CRTW 201:  SEEI Journal

This is a group exercise.  Work with those in your QUADRANTS (i.e., your quarter of the classroom).  You will obviously want to divide up the elements, standards, and traits (suggestion:  each of you should take one or two of each); but how you do that is up to you in your groups.  The group should submit one document to me:  it should begin with everybody's name; it should then give SEEIs for all of the elements, standards, and traits.

To get started, review Nosich, pages 33-37.  You will find there a technique that he calls SEEI for thinking things through.  This acronym means statement, elaboration, exemplification, and illustration.  The key to using SEEI is to use the following format:

S:  State a definition:  ___________ is....

E:  Elaborate:  In other words, ________________.

E: Exemplify:  For example, ________________.

I:  Illustrate:  It's like __________________. 

Example: 

Writing

• S:  Writing is the process of making the unconscious conscious by putting words on paper.

• E:  In other words, you don't consciously know what you think until you write it.

• E:  For example, instructors have students do brainstorming and free-writing exercises.

• I:  It's like casting a net over the side of your boat: you do not know what will come up, but you have confidence that something will.

Process:

• We will spend a whole day in class on this assignment:  you and your group members may even be able to get a full draft finished.
• It is important for your group members to edit, critique, and improve each other's SEEIs.  Weak SEEIs will pull down everyone's grade unless everybody works together to ensure uniform excellence.

Notes:

• In your everyday speech, you are used to using "It's like" to introduce an example.  That is NOT how you should use it in the "I" stage of an SEEI.  Here, "It's like" introduces an analogy or simile, not an example.  Nosich explains this on page 35 ("an analogy, simile, or metaphor").  The "I" should not be another example.  Also note that the "I" portion has two parts:  1) a statement of comparison and 2) an explanation after the colon.  You must explain your "I":  if I do not understand it, you will not receive credit for it.  Note that the S, E, and E are about THINKING; the "I" is NOT about thinking.  It may also help to take the "I" out of the human realm.

• Do not turn in a comment sheet with your journal.  Nor is a folder necessary.  Just staple your pages together and hand in your assignment.  I suggest that you put your group members' names on a cover sheet.

• Please do not blend all of the elements together in a single paragraph.  Set each SEEI off as illustrated above.  Extra space between each element will also help.

• Do NOT use a dictionary.  Do not put dictionary definitions in the "S" position, especially without quotation marks!  In addition, do not quote or plagiarize Nosich!  You should not have a works cited list!  THIS IS AN EXERCISE IS PUTTING THE ELEMENTS, STANDARDS, AND TRAITS OF MIND IN YOUR OWN WORDS!

• WRITE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES--NO FRAGMENTS, RUN-ONS, OR COMMA SPLICES!

Things that are okay in this assignment only:

• Contractions
• Second person

Ways to botch this assignment:

• Using a dictionary definition or Nosich's language in your S.
• Claiming that point of view is an opinion about a situation.
• Claiming that a conclusion is a paper's final paragraph.
• Not having your example of Q @ I include an actual question.
• Using circular definitions (e.g., "Clarity is to clarify something clearly"; humility means humble; depth means how deep something is; importance is how important someone is):  do not use a term's root word to define it.
• Using one element or standard to define another (e.g., saying precision is accuracy).
• Claiming that sufficiency = completeness.  Enough is not = ALL.  (Nosich on page 150 states that completeness is a related concept, not a synonym of sufficiency.)
• Repeating the same words in the S and the first E.
• Switching contexts (e.g., talking about breadth in spatial/geometric terms instead of in terms of critical thinking).
• Using sentence fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.
• Using plural pronouns (they, their, them) to refer to singular antecedents (someone, a person, one).
• Not using periods at the ends of your sentences.

Assignment:  In your journal (which should, of course, be word processed and follow the "Format for Papers" in the syllabus), do an SEEI for all of the elements, all of the standards, and all of the traits of mind. 

This assignment must be submitted to turnitin.com.  Only one person from each group should submit the journal; otherwise, it will come up 100% plagiarized, and you will have squandered your opportunity to show me that your work is original.

Here are the elements (see page 51): 

• Context
• Point of view
• Question at issue
• Purpose
• Assumptions
• Implications and consequences
• Information
• Concepts
• Conclusions, interpretations
• Alternatives

Here are the standards (see page 140):

• Clarity
• Accuracy
• Importance, relevance
• Sufficiency
• Depth
• Breadth
• Precision

Traits of mind (see page 183):

• Humility
• Courage
• Empathy
• Perseverance
• Integrity
• Rationality
• Fair-mindedness
• Autonomy

Grading:

OK = turnitin.com results showed no problems.  Grades are integers such as 9/10 (A), 8/10 (B), 7/10 (C), etc.  Check minus means that some part of SEE was problematic.  Check means that SEE was okay.  Check + means that the whole SEEI was okay.

A = 20/25 (80%) on SEE and 15/25 (60%) on I.

B = 15/25 (60%) on SEE and 10/25 (40%) on I.

C = 10/25 (40%) on SEE and 5/25 (25%) on I.

D = 6-9/25 on SEE

F = 0-5/25 on SEE

Examples (SEE/SEEI):  22/16 = A; 20/14 = B; 15/9 = C.

Everybody in your group will receive the same grade, regardless of degree of contribution.  So it is up to you to motivate each other:  that is part of the assignment.  If you have "slackers" in your group, it is not your responsibility to do their job for them.  It IS your responsibility to help motivate them to do their work.