Help me write this

Purpose

These short "So What?" papers give you the opportunity to reflect critically on the material in the class and connect the concepts to the world around you. What is your understanding of the concepts? How would you explain to a friend why these ideas are important in your major, your career, or everyday life?

RequirementsLength

• 300- 350 words (though if you have more to say, feel free to keep going!)

Sources

• Incorporate and cite at least 2 sources from our Canvas modules, whether it be the readings, podcasts, videos, or PPT lectures. This may also include those given in the optional "Resources & Other Interesting Items" section.
  • What do I mean by "incorporate"? Take a look at the grading rubric below in the "Support" category. An exemplary paper won't simply drop in a quote from a source without including context and discussion. Instead, it will demonstrate critical understanding of the material by using ideas from sources in a significant way to support your ideas. That is, if you include a quote or a paraphrased idea, be sure to explain why you included it. Why is it important? What should the reader understand about it? etc.
• You don't need to add outside sources, but if you'd like to, make sure it is credible! Not sure? You can check with me! I am very happy to help you analyze credibility. There are also tips on our Writing Resources page in Canvas.

Format

• MLA or APA
  • This means overall format as well as citations! Double-spaced, header, name block, organized paragraphs, etc.
  • If you are using APA, you can include a title page if you want to, but can use an MLA-style name block instead if you prefer.
• You don't need to include a full Works Cited/References page unless you use a source that is not from our Canvas material.
  • If you do include a source that you find on your own, you must include a full citation on a Works Cited/References page.
• Once you decide whether to use MLA or APA, use it consistently! Do not mix different styles together in the same paper! Our Writing Resources page has help, or you can come to my office hour or make an appointment in the Writing Center.

What about AI?

• You may NOT use AI to brainstorm or draft this paper for you. I'm interested in your ideas and your Take a look at how I grade this assignment in the rubric to understand clearly what is most important for this assignment, and you'll see that the kind of help that AI can offer would only be about a C paper at best. You can do better!
• You may use it as a grammar check or for individual sentences if you want help with rewording for clarity. If you use it in this way, you must cite it! (How? Here's an MLA guideLinks to an external site. and here's an APA guideLinks to an external site..)

Steps

1. Look at the 3 options below and choose the one that is most interesting to you.
2. Use the information and concepts from the course material, as well as your own ideas and analysis, to inform your answer.
3. As I mention above, a good approach is to put yourself in a scenario where a friend asks you what you've learned in class. You say, "Everyone speaks a dialect!" And your friend says, "So what?" How would you respond? This means that your response may be formal if you prefer that style, or written in a more informal style, as though you were actually having this conversation with your friend.
4. Remember to give an in-text citation (either MLA or APA) when you refer to ideas from the readings or other sources. Even if you take an informal approach rather than writing in a formal style, you must still cite your sources.

Grading Rubric (50 pts)

Be sure to look at the grading rubric at the very bottom of this page to know how I will be assessing this assignment!

Prompt: 3 OptionsOption 1: No dialects

Imagine for a moment that there wereno dialects. So, for example, all English-speakers would sound exactly the same whether they came from Jamaica, New Zealand, Scotland, Minneapolis, or the San Fernando Valley. No matter what their gender, ethnicity, age, or socioeconomic class were, they would all sound exactly alike. What would this be like? Would there be any positive aspects? What about negative aspects? How would you yourself feel? After imagining this scenario, do you think it is important to understand that everyone speaks a dialect? How? Why? Don't forget to refer to at least 2 sources from our class materials in your response!

Option 2: Your dialect

First, reflect on your own dialects, using perhaps of the word count on this section (just a suggestion).

• How would you identify your regional dialect?
  • Can you point to anything in particular (vocabulary, accent, etc.) that indicates that you are a user of this dialect?
• How would you identify your various social dialects? (It's a long list of possible factors: ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic class, age, education, occupation, religion, etc. You don't need to discuss each of these, but pick at least 2-3.)
  • Can you point to anything in particular (vocabulary, accent, etc.) that indicates that you are a user of these dialects?

Now, think about this question: why is it important to recognize that you speak a dialect, along with everyone else? Has it changed your outlook on other people's dialects to recognize that you speak one too? Has it changed your outlook on your own dialect, knowing that everyone speaks their own unique combination of dialects to create an idiolect? Don't forget to refer to at least 2 sources from our class materials in your response!

2 sources are

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z_FOtfKyfo

https://debuk.wordpress.com/2019/10/04/bullshit-the-struggle-goes-on/