instructors will request students to review and critique drafts of each other's writing; the reviewer points out problems, but the writer revises to solve them. If you are uncertain how the Honor Code applies to any course or assignment, be sure to ask the instructor about this specifically.
Longwood University policy states clearly that students are expected to attend all classes. Absence from 25% of classes for any reason (unexcused and excused) may constitute grounds for failing a course. Instructors may lower a student's course grade one letter grade if the student misses 10% of the scheduled class meetings for unexcused reasons. Instructors may permit students to make up work if in their judgment the absence has resulted from illness, participation in a university‑sponsored activity, or a genuine emergency.
All assignments are due in class on the assigned date. If an emergency prevents you from submitting an assignment, talk with your instructor as soon as possible afterward.
Writing Awards and Publications
Students who write fiction or poetry are encouraged to submit material for Longwood's literary magazine, the Gyre. Submissions can be made through Dr. Craig Challender.
NOTE: The various disciplines follow different conventions concerning matters of style (see list of style manuals on pages
12-13). Because there are several different styles in use, it is always best to find out what your instructor requires before beginning a writing assignment. Always follow the specific stylistic conventions of the discipline you are writing in.
Below are the MLA guidelines for formatting a paper:
Typing: Type or word process papers on standard 8 1/2" x 11" paper. You may submit handwritten papers only with the instructor's permission, and then only if the handwriting is neat and legible. Do not use onionskin paper or pages ripped from a notebook. Readership studies have demonstrated the importance of a ragged right margin, so align your text along the left-hand margin and do not align it along the right (in other words, do not "right-justify" your text). Indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch.
Line spacing may vary according to specific discipline. Both the MLA and APA styles require papers to be double-spaced throughout. This includes all offset quotations and "Works Cited" or "References" sections.
Margins: Use margins of about one inch at the sides and at the top and bottom of the page. Very small margins don't give your instructor space to comment and very large margins give the impression you are padding the paper.
Heading and Titles: MLA style does not call for a title page. Instead, beginning one inch from the top of the page and flush with the left margin, type your name, your instructor's name, the course number, and the date on separate lines, double-spacing between the lines. Double space again and center the title. Double-space also between the lines of the title, and double-space between the title and the first line of the text. Capitalize the first letter of all words except articles, conjunctions, and prepositions. Do not underline, use all capitals, or use quotation marks around your title.
Folders:
Staple or paper-clip your paper in the upper left-hand corner. Plastic binders are generally a nuisance to your instructor, but if you are required to hand in drafts or other material with the paper, a plain manila filing folder with your name typed on the tab is useful for keeping everything together. A filing folder is also useful for collecting and storing all of the papers you write during a semester.
Style of Documentation: Whenever you use information or ideas taken from a particular source in your own writing, you must acknowledge that source (See the section of this booklet on documentation and avoiding plagiarism). Different academic disciplines, however, use different ways of documenting sources. All English Department instructors require the Modern Language Association style of documentation as revised in 1988, which uses parenthetical citation of sources and a list of works cited instead of footnotes and bibliography. This form will be taught in English 150, and your rhetoric text will contain examples.
Below is a partial list of documentation styles which are used in various departments at Longwood.
Department or Discipline |
Style Accepted |
Education and Psychology |
A(merican) P(sychological) A(ssociation) |
English, Philosophy and Modern Languages
|
M(odern) L(anguage) A(ssociation) |
Health, Physical Education and Recreation |
APA and MLA |
History |
Chicago Manual of Style |
Mathematics and Computer Science |
American Mathematical Society |
Music |
MLA |
Speech and Theater |
MLA |
Longwood Library Resources:
Selected Style Manuals in the Disciplines
American Mathematical Society. A Manual for Authors of Mathematical Papers. 8th ed. Providence: American Mathematical Society, 1984. [Ref QA 42 M36]
American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 4th. ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 1994. [BF76.7 P83 1994]
Dodd, Janet S., ed. The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors. 2nd ed. Washington: American Chemical Soc., 1997. [QD8.5 A25 1997]
Gibaldi, Joseph, and Walter S. Achtert, eds. Modern Language Association. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 3rd ed. New York: Modern Language Association, 1988. [LB2369 .M53 1988]
Grossman, John. The Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers. 14th ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P., 1993. [Z253 C57]
Style Manual Committee, Council of Biology Editors. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Style Manual: A Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers. 6th ed. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. [Ref T11 S386 1994]
Turabian, Kate L., John Grossman, and Alice Bennett. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing). 6th ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P., 1996. [BL 2369 T8 1996]
Longwood Library Resources:
Selected Books on Writing in the Disciplines
Barnet, Sylvan. A Short Guide to Writing About Literature. 5th ed. Boston: Little Brown, 1985. [N7476 .B37 1985]
Becker, L., and C. Gustafson. Encounter With Sociology: The Term Paper. Berkeley: Glendessary Press, 1976. [H62 B4]
Jolley, Janina M., Peter A. Keller, and Dennis Murray. How to Write Psychology Papers: A Student's Survival Guide for Psychology and Related Fields. 2nd ed. Sarasota, Florida: Professional Resource P., 1993. [Ref BF 76.7.J64 1993]
Maimon, Elaine P., et al. Writing in the Arts and Sciences. Cambridge, MA.: Winthrop, 1981. [PE1478 W7]
Roberts, Edgar V. Writing Themes About Literature. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969. [PE1408 R593]
Longwood Library Resources:
Selected Books on Writing and Editing
Cook, Claire Kehrwald. Line by Line: How to Improve Your Writing. Boston: Houghton, 1985. [PE1441 .C66 1985]
Elbow, Peter. Writing With Power. New York: Oxford UP, 1981. [PE1408 .E39]
-----. Writing Without Teachers. New York: Oxford UP, 1973. [PE1409.5 E5]
Lanham, Richard A. Revising Prose. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1987. [PE 1421 .L297 1987]
Strunk, William, Jr., and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, 1979. [PE1408 .S772 1979]
Walker, Melissa. Writing Research Papers: A Norton Guide. New York: Norton, 1984. [LB2369 .W25 1984]
Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1990.
