agenda for wednesday 1 april 2009

Reminder (as if you would forget): We will NOT be meeting during our usual class time on Wednesday. Instead, your draft of the Letter to the Editor must be uploaded to your group's section on eCollege DocSharing by our usual class time (2pm on Wed).

The guide for the Letter to the Editor Workshop is available on eCollege, but I'm also including the instructions here:

[1] Read author’s note. Highlight or underline the key items you need to address during the workshop.

[2] Read over letter to the editor. Pay attention to and/or mark the following items as you are reading:

• Mark places that are well-written, powerful, or effective
• Mark places that are confusing
• Mark places where the author used Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
• Mark places where the author’s style is especially effective

[3] Write a response to the Author about your overall reactions. What did you enjoy? What was effective? What suggestions do you have? Be sure to specifically discuss the following aspects of the Letter:

• What does the author do to develop ethos in the early parts of the Letter? How can this be stronger?
• Discuss the organization of the Letter. Is there a reasonable/logical method to this? How else does the author use logos?
• How does the Author develop pathos in the Letter?
• How does the Author use style to make his/her points more effectively?
• Does it have basic qualities of a Letter to the Editor (formatted as a letter, addressed to an editor, signed by the author, initial reference to the original article)?
• What was especially effective or interesting about the Letter?
• What suggestions do you have for making the Letter more effective?
• Don’t forget to respond to the questions or requests included in the Author’s Note.

It's entirely up to your group to coordinate the workshop. You are welcome to complete the entire workshop online without meeting in person, but your workshop feedback must be given (probably through email) to the other members of your group no later than 5pm on Friday. I'll also be sending you feedback on your letter to the editor based on the draft that you post on Wednesday.

Though we aren't having an official class meeting, I will still be on campus and available to meet with you to discuss any questions or concerns you have. Just send me an email. I'll also post the agenda for next Monday sometime later this week, but the main thing for next Monday will be discussing the qualities of the genre and beginning work on your Op-Eds.

Have a great week!

pre-writing for letter to the editor

Summarize the article you brought to class in 2-3 sentences without your opinion included

Complete a rhetorical analysis chart for the article, and under Audience, make sure to answer the question about what appeals will be most effective for the audience of the article

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the argument?

Write a brief narrative of your own experience with or stake in the topic.

Write a brief statement of your position in comparison to the author’s

• I am supporting his position with additional information…
• I disagree with him on these points…
• I believe his argument is weak because it doesn’t consider…

agenda for monday 30 march 2009

Agenda:

• Discuss guides on how to write a letter to the editor
• Pre-writing for Letter to the Editor
• Begin writing Letter to the Editor in class

Homework due 4/1:

• Complete draft of Letter to the Editor
• Upload draft to eCollege DocSharing with an Author's Note by 2pm on Wednesday
  
• Post your letter to the editor on your blog
  

links to letters to the editor

Pit Bull Prejudice

• Original Piece
  
• Responding Letter

Taxpayer Money & Employee Laziness

• Original Piece
• Responding Letters
  

agenda for wednesday 25 march 2009

I'll be in the classroom early tomorrow if you need to come in to print for your portfolio.

Agenda:

• Submit portfolios
• Assign Unit 3 and discuss calendar for upcoming weeks
• Brainstorm on topics and then work in groups to choose topics
• Discuss example letters to the editor

Homework due 3/30:

• Read the 'how write a letter to the editor' guides on eCollege
• Bring an editorial or article related to one of your local communities and your chosen topic to which you could respond (remember that it needs to have been published between 3/25 and 3/30)
  
• Blog about the article you have chosen
  
  

agenda for monday 23 march 2009

What's due Monday (3/23):

• Revised draft of Rhetorical Case Study for workshop (don't forget the Author's Note)
  
• Blog about how your rhetorical case study has developed from the previous drafts

Agenda for Monday:

• Develop grading rubric for Rhetorical Case Study
• Workshop revised draft of Rhetorical Case Study

Homework due 3/25:

• Read chapter 12 (pp. 369-390)
• Bring (or email) Rhetorical Case Study portfolio. Use the rubric as a checklist for what to submit.
• Blog the author's note for your portfolio. Remember that this author's note needs to cover both the essay and the portfolio as a whole.
  

confirmation of conference times

The information here simply confirms your scheduled times (from Doodle) for conferences this week. Please note that I'm changing the location for some of the conferences. Also, remember that you are expected to plan the agenda for your conference with me and that not attending a required conference results in TWO absences.

