I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging. The details were very helpful. I found the chapter very informative and engaging.

 

English 651: Rhetoric and Composition Theory

(Santosh Khadka, Spring 2023, W: 7.00)

Professor: Santosh Khadka, Ph.D. Office: ST 834 Classroom Location: JR 201

Email: santosh.khadka@csun.edu  Office Hours: W: 6-7 PM & by appointment

Course Description:

This graduate seminar provides an overview of rhetoric and composition theory and explores how rhetoric informs contemporary composition theory and pedagogy as well as conceptions of (written) language, in academia and beyond. Some of the questions we will consider are: Where does rhetoric, the art of persuasion, figure in the contemporary scene of writing, sometimes also considered an age of the digital? How do diverse cultural-rhetorical conventions and language differences shape—and are shaped by—writing? Similarly, how do various genres, media, and modes function rhetorically in the new scenes of composition and writing instruction? English 651 addresses these questions by exploring the emergence and development of writing instruction in US higher education as well as the place and function of rhetoric in this development. As we survey the evolution of the field from its status as being mostly about (teaching) college composition to its growth as an interdisciplinary inquiry into written communication in multiple media and modes, the seminar will track the role that conceptions of language have played in our understanding of writing and its teaching over these years. 

We will begin with a quick survey of rhetorical theory and practice from classical times to the present. In the second part of the seminar, we will concentrate on composition studies. Some of our conversation will be on how contemporary approaches to rhetoric differ from ancient rhetoric; how those approaches shape our understandings of the function and power of language use; and how they influence the field of writing studies. 

The course serves as one of the foundation courses for students in the rhetoric and composition option of the M.A. program in English, but other graduate students interested in writing, rhetoric, and language, or who are simply interested in finding out more about rhetoric and composition, are also welcome to enroll.

📚 Required Texts:

Bizzell, Patricia, Bruce Herzberg, and Robin Reames, eds. The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present, 3rd ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020.

Miller, Susan, ed. The Norton Book of Composition Studies. Norton, 2009. [CSUN Library has only a hard copy]

👋 Additional Support & Resources:

Devices: If you need a laptop, tablet, or other device loan for remote learning, or you need internet access, please consult the following link: https://www.csun.edu/it/device-loaner-program

Wellbeing: If you need support for food, housing, or mental health, please consult the following link: https://www.csun.edu/heart

👩🏾‍💻 Course Expectations:  

Regular attendance and engagement are vital to successful learning in any class. I am cognizant of the fact that we are holding this class online during a very stressful time for everyone. Please do not hesitate to let me know how the course is going for you or if there are adjustments you want me to make or to take your situation into account. 

😇

Virtual Class Community: The most important rule for us all is to be generous colleagues. We will engage with one another respectfully and collegially. This doesn’t mean we have to always agree, but we should strive to interact with kindness and understanding. I also expect you to be a generous reader whether we are dealing with course materials or discussion posts.

📝   Assignments and Evaluation Policy

1. Reading Responses and Discussion Participation (20%): Serious reading, note-taking, and engaging in weekly discussions (during class sessions and on Canvas—see B below on how to respond to the weekly discussion prompts). While regular presence in the scheduled class sessions is expected, careful reading and active participation is required to do well in the class. You should respond to two questions on the Canvas discussion forum every week, and in keeping with the attendance policy, you can take a week off if you want (for whatever reasons). Your responses should show that you have carefully read the texts under discussion and thought about the prompts/questions carefully. Let’s make the Canvas forum a generative space for ongoing conversations about course readings and related topics.
2. Discussion Host/Leader (20%): For the dates/classes of your choice, you and a peer will host a Canvas discussion and also lead class discussion on the weekly reading(s) twice during the semester. First, you will each choose one of the scheduled readings (two, if shorter pieces) and then post a concise paragraph highlighting the key concepts of the reading followed by a brief two-sentence analysis (or intertextual relationship, such as how Aristotle builds on and critiques Plato’s ideas on X), and use it to ask an open-ended question for the class to discuss. You will then follow the discussion, responding to observations on the thread where appropriate, professionally. For the class discussion in the same weeks, two of you will work together to create activities, such as whole class discussion questions, small group work prompts, or presentation slides and Q&A etc. and moderate the class discussion for an hour and 15 mins. You will cover the entire reading list for the week for class discussion unlike Canvas discussion. Process/Timelines: a) Please email me your synopsis-questions in advance for approval. b) Post your synopsis/questions no later than Sunday night before the class date. c) The whole class will respond to the hosts’ questions by noon on the class day. Also feel free to share your ideas (slides, discussion questions, other activities etc.) for moderating the class discussion The responses (200-300 words) should address the hosts’ questions, show that you have read the assigned texts, and also explain your impression of what is at stake in the readings. Feel free to draw connections between texts and ideas, and to share your reading experiences (joy/frustration/revelations or related to style/technique) in a meaningful way. These activities will form an important core to the asynchronous part of the class while also informing our class sessions. 

• Contribution to the Collaborative Annotated Bibliography (15%): As you know, an annotated bibliography is a formatted list of citations with a summary for each source, usually followed by a brief statement of analysis/evaluation/judgment in relation to a project or topic under discussion. You will create three MLA-formatted contributions to our Collaborative Annotated Bibliography. You can provide this at any point in the semester, but I encourage you to share by the end of March. Sources should be peer-reviewed and deal with some aspect of the course topics (but cannot be one of the scheduled readings or the source already submitted by your peers). You are welcome to use these sources for your final papers.
• Article Abstract (10%): The abstract is due by the article’s original submission date (although you are welcome to submit it early). I will hand out a quick guide of resources for abstract writing, and we may discuss this genre as needed.

1. Seminar Paper/Article (25%): You will write a 15-page paper on any topic of your interest so long as it addresses an issue raised by the seminar. I also invite you to discuss your plans with me by the end of March. You will first submit your draft (at least 75% complete) for feedback (10% credit) and revise it based on the feedback, continued research, and your own evolving understanding of the topic. The draft should engage some scholarly sources (in addition to any course readings you use) on the topic. As you know, all scholarly work goes through many rounds of drafting, revising, seeking feedback, and repeating that process—true to the recursive nature of writing. I expect your work for this class to be the best work that you can produce. You will submit the revised draft on the revise-and-resubmit deadline along with the prior draft.

GRADING SCALE

This class uses a plus/minus system of grading as follows:

Grade               Percentage	Grade                     Percentage
A                       93% to 100%	C                             73% to 77%
A-                      90% to 93%	C-                            70% to 73%
B+                     87% to 90%	D+                           67% to 70%
B                       83% to 87%	D                             63% to 67%
B-                      80% to 83%	D-                           60% to 63%
C+                     77% to 80%	F                             Below 60%

CLASS POLICIES

👩🏾‍💻 Class Meetings: This class will meet in JR 201 every Wednesday at 7.00 as scheduled. I expect everyone to attend the class for about 90 minutes per week. Your independent work/asynchronous discussion posts will make up for the rest of the class hours. 

👋 Individual Conferences/ZOOM: I am available to chat (with video on or off) during office hours or by appointment throughout the week. Note the Zoom link on Canvas home page.