Sexist Language: Many readers object to the generic or generalized use of specifically masculine words, particularly the constant use of the masculine pronoun "he." These readers note that always referring to a doctor or scientist or politician as "he" or using terms
such as "businessman" creates or perpetuates discriminatory stereotypes of men and women. There are several ways to avoid discriminatory language.
1.
Usually, overuse of the generic "he" can be avoided by substituting the plural form "they." Instead of writing "The scientist must remain open‑minded to every clue he can find," write "Scientists must remain open‑minded to every clue they can find." But avoid the grammatical confusion of using a plural pronoun referring to a singular subject.
2.
When the subject and therefore the pronoun must remain singular, some writers avoid reinforcing the stereotypes by using "he or she" and some by using the opposite of the stereotype: "As a weightlifter, she must stay in excellent condition," or "As an elementary school teacher, he needs to be an expert in every subject."
3.
Avoid using suffixes such as "-man" or "-ess" that imply sex stereotypes. Instead of "businessman" use "business person" and instead of "chairman" use "chair."
Remember that you are starting over again at a new level. Don't expect your assignments and grades to be the same as in high school. If you have found it easy to get an "A" or a "B" in English, you will now find that you are being measured alongside many students who did equally well. A "C" on a paper in a university course is not an insult at all. You will have to write with competence to earn a "C," and honors-level writing will be more demanding. Whatever your grades, you will find that Longwood's writing teachers will be happy to give you extra help with problems. Just don't leave everything until the last moment: give yourself time to start over.
Although each writing instructor at Longwood develops individual grading procedures, all base their policies on the general guidelines described in the following pages. Remember that many other factors, such as turning in a paper late or ignoring format regulations, may affect your grade. Instructors will explain in class what the grades mean. You must review your instructor's comments on your papers--do not just look at the grade when you get a paper back. (The general standards for evaluating expository writing adopted by the Longwood faculty are summarized below.)
As noted above, the "C" paper is one that is competent: it generally meets the requirements of the assignment for which it was written. It is frequently a mechanically "correct" paper--one
containing few errors of mechanics or grammar, presenting a main idea, and having a fairly clear paragraph outline. The topic is reasonably limited and specific, and the writer usually follows one of the rhetorical structures studied in English 150. However, a "correct" paper may not demonstrate the writing excellence needed for an "A" or a "B" paper.
Papers at these levels go beyond the competence demonstrated by "C" papers. They share, to varying degrees, a number of characteristics. The thesis is well developed and fully supported. The paper is written with an appropriate audience in mind; it creates the appropriate voice (such as formal, humorous, sarcastic, or ironic) for its audience and subject. The reader has no difficulty understanding the purpose and structure of the paper and enjoys being challenged by the writer's approach. The paper's clear structure shows that the writer can confidently use rhetorical strategies and provide effective paragraph transitions. The writer, genuinely interested in the topic and in communicating with the reader, is in control and can raise and fulfill the reader's expectations. The paper is not wandering or padded. The diction of the paper is mature and inventive. The writer is not afraid of using appropriate imagery and metaphor, defines key terms which might confuse the reader, avoids dead language (cliches and jargon), and usually demonstrates the range of vocabulary and of general knowledge that come with being well read. The mechanics of the paper are clean and correct.
The difference between an "A" paper and a "B" paper involves the degree of originality, the significance of the topic and approach, and above all the consideration of voice and audience.
