ENG 001: Language & Writing

WP3

2008-12-08T09:26:00.011-06:00

Well, here it is: the last of your 3 major writing projects. For this assignment, you will be asked to write a soundtrack for your life. Each song you choose will contain the following elements: 1 embedded video, the name of the band & song, 250 words that contain an O-O account of the video, a BRIEF narrative strand relating the video to your life, an O-O account of an object that relates to an object in your life AND the video, & 3 relevant hyperlinks for each song (1 of which must be the band's site & another of which must be a place to acquire the song legally).

The soundtrack itself will consist of 8 songs (no more no less) & each video must be engaged directly. By this, I mean that you need to take an aspect of the video, whether it be visual or auditory (music or lyrics), & address how that element speaks to or for your life. To this extent, you will be utilizing the video as an entryway into your life by writing through the object (i.e. O-O approach). But, once you enter that doorway, you are NOT to provide a straight narrative of some event that took place, but instead say something about who you are through another object, thing, idea, etc. As mentioned in class, you will most likely need a BRIEF narrative strand to connect or transition between different objects or thoughts, but this should in no way be the focal point. I would HIGHLY recommend looking toward the essays we have read for class as examples of how to do this (e.g. Sanders' paragraphs on his hammer). Furthermore, the order of your videos MUST be chronological in nature, according to the part of your life it relates to. Finally, your essay will best be served if you have a common theme running throughout.

The final draft of this project is DUE, Friday 18, December 2008 @ midnight.

As a matter of example, here is a sample I wrote myself. Please use the formatting for your project that I have here (i.e. margins, embedding, band/song preface). Notice how the first two sentences address the video directly, then the third sentence transitions into an account of how the "Atari-aesthetic" relates to my life (even so, I defer the use of the first-person "I"). Sentences four and five provide further description of the nature of an "Atari-aesthetic," while sentence six once again relates it to my childhood. Of particular importance is how sentence six utilizes 1) the gaming units as the subject of the sentence, 2) contains SPECIFIC jargon with regard to games, and 3) employs an overloaded prepositional phrase through the use of cataloging. The final sentence returns to the Octopus Project video and provides the vignette with a certain amount of closure, but does NOT attempt to develop an epiphany, meaning, or overt lesson for the reader other than relating the "Atari-aesthetic" back to the video itself.

Octopus Project, “Music is Happiness”: Between cuts of the band playing on what appears to a Saturday Night Fever dance floor, this Octopus Project video splices in clips of a gerbil scurrying through several different retro-video game worlds: Legend of Zelda, Berserker, & Asteroids just to name a few. The gerbil-scenes present the viewer with an Atari-aesthetic that anyone who grew up in the 80s can no doubt recognize. As a child, many of my weekend mornings were spent in front of the television set playing highly-pixilated arcade games on my family’s Atari 5200 gaming unit, &, a few years later, on an original Nintendo Entertainment System. At the time, these ancient games were technological wonders; in retrospect, our amazement appears laughable. The squared-off images were more abstract figuration than mimetic, & the movement of individual entities mimicked the herky-jerky nature of a poorly conceived stop-action film. A far cry from the life-like images & fluid movement today’s systems offer, Atari & early Nintendo games nonetheless enabled my brothers, friends, & I to enter into fantastical worlds in which we could play the roles of a happy-go-lucky star fighter with a penchant for shooting at robots with laser beams, a jungle adventurer attempting to save a distressed maiden (all the while leaping boulders & dodging arrows), or a chivalrous knight in search of golden coins & fire-breathing dragons; & this is to say nothing of classic arcade games such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, or Frogger. By the look of the video, it would seem that the Octopus Project may have shared similar childhood experiences (Not to mention that the music itself sounds as if it could be used in one of these games).

12.02.08: UPDATE

2008-12-02T18:26:00.005-06:00

READING: For Thursday's class, please read the Masello essay on Blackboard. Per my instructions in class, bring a print out of the essay, along with a scissor and a glue stick or tape.

WRITING: For your next three weekly blog posts, you will write an autobiography via the object-oriented (O-O), or "constellation" method (This is not a narrative, per se.). By this, I mean you will write in-depth about a particular object: describing in detail its materiality, jargon surrounding its discourse or use, and manners in which it connects to other objects in your life. As I mentioned in class, the "hammer section" of the Russell essay should provide you with a decent template. Each post should contain 300 words, 2 hyperlinks, and 1 image or video. For some great reading on constellations, check out Adorno's Negative Dialectics on Google-Books, or Benjamin's "On the Concept of History."

First O-O post DUE Wednesday, December 3rd @ midnight.
Second O-O post DUE Friday, December 5th @ midnight.
Third O-O post DUE Sunday, December 7th @ midnight.

As a reminder, your journals will be due on December 9th during class. If you are not present, or do not have your journal with you, there will be no extensions and no late-acceptances. Make sure you are present and ready to turn in your work. If, for some reason, you know you will not be in class, please turn in your journal early.

I will post WP3 guidelines within the next few days, so keep an eye out of your final assignment.

UPDATE: 11.24.08

2008-11-24T12:48:00.004-06:00

READING: For next Tuesday's class (12.02.08), please read Scott Russel Sander's essay "The Inheritance of Tools." I will post this on Blackboard later tonight

WRITING: In lieu of class tomorrow, please complete the following writing assignments: 1) Write a 300 word observation of your favorite music video. In addition to embedding the video into your post, please include 2 hyperlinks. This is NOT a re-capitulation of the narrative (if there is one) of the video. You are to focus on the manner in which editing, lighting, audio-video interactions, patterns, etc. construction this hybrid text; 2) Write a 300 reflection on or about the video that includes 1 image (or alternative-related video...NOT the same video as the previous post) and 2 hyperlinks. This post should engage the video, and your relation to it, through "extending" practices. Both of these assignments are due on Tuesday, November 25th @ midnight. (That's tomorrow night.)

Additionally, you will need to write a 300 word rhetorical response to the video you chose that will include 1 image and 2 hyperlinks. Given the scope of this assignment, you will mostly likely only be able to focus on 1 strategy or appeal and demonstrate, using SPECIFIC elements from the video, how it functions within this particular context. DUE: Tuesday, December 2nd @ 2:00PM. (That's the day we get back.)

Extra Credit Opportunities

2008-11-09T21:50:00.002-06:00

Before you read this post, please note that the post 2 posts immediately below this one contain information with regard to WP2 guidelines and this week's writing assignment. Do not forget to read them.

For both of the below readings, you will need to write a 300 word response on a phrase, line, or poem that the poet reads during the event, NOT about the logistics of the event itself. Furthermore, responses must be posted no later than 1 week after the event date.

Tuesday, November 11th @ 7:30PM in the Alabaster Lounge (2nd Floor, Old Main): Joanna Klink.

Thursday, November 20th @ 7:30PM in Callen Conference Center (S-C Building): Timothy Liu.