 

🙋🏻‍♀️

PARTICIPATION: Participation will be measured in a number of ways. I recognize that not everyone will always attend the class sessions and that not everyone thrives in highly verbal settings. However, I take note of those who have done the readings and activities, are actively listening, offer thoughtful questions, interact with me and classmates during class sessions and on the weekly discussion board (critically significant when you have to miss the class session).

Writing deadlines: Working as writers: All work is due when scheduled. 

We will write our way into the projects; drafts will be due for the major writing assignment (final paper). Please see those as real deadlines and work accordingly toward them.

✍ Academic Integrity 

All work submitted for this class has to be your own and for this class. Cite when and where appropriate. Talk to me if you have any questions. For CSUN policy on plagiarism, visit http://www.csun.edu/science/help/help_docs/plagiarism.html

✅ Special Needs and Situations 

If you have a condition that requires accommodation or I should be aware of, please let me know as soon as possible. For official information and assistance, access the Disability Resources and Educational Services office at https://www.csun.edu/dres (email: dres@csun.edu; phone: 818-6772684; visit: Bayramian Hall, Rm. 110). The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities.

😇 Fair Use 

Continued enrollment in this course will constitute permission for the instructor to use materials written for this course as samples in other classes or in research. Work will be presented anonymously in all situations. Staying in the class beyond the add/drop period indicates to me that you have agreed to all of the above principles and policies.

🗣 Class Netiquette (Online Etiquette)

Stay on topic: While discussion is encouraged in classrooms, rambling and tangential conversations may not be conducive to a quality learning experience. 

Use appropriate subject lines in your replies: As a conversation evolves, it’s helpful to change the subject line of a threaded message to reflect the changing topic. For example, if the subject line reads “Plato” and the conversation has now moved on to Aristotle, change the subject line accordingly in your reply.

Add multiple comments directly into messages in your replies: While a straight-forward reply is usually appropriate, interspersing your comments throughout an original posting may be more effective if you wish to respond to multiple points. 

Avoid ”I agree” and ”Me, too!” messages: Spending time reading messages without substance can be frustrating for all parties. 

Avoid the use of all caps (IT’S LIKE SHOUTING!): Use caps only for strong emphasis, only when warranted. 

Think about your audience and message clarity: Messages in the discussion forum are conversational and often informal; thus, they are prone to occasional grammatical, spelling, and typographical aberrations. Be sure to avoid sending confusing or mixed messages despite the informality of the environment. 

Carefully choose the format for your messages: Long paragraphs are difficult to follow on-screen. Avoid fonts that are difficult to read because of style, color, or size.

Avoid responding when emotions are running high: For example, if you are angry, put your message aside. Remember, the ability to write and save messages for later review is one of the advantages of asynchronous learning.

Course Schedule and Assignment Deadlines: 

Find the most current links, files and updated calendar @https://canvas.csun.edu/

Notes:

1. The reading load can be fairly heavy at times, so feel free to read ahead if you have time. Suggested Reading Strategy: Read everything, but pick one or two selections each week to read very carefully and become an expert on them. The greatest function of a survey course like this is to get a feel for the field, so just do your best.
2. Although I have not formally assigned the section/author introductions in our text book, I encourage you to read them to enhance your understanding of composition and rhetorical theory. Every text, rhetorical or otherwise, arises out of—and responds to—a context (time, place, disciplinary/intellectual history), and understanding it helps appreciate that (con-)textual dialectic.