Tuesday, March 10:

9:00-9:15 - Mark (in Starbucks at bookstore)
9:15-9:30 - Kristen (in Starbucks at bookstore)
9:45-10:00 - Jay (in Starbucks at bookstore)
10:00-10:15 - Roberto (in Starbucks at bookstore)
10:15-10:30 - Ellie (in Starbucks at bookstore)
10:30-10:45 - Lacy (in Starbucks at bookstore)

Wednesday, March 11:

10:00-10:15 - Mason (in my office, Reed 312)
10:15-10:30 - Marian (in my office, Reed 312)

11:00-11:15 - Kyle (in my office, Reed 312)
11:15-11:30 - Ross (in my office, Reed 312)
11:30-11:45 - Natalie (in my office, Reed 312)

1:00-1:15 - Kanika (in Starbucks at bookstore)
1:15-1:30 - Holly (in Starbucks at bookstore)
1:30-1:45 - Tara (in Starbucks at bookstore)
1:45-2:00 - Megan (in Starbucks at bookstore)
2:00-2:15 - Rachel (in Starbucks at bookstore)
2:15-2:30 - Garrett (in Starbucks at bookstore)
2:30-2:45 - Matt (in Starbucks at bookstore)
2:45-3:00 - Cameron (in Starbucks at bookstore)

agenda for monday 9 march 2009

Agenda:

• Meet in groups to workshop Rhetorical Case Study
• Focus on depth and clarity of rhetorical analysis, transitions, MLA citations

HW:

• Begin making revisions based on workshop feedback
• Come to conference on Tuesday/Wednesday prepared to discuss the revisions suggested by your group and specific questions about your paper
  

sign-ups for individual conferences

Please use the following link to sign up for individual conferences on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week: http://www.doodle.com/es4vykb8zfm8qwpy. You must sign up for a conference time by this Friday, March 6 at 2pm.

In order to sign up for a time:

1. Go to the link provided above.
2. Type your name in the box on the left side of the schedule.
3. Select the ONE time that you want for your conference. You will need to select a time that no one else has signed up for.
4. Make a note of your scheduled time and the location of the conferences in the Starbucks at the TCU bookstore. And remember that a missed conference counts as TWO absences.
   
5. If for some reason you need to change your time, you'll need to make arrangements to switch times with one of your classmates. Then, you should both email me to confirm the change in times. This needs to be done at least 12 hours before your scheduled conference.
   

agenda for wednesday 4 march 2009

Agenda:

• MLA Formatting and Citations - discuss as a class and work on citations in groups
• Workshop table for drafts of two body sections
• How to sign up for conferences next week (Tues-Wed)

Homework:

• Complete a draft of your Rhetorical Case Study (needs to be a minimum of 6 full pp.)
• Upload a draft to your group's DocSharing section
• Sign up for a conference (see blog for how) by Friday at 2pm
  

pre-writing prompts 3/2

What connects your sources? As you write, you’ll likely come to a start of a controlling idea.

Determine the order of your sources.

Why do you think this order or organization will work for your topic?

How do you plan to transition between your sources? i.e., ‘from source 1 to source 2…’ and ‘from source 2 to source 3…’

agenda for wednesday 2 march 2009

Agenda:

• Group discussion of organizational strategies in sample essays, write outline on board
  
• Class discussion of methods for organizing Rhetorical Case Study
• Prewriting for Rhetorical Case Study
• Share prewriting in workshop groups for feedback

Homework due 3/4:

• Read chapter 20 (pp. 549-68)
  
• Bring paper copies of 2 body sections of Rhetorical Case Study (paragraph form of analysis for two of your sources)
• Bring (or have electronically available) all of your sources
  
• Blog about your preparation of these two body sections. What have you discovered about your topic and the rhetorical strategies used in discussing it?