Writing Project 2: Rhetorical Analysis

2008-11-09T21:43:00.002-06:00

ROUGH DRAFT DUE: Tuesday, 18 November 2008.
FINAL DRAFT DUE: Sunday, 23 November 2008.

For your second Writing Project, you will choose a visual or hybrid art-object that you will analyze, paying close attention to the types of rhetorical strategies & appeals utilized. As such, you will want to ask yourself, & then answer, the following questions: “What is the argument of the object?” “In what ways is the argument structured?” “What types of claims are being made?” & “What design elements are employed to forward the argument?”

The rhetorical analysis requires substantial time and thought, so it’s best to find an object you find interesting or feel passionate about. If you know a topic/text well, you’ll have a sense of what arguments are being made about it, and you’ll likely be eager to undertake sustained analysis & brief research.

A rhetorical analysis looks at the way an argument works (NOT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ARGUMENT) and may evaluate its effectiveness. You might think of your analysis as an argument about and argument. Accordingly, rather than simply listing every rhetorical detail you see in the objects, you should focus on some specific thesis, or claim. After examining the arguments closely, generate a claim with supporting reasons that describe or assess the way the object works

If you’ve chosen arguments that interest you, readers will sense your enthusiasm and want to learn more. But remember that won’t necessarily be familiar with the object you’re analyzing. You may need to provide background information and enough examples—quotations and images—to show them how the argument works.

When you write a rhetorical analysis, it’s obviously important to study your chosen object carefully to identify key patterns. It is also important to lay out the basic facts of what is called the rhetorical situation: who is writing about what for which audience. Conduct research in the library or on the internet so that you can accurately identify the argument, where and when it appears, in what medium, and so on. You may need to provide a short paragraph of background information early in your paper to set the context for the argument.

How will you most effectively accomplish this assignment? Examine logical appeals by looking carefully at how well the claims made in a piece are stated, qualified, and supported. Be specific in identifying these appeals, quoting from verbal arguments and describing visual arguments. Examine the emotional appeals by identifying emotions and explain how they are generated. Evaluate their relevance to the claim offered. Again, be specific, quoting or describing the emotional details clearly enough for readers to understand them. Examine ethos and assess the credibility of the writer, artist, or sponsoring institution. Is the argument presented by someone you are moved to trust? Is the appeal honest? Explain why, using specific evidence from the argument you are analyzing.

These analyses will make up the body of your essay. You’ll also need to frame this discussion with an introduction, perhaps outlining your thesis and providing relevant background information, and a conclusion that comments on your focal point and answers the “So what?” question.

Check that the logistical elements of the paper work smoothly: If you’ve incorporated images, are they clear and readable? Have you documented any outside source materials? Does the structure and content of your analysis make sense—can readers move easily from idea to idea as you develop your analysis?

Minimum Criteria: a) 1200 words, b) 4 multi-media elements, c) 7-10 hyperlinks, & e) a works cited section at the end of your post if you utilize secondary sources.

REMEMBER: You will need to construct a clearly articulated thesis statement in your introduction that specifically addresses the argument you will be forwarding about the text you have chosen. Think of this an argument about an argument.

Rhetorical Appeals: How does the author of the text use images to work in conjunction with rhetorical appeals? For instance, does the image reinforce an appeal to reason? Is it designed to produce an emotional effect on the audience? Does the use of a certain style, such as black-&-white authority, contribute to the ethos of the text?

Strategy of Development: What strategy of development does the text rely upon? Narration? Definition? Comparison-contrast? Example & illustration? Classification & division? How do these strategies contribute to the ad’s persuasive appeal?

Finally, refer to your MLA handbook for proper integration of secondary source material.

***************** PEER-REVIEW QUESTIONS ******************

Does the essay begin with an introduction that grabs the audience’s attention? Or, to phrase this statement another way, were you as a reader captivated enough by the introduction that, even if you did not have to read this paper for class, you still would? If not, how could the introduction be improved? Provide specific examples.

Is the thesis a well-articulated, declarative statement that clearly states the purpose of the paper & defines the argument the writer will put forth? If not, how does the thesis fail? Is it purely a statement of fact? Is it a subjective opinion? Is it over-generalized? How could the statement be re-worded so as to make it more effective? What questions do still have about the essay after reading the thesis? How could the answers to these questions be incorporate into the thesis? Be specific.

Has the writer chosen a piece of visual or hybrid rhetoric (i.e. is the text something that can be seen, NOT just text)?

Does the analysis directly engage the images & words found in the primary text? Are there aspects of the primary text that are not dealt with? Should they be? Does the analysis “make sense?” Again, be specific.

Does the writer engage the rhetorical strategies (Read “Envsision2.pdf” page 31 for a list) employed by the primary text? Does the writer discuss how these strategies contribute to the overall argument? If so, are there strategies that are not discussed that are present in the primary text? If the writer does not discuss strategies, what suggestions can you, as reviewer, make?

Does the writer engage the rhetorical appeals (Read “Envision2.pdf” pages 33-49 for the three types of appeals & their uses) employed by the primary text? Does the writer discuss how these appeals contribute to the overall argument? If so, are there appeals that are not discussed that are present in the primary text? If the writer does not discuss appeals, what suggestions can you, as reviewer, make?

Has the writer incorporated secondary sources into the fabric of their essay? If so, is the source properly documented within the essay, as well as at the end in a works cited section? Check the MLA handbook to make sure both in-text & works cited citations are correct.

Suggest 52 places within the text where hyperlink links would be appropriate. It will be helpful to add hyperlinks to words that could provide some additional background information about the subject matter that is not present within the essay.

Outside of the primary text (visual/hybrid rhetoric chosen by the writer as their subject matter), make a suggestion for another multi-media element & where it should be located within the framework of the essay, not at the beginning or end.

UPDATE: 11.06.08

2008-11-06T17:37:00.003-06:00

WRITING: For your second writing assignment of the week, search online for an image of an art-object, preferably something from the 21st-century or from the second half of the 20th-century. Embed the image into a post and write 400 words (including 2 relevant hyperlinks) on the particular culture context of the art-object or the concepts it dialogues with. Make sure to provide proper citations for any material that originates from external sites or books. In many ways, this will serve as a pre-writing exercise for WP2. DUE: Sunday, November 9th @ midnight.

UPDATE: 10.30.08

2008-10-30T08:04:00.007-05:00

READING: I will assign a student essay for you to read over the weekend in class today (Thursday). You will be reading the essay through a critical lens, so be sure to acknowledge when the student-writer both succeeds and does not succeed within his/her essay, suggesting alternatives in either case. Also, ask yourself: Does the student-writer employ the rhetorical terminology from Envision properly? Does (s)he address the terms, vis-a-vis the text they chose, using SPECIFIC examples? Are you convinced by the argument they are making about the rhetorical structure and devices of the text they analyze?

Here is the dedicated link that I promised in Thursday's class: Ryan's Rhetorical Analysis.

WRITING: For this week's writing assignment, you will be asked to compose a 300 word blog-post that contains 2 hyperlinks and 1 image/video on the topic of your choosing. Assignments should be posted to your blog by Sunday, November 2nd @ midnight.

