DSST Principles of Advanced English Composition study plan

Diagnose your current writing level by composing one 300-word persuasive paragraph under a 25-minute timer, then annotate it for thesis clarity, topic-sentence strength, and transitions.

Define and write your own reference list of the ten sentence-level errors that most often cost points (comma splice, run-on, dangling modifier, faulty parallelism, pronoun-antecedent disagreement, subject-verb disagreement, misplaced modifier, tense shift, apostrophe misuse, vague pronoun reference), with one original corrected example each.

Practice identifying the four sentence types (simple, compound, complex, compound-complex) by writing two original examples of each and labeling the clauses.

Build a personal editing checklist of at least eight items you will apply to every practice essay.

Apply cohesion devices deliberately by rewriting the same 200-word passage three times using different transition strategies (conjunctive adverbs, pronoun chains, and repeated key terms).

Revise ten original sentences to eliminate wordiness, nominalizations, and passive constructions where active voice is clearer.

Demonstrate control of parallel structure by writing five original sentences with coordinated lists, correlative conjunctions, and compared elements, then self-correct each.

Explain in writing how audience and purpose should change diction and sentence length, using two original before-and-after paragraph pairs.

Identify and write original thesis statements that are arguable, specific, and appropriately qualified, producing five thesis statements and stress-testing each against a counterargument.

Outline a five-paragraph argument using claim, evidence, warrant, and impact for each body paragraph.

Distinguish fact, inference, and judgment in a set of ten original statements you write yourself, labeling each category.

Draft a complete 500-word argumentative essay with an explicit thesis, three warranted body paragraphs, and a conclusion that advances rather than repeats the thesis.

Analyze the three classical appeals by writing one original paragraph each that relies primarily on logos, pathos, and ethos, then critique which was strongest and why.

Construct and rebut three counterarguments in writing, using concession and refutation moves such as 'although,' 'admittedly,' and 'however.'

Detect five common logical fallacies (ad hominem, straw man, false dilemma, hasty generalization, slippery slope) in original examples you compose, and rewrite each as a sound argument.

Evaluate the strength of evidence types (statistics, anecdote, expert testimony, analogy) by ranking them for three different hypothetical claims and justifying the ranking.

Practice close reading by annotating two original op-ed-style passages you write or source, marking claims, evidence, assumptions, and tone shifts.

Write a 400-word rhetorical analysis of one passage that names the writer's purpose, audience, appeals, and structural choices with quoted support.

Distinguish primary from secondary sources and paraphrase versus direct quotation by producing three original examples of each in correct MLA style.

Draft an MLA Works Cited entry for a book, a journal article, and a web page from citation elements you supply yourself, and check each against MLA 9 formatting rules.

Integrate sources smoothly by writing six original sentence templates for introducing, interpreting, and connecting quotations, then use each in a paragraph.

Paraphrase three short original passages of about 60 words each without borrowing phrasing, and verify no more than three consecutive words match the source.

Apply signal phrases and in-text citations correctly in a 300-word synthesis paragraph that draws on at least three sources.

Identify plagiarism risk by rewriting three original examples of patchwriting into properly attributed paraphrase or quotation.

Evaluate source credibility using the criteria of authority, accuracy, currency, objectivity, and purpose, and write a five-criterion assessment of three sources.

Assemble a short annotated bibliography of four sources, each with a two-sentence summary and a one-sentence statement of how it would support or complicate a claim.

Revise a previously written essay to improve source integration, citation accuracy, and sentence-level clarity, tracking every change in a revision log.

Proofread for the ten errors from Week 1 by running a targeted pass on your own draft and recording which errors recurred.

Complete two full timed practice essays of 45 minutes each, one argumentative and one source-based, under exam conditions.

Self-score both essays against a four-trait rubric covering thesis and organization, evidence and reasoning, source use and citation, and language conventions.

Review your error log from Weeks 1 through 7 and rewrite the five sentences or paragraphs that gave you the most trouble.

Consolidate a one-page exam-day checklist covering time allocation, thesis placement, citation format, and proofreading priorities.