	Part I: Rhetorical Theory
Week 1:1/25	Introductions and Orientations A Brief History of Rhetoric and Composition (Bedford Bibliography for Teachers of Writing). PDF in Canvas. Brief History of Rhetoric and Composition Group Activity (in Google Doc) Extra ref. for the place of Rhet-Comp within English Studies: Brian McComiskey’s Introduction to English Studies: An Introduction to the Discipline https://secure.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Books/Sample/15442Intro_x.pdf
Week 2: 2/1	Ancient Rhetoric/Greece:  Gorgias (P. 47-48, The Rhetorical Tradition) . Encomium of Helen (P. 50-52, The Rhetorical Tradition) Aspasia (P. 53-57, The Rhetorical Tradition) Menexenus (by Plato) (P. 58-68, The Rhetorical Tradition) Anonymous (P. 69-71, The Rhetorical Tradition) Dissoi Logoi (P. 71-77, The Rhetorical Tradition) Isocrates (P. 84-87), Against the Sophists (P. 84-87)and Antidosis (P. 92-96) From The Rhetorical Tradition Plato. Phaedrus (P. 161-199, The Rhetorical Tradition)
Week 3:2/8	Ancient Rhetoric Contd. (Greece to Rome) Aristotle. Rhetoric  (P. 210-240, The Rhetorical Tradition) Cicero. From De Oratore (P. 279-305) and Orator  (P. 306-309) FormThe Rhetorical Tradition.
Week 4: 2/15	Contesting Ancient Rhetorics, Globally Biesecker. “Rhetoric, Possibility, and Women’s Status in Ancient Athens” (PDF in Canvas) Bernal. From Black Aethena (PDF in Canvas) Black Athena Explained (YouTube Video) YouTube Documentary Nagarjuna. From the Dispeller of Disputes (P. 410-424, The Rhetorical Tradition) Nagarjuna (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) Emptiness? Emptiness of What? Are all things Empty? Nagarjuna and the Buddhist Middle Way Flavius Philostratus and Julia Domna of Syria: From Lives of Sophists (P. 403-405) and Letter to Julia Domna (406), from The Rhetorical Tradition Baca and Villanueva. From Rhetorics of the Americas (Optional–PDF in Canvas)
Week 5:2/22	Medieval and Renaissance Rhetoric Augustine. De magistro, or Concerning the Teacher (P. 466-487, The Rhetorical Tradition) Enlightenment/Modern Rhetoric:  Mary Astell. A Serious Proposal to the Ladies, Part II (P. 905-919, The Rhetorical Tradition) Adam Smith. From Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Letters (P. 954-961, The Rhetorical Tradition) George Campbell. From The Philosophy of Rhetoric (P. 988-1024, The Rhetorical Tradition) Hugh Blair. From Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Letters (Optional, P. 1029-1061, The Rhetorical Tradition)
Week 6:3/1	Contribution to Collaborative Annotated Bibliography? (due soon!) Modern and Contemporary Rhetoric Alexander Bain. From English Composition and Rhetoric (P. 1156-1159, Optional, The Rhetorical Tradition) Frederick Douglas. From My Bondage and My Freedom (P. 1131-1135, The Rhetorical Tradition) Friedrich Nietzsche. On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense (P. 1191-1199, The Rhetorical Tradition) Heidegger. The Way to Language (P. 1231-1243, Optional, The Rhetorical Tradition) Mikhail Bakhtin. From The Problem of Speech Genres (Optional, P. 1249-1267, The Rhetorical Tradition)
Week 7:3/8	Contemporary Rhetoric I: Kenneth Burke. From A Grammar of Motives (P. 1271-1286), A Rhetoric of Motives (P. 1286-1292), and Language as Symbolic Action (P. 1293-1300) in The Rhetorical Tradition J. L. Austin. From How to do Things with Words (P. 1304-1318, The Rhetorical Tradition) Stephen Toulmin. From The Uses of Argument (P. 1347-1364, Optional, The Rhetorical Tradition) Habermas. From Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere (P. 1431-1446, The Rhetorical Tradition) Hannah Arendt. From The Human Condition (Optional, P. 1369-1411, The Rhetorical Tradition)
Week 8:3/15	Contemporary Rhetoric II: Michel Foucault. From The Order of Discourse (P. 1452-1463, The Rhetorical Tradition) Jacques Derrida. From Dissemination (P. 1496-1511, The Rhetorical Tradition) Hélène Cixous. The Laugh of the Medusa (P. 1539-1552, The Rhetorical Tradition) Gloria Anzaldúa. From Borderlands/La frontera  (P. 1609-1620, The Rhetorical Tradition) Henry Louis Gates Jr. From The Signifying Monkey (Optional, P. 1625-1644, The Rhetorical Tradition)
	Part II: Composition Research
Week 9:3/22	Spring Recess (No Class)
Week 10:3/29	Foundational Composition Scholarship Part I: Wallace Douglas, “Rhetoric for the Meritocracy…” (P. 74-97, in Norton Book) Braddock, Jones, Schoer, “Research in Writing Composition…”(P. 193-215, in Norton Book) Janet Emig, “The Composing Process of 12th Graders” (P. 228-251, in Norton Book) David Bartholomae, “Inventing the University” (P. 605-630, in Norton Book) Albert R. Kitzhaber, “The Present State of Freshman Composition” (Optional, P. 257-270, in Norton Book)
Week 11:4/5	Due: Contribution to Collaborative Annotated Bibliography; Start work on your Seminar Paper Foundational Composition Scholarship Part II: James Berlin, “Rhetoric and Ideology in the Writing Classroom” (P. 667-684, in Norton Book) Lester Faigley, “Competing Theories of Process” (P. 652-666, in Norton Book) Ken Macrorie, “Telling Writing” (P. 297-313, in Norton Book) Kenneth Bruffee, “Collaborative Learning and the ‘Conversation of Mankind’” (P. 545-562, in Norton Book) John Trimbur, “Consensus and Difference in Collaborative Learning” (Optional, P. 733-747, in Norton Book)
Week 12:4/12	Foundational Composition Scholarship Part III: Linda Flower and John R. Hayes, “A Cognitive Process Theory of Writing” (PDF in Canvas) Russel K. Durst, “Writing at the Post-Secondary Level” (P. 1655-1689, in Norton Book) Peter Elbow, “Inviting the Mother Tongue: Beyond ‘Mistakes,’ ‘Bad English,’ and ‘Wrong Language’” (PDF in Canvas) Peter Elbow, “Being a Writer vs. Being an Academic” (PDF in Canvas) Walter J. Ong, “The Writer’s Audience is Always Fiction” (Optional, PDF in Canvas)
Week 13:4/19	Work on your article draft this week: No Class
Week 14:4/26	Due: Share your draft for peer feedback (with an assigned peer reviewer) Submit a draft through Canvas for my feedback Specialties in Composition Part I: a. Developmental Writing  Mina Shaughnessey.  Introduction to Errors and Expectations (P. 387-396, in Norton Book) Mike Rose, “The Language of Exclusion: Writing Instruction at the University .” (P. 586-604, in Norton Book) Andrea Lunsford, “Cognitive Development and the Basic Writer (Optional, Online in CSUN library) Digital Environments and Multimodality— Kathleen Blake Yancey, “Made Not Only in Words: Composition in a New Key.” (Online in CSUN library) (Dyehouse, Pennell, Shamoon, “Writing in Electronic Environments (PDF in Canvas)
Week 15:5/3	Specialties in Composition Part II: Identity in Composition Theory (such as Feminism, for example) Jacqueline Jones Royster, “When the First Voice You Hear Is not Your Own.” (P. 1117-1127, in Norton Book) Nedra Reynolds, “Interrupting Our Way to Agency: Feminist Cultural Studies in Composition (Optional, P. 897-910, in Norton Book) ‘Everyday’ Writing: Anne Ruggles Gere, “Kitchen Tables and Rented Rooms.” (P. 1081-1096, in Norton Book) Multilingualism: Matsuda. “Composition Studies and ESL Writing: A Disciplinary Division of Labor.” (Online at CSUN Library) Revision and Continuing Education: Nancy Sommers, “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers.” (Online at CSUN Library)
Week 16:5/10	Last Day of Class: New Directions in Composition Studies a. Multimodal & Translingual Pedagogy:  i) “Embracing the Perpetual ‘But’ in Raciolinguistic Justice Work: When Idealism Meets   Practice” (Online)  ii) “Working Toward Social Justice through Multilingualism, Multimodality, and Accessibility in Writing Classrooms” (Online) b. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Writing:    i) “The Machine as Author” (2020) (Online in CSUN library)    ii) “Choosing the Right Word . . . ” (Online) c. (Hi)story as Future:    “The Ethics of Storytelling: Indigenous Identity and the Death of Mangas Coloradas” (Online)

 

Rafael: https://wordpress.com/posts/rafaeljenterejyan.wordpress.com

Taylor: https://taylormariepires.wordpress.com.

Andre: https://andrealviso.wordpress.com/

Owais: https://owaiskhan244.wixsite.com/owaisazmal

Wei Li: https://wei-lileong820.wixsite.com/wei-li/blog

Jocelyn: https://eng113b.wordpress.com/

Jonathan: https://sites.google.com/view/jonathan-serrano-991/home

Kevin: https://kev115698921.wordpress.com/

Cesia: https://wordpress.com/log-in?site=cesiagiron113b.wordpress.com&redirect_to=%2Fview%2Fcesiagiron113b.wordpress.com

Sebastian: https://113bportfolio.wordpress.com

Sevan: https://sevankhachatourian1.wixsite.com/113b-porfolio

Danny: https://dlpz799418785.wordpress.com/

Devansh: https://devaanshmann836.wixsite.com/website

Arturo: https://arturostefano.wordpress.com/

Kasey: https://kaseywang953.wixsite.com/website

Hannah: https://hannahhuizar629.wordpress.com/blog-post/2/

Jeslyn: platinum-harmonica-6fgh.squarespace.com

Nawshin: https://nawshintasnimsabah.wixsite.com/nawshin01

Sergio: Digital Portfolio 

Sheene: https://sheenereynon.wordpress.com

Ethan: https://rollersonethan03.wixsite.com/portfolio

April: https://aprilosorio.wordpress.com

Kyle: https://113bkyle.wordpress.com

Alexis: https://alexiscoppinger.wordpress.com/

Melanie: https://melaniecamposcom.wordpress.com

Emely: https://emelychavez013.wixsite.com/emelychavezdigitalpo

Alyssar: https://english113borg.wordpress.com/2022/01/24/alyssars-blog-posts/

Jerania: https://jeraniagaspar817598709.wordpress.com/

Bryan: https://qcv5r56zdr.wordpress.com/?theme_preview=true&iframe=true&frame-nonce=b217865f89