Your first assignment for next week, will follow the same parameters as the writing assignment above. This second post will be due by Wednesday, November 5th @ 7:00PM.

UPDATE: 10.23.08

2008-10-23T21:55:00.008-05:00

For your writing assignment this week, please watch and embed the following Youtube video clip into a post on your blog. You can find the HTML code here.

Each of you will engage the FIRST question (ending around the 5:25 mark) asked by moderator Gwen Ifill through a rhetorical lens, but with a focus on particular aspects. Group 1 (Jeremy, Natasha, and Rachel) will address the manner in which Joe Biden employs logos, while Group 2 (Tim, Ashley, and Hannah) will do the same for Sarah Palin. Group 3 (Travis, Christine, and Stephanie) will analyze JB's use of pathos, while Group 4 (Brandon, Melissa, and Zach) will analyze SP's. Finally, Group 5 (Josh S, John, and Torie) will engage JB's implementation of ethos, while Group 6 (Drew, Josh W, Jennifer, and Alex) will do the same for SP.

A few issues to consider before writing: 1) while you have been given a specific focus that you MUST foreground in your response, remember that most of these appeals overlap with one another, so in all likelihood you will BRIEFLY address one, if not both, of the other appeals, 2) this, as mentioned last week, is to be a rhetorical analysis, so personal political opinions and beliefs should not make their way into your writing, 3) engage SPECIFIC material from the video, whether that be through quotation or highly description observational details (the former when dealing with what a particular VP candidate is saying, the latter if you are dealing w/ the visual rhetoric employed), and 4) include 2 hyperlinks. Posts are to be 500 words in length. DUE: Sunday, October 26th @ midnight.

UPDATE: 10.16.08

2008-10-16T14:40:00.002-05:00

Due to Fall Break, we will not have class on Tuesday, October 21st. Therefore, we will meet in Old Main 308 on Thursday, October 23rd instead of the library computer lab. Also, please check the details of this week's second writing assignment for slight modifications in the parameters and due date.

UPDATE: 10.14.08

2008-10-14T18:44:00.010-05:00

READING: For Thursday's class, please read Envision chapters 1 and 2, which, as always, can be found on Blackboard. For Tuesday's class of next week, read chapter 3.

WRITING: After reading chapter 1, develop three nuanced questions (by "nuanced," I mean one that not only requires more than a "yes-or-no" answer, but also will serve to stimulate class discussion); do the same for chapter 2. Once you have three question for each chapter (6 total) upload them to your blog as a single post. DUE: Thursday, October 16th @ 1:00PM.

For your second writing assignment of the week, embed a video clip from tomorrow's (Wednesday, October 15th) presidential debate; you should be able to find them on Youtube shortly after the debate is over, but watching the entire program will make you (maybe) a better person, and definitely a more informed voter. Select ONE question that was asked of the candidates and, using SPECIFIC examples from the clip, and in a 500 word response that contains 2 hyperlinks, demonstrate how each man employs logos, pathos, and ethos. Furthermore, explain what rhetorical arrangement each of them uses. Finally, think about how the context of the event (I use this term in the broadest manner possible) affects the audience. Keep in mind, this question does not in anyway ask for your personal opinions or political views. You are to analyze the segment you choose rhetorically; in fact, the audience of your blog should not be able to tell from your response which candidate you favor. DUE Tuesday, October 21st @ midnight.

Writing Project 1

2008-09-22T19:06:00.003-05:00

For your first project, you will be asked to observe a person, place, or event from the public sphere that deals directly with Lincoln or Nebraska,. As such, the first aspect of your project will be to choose a subject matter & perform a detailed, first-hand observation. THIS IS NOT A REMEMBRANCE; YOU MUST BE ACTIVELY TAKING NOTES WHILE YOU ARE OBSERVING YOUR SUBJECT MATTER. Afterward, you will be required to write a reflection on the observation you wrote. This portion of the essay will contain your thoughts and insights on the subject matter. Furthermore, while it will be beneficial for you to look over some WP1s of students from my previous classes (we will discuss effective elements of some better conceived essays), I do not want you to select subject matter that has already been written about, unless you can develop the subject matter from a DIFFERENT angle (Ask me before deciding on this though). Keeping the following practices in mind will enable you to produce the best results:

1. Set up a tentative schedule for your observation & interview visits. Figure out first the amount of time you have to complete your essay, then determine the scope of your project—a onetime observation, an interview with follow-up, or multiple observations & interviews. Decide what visits you will need to make, whom you will need to interview, & what library or internet work you might want to do to get background information about your subject. Estimate the time necessary for each, knowing you might need to schedule more time than anticipated.

Make phone calls to schedule visits. When you write down your appointment, be sure to include names, addresses, phone numbers, dates & times, & any special arrangements you have made for each visit.

2. During your visit, take notes on what you observe. Do not try to impose order on your notes at this stage; simply record whatever you notice. Pay special attention to visual details & other kinds of sensory perceptions (sounds & smells, etc.) that you can draw on later to describe the place & people.

3. Prepare for the interview by writing out some preliminary questions. But do not be afraid of abandoning your script during the interview. Listen carefully to what is said & ask follow-up questions. Take notes; if you like & your subject agrees, you may also tape-record the interview.

Once you complete you observations, you will need to take some time to reflect upon the thoughts & feelings you have initially developed on or about your subject matter. To explore your ideas about the subject, try an invention called cubing. Based on the six sides of a cube, this activity leads you to turn over your subject as you would a cube, looking at it in six different ways. Complete the following activities in any order, writing for ten minutes on each one (five minutes of thinking, five minutes of writing). Your goal is to invent ways of considering your subject.

1. Generalizing: consider what you have learned from the event or experience that will be the occasion for your reflections. What ideas does it suggest to you? What does it suggest about people in general or about the society in which you live?

2. Giving examples: illustrate your ideas with specific examples. What examples would best help your readers understand your ideas?

3. Comparing & contrasting: think of a subject that could be compared with yours & explore the similarities & the differences.

4. Extending: take your subject to its logical limits & speculate about its implications. Where does it lead?

5. Analyzing: take apart your subject. What is it made of? How are the parts related to one another? Are they all of equal importance?

6. Applying: think about your subject in practical terms. How can you use it or act on it? What difference would it make to you & to others?

After your cubing exercise, you will need to consider your purpose. To do so, ask yourself the following questions: What do I want my readers to think about the subject after reading my essay? Your answer to this question may change as you write, but thinking about your purpose now may help you decide which of your ideas to include in the essay. Use the following questions to clarify your purpose: Which of your ideas are most important? Why? How do your ideas relate to one another? If your ideas seem contradictory, consider how you could use the contradictions to convey to readers the complexity of your ideas & feelings on the subject. Which of your ideas do you think will most surprise your readers? Which are most likely to be familiar? Is the subject matter that is the impetus for your reflections likely to resonate with your readers’ experience & observation? If not, consider how you can make the particular subject matter vivid or dramatic for the readers.

