The document provides instructions for writing a short two-paragraph paper analyzing how old and new media respond to or engage with each other using at least two texts. It includes examples of potential topics and texts to use, as well as guidance on formatting, structure, claims, evidence, analysis and other writing elements. Students are advised to write a brief introduction with a thesis statement followed by two body paragraphs without citations or a conclusion. The document emphasizes making clear, evidence-based arguments and analyzing sources rather than broad statements.

1. Short Paper #1 Presentation

2. Overview
In this short paper, you are asked to deal with the
way old and new media respond, react, or engage
each other.
Pick at least two texts and write a solid two
paragraph paper (framed by a brief introduction)
that addresses this topic.
Do NOT use parenthetical citations or include a
works cited (you will lose a letter grade if you do)

3. Overview
• Brief introduction paragraph (2-5 sentences)
• Two body paragraphs (8-11 sentences)
– Final sentence tying it all together.
• NO Conclusion paragraph

4. Old Media
• The Written can be seen as
old media when contrasted
with something newer, like
the visual qualities of the
internet or the computer
screen.
• The Manuscript, for
instance, is replaced by the
printing press.
• Or you could think of kinds
of writing – for
instance, Stephen King’s
encounter with the new
technology of the word
processor.
New Media
• The Written can be seen as
new media when
contrasted with what it
replaces: Orality.
• Through the myth of
Theuth and Thamos, Plato
argues that this has a
negative effect.
• Walter Ong further
discusses what this effect
is.

5. Sample Introduction
• Brief introduction thoughts (1-3 sentences).
• Explicit Thesis statement
The Reading at Risk report presents a bleak picture
of the state of reading and literacy in the
contemporary world. Similarly, Nicholas Carr
argues that “Google is making us stupid” by
challenging and shaping our consciousness
negatively. In this paper, I look at both Carr’s
article and the report to show the means by
which new media

6. Avoid
Broad, Sweeping Statements
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Technology is “. . . .”
Ever since the world began . . .
In the past hundred years . . .
STICK TO THE TEXTS. I don’t want your abstract theorizing. I want
claims that can be backed up by evidence.
For this paper, your introduction should be brief and to the
point.

7. Another Sample Introduction
Walter Ong argues that “Writing is passive, out
of it, in an unreal, unnatural world. So are
computers.” In other words, writing does not
allow us to participate in the world, but
further withdraws us from it. Stephen King
seems to support this view with his vision of a
magical word processor that creates alternate
realities. However, John Keats shows the way
that the written word allows us even greater
experiences.

8. Another Sample Introduction
• In this paper, I will examine the way new
media does attempts to remedy the problems
of old media. In Stephen King’s horror story
The Word Processor, we see the way
technology seems to offer this possibility.
However, though King’s story is
intriguing, Plato shows the way new media
does not solve the problems, but only
enhances them.

9. Strategies
• Pick a quote or significant point from one of
the texts that you can interrogate.
(Summarizing and explaining this quote will be
your introduction)
• Use the other texts to challenge or affirm this
quote (two 11 sentence paragraphs)

10. • Have a more typical thesis (In ______ we see
this, but in _______ we see this) in an
introduction paragraph.
• Write two 8 sentence paragraphs explaining
each point and the significance, then a final 8
sentence paragraph synthesizing and
contrasting them.

11. In your introduction, explain that you are going
to show two attitudes inherent to old and new
media
• Write two solid 11 sentence paragraphs, one
on old media and another on new. The second
paragraph should build on the first, explaining
how one attitude challenges another.

12. Body Paragraphs

13. Body Paragraphs
• Body Paragraphs must have a structure.
– They must begin with a claim, then be followed by
evidence and analysis.
– Paragraphs should be unified, coherent, and individual
arguments that work as a part of the whole paper.
– Paragraphs should not merely be summaries, but
arguments.
– Introductory claim should be
argumentative, exploratory, and focused. Not
explanatory.
– Claims should reveal the logic and order of the
paragraph.

14. Introduction/Claim
• Claims should be argumentative
– Weak claim: “John Donne’s poem is about his inability to control his
desire.” (Does not explore, just states something)
– Weak claim: “John Donne wrote a poem called Elegy 16. “ (Not a claim
at all)
– Weak claim: In Elegy 16, John Donne writes,” By all desires which
thereof did ensue, By our long starving hopes, by that remorse.” (This
should follow an introduction sentence, and should be the beginning
of a paragraph)
– Better claim: In Elegy 16, John Donne explains that his sexual and
physical desires will always triumph over the laws of society, even if
that means his own death.
• This claim works because it kick-starts a paragraph – you have set up your
terms that you are going to be exploring (desire / law / death), and you can
use evidence from the text to back these up, then you can analyze this to
show the complexity of what Donne is up to.

15. Bad Claims
• The speaker then compares the woman’s “dun” breasts to
the whiteness of snow.
– Not a claim. This just explains. This is evidence from the text
that should be included in the body of the paragraph.
• It is difficult not to glean the overwhelming religious
aspects of this sonnet.
– Too broad. This needs to be a more specific argument. What do
you want to say about the religious aspects. The introduction
should lay that out clearer.
• The speaker presents us with many philosophical questions
that add to the underlying meaning of this sonnet.
– Again, too broad. Vague terms “Philosophical Questions” . ..
“Underlying Meaning”

16. Bad Claims
• Michael Seifert wrote “An Act of Faith in
America,” which is about how a run-down town
in Texas does not have basic services like paved
roads
– Don’t just introduce texts in the opening sentence.
• From the aspect of rhetorical appeals, Carey and
Seifert take different approaches in building their
points.
– Too Broad; be as specific as possible.