Sophia: https://113bsophiasportfolio.wordpress.com/

James: https://wordpress.com/pages/jamespizarro.wordpress.com

Ivane: https://eviejp7732.wixsite.com/my-site  

Skylar: https://skylarcarter634.wixsite.com/skylar-s-eng–315-we/post/blog-post-2

Bryce:  https://bryceswebsite.godaddysites.com/

Jon: https://jonmichael613.wixsite.com/my-site/post/blog-post-2

Lauren: https://digitalorbits.wixsite.com/website/post/feb-2-week-2

Juan: https://csunjpg.wordpress.com/

Roxana: mcroxanna.wordpress.com

Emily: https://emilyalvarez926.wixsite.com/website 

Cassie: https://cassiewilson67780438.wordpress.com/2022/01/26/blog-post-one/

Joey: https://joeymayorga942.wixsite.com/joeymayorgacsun

Week 1  January 25, Tuesday Introduction to Syllabus. Setting up individual WordPress site. Posting Bio. Workshop on Web Design: <Wordpress: https://wordpress.com/ > 1. Create pages, create posts–connect pages with posts and other pages. 2. Embed video/images, embed scribd doc. 3. Order menu, create sub-menu (parent-child), customize header, color, fonts, themes. 4. Add widgets–blogroll, Twitter, recent posts/comments. 5. Post bio. Group formation for web project

 

Homework: Read and blog on—“Sporting Safe in the Liminal Sphere: “Tactics” and Facebook” (PDF in Canvas).  Send me the link to your personal site @ santosh.khadka@csun.edu by Wednesday, January 24. Also post your first blog post to your website by Wednesday, January 24.   

January 25, Thursday:

Description of 5-min Group Video Project and Individual Project Space Essay Screening of a short video on Third Space:

Discuss “Sporting Safe in the Liminal Sphere: “Tactics” and Facebook.”

Homework: Read and blog about “Libraries as Spaces Between Us: Recognizing and Valuing the Third Space” (PDF on Canvas).  Post your blog response to your personal website by Saturday, January 29. Research/visit your physical and digital spaces. Take notes of what you observe.

Week 2 February 1, Tuesday:  Discussion of reading—“Libraries as Spaces Between Us: Recognizing and Valuing the Third Space.” Group Discussion around your spaces—Are your spaces public, private, or third spaces?

Homework: Read and blog on: “Social Media, Public Space, and Emerging Logics of Aggregation” (PDF on Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal site by Wednesday, February 2. Look for resources for your video project. Also interview people or collect responses for your questionnaires etc. Bring your resources to the class.

February 3, Thursday:

Discussion of “Social Media, Public Space, and Emerging Logics of Aggregation.” Discussion Questions on “Social Media, Public Space, and Emerging Logics of Aggregation” 

1. What was the role of social media in “#Occupy Boston” movement? 
2. What is the difference between cultural logic of networking and the cultural logic of aggregation? Think of some examples. 
3. How did “#Occupy Boston” constitute powerful expressions of direct democracy in action? 
4. How did #Occupy campers attempt to redefine or appropriate urban spaces? 
5. What are some challenges of the cultural logic of aggregation?  

Workshop on video editing.

Homework: Work further on your video project.  

Week 3

February 8, Tuesday: Put together the video as a group.

Homework: Keep working on the video and prepare a rough cut

February 10, Thursday:

First screening in the class. Whole class feedback on the projects

Homework: Finalize your video. Prepare for the presentation. Embed video to your personal website.  

Week 4

February 15, Tuesday

Further Workshop on Group Video

Homework: 

February 17, Thursday

Final Video  Presentation 

Homework: Look for additional resources (scholarly articles, magazine/newspaper articles, videos/documentaries etc.) related to your chosen spaces to use in your individual essay, and bring them to class on Monday.

Week 5

February 22, Tuesday

Narrowing down the topic, synthesis heuristics 

Homework: Draft 4 pages of your essay 

February 24, Thursday:

Peer Review

Homework:

1. Finalize your Project Space Individual Essay
2.  Read and blog on “Global Financial Crisis” (pp. 148-163) from Global Issues (PDF on Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal website by Monday, February 28.

Week 6

March 1, Tuesday: Project Space Essay Due. Discussion of the causes and consequences of “Global Financial Crisis” Screening of part of Earth Under Water Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrp9cFjuYnM

Homework: Read and Blog on “Environmental Issues” from Global Issues (PDF in Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal website by

Wednesday, March 2. Also start exploring your essay topic or research question/s. Remember your essay topic or research question/s should or could be on any global crisis of your choice. Try to look for something you are interested in and want to research further. Be ready to share your tentative topic/research questions to the class on Monday.

March 3, Thursday: Discussion of the reading, “Environmental Issues,” assigned for today. Synthesis Exercise–how are the two texts– “Global Financial Crisis” and “Environmental Issues” connected? How are they different? How do they relate with the issues/crises you identified during your research on “global crises.” Introduction to Annotated Bibliography Assignment. Annotations of 3 relevant scholarly sources is due to Canvas by  Wednesday, March 30 (together with final draft of argument essay).

Virtual Tour of Oviatt Library: Practice locating relevant scholarly, popular and multimedia sources

Homework: Read and blog on Chapter 1 from Jack Selzer and Lester Faigley’s book Good Reasons: “Making an Effective Argument” (pp. 2-12), (Pdf on Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal site by Monday, March 7.

Week 7

March  8, Tuesday:   We will unpack “Making an Effective Argument.” What constitutes an effective argument? Role of analysis and sourcing in effective argument. We will look at criteria for evaluating print and online sources. Video on Evaluating Online Sources: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxd9iwQ_pt4

Homework: 1. Read and blog on “Global Terrorism” (pp. 99-125) from Global Issues (PDF on Canvas). Post your blog response to  your personal website by Wednesday, March 9.  2. Start looking also for primary research data sources (potential interviewees, research sites, survey groups or any other sources to gather first hand data) Also locate at least 2 images related to your research topic.

March 10, Thursday:  A brief 1 min. reporting on your progress. Small Group Discussion on “Global Terrorism.” We will discuss the components of research proposal (I will have handouts for you).  Research proposal Assignment Distribution Practice Generating Two Potential Research Questions for your Argument Essay.

Homework: Complete data collection (interview or field visit or site observation or location of scholarly or popular sources). Please write a 250-word research essay proposal. Submit proposal to Canvas by Sunday, March 13.

Week 8 March 15, Tuesday:

1. Narrowing the focus exercise
2. Discussion of Argument Essay Evaluation Criteria (PDF in Canvas)
3. Prepare the first full draft of your argument essay. You must share your draft with a designated partner for peer review on Wednesday. 

March 17, Thursday: Peer Review

Week 9

Spring Recess (March 21-27)

Week 10

March 29, Tuesday:  Revise your essay draft responding to your peer’s feedback and submit the Final Draft of your Argument Essay through Canvas link by Wednesday, March  30.