At this juncture, you will want to form a tentative thesis to guide you in the construction of your first draft; it is a tentative thesis because, once you start writing, you may find that some of your ideas may alter as you begin to more concretely organize & write your essay. Your tentative thesis should accomplish two tasks though: it should bring into focus the main person, place, or event on which you are writing, as well as inform the readers of what you think is most important & interesting about the subject matter you observed & how those elements will develop & inform your reflection.

Once your observations & reflections are complete & you have constructed a tentative thesis statement, you will almost be ready to write your first draft. But, before you begin, the following questions MUST be considered if you are to develop an essay that is properly structured & entertaining: How can I help my readers envision the subject? How can I engage my readers? How can I present & distribute the information so that readers do not become either bored or overwhelmed? How should I organize my observations, presenting them vividly & in a way that anticipates my reflections? How can I best develop my reflections? How can I maintain topical coherence? How can I convey the impression I want to leave with my readers?

At this point, you are ready to begin drafting. But, keep in mind all the steps that have led up to this point are not just extraneous to the essay, but ARE INTREGAL PARTS OF THE ESSAY ITSELF & necessarily writing in-&-of-itself.

The minimum requirements for Writing Project 1 are as follows: a 5-page (approximately 1200 word) essay to be posted in an aesthetically pleasing manner on your blog. I will not accept hard-copies or emailed essays. In addition to the word count, you will need to incorporate any combination of the following visual elements—5 images, 4 images & 1 video, or 3 images & 2 videos. Also you will need 7-10 relevant hyperlinks that direct the reader to authoritative, external sites. The project is DUE on Sunday 10.12.08 @ midnight.

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PLEASE BRING A COPY OF THESE QUESTIONS TO CLASS EACH DAY WE ARE CONDUCTING PEER-REVIEWS. YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS IN DETAIL & SHOULD HAVE THEM ON HAND SO THAT YOU MAY REFER TO THEM WHEN NEEDED.

01) Does the essay commence with an observation that utilizes detailed & vivid description? If not, suggest ways in which this can be accomplished. What senses are (not) utilized or developed? Suggest alternative ways of framing &/or describing the observation that may be more beneficial. If the writer chose another way to open the essay, what form did it take? Is it effective or ineffective? Suggest an alternative introductory format.

02) Provide one example of where the writer utilized detailed & vivid description when writing about their subject matter. Why does it work? Provide at least one example of where the writer does not properly employ detailed & vivid descriptions when writing about their subject matter. Why does it not work?

03) Does the essay contain a clear thesis statement or focal point that effectively & logically connects the observation to a general subject &/or reflection? If not, suggest ways in which this can be accomplished. If so, suggest alternative ways of stating the focal point/thesis so as to be more effective/present the argument in a more logically coherent manner.

04) What type of organizational phrasing does the writer choose when structuring their essay? Temporal? Spatial? Other? Does (s)he remain consistent with their choice? Is their choice appropriate? Provide one example of where they could more appropriately incorporate such phrasing into the fabric of their essay. Additionally, does the writer find ways in which to meld content & form? How so? If (s)he does not, suggest ways that the writer could interweave these two aspects.

05) Does the writer incorporate dialogue into the essay? If so, where does it contribute best to the essay? The least? If there is no dialogue in the essay, make some suggestions as to where direct discourse would best serve the essay. What type of person/people should dialogue be attributed to?

06) Does the essay present examples that support the reflection that is presented? If not, suggest ways in which this can be done. If so, suggest ways in which these examples can more clearly demonstrate the subject matter that the writer is reflecting upon. Are the examples descriptive & detailed? Do the examples correlate directly to the material being reflected upon?

07) Does the essay contain a conclusion that effectively answers the “so what” question? In this regard, does the conclusion present for the audience a) some understanding of why this reflection is important & b) a direct connection to the audience so as to make these ideas relevant to the reader?

08) Are there any aspects of the essay that were difficult to understand?

09) What was the best aspect of this essay?

10) What aspect of this essay did you find least effective? Provide specific examples of how you would improve this aspect.

11) Suggest at least five specific places where hyperlinks could be inserted. When suggesting words that could be attached to links, ask yourself the following questions: What is the focal point of the essay? What secondary information would be helpful in understanding elements of the essay more thoroughly?

12) Suggest at least four specific images or videos that would be beneficial to the audience when visualizing the written material. Again, when suggesting multi-media additions, ask yourself the following questions: What is the focal point of the essay? What multi-media elements would make the written text more compelling or unique?

UPDATE: 09.30.08

2008-09-30T18:51:00.007-05:00

READING: For Thursday's class, please read the Brent Staples essay, entitled "Black Men in Public Spaces," as well as the short introduction to reflective writing. Both of these selections are from Reading Critically, Writing Well, and they correspond to pages 158-164 in the PDF file on Blackboard. If you want to further familiarize yourself with reflective writing, I would highly suggest reading the other essay in that cluster as well.

Also, as we did with the Kara's essay today in class, we will write, comment, and critique Zach Beedle's essay, "Railroad Community." While I hope everyone participates in the discussion, I will be particularly interested in hearing form those of you who did not speak much in class today (Hint, hint).

WRITING: For your first writing assignment of the week, please embed an image or video into a post, along with 2 hyperlinks and a 300 word response. DUE: Sunday, October 5th @ midnight.

I would also like you to post the cubing assignment on your blog as well. This will necessarily mean that, to complete the assignment, you must have conducted at least one first-hand observation. Guidelines for this exercise can be found in the WP1 post. DUE: Tuesday, October 7th @ 2:00PM.

UPDATE: 09.26.08

2008-09-26T12:16:00.008-05:00

WRITING: For your second writing assignment of the week, select a music video from Youtube or another video sharing site and embed it in a post. Afterward, write a 300 OBSERVATION that attempts to meld content and form, in that, what you are writing ABOUT mirrors HOW you write about it. Finally, write a 75-100 explanation of how you believe your form parallels your content (i.e. explain how, conceptually, you fulfilled the above assignment). DUE: Sunday, September 28th @ midnight.

READING & REVIEWING: For Tuesday's session, please read Kara Maddox's Observational & Reflective Essay, entitled "Tangles of Forgotten Treasures." When you are finished reading the essay, read it a second time and answer the Peer Review Questions at the end of WP1's Guidelines. You can write these answers in your notebook. DUE: Tuesday, September 30th @ 2:00PM.

UPDATE: 09.17.08

2008-09-17T17:42:00.004-05:00

As certainly most of you know, we will not have class this Thursday; you will attend NWU's Visions & Ventures and I will be in Vail, CO for a wedding (see image to the left). Therefore, there will be nothing due for Thursday; but, there is a writing assignment for this week, as well as reading and writing assignments scheduled for next week. You can find all the details below.

READING: For Tuesday's class, please read Rudolph Chelminiski's essay "Turning Point" and Annie Dillard's essay "The Stunt Pilot." While reading, attempt to conceptualize how the form of the essays mimik the content. As always, essays can be found on Blackboard.