17. Bad Claim to a good claim
• William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 138 is a poem that
describes the love found within a couple’s
relationship.
– Too broad; it explains, it doesn’t explore.
• In Sonnet 138, William Shakespeare describes the
way relationships have to be unconventional in
order to work.
– Now it’s an argument, a specific reading, and will say
something about both WHAT Shakespeare does and
HOW he does it.

18. Broad Claims
• The speaker then compares the woman’s
“dun” breasts to the whiteness of snow.
– Too broad
• When the speaker compares his lovers “dun”
breasts to the whiteness of snow, he shows
the way his vision of the lover is unaffected by
the way she actually looks. He moves on to
show how content he is even with her obvious
flaws.

19. Good Claims
• In Donne's Holy Sonnets, forgiveness is also entirely
within God's power, and there is no direct reference to
penance.
• Yet what the speaker recognizes in the second part of
the sonnet through the use of logic and provocative
language is the fact that while time may dictate what is
new and old with its eternal view of life, it is really man
who “makes them born to our desire”
• Both poems use darkness to represent sin, however
Donne presents that darkness as much more
“consuming.”

20. Evidence
• Use concrete, vivid, and specific evidence to
illustrate and develop your claim.
• Use quotes and examples. Paraphrase when
necessary. If you quote, make sure you explain
the significance of the quote.
• Do not OVERQUOTE. If a quote is there, it needs
to be there for a reason.
• It’s important that you give specific examples that
build on your claim. Use the language to make
your case.

21. Analysis
• You need to show the reader why the
evidence you presented is relevant and
important.
• Analysis may be peppered throughout the
paragraph, or it may come all at the end.
• A good strategy is to present a claim, follow it
up by giving evidence, and then show how
that evidence is significant to your overall
argument.

22. The speaker then compares the woman’s “dun” breasts to the
whiteness of snow (3). Dun is a grayish-brown color. Whiteness is
often attributed to purity. Grayish-brown might be metaphorical in
that she is already “spoiled,” meaning she is not sexually pure, and
that makes her unattractive, sexually, or otherwise. This line may also
have to do with her social status, which can have an impact on one’s
attractiveness. Whiteness, or paleness in women meant that they
had high social standing. Since they did not work for a living, they
would not get much sun. Since the speaker’s woman is brownish-
grey, it could mean that she is of the working class. She has a tan
because she’s been working in the sun. The fact that the speaker
uses her breasts in his comparison when he could have used another
body part means that this specific line has a sexual connotation.
My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

23. This one needs work
The opening sentence just restates a
sentence from the text.
What follows up does not go any deeper
into the colors and why they might
be used – while “purity” might be a
good way of thinking about
whiteness, it stops there
What follows are speculations not based
on the text. There are no more
quotes in this paragraph, or
comparisons that might elaborate on
why the choice of “dun” and “snow”
were appropriate”
The last sentence is not much of an
analysis
• The speaker then compares the woman’s
“dun” breasts to the whiteness of snow (3).
Dun is a grayish-brown color. Whiteness is
often attributed to purity. Grayish-brown
might be metaphorical in that she is
already “spoiled,” meaning she is not
sexually pure, and that makes her
unattractive, sexually, or otherwise. This
line may also have to do with her social
status, which can have an impact on one’s
attractiveness. Whiteness, or paleness in
women meant that they had high social
standing. Since they did not work for a
living, they would not get much sun. Since
the speaker’s woman is brownish-grey, it
could mean that she is of the working
class. She has a tan because she’s been
working in the sun. The fact that the
speaker uses her breasts in his comparison
when he could have used another body
part means that this specific line has a
sexual connotation.

24. This One Works

25. Sample Format
Your Name (Bold)
Date: 02/03/11 (Bold)
EN295 – Black
TITLE (CENTERED AND BOLDED)
This is how your paper should look . . .

26. GENERAL STUFF

27. Avoid superlatives
Interesting
Brilliant
Excellent
Wonderful
Fascinating
These words tell rather than show. By saying
something is interesting, you don’t elucidate why
it is interesting.

28. You must introduce quotes.
On the other hand, I think increasing the amount of
soldiers in the Middle East would be beneficial to the
United States. “U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice has warned that Afghanistan will become a failed
state without full NATO support” (Lancaster 4).
– The second sentence must be introduced; someone has to
say it.
• On the other hand, I think increasing the amount of
soldiers in the Middle East would be beneficial to the
United States. For instance, John Lancaster points out
that “U.S. Secretary . . .”

29. Referring to authors
• Refer to authors by last name
– Not “Walter,” not “Mr. Ong.” He is just “Ong”
– The first time, refer to them by their whole name.
Then refer to them by the last name.
– You might refer to a character by the first name if
they are a character in a novel. (Huck Finn would
probably be “Huck.”)
– But Authors need to be dealt with formally.

30. First Person
Though these are formal papers, you can use
first person.
However, you should not refer to yourself too
much. Avoid “I think,” “I feel,” etc. You are
making an argument.

31. A few other things
• Don’t use Contractions (like don’t on won’t; do not or will
not instead)
• Quote correctly –see the sample format sheet and the
earlier slide.
• Use transitions.
• Avoid conversational language –see the “Do Not Use”
section of the Writing Instruction Sheets
• Avoid passive voice as much as possible (“This is seen;” “His
feelings are shown when . . .”)
• Don’t use semi-colons or parentheses (except for
parenthetical citations). In my experience, 90% of student
writing that uses semi-colons uses them incorrectly.