March 31, Thursday:  No Class–Cesar Chavez Holiday  

Week 11

April 5, Tuesday: 

1. Read and annotate Text-to-Remediation Assignment

1.  Watch Immediacy, Hypermediacy and Remediation Class Presentation:

https://youtu.be/ZE167KUiM5E 3.  Read and Annotate Paul V. Anderson’s chapter “Creating Reader-Centered Websites” (on Canvas) 4. Also Read and Blog on “Manifestation of Culture in Website Design” (article on Canvas) Post your blog response to your personal website by Wednesday, April 6. 5. Each one of you, look for resources on your topic/theme—scholarly articles, magazine/online articles, videos, audios, animations, images, interviews, cartoons etc. for your text-to-web remediation project.

April 7, Thursday: 

1. Set up your remediated website either in WordPress, Wix, or Weebly. Create tabs, sub-tabs; learn to embed video, audio, and images. Post your brief bio and a professional picture (This website is separate from your digital portfolio set up at the beginning of the class).
2. Generate the content for your website from the essay (what could you possibly borrow from the essay for the website–would the essay content, as it is, fit the wider audience? Do you need to make a change in the style or level of the essay writing for the bigger internet audience? Brainstorm and generate actual content for your remediated website.

  Week 12

April 12, Tuesday: Create a structure for your remediated website–what are the tabs? What goes into each of those tabs? What text, images, videos, animation, audios, interviews? What additional resources do you need? How can you get them? Put content and visuals into your remediated website.

April 14, Thursday: Read and post a Blog on “Testing Drafts for Usability and Persuasiveness”(Chapter PDF in Canvas) by Saturday, April 16. Week 13

April 19, Tuesday:  

No Class: Conduct a usability testing of your site with at least 5 people (physically or virtually). Please don’t forget to ask them to sign a consent form for clearance (Sample consent form is available under file in Canvas). Revise or further develop your website based on the feedback you receive during usability testing.

April 21, Thursday: Peer Review of remediated websites.   Week 14

1. April 26, Tuesday:

Prepare 10 slides for presentation around the process and experience of remediating an essay into a  website. Questions to consider in your presentation include:

1. What topic does your website cover? Why did you pick that topic?
2. How is your website organized? What are the tabs and sub-tabs and how are they related?
3. Who is the primary audience of your website? Who is secondary?
4. What did you change in the remediation process? Did you work on the level of language and word choice? Did you add more visual media? Why?
5. What did you learn about the dynamics of media, content, style, audience, context and purpose during the remediation process? How did the website as a medium shape your content from the argument essay? Why didn’t you put everything from the essay into the website?What were your considerations for this decision?
6. How did you locate and evaluate additional media for the website? What did you consider during the evaluation of the media?

April 28, Thursday

1. Presentation of your slides in the class

2. Finalize your remediated website around peer feedback and submit the link through Canvas.  

Week 15

May 3, Tuesday:  Back to your digital portfolio–Start putting together your final portfolio. Without submitting the final portfolio, you won’t be able to pass this course. Please keep in mind, your final portfolio specifically includes–project space essay, project space group video, argument essay, link to your remediated website and a reflection paper for the remediation project, and an overall course reflection (1-2 pages) for the whole semester. You can also include your bio, CV, blog posts for this course, and anything else you want to showcase online. You can revise any of these projects, if you like. Good luck!

May 5, Thursday Revise Essay 1, and 2  

Week 16

May 10, Tuesday Draft reflection paper, revise remediated websites. Course Evaluation

May 12, Thursday No Class–Finalize everything in your portfolio (Final portfolio is due today) Course Evaluation      

Student Portfolios, Spring 2022

Anisa Moore: https://mooreanisa.wordpress.com/2021/11/28/blog-post-7/

Gabriel: https://gbvsite.wordpress.com/

Johnae: https://nunaniinucey.wixsite.com/website-2

Elijah: https://elijahacacio170.wixsite.com/website

Kennedy Kamrad: https://kennedykamrad459.wixsite.com/my-site-1/audio-movie-review

Kennedy Oliver: K. Oliver-Sorrell Blog

Liza Martinez: Thefilmfriend.com

Jacob: https://jacobmoney380.wixsite.com/blog

Jessica: https://justanotherstudent1.wixsite.com/digital-writing/post/blog-post-1

Ryan: https://ryanokabayashiforschool.wordpress.com/2021/09/01/english-315-sept-1-2021-assignment/

This is my blog response to new media readings.

             ENGLISH 525WS: Introduction to Writing Studies

               Fall 2021

            Professor Santosh Khadka

santosh.khadka@csun.edu Class # 21271

Tuesday 7-9:45 on Zoom

Office Hours—Monday 11-12 on Zoom

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

English 525 deals with the many fascinating topics that are addressed in the field of Writing Studies, including process, invention, revision, argument, critical thinking, genre, media, assessment, and rhetorical reading and composition of alphabetic and digital texts. A key component of this course is the idea of connection: connection between composition theories and pedagogical practices, connection between reading and writing, connection between print and digital texts, and connection and collaboration among students in the class. The course will also include reflection. Through reading and discussion, students will develop their own comprehensive and coherent concept of what we mean when we talk about “writing” at a time when digital media are becoming increasingly important, consider what makes writing effective, examine how people learn to write, and explore the many political, ideological, and modal issues associated with the practice and teaching of varied forms of writing, including multimodal compositions. 

STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of the theories of rhetoric and composition that are important in the field of Writing Studies;
2. To enable students to demonstrate their awareness of how they learned to write;
3. To enable students to demonstrate the use of strategies that can contribute to writing improvement;
4. To enable students to demonstrate their understanding of how reading and writing are interconnected; 5. To enable students to examine the connection between print and digital media texts;
5. To enable students to produce texts in multiple media. 

TEXTS:

1. 1. Naming What We Know, Classroom Edition: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies, edited by  Linda Adler-Kassner, and Elizabeth Wardle (‎Utah State University Press; Classroom edition) June 15, 2016. ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1607325772
   2. A Guide to Composition Pedagogies 2nd Edition, edited by Gary Tate, Amy Rupiper Taggart, Kurt Schick, H. Brooke Hessler (‎Oxford University Press).  November 30, 2013. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0199922161
   3. Bridging the Multimodal Gap: From Theory to Practice, edited by  Santosh Khadka, and J. C. Lee (Utah State University Press. April 15, 2019. ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1607327967
   4. Everyone’s an Author: 2021 MLA Update, edited by Andrea Lunsford, Michal Brody, Lisa Ede, Beverly Moss, Carole Clark Papper, and Keith Walters (W. W. Norton & Company; Third edition. August 16, 2021. ISBN-13 ‏: ‎ 978-0393885699

Supplemental readings will be uploaded to Canvas as PDFs. 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

#1- Paired discussion leaders (5%)

#2- Micro-presentation on a writing theory or pedagogy in the class (10%)

#4-Writing Classroom or Writing Center observation report (10%)

#5-Book Review (10%)

#6-Teaching Philosophy Statement (10%)

#7-Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography for 10 sources (15%)

#8- Seminar paper (10-12 pages) on a theory or pedagogy of your choosing (20%)