WRITING: For your writing assignment this week, write a 300 word post that includes an image or video and at least two hyperlinks. While you are free to choose whatever topic you want to write on, do not confuse this with a "freewrite." Responses should be polished and maintain a topical and organizational coherency. DUE: Sunday, September 21st @ midnight.

Actually, since I will be out of town this weekend, I want your first writing assignment for next week to be the same as the one above. This will be DUE: Tuesday, September 23rd @ 2:00PM. The second writing assignment for next week will be more directed and stem from our discussion on the two essays that you are to read between now and then.

UPDATE: 09.12.08

2008-09-12T17:31:00.004-05:00

Please read Beyond Words chapters 1 and 7, which have been uploaded to Blackboard. I would highly suggest reading these before you post the second writing assignment for the week, as they will be extremely helpful in conceptualizing your observations.

UPDATE: 09.09.08

2008-09-09T15:58:00.016-05:00

READING: If you have not already done so, please read the Florey essay. I would also like you to watch the Web 2.0 video at least once more...but watch it "at your own pace," pausing and rewinding whenever necessay so as to grasp the content AND the form fully. Take some additional notes while doing so.

WRITING: The first component of your initial writing assignment for the week is to find a diagram on the world wide web, save it to your photobucket account, and then embedded it into a post. Take, for instance, the cutaway diagram from the DIII-D National Fusion Facility's plasma chamber to the left; fun stuff, indeed (click on image for bigness). Then, write a 300 word response to the diagram you chose that contains at least two hyperlinks. Some points of inquiry you may want to follow with relation to your diagram are: What are the ramifications of diagramming while writing in a virtual environment? How do diagrams function, in general, as well as within the context of writing and on the web? How does the diagram you selected function as a learning device? What was the original context of the diagram? How does the meaning of the diagram alter now that it has been extricated from the original context? What our your responsibilities as a writer when removing a diagram from its original context? What details are important within the diagram? How are they labeled? Are they labeled? How would you have labeled them differently? How could you label them differently? What the heck does any of this have to do with writing anyway? DUE: Thursday, September 11th @ 2:00PM.

For your second writing assignment of the week, select a video from Youtube and embed it into a post. Write a 300 word observation of the video, selecting details that you believe to be important. Remember, the video itself is more than content; while what's happening in the clip is a good piece of information to convey to your reader in some circumstances (i.e. the narrative), one must also be cognizant of (if not more invested in) the visual and auditory elements, as well as the manner in which the creator of the video filmed (recorded) and edited the material. DUE: Sunday, September 14th @ midnight.

Below is an example of how to insert video clips into your posts via embedding. Enjoy Charlie the Unicorn:

And just for chuckles, here is another video of your favorite chum, Salad Fingers:

EXTRA CREDIT: As I mentioned in class, your first extra credit assignment of the semester will be this weekend on Saturday, September 13th @ 7:00PM (NOT Sunday!). To receive 1 extra credit point for this event, you must a) attend the entire reading, b) take some notes during the reading, c) write a 300 word response about 1 of the poems that was read, or a particular phrase you found intriguing, and d) post it on your blog by Saturday, September 20th @ 9:00PM. The information on the reading is as follows:

Please join us this Saturday at 7pm at the Sheldon. Click here for directions from NWU.

The Clean Part Poetry Reading Series, presented in the Ethel S. Abbott auditorium, showcases innovative poets from across the country. The public is invited to this free event in which the poets Laynie Browne and Ange Mlinko will be the readers.

Browne's most recent collections are The Scented Fox, recipient of the 2007 National Poetry Series Award, selected by Alice Notley (Wave Books), Daily Sonnets (Counterpath Books, 2007), and Drawing of a Swan Before Memory, winner of the Contemporary Poetry Series (University of Georgia Press, 2005). With others she helped organize the Ear Inn reading series in New York. She was a member of the Subtext Collective in Seattle, and is now as part of the POG Reading Series Tucson Arizona. She has taught creative writing at The University of Washington, Bothell, at Mills College in Oakland, California, and at the Poetry Center at the University of Arizona, where she is currently developing a new a poetry-in-the-schools program for K-5 schools.

Ange Mlinko is the author of two books, Matinees (Zoland Books, 1999) and Starred Wire (Coffee House Press, 2005) which was a National Poetry Series winner in 2004, and a finalist for the James Laughlin Award. Her poems are about urban life, about language and its failings, about the things we see and do not see. She is often compared to Frank O'Hara. The New Yorker praised her "unique sense of humor and mystery."She has taught poetry at Brown University, the Naropa University Summer Writing Program, and Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

Image Insertion Practice

2008-09-04T14:19:00.004-05:00

"It is not only that the essay could be about anything. It usually was. The good health of essay writing depends on writers continuing to address eccentric subjects. In contrast to poetry and fiction, the nature of the essay is diversity--diversity of level, subject, tone, diction. Essays on being old and falling in love and the nature of poetry are still being written. And there are also essays on Rita Hayworth's zipper and Mickey Mouse's ears." (Atwan 25)

-Susan Sontag

WRITING: For your first blog post of the semester, you will incorporate a quote, image, and two hyperlinks into a 300 word response (we inserted the quote, hyperlinks, and image in class, so all you have to do is write 300 words). What about the particular quote you chose interested you? Did you agree, or disagree with what was written? Why or why not? What are some of the practical ramifications of the quote and how does it manifests itself in your writing or the writing of others. DUE: Sunday, September 7th @ midnight.

READING: I will post an essay on Blackboard tomorrow. Please, read it actively and be ready to discuss the reading in class on Tuesday.

UPDATE: 09.02.08

2008-09-02T14:30:00.007-05:00

Reading: Please, read "Essayists on the Essay" for class on Thursday. It can be found on Blackboard, per all our readings this semester.

Technology: Tonight, I will create links for each student's blog on the main English page. For Thursday's session, please create replica links on your own page inder the heading "FALL 2008". Be sure to check that all the links are working properly.

Class Discussion: In "Encountering the Essay," Atwan presents us with several points of discussion for what and essay is and is not. Watch the video clip below. Would you consider this an essay? Why or why not? How do the concepts presented in this video clip relate to elements of this class? Or, how could you imagine they could? Where do you think the genre of essay, and writing in general, is headed? What evidence do we have of that direction?

UPDATE: 08.27.08

2008-08-27T14:38:00.000-05:00

If you access the Blackboard page for our class, you will find the initial readings for this course. Please, have them read for our class session on Tuesday, September 2nd. Also, as a reminder, we will meet in the "HP" lab on the first floor of the library. In addition to student introductions, each of you will create your own blog.

Welcome to NWU

2008-08-26T13:50:00.000-05:00

I would like to welcome you all to Nebraska Wesleyan University. This blog will be your primary information hub for ENG 001: Language & Writing. Please, check this site frequently for updates. You will be responsible for any assignments or news I post. Good luck this semester in this course, your other classes, & your time here in Lincoln.

