ENGL001: English Composition I

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In an essay of 750 to 1000 words, analyze chapter 16 from John Muir's The Yosemite.

Think about these questions as you prepare your essay: 

• Why do you think Muir wrote this book? 
• For what audience did he intend his work? 
• What is Muir tone? 
• How does that tone affect your interpretation of his work? 
• Are his points relevant to both written and spoken English? 
• How do you think the social mores of Muir's era affected the way he chose to make his point? 
• Do you think this viewpoint is relevant today?

Use your knowledge of prewriting and academic writing, learned from lessons in Units 1 and 2, to help in writing this essay. You should also incorporate lessons learned in Unit 3 on focus, cohesion, and style, to further enhance the quality and effectiveness of your writing.

You may find it necessary to find out more about John Muir's life and work, as well as some of the social conventions that he discusses, before you can respond to these questions. When you have completed your first draft, use the questions in the Toulmin Worksheet to evaluate your argument. Then, revise your essay as needed to reflect the results of your analysis.

When you have finished writing your second draft, read it aloud to someone else. Then, revise and edit one more time to address your friend's suggestions and questions. As always, remember to properly cite others in your essay when referencing or paraphrasing their work.

Tips and Suggestions: Reading aloud to yourself can be useful in finalizing your work when you don't have someone else to edit or grade it for you. As you read, jot notes about anything that doesn't seem to fit logically or that sounds incorrect to you. Although you may work through this course completely independently, you may find it helpful to connect with other students about this activity through the discussion forums. You may access the discussion forums here.