PowerPoint presentations (and other such programs) are discouraged. If you prefer to use PowerPoint (etc.), use only for materials not available on course website (e.g., for your own questions or summaries of your answers).

         Do not copy and paste materials from course website into PowerPoint. Go directly to course website, esp. Model Assignments, for materials.

Student location: Student may work up-front or remain seated (If seated, instructor can help with computer-projector.)

Length: 8-12 minutes for presentation; Discussion may continue indefinitely.

Responsibility: You're not responsible for reading and reviewing every Model Assignment. Just find a few that work for you and explain how and why.

Before designated class meeting, presenting student tours and reviews samples of assignments (pre-midterm, midterm, or final exam) from previous semesters on Model Assignments, choosing 2-4 samples to share with class..

In class:

Using class-computer and projector, student displays and reads passages from 2-3 Model Assignments, commenting on what worked or not, and what the presenting student has learned from these models.

Since all three exams have similar parts—Essay, Web Highlights (or reference), & Research Report (or topic proposal)—student should review at least one model assignment for each part.

The student is required only to find a passage or two for each part, before the class meeting, to use the class computer to find and highlight the passages, read them over with the class, and comment about why s/he chose the passage(s) and either what s/he learned from it or how s/he differs.

Other students will not have seen these passages, so discussion may be limited, but as the presentation proceeds, the presenter should invite reactions or ask simple, general questions to involve the class.

Examples of discussion questions:

"Did you see what I saw? Did any other parts work for you?"

"What made this a good answer for you?" 

 "Did anyone see anything else worth commenting on?"

"If you were grading this passage, what kind of positive or negative criticism might you offer?"

The student presenter may lead discussion for a few minutes, but the instructor will take over eventually.

Postings are welcome, but usually students simply navigate to the webpages in Model Assignments.

sample web highlights from 2007

sample web highlights from 2005

(These are models from earlier semesters. Written submissions of your presentation are no longer required and may differ in detail.)