********************************************************************
Fall Semester 2008
Section 09 (TR: 2:00PM-3:15PM)
Instructor: Joshua A Ware
Email:jware@nebrwesleyan.edu
Phone: (402)476-XXXX
URL: http://www.eng001.blogspot.com/
Office: 124 Old Main, Hours: T 3:15PM-4:15PM

********************************************************************

Course Description:
ENG 001 is a course designed to help students write with clarity, confidence, & conviction by incorporating both regular practice in writing (argument & exposition, writing as discovery, & personal exploration) & study of language & its social roles.

Course Outcomes:
By the end of first-year composition, students should be fluent in the following areas by demonstrating an understanding & competency of each area’s sub-points.

Rhetorical Knowledge:
-Focus their writing on specific purposes;
-Respond to the needs of different audiences;
-Respond appropriately to a variety of rhetorical situations;
-Use conventions of format, structure & tone appropriate to particular writing tasks;
-Consider how genres shape reading & writing.

Critical Thinking, Reading, & Writing:
-Use writing & reading for inquiry, learning, thinking & communicating;
-Consider how what they bring to a text guides their interpretation of that text;
-Understand a writing assignment as a series of recursive tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing & synthesizing appropriate primary & secondary sources;
-Integrate their own ideas with those of others (“enter into conversations” about various issues);
-Consider the relationship among languages, knowledge & power in their fields.

Process:
-Recognize that it usually takes multiple drafts to create a successful text;
-Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing & proofreading;
-Understand writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention & re-thinking to revise their work;
-Understand the collaborative & social aspects of writing processes, learning to critique their own & others’ work;
-Learn to balance the advantages of relying on others with the responsibilities of contributing their input & working on their own;
-Use appropriate technologies to do research & communicate ideas.

Knowledge of Conventions:
-Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure & paragraphing to tone & mechanics;
-Practice appropriate means of documenting their work;
-Thinking strategically about such surface features as syntax, usage, punctuation & spelling in the context of their own & others’ work;
-Understand the holistic nature of “good” writing (i.e. that surface correctness alone does not make writing “good”).

Texts & Supplies:
Most of your reading material will be found on Blackboard in the form of PDFs. These files are to be downloaded, read & brought to class as required. Additionally, the following text will be available in the bookstore:

[I will provide a MLA-formatted reference for the Key for Writers handbook soon].

Each of you, as Nebraska Wesleyan University students is required to own this text. Please, purchase it as such.

Assignment Descriptions:
You will be required to invent, draft, & revise 3 major assignments. Each major assignment must be completed in full, or you will receive an F in the course. In addition to your major assignments, you will write weekly posts & complete an in-class journal. Below are the specific assignments & the respective points attributed to each.

-Project 1: The Attentive Mind: Observation, Reflection, Insight. (20)
DUE: 10.05.
-Project 2: The Public Sphere: Advocacy, Argument, Controversy. (20)
DUE: 11.09.
-Project 3: The Personal Voice: Identity, Diversity, Self-Discovery. (20)
DUE: 12.15.
-Weekly Blog Post. (20) DUE: Assigned & Graded Weekly.
-In-class Journal. (20) DUE: Assigned Weekly.
DUE: 12.06 & 12.07.

I will provide specific guidelines for each assignment a few weeks before they are due. All information regarding these assignments will be discussed in class & will be subsequently posted on Blackboard; you can expect them to be roughly 5-6 pages in length.

Grading Scale:
A = 100-94 A- = 93-90 B+ = 89-88 B = 87-84 B- = 83-80 C+ = 79-78
C = 77-74 C- = 73-70 D+ = 69-68 D = 67-64 D- = 63-60 F = 59-0

The “A” Project:

The project exhibits abundant evidence of critical, careful thought & analysis and/or insight.
The introduction immediately captures the attention & interest of the audience.
By the end of the introduction (whether a paragraph of pages long), the audience has a good idea what the essay will be about.
The central idea is clearly expressed to the audience.
The central idea is creative and fresh, not trivial or so well-worn as to be uninteresting to the audience.
The central idea is well developed & clarity of purpose is exhibited throughout the essay.
There are smooth, logical transitions between paragraphs & ideas.
Each paragraph has a clear relation to the main idea.
Major points are well developed—supported & illustrated with evidence &examples.
Evidence & examples are vivid and specific, while the focus remains tight.
Essay is logically organized.
Vocabulary is sophisticated & correct, as are sentences, which vary in structure & length.
Writer’s tone is clear, consistent, & appropriate for intended audience.
Mechanical errors are rare.
The conclusion does more than simply end the paper.
Research, if required, is correctly presented & documented.

Incomplete Grades:
An “I” (Incomplete) is given for work left incomplete for reasons that the instructor & department chair consider valid. Students are eligible for an incomplete grade only if they have already completed 75% of the course work. The percentage of completion is determined by the instructor. A student requests an incomplete grade from the instructor.

If the instructor & department approve the request, the student must fill out an Incomplete Agreement form (available from the Registrar’s Office) with the instructor & department chair. The work for an Incomplete must be finished within the time allotted by the instructor (maximum of one year from the close of the term in which the student is enrolled*). The instructor stipulates what the final grade will become if the work is not completed.

If the work is completed in time, the instructor determines the final grade according to the quality of the student’s performance. If the work is not completed, the Registrar assigns the grade stipulated on the Incomplete Agreement form.

A Permanent Incomplete is allowed only in cases resulting from a catastrophic event in the life of a student, such as an incapacitating illness or other problems beyond the control of the student, which prevents the student from completing the work. In such cases, the student, his or her proxy, or the instructor can petition the Executive Committee (or Dean of University College for University College students) for a Permanent Incomplete.

Attendance:
Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Specific requirements vary. Each instructor provides a written statement of his or her attendance policy to each class during the first week of the term. A copy of the statement is also available for examination in the Academic Affairs Office. Members of Section 07 may miss 9 classes & members of Section 09 may miss 6 classes with no effect to their grade. Once you miss more than the allotted amount, you will receive an F for the course.

Students who are unable to attend the first meeting of a class or laboratory for which they are registered should notify the instructor or department chair prior to the first meeting of the class or laboratory. If a notification of the student’s intent is not received, the instructor, at his or her discretion, may cancel the student’s registration. Students who do not plan to attend a course or laboratory for which they are registered must officially drop the course before the drop deadline.

Students who plan to discontinue a course after the drop deadline must officially withdraw from the course before the withdrawal deadline.

In the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, faculty members keep attendance records & may report absences deemed excessive to the Student Life Office whenever counseling seems desirable. Each instructor may enforce attendance policies independently.

Students must take responsibility to be in touch with faculty regarding their anticipated absences for curricular & co-curricular activities & to make arrangements to make up work as expected. Students who anticipate absences because of curricular or co-curricular activities should make every effort to avoid other absences from classes. Guidelines regarding student absences for curricular & co-curricular activities are provided in the Student Handbook. For more information about these guidelines, contact the Academic Affairs Office or the Student Life Office.