#9-5 min. video on the same theory or pedagogy (10%)

#10-Blog Response to Course Readings (10%)

Schedule

Week 1 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, August 31 

Introductions (August 31)
Review course requirements

Group work on the following readings:

Hairston— “The Winds of Change–Thomas Kuhn and the Revolution in the Teaching of Writing” (PDF in Canvas)

Berlin— “Contemporary Composition: The Major Pedagogical Theories” (PDF in Canvas)

Lauer– “Composition Studies: Dappled Discipline” (PDF in Canvas)

Set up personal websites

 

Week 2, Sept. 7 (Asynchronous Class)

From Naming What We Know–

Concept 1: “Writing Is a Social and Rhetorical Activity“ (17-34)

Concept 2: “Writing Speaks to Situations Through Recognizable Forms” (35-46)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies “Introduction” (1-19)

 From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: Chapter One–“On Multimodality: A Manifesto” (Wyosocki et al.17-29)

Blog Response 1 Due on your site            

 

Week 3 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 14

From Naming What We Know–

Concept 3: “Writing Enacts and Creates Identities and Ideologies” (47-58)

Concept 4: All Writers have More to Learn (58-69)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Process pedagogy (212-239)

Critical pedagogy (77-93)

Introducing Assignment #3

Setting Up your Digital Portfolio

Blog Response 2 Due on your site

 

Week 4 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 21

From Naming What We Know—

Concept 5: “Writing is (Also Always) a Cognitive Activity” (71-79)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

 Community-engaged (55-76)

Feminist (128-145)

Researched Writing (231-47)

Blog Response 3 Due on your site

 

Week 5 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, September 28

Micro-presentations—

1. Katherine Willcox
2. Vanane Alikhanyan
3. Adam Gilson

Leading Discussion:

1.Katherine Willcox

2. Sarah Gay

3.Adam Gilson

4. Damean Sanz

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

New Media (177-193)

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 2: “Reimagining Multimodality through UDL: Inclusivity and Accessibility” (Kleinfeld 30-42)

Chapter 3: “Dissipating Hesitation: Why Online Instructors Fear Multimodal Assignments and How to Overcome the Fear” (Borgman 43-68)

Blog Response 4 Due on your site

 

Week 6 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday,  October 5

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 4: “Reversing the Process: Video Composition and the Ends of Writing” (Pedretti and Perzynski 69-86)

Chapter 8: “When Multimodal Gets Messy: Perception, Materiality, and Learning in Written-Aural Remediation” (Buckner 140-160)

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Basic Writing (20-36) 

Rhetoric and Argumentation (248-265)

Blog Response 5 Due on your site

 

Week 7 (Synchronous Class)

            Tuesday, October 12

Micro-Presentations:

1.Gissane Hadjian

2. Marian Kourieh
3. Sarah Gay
4. Katie Papa

Leading Discussion: 

1.Keion Moradi

2.Albert Palma

3. Gissane Hadjian
4. Marian Kourieh

From Bridging the Multimodal Gap: 

Chapter 11: “Multimodality, Transfer, and Rhetorical Awareness: Analyzing the Choice of Undergraduate Writers” (Ferruci and DeRosa 201-224)

Chapter 13: “Multimodal Pedagogy and Multimodal Assessment: Toward a Reconceptualization of Traditional Frameworks” (Wood 224-262)

Chapters from Everyone’s an Author

“Rhetorical Situations” (28-34)

“Writing Process” (109-131)     

 “Arguing a Position.” (143-161)

Assignment due:  Classroom or WC Session Observation Report

Week 8 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, October 19

ESL, Multilingual, Translingual

From Guide to Comp Pedagogies: 

Second Language Writing (266-282)

Articles from Canvas: 

Jennifer Wilson. “Engaging Second Language Writers in Freshman Composition: A Critical Approach” Composition Forum 22, Summer 2010.

Bruce Horner, Samantha NeCamp, and Christiane Donahue. “Toward a Multilingual Composition Scholarship: From English Only to a Translingual Norm.” CCC 63.2 (December 2011): 269-300. PDF in Moodle

Rebecca Lorimer Leonard. “Multilingual Writing as Rhetorical Attunement.” College English, Volume 76.3 (January 2014): 227-247. PDF in Moodle.

Blog Response 6 Due on your site

Assignment due: Book Review

 

Week 9 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, October 26

Please check my email for today’s plan.

Micro-presentations—

1.Jason Leal 

2.Damean Sanz

3. Fred Bobola
4. Annabelle Bonebrake

Leading Discussion: 

1. Vanane Alikhanyan
2. Cindy Wilken
3. Katie Papa
4. Elizabeth Bugtai
5. Nick 
6. Corie

Chapters from Everyone’s An Author:

“Writing Analytically” (229-251)

“Visual Analysis” (256-271)

“Analyzing and Constructing Arguments” (411-437)

“Annotating a Bibliography” (529-533)

Video Workshop

Blog 7 Due on your site

Teaching Philosophy Statement Due

 

Week 10 (Asynchronous Class)

         Tuesday, November 2

Work on your Annotated Bibliography   

Week 11 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, November 9

Micro-presentations —

1.Keion Moradi 

2. Cindy Wilken
3. Elizabeth Bugtai
4. Albert Palma

Leading Discussion: 

1. Fred Bobola
2. Katrina Boden
3. Annabelle Bonebrake
4. Jason Leal

Response and Assessment: Articles in Canvas

Nancy Sommers. “Responding to Student Writing.” College Composition and Communication 33.2 (1982): 148-56. PDF in Canvas.

Chris M, Anson “Response and the Social Construction of Error.” Assessing Writing 7 (2000): 5-21. PDF in Canvas.

Asao B. Inoue. “A Grade-Less Writing Course That Focuses on Labor and Assessing” (72-110).  First-Year Composition: From Theory to Practice. PDF in Canvas

Tony Scott and Lil Brannon. “Democracy, Struggle, and the Praxis of Assessment.” College Composition and Communication 65.2 (2013): 273-98. PDF in Canvas.

Blog 9 is due on your site

Sharing Research Proposal in the class

Introduce Video Project–Form Groups around common interests

Week 12 (Asynchronous Class)

            Tuesday, November 16

Work on your 5 Min Video

Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography Due

Week 13 (Synchronous Class)

            Tuesday, November 23

Micro-Presentations:

1. 1. Corie Alvarado

2.Nick

3. Katrina Boden

Leading Discussion (Carry Over from Nov. 9 Class)

Video Workshop

Week 14 (Asynchronous Class)

Tuesday, November 30

Peer Review of your seminar papers

Workshop on your Digital Portfolio

               

Week 15 (Synchronous Class)

Tuesday, December 7

Video Presentation/Portfolio Presentation

Student Portfolios:

Cindy: https://mrswilken.wordpress.com/

Damean: https://dizzysanz.wordpress.com/2021/11/09/blog-9/

Katrina: https://kayboden.wordpress.com/

Elizabeth: https://elizabethbugtai650.wixsite.com/website/post/teaching-philosophy-statement

