1. SCOPE:
A major component of communications is the ability to compose and encode messages. Learners must always strive to enhance their ability to relay messages in the written form. The barriers to writing routinely include expressing thoughts using incomplete sentences, encoding messages with words that are wrong and using erroneous punctuation. Senior leaders are the subject of scrutiny and criticism for their inability to write. This lesson offers the learner a review of English writing rules and practice events, as well as identify other tools available to assist in writing and researching. At the end of this lesson learners will be able to construct effective writing products for the course and in the operating environment.
2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
TLO: This lesson supports 400-MLC-0410, Generate communications as an organizational leader.
ELO: 400-MLC-0410.01
Action: Construct writing products that effectively communicate ideas, positions, research, and military correspondence.
Conditions: As a learner and senior leader attending face-to-face or virtual environments participating in dynamic, collaborative facilitated discussions, given references and multimedia resources.
Standard: Construct a white paper that includes:
1. Identifying the length of assignment,
2. Identifying support and analysis,
3. Organizing elements that support the topic,
4. Examining the proper documentation of research,
5. Identifying APA style format IAW APA 7th Edition using Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL),
6. Identifying the use of active voice, and
7. Constructing the white paper.
Learning Domain Cognitive
Level of Learning: Synthesis
3. PREPARATION FOR CLASS:
- Read (8.5 Total Pages):
- AR 25-50, Preparing and Managing Correspondence, November 2020, Ch. 1, Sec. I thru IV, pp. 1 thru 7 (7 pages). Found at https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/AR.aspx
- White Paper Rubric. Found on Blackboard > Writing Assignments & Briefs
- Learner Handout - What is Plagiarism?, Plagiarism.org (1.5 pages). Found on Blackboard > M404 Learner Handouts
- Scan (6 Total Pages):
- Be prepared to discuss the following in class
- Why must all Soldiers, regardless of rank, possess capable writing ability if they want to succeed in Today’s Army? Answer based on personal experience
- Which basic English rules (includes mechanics, grammar, and punctuation) cause Soldiers the most grief and why? Answer based on personal experience
- What are credible and non-credible sources for writing research papers? Credible vs Non-Credible Sources
- What is an assertion with regards to research? Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms “Assertion”
- What are the differences between active voice and passive voice; which one is better and why? AR 25-50 para.1-38 through 1-39
- What is Plagiarism? What is Plagiarism?
4. HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT(S):
- Read (6 Total Pages):
- Learner Handout - How to Write and Format a White Paper (3 pages). Found on Blackboard > M404 Learner Handouts
- Learner Handout - An Excerpt from Hannibal (1 page). Found in same location as above
- Learner Handout - Group Research Paper (White Paper) Additional Guidance (2 pages). (Found in same location as above)
- Complete (12 Total Pages):
- Learning Activity - Grammar Exercises (5 pages). (Found in same location as above)
- Learning Activity - How to Write (Found in same location as above)
- Writing Mechanics Self-Assessment Checklist (1 page)
- Punctuation (3 pages)
- Subject and Verb Agreement (1 page)
- Run-ons, Comma Slices, and Fused (1 page)
- Sentence Fragments (1 page)
- Begin white paper assignment as a group.
5. ASSESSMENT PLAN: Refer to ISAP.