Jan Stephanson, an adjunct instructor, presented strategies for engaging students in English 1010 at a recent conference. Key assignments include creating chapter summary PowerPoints and generating textbook quizzes, emphasizing the importance of understanding arguments and critical reading. The presentation aims to provide useful, student-centered activities for improving engagement with the text.

1. Jan Stephanson Adjunct instructor
College of Southern Maryland
AFACCT ‘18 Conference
Anne Arundel Community College
Jan. 12, Session 6:12
10:00 a.m.

2.  What is a way to keep students engaged with
the text? I wanted to have students use it
more than just for reading assignments!
 After looking at various student centered
strategies I made a compilation of ones that
would work best for my classes.

9.  English 1010 Chapter Summary Assignment
 Prepare a brief PowerPoint to highlight and illustrate the key points in your assigned chapter.
 Include 7-10 frames with visuals. (photos, google images, clipart, etc.)
 The title (first) frame should include your name, my name, date, section, and the name of the
chapter.
 Example: Chapter 1: Argument; An Introduction
 Present the PowerPoint to the class.

 ***Be sure to go through the chapter and list the important details. Look for the section
headings that are highlighted in blue. Then make a brief listing of the important things to
include in the PowerPoint.
 Before starting your PowerPoint, find and view relevant YouTube videos and materials that I
have posted that correspond to the chapter that you are researching. If you can- cite and use
excerpts from the material. However make sure you have included main points from the
chapter that you read.
 **The general categories to focus on in each chapter are:

 Chapter 1: What is an Argument?
 Chapter 2: How to read and analyze an argument?
 Chapter 3: What are the key elements of an argument? What is the basic structure?
 Chapter 4: What is a claim, reason, evidence, assumption? What is the Toulmin system of
argument?
 Chapter 5: What is evidence? Examples?

10.  Chapter 6: Explain the appeals of argument: ethos, pathos,
logos, kairos. What are grounds, warrant, enthymemes?
 Chapter 7: How do you respond to objections in your argument?
 Chapter 8: What is rhetorical analysis of a text? What are some
questions to ask?
 Chapter 9: What is a visual argument? Types?
 Chapter 10: What are the different types of argument claims?
 Chapter 11: What is a definition argument? The parts?
 Chapter 12: What is a causal argument? Terms to use in a causal
argument?
 Chapter 13: What are evaluation arguments? What are the
necessary ingredients?
 Chapter 14: What is a proposal argument? Its features?
 Chapter 15: Kinds of resources to use for papers
 Chapter 16: How to incorporate sources into your argument
 Chapter 17: Citing and Documenting sources

11.  Textbook quizzes that students create
themselves- (with my pre-planned input)
 These quizzes are posted on myLearning and
assigned periodically.

12. Textbook Quizzes

13.  The text quizzes are designed to have students go
through the chapter noting the highlights and then create
questions and answers for the topics. I have listed the
topics on the PowerPoint. Students can then work on the
quizzes in or outside of class. Students can also work
individually or with a partner so it is a flexible
assignment.

14.  Chapters 1-2
 1.Write 3 questions with your own answers based
on the following topics from the chapters:
A. Arguments
B. Critical reading
C. Finding topics

15.  Write 1 question with your own answer for each of the
following topics::
 1. Classic argument
 2. Reasons
 3. Argument structure
 4. The Toulmin system

17.  I have utilized the text by formulating several
student centered assignments:
 1. Chapter Summary Powerpoint Projects
 2. Textbook Quizzes (student generated)
 3. Labeling of an MLA paper (using the text)

18.  If you’d like a copy of my textbook quizzes
PowerPoint, please email me at:
 jstephanson@csmd.edu
 Please take a paper copy of instructions for
the Chapter summary assignment.
 Thank you for attending my presentation and
I hope the information will be useful!!