Jason: https://sites.google.com/view/jasonthelinguist/english-525

Marian: https://marianevekourieh.wordpress.com/

Vanane: https://avanane.wixsite.com/valie525ws

Katie: https://katiejhall9.wixsite.com/my-site/post/thoughts-on-the-worth-of-story-basic-writing-and-rhetoric

Anabelle: https://sites.google.com/view/aebwritingstudies/home

Katherine: https://katherinewillcox89.wixsite.com/website

Sarah: https://sites.google.com/view/sarahcsun525ws/home?authuser=0

Frederick: https://theadventureofacreativewriterincompositionstudies.wordpress.com/

Keion: https://sites.google.com/pilatesdna.com/keion-moradi-means/home

Adam: https://sites.google.com/view/adamsblogtake2/home?authuser=2

Gissane: ghadcsun.wordpress.com

Corin: https://corinalvarado689.wixsite.com/english525ws

Assignments

Assignment #1:        Being a Discussion Leader

Pairs and occasionally groups of three students will serve as discussion leaders during the semester. Discussion will focus on composition theories and practices addressed in readings assigned for that particular day. For the presentation, the discussion leaders should review the texts as a source of information that is relevant to the discussion of theories or pedagogies of writing and formulate questions that will help the class understand that texts more insightfully and generate class discussion. They will also send me a set of discussion questions in advance to post in the course site. All students in the seminar are expected to do all the assigned reading; the task for the discussion leaders is to find ways to use class time effectively to address key topics in the readings. Some discussion leaders will be discussing chapters or articles that are densely packed with information, while others will work on texts that are more narrowly focused. However, this difference is not a problem, since the purpose of this assignment is to hone your skills as both a scholar and a potential teacher, demonstrating your ability to discuss and interpret a variety of texts and to orient them toward a class of peers. In either case, the challenge will be to find a way to engage the members of your class in a productive discussion that addresses the theory and practice in question both as an area of scholarship and as a source of classroom activities. Moreover, because the size of the class necessitates teamwork, you will get a chance to practice peer collaboration.

Assignment #2: Micro-presentations on your chosen writing theory or pedagogy

Each student should prepare a 10 min mini-presentation on your chosen writing theory or pedagogy. It can be based on your own research or readings in the class. The purpose of this presentation is for you to begin thinking about what theory or pedagogy would best fit your research or teaching interests. You should plan this as a conference presentation with time for speaking and Q&A. 

Your presentation should connect theory and pedagogy and discuss its potential implementation in a classroom setting. You could also collect and speak about some sample assignments/projects, readings, or grading criteria to make your presentation concrete and productive for your audience. 

You should have handouts or a copy of your slides for all the participants in the class. 

Assignment #3: Writing Classroom  or Writing Center Observation Report

Due October 12

To write this report, please arrange to observe at least one class meeting of English 113A, 113B, 114A, 114B, 115 or one Writing Center session. In order to set up the writing class observation, you need to find out who is teaching writing courses at a time of your convenience .  For that, you need to log into CSUN portal,  then go to class search, select English as the subject/ department, and “Freshman Reading and Writing” as Additional Category. Once you hit search button, it should give you a list of courses being offered. Go to the list of sections being offered for each course–113A, 113B, 114A, 114B, or 115, and identify the name of the instructor teaching a particular course at a time of convenience and then contact her or him using the email address hyperlinked with their names (If the email is missing, please go to faculty page in English department and look for the email address). In your email you can explain the assignment and request for an observation opportunity and ways to join the class (zoom link, time and days etc.). Please don’t be discouraged if a particular instructor does not respond, look for someone you possibly know already and is likely to allow to observe her or his class. You might have to email multiple instructors before you could secure an observation opportunity.  If you plan to observe a Writing Center session, let me know. I will connect you with the Writing Center Coordinator at CSUN.

Then, based on your observation, write a two-part report of 3-4 pages that addresses the following:

Part I:  (1/2 page)

Describe the classes or sessions you have observed as objectively as possible, including many specific details such as the name of the teacher/consultant, the number of students, the textbook used, the assignment the students are working on, the handouts that were used, the chair arrangement—any details that will enable a reader to understand what the teacher and the students were doing during various segments of the class or session.

Part II: (1+ page)

Discuss how observing this class or session has provided you with information that would be useful if you were to plan your own class/session. Specific points to address in this section include the teacher/consultant, the students, the classroom dynamics, the methodology, and the materials. What did you learn in this class from both the teacher/consultant and the students that will be helpful to you?

Note that your purpose is NOT to evaluate the teacher/consultant or the methods in any way, but rather to reflect on what you have learned and can apply.

Bring one copy of your report to class and, as a courtesy, email one copy to the teacher/consultant you observed.

Classroom/ Writing Center Observation Guidelines

1. Select the “teacher volunteer” or WC consultant whose class you plan to observe. If you are an SI Leader in the English Department, you can use the class in which you work. 
2. Plan to observe at least one class meeting or WC session.
3. Contact the teacher (via telephone or email ) in the English Department. If you are observing a WC session, contact the WC director. It is desirable if you are the only observer in class on the days of your visits, but if you aren’t, please make sure that the teacher doesn’t mind having more than one person observing the class. Request that he or she provide you with a copy of the course syllabus and any other important handouts when you observe your first class.
4. Find out if the teacher or consultant has any preference regarding your “role” as observer in his/her class or session . For example, should you get up and walk around if group work is in progress or maintain your seat and listen in on the closest group?
5. During your first observation, take as many notes as you feel are necessary to provide you with a full record of your experience.
6. If possible, have a short “debriefing” session with the instructor or consultant when you have finished the observation.
7. Be sure to arrive on time for the class or session. Do not leave until the class has ended.

Points to Note When Observing a Writing Class/WC session

Atmosphere in classroom/Center and classroom/session dynamics:

Formal? Informal? Friendly?

The Lesson:

The day’s agenda

The day’s topic

Specific skills to be taught

Activities planned:

Group work

Writing/Thinking activities

Revision

Invention

Exercises

Sequencing of activities

Materials used

Quality of Discussion

Applicability of lesson to student writing/language skills

Student Behaviors:

Are students doing any writing?

Are students participating?

What are students doing who are not participating?

Are students reading their work aloud?

Are students speaking to one another?

Are students working in groups?

How are students reacting to the day’s agenda and topic?

Teacher/Consultant Behaviors:

Has the teacher/consultant engaged the students?

Does the teacher/consultant have a rapport with the students?

Does the teacher/consultant exhibit the ability to listen?

Teacher/consultant Activities:

Presenting the assignment/lesson?

Modeling a particular writing strategy?

Teacher/consultant addressing class as a whole?

Teacher/consultant addressing a small group?

Teacher/consultant speaking with an individual student?

Teacher/consultant presenting the lesson?

Overall, you should be aware of how writing and reading are addressed in the class/session, how students are engaged, with the instructor/consultant and with each other, how the lesson has been planned, and how much student participation drives and supports the action of the class.

*Remember that your purpose is NOT to evaluate the teacher/consultant or the methods in any way, but rather to reflect on what you have learned and can apply to your own teaching.

