agenda for monday 27 april 2009

Agenda:

• Submit portfolios, eat brownies
• Complete course evaluations
• Discuss group final project
• Define group roles and begin planning project

Homework due 4/29:

• Any brainstorming or drafting as assigned by group
  

agenda for wednesday 22 april 2009

Agenda:

• Meet in groups to discuss qualities for grading chart (group A: letter to the editor; group B: op-ed; group C: humorous argument; groups D, E, F: general portfolio/unit)
• As a class, create and approve the grading chart
• Break into half-class groups to workshop the humorous arguments. Feedback will be given as a blog comment to the person's author's note for the humorous argument. Groups A, B, C will be together, and Groups D, E, F will be together.

Homework due 4/27:

• Finish revising the three pieces for the portfolio.
• Prepare portfolio for submission on Monday.
• Blog your author's note for the portfolio. This one will be more detailed because it will cover the connections among your three pieces and the rhetorical choices you made.
• Read chapter 14 (pp. 411-437)
  

agenda for monday 20 april 2009

Agenda:

• Meet with workshop group (in person) sometime to share drafts (must be completed by Tuesday, April 21)
• Instructions for workshop are available on eCollege
  

Homework due 4/23:

• Make revisions on humorous argument and be prepared to share with half-class group on Wednesday
• Blog an author's note for your humorous argument
  
• Begin thinking about categories for grading sheet (we'll make that in class on Wednesday)
  
  

agenda for wednesday 15 april 2009

Agenda:

• Discuss Chapter 13 on Humor in Arguments
  
• Share sample arguments in workshop groups and in class
• Begin brainstorming and planning for making humorous argument for your topic: Genre/Location, Focused Topic, Target Audience, Plans for Humorous Piece, Plans for Performance
• Class time to work on humorous argument
  

Homework due 4/20:

• Prepare a first draft of your humor argument
• Blog about your humor argument and how it uses humor to make effective point

agenda for monday 13 april 2009

Agenda (remember, we're not meeting in class):

• Submit Op-Ed on group's section of DocSharing by 2pm
• Post Author's Note for draft as blog
• Use the Op-Ed Workshop instructions on eCollege to review drafts of group members and provide feedback

Homework due 4/15:

• Read chapter 13 (pp. 393-409)
• Find an example (ideas below) of a humorous argument that addresses your topic or something similar (you can think about connections between the humor and your topic broadly)
• Blog about how the sample you found uses humor to address its topic

Potential Sources for Humorous Selections (as you go to some of these sites, know that there is some humor and language that is R-rated, so only browse sites that you feel comfortable searching):

• Saturday Night Live
• The Onion
• Dan Cagle's Editorial Cartoons
• New Yorker Cartoons and Covers
• Find TCU Daily Skiff cartoons in physical copy of issue
  
• Colbert Report
• South Park
• Late Show with David Letterman (top ten or monologues)
  
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (monologues)

These are just some suggestions. Feel free to look to other sources for examples of humor.

agenda for wednesday 8 april 2009

Agenda

• Drafting Day: Make sure you have all of your materials (prewriting and any necessary research) accessible. You'll have the entire class session to write.

Homework due 4/13:

• Finish the Op-Eda
• Post Author's Note on blog by 2pm
  
• Upload the Op-Ed to your group's section on eCollege by 2pm
  

agenda for monday 6 april 2009

*Note: I will not be in my office during office hours today. Please email me if you would like to schedule another time to meet.*

Agenda:

• Discuss revision policy for the course
• Discuss how an Op-Ed differs from a Letter to the Editor and the qualities of an Op-Ed
• Find sample Op-Ed related to your topic and consider how it appeals to its audience
• Choose a Venue and Audience for your own Op-Ed
• Pre-Writing for Op-Ed

Homework due 4/8:

• Post completed pre-writing for Op-Ed on blog
  
• Bring completed research, if needed

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!

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
  

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.
  

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
  

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
  

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?
  

agenda for wednesday 25 february 2009

Agenda:

• Discussion of Chapter 6 on Structuring Arguments, specifically Toulmin, using example
• Meet in groups to workshop sources and rhetorical analysis charts (follow instructions on eCollege)
• If group finishes early, begin working on Toulmin charts for chosen sources

Homework due 3/2:

• Bring all materials related to this assignment to class (sources, rhetorical analysis charts, Toulmin charts, and any other notes or materials)
• Blog about how your perspective on this issue/topic has developed as you've been researching and analyzing your sources

agenda for wednesday 18 february 2009

Agenda:

• Meet in new group to discuss assignment and topics: raise questions about assignment, try to answer for each other, share each topic, consider ways to narrow focus, suggest ideas for primary sources
• Introduction to TCU Library resources, focusing specifically on primary sources related to Rhetorical Case Study assignment
• Research time and time to ask questions related to topic and research
  

Homework due 2/25:

• Read chapter 6
• Locate sources and narrow down to 3-5 for your project
• Complete Questions for Rhetorical Analysis for each source chosen for project
• Blog about your research experiences: what did you discover during your research? how do the sources cover your topic? what connections do you see among the sources and the way they approach the topic?
  

agenda for monday 16 february 2009

Agenda:

• Submit portfolios, eat cookies
• Complete group work preference forms
• Introduce Rhetorical Case Study assignment: primary vs. secondary sources, general suggestions on assignment
  
• Group topic brainstorming, class discussion of topic ideas
• Individual preliminary research about potential topic

Homework due 2/18:

• Read chapter 19 (pp. 528-547)
• Choose topic and blog about that topic (be prepared for refining the topic over the course of the unit)
  

agenda for wednesday 11 february 2009

Agenda:

• Prepare grading chart for essay; Discuss grading of portfolio
• Discuss concerns noted in most drafts read
• Submitting the portfolio (digitally or on paper)
  
• Workshop Table

Homework due 2/16:

• Re-read chapter 5 (only pp. 129-134)
• Bring completed Public Space Analysis essay (can be digital or paper)
• Blog your author's note for the new draft of your essay and for your portfolio as a whole

Please remember the changes to blogging requirements that we discussed in class on Monday: no weekly blog comments are required, but blog postings should be more developed (around 2 paragraphs)

agenda for monday 9 february 2009

Agenda:

• Sample workshop of essay on eCollege
• Email draft to workshop group and me
  
• Complete workshop in small groups using workshop questions provided

Homework due 2/11:

• Read workshop feedback and blog about the feedback you received and changes you plan to make
  
• Work on revisions for Public Space Analysis essay
• Bring 1-2 copies of your revised draft
• Think about qualities of an effective Public Space Analysis

agenda for wednesday 4 february 2009

Agenda:

• Discuss chapter 9 on Evaluations with examples from your spaces
  
• Pre-Writing for Public Space Analysis, including word pictures, controlling ideas, and organization
• Begin actually writing Public Space Analysis based on prewriting
• Discuss what an Author's Note is
  

Homework due 2/9:

• Read sample essays on eCollege
  
• Bring a digital copy of draft of Public Space Analysis
• Blog your author's note for this draft