Academic Ethics & Plagiarism:
The Code of Student Conduct states that students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty, which encompasses such activities as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, misrepresentation, & bribery, are subject to disciplinary sanctions. (See Article V of the Code of Student Conduct for a comprehensive listing of misconduct that is subject to disciplinary sanctions, as well as relevant terms and definitions.)

Faculty members have full authority in determining the action to be taken in cases of academic dishonesty. In addition to implementing the statements of the course syllabus addressing academic dishonesty, faculty may file a Report of Academic Dishonesty, or file a complaint with the University Judiciary. If a Report of Academic Dishonesty is filed, a first report on a student prompts no further action. However, if a second report for a student is filed, a formal complaint is submitted against the student with the University Judiciary. Any report after a second will launch another complaint. Complaints submitted to University Judiciary prompt a formal judicial investigation.

Students should contact the Academic Affairs Office, Student Life Office, or Registrar’s Office for more information.

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgement. The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own requires appropriate identification and acknowledgement, regardless of the means of appropriation. The following are considered to be forms of plagiarism when the sources are not noted:

-Word-for-word copying of another person’s ideas or words;
-The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another’s work);
-The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory);
-Fabrication (inventing or counterfeiting sources);
-Submission of another’s work as one’s own;
-Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged.

Acknowledgement is not necessary when the material used is common knowledge.

Code of Conduct:
All members of the course must commit to creating a place of study where everyone is treated with respect & courtesy. Everyone must share in the commitment to protect the integrity, rights, & personal safety of each member of the physical & virtual class community. This includes helpful, yet courteous, discussion of individual and group writing projects. Additionally, make sure all cell phones, pagers & similar electronic instruments are turned off when in class. These devices are not conducive to a learning environment & will be treated as such.

Students with Disabilities:
Federal law requires that Nebraska Wesleyan University make reasonable accommodations to ensure that persons with disabilities will have equal access to all educational programs, activities & services. Therefore, Nebraska Wesleyan University, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, & with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), recognizes the University’s obligation to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities.

A “reasonable accommodation” is defined as any change in an environment or in the way things are customarily done that (1) enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal opportunities; & (2) does not fundamentally alter the nature of the activity, service, or program.

A “disabled” person is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially affects one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.

To facilitate plans for any reasonable accommodations, students with disabilities must identify & document their needs following their admission to Nebraska Wesleyan University. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the University of his/her disability, to document the disability & to request accommodation.

Students should contact the Academic Affairs Office for further information.

Conference Schedule

2008-05-02T09:56:00.001-05:00

Below is the conference schedule for next week. As previously mentioned, please come prepared to share & discuss at least 3 short pieces in which you are writing through an object, specifically music videos for your last writing project.

	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
12:40:	Lance	Samantha	Megan
01:00:		Kara	Katelyn
01:20:		Cady	Kody
01:40:	Scott	Ryan	Wes
02:00:	Adam	Kaley	Drew
02:20:	Bri	Anthony	Matt
02:40:	Gary	Travis	Slyvia

UPDATE: 28 April 2008

2008-04-28T08:27:00.000-05:00

READING: If you have not already read Atwan16.pdf from last week, please do so. This will be the final reading selection for the semester &, as always, can be found on Blackboard.

WRITING: This week, you will be asked to write 3 comments on any post by any 3 students. Each comment should be 100 words in length & in some way correspond to the original post. DO NOT just write: "Nice work. I like what you wrote." Try to add to, or further the conversation your peer already began. After you have posted 100 word comments to 3 different students, email me the URLs to the comment, NOT to other student's blog or original post. You can do this by copying & pasting the URL found in the browser bar of the comment page into an email. Please, send the email to jware@nebrwesleyan.edu by Thursday, 01 May 2008 @ midnight. These will be your last 3 weekly blog assignments. Late assignment will not be accepted.

EXTRA CREDIT: For those of you who completed extra credit assignments this semester, you will need to do the following: copy & paste the URLs of your extra credit posts into an email, then send that email to the aforementioned address. Again, do not just send a URL to your blog; send URLs for each individual extra credit assignment. So, if you completed 3 separate assignments, there should be 3 unique URLs within the email.

WP3: Well, here it is: the last of your 3 major writing projects. For this assignment, you will be asked to make a soundtrack for your life. Each song you choose will contain the following elements: 1 embedded video, the name of the band & song, 250 words relating the video to your life, & a minimum of 4 relevant hyperlinks for each song (1 of which must be the band's site & another of which must be a place to acquire the song legally).

The soundtrack itself will consist of 8 songs (no more no less) & each video must be engaged directly. By this, I mean that you need to take aspects of the video, whether they be visual or auditory (music or lyrics), & address how they speak to or for your life. To this extent, you will be utilizing the video as an entryway into your life by writing through the object. But, once you enter into that doorway, you are NOT to provide a straight narrative of some event that took place, but instead say something about who you are through an object, thing, idea, etc. As mentioned in class, you will most likely need a BRIEF narrative strand to connect or transition different objects or thoughts, but this should in no way be the focal point. I would HIGHLY recommend looking toward the essays we have read for class as examples of how to do this (e.g. Sanders' paragraphs on his hammer). Furthermore, the order of your videos MUST be chronological in nature, according to the part of your life it relates to. Finally, your essay will best be served if you have a common theme running throughout.

The final draft of this project is DUE, Thursday 15 May 2008 @ midnight.

I will schedule individual conferences with students for next week. During these conferences you MUST have a minimum of 3 "shorts" COMPLETED & in relatively polished form. We will go over these pieces & discuss how they function with regard to the assignment guidelines & the trajectory of your individual project. We will create a schedule of conference appointments this week in class.

As a matter of example, here is a sample I wrote myself. Please use the formatting for your project that I have here. IF YOU ALREADY READ THIS POST FROM LAST SEMESTER, PLEASE READ IT AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY REVISED:

UPDATE: 20 April 2008

2008-04-20T15:13:00.000-05:00

READING: For Tuesday's class, please read Atwan14.pdf. Additionally, read Atwan16.pdf for Thursday's session. As always, you can download these files from Blackboard. While reading these selections, pay close attention to the manner in which the authors describe specific objects, taking note of their language, & examine how they connect them to their respective selves &/or identities. Jotting down notes on these essays will be beneficial to you when we discuss the pieces in class.

WRITING: This week, both of your blog posts will require you to write about music videos. For the first post, write a 300 word response to your (current) favorite song. In addition to including 2 hyperlinks, you should embed the video directly into your post. While the content of individual posts remains open to interpretation, you might want to formulate your response so that you are writing through an object. In doing so, you will begin to groom your writing style toward the final project's parameters. Furthermore, this will provide a starting point for discussion if you are having difficulty conceptualizing this type of writing & want to discuss it with me during office hours. Your second post of the week will be the same assignment, but you will select your least favorite video to write on. Assignment 1 is DUE: Wednesday, April 23rd @ midnight. Assignment 2 is DUE: Sunday, April 27th @ midnight.

