Any good resources for first year college Comp instructors?

Question

I am preparing my first few weeks of lecture notes for an Eng Comp II course and am feeling a little overwhelmed. I am specifically looking for information regarding argument theory, using literature as examples. I have the lit--I just need teaching resources. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I strongly suggest you consider using rubrics for grading. Your students will benefit greatly from clarity as to the goals of each assignment.

Especially since you will be focusing on argument theory, your students will need to learn what the types of argument are, and of what strong arguments consist. You can lay this out in a rubric, perhaps designing a different rubric for each type of argument you wish them to construct.

I highly recommend the Washington State Critical Thinking Rubrics. You can use them as you wish, changing them to suit your needs. Information on the WSCT can be found at the link below.

Have you seen Wood's _Perspectives on Argument_? Just a thought. :)