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?
  

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

upcoming events at TCU

2/23: 'Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters': A Talk by Courtney Martin

TCU Women's Studies program hosts this talk at 5pm on Monday, February 23 in the BLUU ballroom. Award-winning author Courtney E. Martin will explore how young women today have come to dangerously define success as 'effortless perfection.' Drawing on her critically-acclaimed book--Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters--she will discuss how disordered eating, food and fitness obsession, and anxiety disorders have become normalized among today's college women.

3/2: T. Boone Pickens Town Hall Meeting

TCU’s Energy Club is hosting a town hall meeting with T. Boone Pickens, famous oil tycoon, entrepreneur, philanthropist and author on Monday, March 2 at 4:30 p.m. in TCU’s Brown-Lupton University Union Ballroom. T. Boone Pickens will discuss "The Pickens Plan – Ending our Dependence on Foreign Oil," followed by a Q&A session and book signing opportunity. The first 200 students to arrive with TCU ID will receive a signed copy of T. Boone Pickens' book, The First Billion is the Hardest. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP required, limited seating: OfficialEventsrsvp@tcu.edu or call 817-257-5976.

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?
  

office hours on monday 16 february

This is just a quick update to let you know that I'll be in the library cafe area for my office hours tomorrow (Monday). If you have questions about your portfolios, I'll be available there instead of my office. Also, as I mentioned last Wednesday, I'll try to open the classroom by about 1:15 tomorrow in case you need to do any final printing or preparation on your portfolio.

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)