EXTRA CREDIT: On Monday, April 21st @ 3:00PM in the Alabaster Lounge, poet & Nebraska Wesleyan professor Mathias Svalina will give a reading. As always, if you attend the reading & write a 300 word response to a specific phrase or poem within 1 week of the event, you will receive 1 extra credit point.

UPDATE: 16 Apr 2008

2008-04-16T09:30:00.000-05:00

READING: For Thursday's class, please read the PDF entitled Atwan13 on Blackboard. Please, pay close attention to how the writer enters into autobiography, specifically the moments he does so through an object. How does detail/descriptive writing about a material object inform us about the speaker?

WRITING: For Thursday's class, please have a hard copy of the 1/2 page writing assignment I gave in class. For those of you who were not present, I assigned a 1/2 page assignment in which you must write descriptively about a particular scene or element within an autobiographical narrative. DO NOT write an actual narrative. Re-read the portion of Atwan13.pdf that describes the hammer. This might help.

For your weekly blog posting, both of your writing assignments will be 300 word free-writes that contain 2 hyperlinks & 1 image or video. The first post will be due 17 Apr 2008 @ midnight & the second post will be due 20 Apr 2008 @ midnight.

EXTRA CREDIT: As always, if you attend the reading, then write a 300 word response to a particular piece or phrase from a piece within 1 week of the reading, you will receive 1 extra credit point. Below is information from the official press release:

NWU Visiting Writers Series presents a reading from novelist Selah Saterstrom: Thursday, April 17th, 7pm in the Callen Conference Center, Smith Curtis Building on the NWU Campus

This Thursday NWU will be hosting novelist Selah Saterstrom for the final installment of the Visiting Writers Series. Saterstrom is a fascinating and intensely emotional writer – her work is edgy, yet firmly in the Southern Gothic tradition. Her novels not only confront the violence endemic in this literary tradition, their innovative structures & style create a haunting and emotionally intense experience.

Selah Saterstrom is the author of The Meat and Spirit Plan and The Pink Institution (both published by Coffee House Press). She co-curates SLAB PROJECTS, an artist/writer-curator initiative concerned with exploring the gaps between decay and reconstruction in ruined or abandoned landscapes, and is also an editor at TRICKHOUSE, a forthcoming on-line curatorial project. Her work appears in various places, most recently in Bombay Gin, Thuggery & Grace, 14 Hills, and Tarpaulin Sky. She has been the artist and writer-in-residence for various institutions and now teaches in the creative writing program at the University of Denver, The Naropa University Summer Writing Program, and Centrum Writing Program.

Writing Project 2: Rhetorical Analysis

2008-04-03T17:19:00.000-05:00

ROUGH DRAFT DUE: Tuesday, 8 Apr 2008.
FINAL DRAFT DUE: Sunday, 13 Apr 2008.

Here are the groupings for conferences outside of class time. If you volunteered for one of these slots, please have your rough draft emailed to me AND the other student 24 hours before our meeting. Also, each of you should have read the other student's essay BEFORE the scheduled conference. The rest of will meet as a class and perform peer-reviews as per usual.

Tuesday, 8 Apr 2008
1:10PM: Gary & Cady
3:15PM: Samantha & Adam

Thursday, 10 Apr 2008
1:10PM: Scott & Katelynn
3:15PM: Kara & Kody

Writing Project 2: choose a visual or hybrid text that contains an argument (e.g. a political cartoon, television commercial, photograph, or work of art etc). Once you have your primary text selected, analyze the piece by paying close attention to the types of rhetorical strategies (page 31 in “Envision2.pdf”) & appeals (logos, pathos, & ethos) utilized. As such, you will want to ask yourself, & then answer, the following questions: “What is the argument of the text?” “In what ways is the argument structured?” “What types of claims are being made?” & “What design elements are employed to forward the argument?”

The rhetorical analysis requires substantial time and thought, so it’s best to find a text you find interesting or feel passionate about. If you know a topic/text well, you’ll have a sense of what arguments are being made about it, and you’ll likely be eager to undertake sustained analysis & brief research.

A rhetorical analysis looks at the way an argument works (NOT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ARGUMENT) and may evaluate its effectiveness. You might think of your analysis as an argument about and argument. Accordingly, rather than simply listing every rhetorical detail you see in the texts, you should focus on some specific thesis, or claim. After examining the arguments closely, generate a claim with supporting reasons that describe or assess the way the text works

If you’ve chosen arguments that interest you, readers will sense your enthusiasm and want to learn more. But remember that won’t necessarily be familiar with the text you’re analyzing. You may need to provide background information and enough examples—quotations and images—to show them how the argument works.

When you write a rhetorical analysis, it’s obviously important to study your chosen texts carefully to identify key patterns. It is also important to lay out for each text the basic facts of what is called the rhetorical situation: who is writing about what for which audience. Conduct research in the library or on the internet so that you can accurately identify the argument, where and when it appears, in what medium, and so on. You may need to provide a short paragraph of background information early in your paper to set the context for the argument.

How will you most effectively accomplish this assignment? Examine logical appeals by looking carefully at how well the claims made in a piece are stated, qualified, and supported. Be specific in identifying these appeals, quoting from verbal arguments and describing visual arguments. Examine the emotional appeals by identifying emotions and explain how they are generated. Evaluate their relevance to the claim offered. Again, be specific, quoting or describing the emotional details clearly enough for readers to understand them. Examine ethos and assess the credibility of the writer, artist, or sponsoring institution. Is the argument presented by someone you are moved to trust? Is the appeal honest? Explain why, using specific evidence from the argument you are analyzing.

These analyses will make up the body of your essay. You’ll also need to frame this discussion with an introduction, perhaps outlining your thesis and providing relevant background information, and a conclusion that comments on your focal point and answers the “So what?” question.

Check that the logistical elements of the paper work smoothly: If you’ve incorporated images, are they clear and readable? Have you documented any outside source materials? Does the structure and content of your analysis make sense—can readers move easily from idea to idea as you develop your analysis?

Minimum Criteria: a) 1200 words, b) 4 multi-media elements, c) 7-10 hyperlinks, & e) a works cited section at the end of your post if you utilize secondary sources.

REMEMBER: You will need to construct a clearly articulated thesis statement in your introduction that specifically addresses the argument you will be forwarding about the text you have chosen. Think of this an argument about an argument.

Rhetorical Appeals: How does the author of the text use images to work in conjunction with rhetorical appeals? For instance, does the image reinforce an appeal to reason? Is it designed to produce an emotional effect on the audience? Does the use of a certain style, such as black-&-white authority, contribute to the ethos of the text?

Strategy of Development: What strategy of development does the text rely upon? Narration? Definition? Comparison-contrast? Example & illustration? Classification & division? How do these strategies contribute to the ad’s persuasive appeal?

Finally, refer to your MLA handbook for proper integration of secondary source material.

***************** PEER-REVIEW QUESTIONS ******************