Writing Exercise 1

Refer carefully to all "SS" items on the Simple Stuff page as you complete the assignment below.  Your grade will be determined not on the quality of your writing, but solely on your adherence to the guidelines for formatting and presentation outlined in the Simple Stuff handout.

Part I. Type a fully developed paragraph of at least 150 words that could serve as the introduction in a question-driven essay on one of the options below.  You should observe all the "golden rules."

Option 1: a discussion of the different major benefits of cell phones.

Option 2: a discussion of the different major drawbacks with cell phone usage.

Option 3: a discussion of whether cell phones are more beneficial or more irritating and harmful to quality of life.

Important note: Recall that introductions in question-driven essays should culminate in a literal question at the end of the paragraph—not a thesis statement.  Recall also that the introduction should be neutral and general, engaging the reader's attention, establishing the subject of the essay (and the importance of the issue if possible), and not giving away any direct answers to the question before you raise in in the paragraph's last sentence (the answers would be developed in the body of the essay). 

Part II.  Whether or not you quote the article in your paragraph (and I'm really not expecting you to), print on a separate numbered page (i.e. not on the same sheet as the intro paragraph) a works cited page with "The Hidden Life of SUVs" as the "work cited." For specifics on how to create a works cited entry for a work from an anthology such as The Writer's Presence, see QD5M on my quotes and documentation page.

As indicated on the web page from which you downloaded the article, "The Hidden Life of SUVs" is taken from the Fourth Edition of The Writer's Presence, edited by Donald McQuade and Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2003.

Microsoft Word Tip: to make a page break after the intro paragraph (to start a new page for the works cited page), press the control and enter keys simultaneously.

Be sure to follow all guidelines set forth in the Simple Stuff handout regarding margins, fonts and font sizes, margin justification, titles, headers, listing of your name, course and section, etc.

Staple the two pages together and turn them in at the beginning of Friday's class.