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
  

pre-writing for op-ed

• Read several op-eds from your chosen venue. What are the general tone and assumed audience in this venue? What is interesting or unique about these pieces?
• Decide one specific, identifiable issue or question for your focus. It needs to be related to your overall topic for this unit, but try to target a specific aspect of that topic. Describe your choice of specific topic.
• Choose a specific course of action or approach to be taken to addressing that issue or question. Don’t just say that a policy or situation is bad. Tell your readers what should be done about it.
• Determine what rhetorical appeals will be most effective for your audience (ethos, pathos, logos, style). Discuss what appeals you will use.
  
• Write about what will best support your points for the rhetorical situation (facts, hard evidence, personal experience, anecdotes, referring to other authorities, etc.).
• Is there any research that you need to do?

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!

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