The content of a "D" paper is often rather trivial and obvious, or the paper may inadequately address the assigned topic. The thesis is usually too broad, the organizational pattern may be difficult to follow, and the examples are often weakly subordinated to the general ideas (or the general ideas are asserted without supporting examples). The paper may contain enough mechanical and spelling errors to distract the reader. The word choice can be limited and repetitive. There is little evidence of revision; sentences may be short and choppy or long and rambling, and paragraphs may meander. Words may be used incorrectly.
The "F" paper often compounds the shortcomings of the "D" paper by not stating and developing a main idea in a logical manner. The paper may have no consistent voice or sense of audience and/or may contain serious mechanical and spelling errors. The paper may appear sloppy, and it suggests that the writer has made little effort to follow an outline, revise basic errors (e.g., verb-subject agreement, faulty use of tense, sentence fragments), or proofread the paper. Papers may also earn an "F" if they are handed in late, if they plagiarize the work of other writers or fail to list sources, or if they do not fulfill the assignment given by the writing instructor.
The following papers illustrate "C," and "B," and "D" work. Remember that the instructor is grading not on the basis of agreement or disagreement with the writer's ideas but the writer's development and expression of those ideas.
The first paper illustrates a "C" grade. A competent paper, it demonstrates adequate paragraph organization. There is an identifiable thesis, some supporting detail, and a sense of purpose. The tone, while still cautiously impersonal, is fairly consistent:
"C"
Women's Rights
The controversy in many states about E.R.A. legislation has dominated the news. Many men and women have strong views pro and con. But even if this amendment to the Constitution is not passed in the states, many women have discovered the importance of some of the ideas in the amendment.
For ages it has been believed that the woman's place is in the home. Her duty was to cook, clean, and raise the children. She should still be smiling when her breadwinner came home after work. She was her husband's servant. Her work was less important and her ideas and experiences were less respected. Also, she was considered abnormal if she wasn't happy being inferior. Her life centered around babies, barbecues, and bridge.
Women are now discovering that careers can be as satisfying as changing diapers, or that husbands can change them too. She can look for a proper place in society‑‑as a doctor as well as a nurse, a principal as well as a teacher. She deserves the same salary men receive for the same job. As a doctor, lawyer, and even as an executive, she can make her opinions heard and respected.
This does not mean that women agree with all of the ideas surrounding the E.R.A. controversy. Women still want to be feminine. They like to have a man open the door for them, send flowers for an anniversary, and be able to show love and affection.
Many new opportunities and ideas have been accepted by women. But it can't all be left up to women. Men must also realize that women deserve their rights, that an abused woman can never make them happy, and that real masculinity is not threatened by a fulfilled woman. A change of laws is not necessary when people, men and women, are flexible in their attitudes and willing to work with better ideas.
_____________________________________________________________
The next paper is by no means perfect, but it creates a strong sense of "voice," uses personal examples effectively, and catches the reader's attention.
"B"
E.R.A.: Our Time Has Come
"What do we want? Freedom! When do we want it? Now!" Blacks shouted that slogan during the sixties; for the eighties, it belongs to us. Yet some men who supported the black struggle for freedom still deny women their own. "Gimme an issue and I'll give you a tissue," snarls sexist rock star Lou Reed about the women's movement, grandly dismissing twenty years of struggle. But his contempt conceals a valid point: when personal freedom becomes a political issue, the shockwaves are felt by the masters as well as the slaves. In other words, men are talking ugly because women are speaking out.
The traditional roles for women have always been domestic ones, but society is larger than the home, and women are beginning to see that they can have a larger place within it‑‑that they can be doctors as well as nurses, lawyers as well as legal aides. And they are no longer content to be paid "women's" wages for "men's" work.
Women must speak out. Supporting E.R.A. is one way that they can do so. Trying to shift more male support to E.R.A. is another. Not all men are the enemy. We shouldn't give up on all of them.
At the same time, I have to admit that I can see both sides of the question. I am twenty years old. I have a friend who's thirty and a sister who's ten, and, standing at midpoint between them, I can use their attitudes to illuminate my own. My friend is old enough to have learned from the political activism of the past ten years, but she seems to have spent that time on Mars. A sample comment: "I keep my husband happy; he keeps the kids fed. So forget it." My little sister, on the other hand, is already planning her residency in neuropsychiatry.
I have to admit that I stand in the middle in more ways than one, because part of me seems to have a stake in each attitude. I want more out of life than money, and I think that having a home and husband is part of that; but I'm interested in art history and I hope to spend more time behind a museum desk than a kitchen sink. I really don't know enough about politics to be able to work out all the details of what E.R.A. proposes, but I know enough about this country to know that it promises equal rights to all citizens. It's past time to make good on that promise.
_____________________________________________________________
The last paper illustrates a "D" grade. Its thesis is broad and impersonal. Paragraphs are not well developed or provided with clear transitions. General ideas are asserted without adequate discussion or supporting evidence:
"D"
Women Are People Too