Assignment 4: Book Review

For this assignment, you will pick a book on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing and review it for potential publication on a journal. The book has to the one published within last 3 years from a university press, and you should gain an understanding of a book review as a genre by reading multiple sample reviews published on some of the Writing Studies premiere journals such as CCC, College English, Computers and Composition, Composition Studies, Rhetoric Review, Composition Forum, Rhetoric Society Quarterly and so on. I will be providing some sample book reviews through Canvas. Read this document from Duke University for Book Review ideas:

Book Review Ideas–from Duke University

Read Sample Book Reviews posted in Canvas before starting to write your own book review.

Please visit this page to find the publishers of monographs in writing studies. Follow the links and identify a book that you want to review. You can then order an examination copy (ebook) for the review. Let me know if you need help to put an order for the examination book.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1VuxDQTKt7VKaf2rFS9GneAdSOQFf5rYGWqKEiJbNAhE/pub?output=html

Book Review due: October 19

 

Assignment #5-Blog Response to Course Readings

You will write a 400-600 words response to the shared reading(s) for the week and post the response to your website. Your response should show your familiarity with the assigned readings and demonstrate your engagement with them either by drawing connections between the readings, and/or by thoughtfully reflecting on the implications of the readings and discussions.

This assignment is intended to spark and expand on our class discussions, prepare you to engage in those discussions more fully and productively, enhance your understanding of the assigned readings, explore new insights about the assigned texts, introduce you to ways of using informal writing for invention, and provide you with ideas that you may later use to develop your major projects.

Each post is due before class each week. Generally speaking, your blog post should examine one or more of these issues:

• main issues, themes, or questions/claims in the reading
• language use in the select texts
• key texts cited (and intertextual relationships)
• major questions/challenges the text pose for you
• issues/questions from seminar discussions and texts under consideration

I want you to take this assignment seriously. Not only will these responses prepare you for productive contribution to our seminar/discussions, they may also be the springboard for your longer projects.

Assignment 6: Teaching Philosophy Statement

• Purpose of this assignment: For you to develop a statement of your beliefs about teaching to use as a guide throughout your teaching career.  Teaching Philosophy statement is an evolving document. As you continue on your career path you are likely to revise and refine your teaching philosophy many times.
• What is a teaching philosophy?  It is a personal statement about your evolving educational beliefs.  There are many ways to approach the development of this statement. The approach that you select should be based on what is meaningful to you and that will be understood easily by the audiences with whom you will share your philosophy (such as future employers and your students). Typical area that are addressed are: (a) Your motivations for teaching (b) The pedagogies you believe are best (c) Your teaching goals, approaches and strategies (d) Explanation of how your teaching is consistent with these goals, and  (e) Personal goals that you have set for yourself as a teacher.

Please read this resource from Cornell University:

Teaching Philosophy Statement

 

What you should turn in:

A 2 page statement of your beliefs about teaching. You will turn this in first to a peer (in class on the assignment due date), and do a peer edit in order for you to receive feedback from each other.

Some Sample Statement of Teaching Philosophy:

Mark A. Casteel from Penn State University:

Khadka-Teaching Philosophy Statement (CSUN)

Assignment Due: October 26

Assignment 7: 5 min video on your writing theory or pedagogy

Create a 5-min video that illustrates your writing theory or pedagogy.  Your video must meet the following requirements:

• Your video must run 5 mins–no more, no less—including title screen and any credits.
• Your video must take a critical, reflective, and/or interpretive approach to your writing theory or pedagogy.
• You must include a title screen somewhere in your video that includes your name as the author.  You must also include credits for all materials used (audio clips, video clips, images).
• You must secure permissions for all materials used in your project.  Also, you must give credit for all materials used in your project.  (Use CreativeCommons.com to find CC-licensed works).
• You will shoot footage.  You may then create your video. We will screen your videos during class on the due date.

Brainstorm your Video

• You already know your topic. Now consider your personal, academic, intellectual, spiritual, and cultural interests and communities.
• Audience analysis: How do you decide which discourse community to enter? How do you reach them vs. another type of community?
• What is your purpose/intent?: Exploration? Persuasion? Awareness?
• How will you use visual/aural/alphabetical modes to achieve this purpose/intent?

Sample Video:

The Digital Story of the Nativity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA

 Assessment Criteria:

Conceptual core—major idea, argument, or point (30%)

Research component—source use, data collection (20%)

Form and content—organic relationship between form and content (10%)

Creative realization—creative approach to the topic/idea—use of rhetorical/persuasive strategies (20%)

Audience—sensitivity to target audience—choice of tone, mood, genre, diction (10%)

Timeliness—awareness and response to socio-historical context (5%)

Available tools, and author’s learning curve (5 %)

Assignment Due: November 23

 

Assignment 8: Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography of 10 sources on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journal articles, book chapters) on a particular topic you have researched.  An annotation is a summary and evaluation of each of these sources. 

How should I go about compiling my annotated bibliography?
First, locate and record sources relevant to your topic.  Choose works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. Next, read them critically, thinking about the audience, purpose and usefulness of the source.   And write the following:

•  A concise summary of the source—what is its main argument? What topics are covered?  If some one asked you what the source was about, what would you say?
•  An assessment of the source.  Is the information reliable? How do you know?   How does it compare with other sources?   What are the goals of the source?
•  A reflection about how it fits into your research.  Was it helpful? How?  Did it change your thinking about the topic in any way? Will it help shape your argument?  Can it be used in your project?  How?

Each annotation should be a minimum of one full page.  Your responses to the questions above do not need to be in three separate paragraphs, however.

Please visit this site for Annotated Bibliography Samples.

Assignment Due: November 16

 

Assignment 9: Seminar paper on a writing theory or pedagogy of your choosing

A seminar paper is often the key assignment of a single course, designed to demonstrate your sustained, focused analysis of a concept, issue, or problem. Typically a paper of 10-12 pages, the seminar paper is a demanding piece of writing, both in terms of the amount of research required and the relatively short time in which you have to complete the assignment. But do not fear-with good planning and preparation, your seminar paper can be a rich, exciting project from which you can learn a lot about a topic and become a better writer (remember, practice makes perfect, or at least improves).

There are four basic components that you should include in any seminar paper:

1. Title Page – this page contains the title of your paper, followed by your name, the course designator and number, and the date you are turning in the assignment. For an example of a title page, see the Tips on Formatting page.
2. Abstract – the abstract should be on a separate page from the rest of the paper and immediately follow the title page. It consists of a brief paragraph or two highlighting the major points of your argument. For a sample of an abstract, click here (insert link to a sample, either below or on separate page).
3. Content – this is your paper, complete with introduction, development of the argument (body), and conclusion.
4. Works Cited Page – This page includes bibliographic data of all of the sources you cited within the paper.

A seminar paper gives you practice in important academic skills such as:

• formulating research questions
• conducting research
• managing time
• organizing information into coherent ideas
• substantiating arguments with research in the field
• and presenting insights about the research

Writing a seminar paper can be a very messy and fluid process, and the following is only a representation of commonly used steps.

• Start by choosing a topic.
• Then narrow your topic.
• Draft a main claim or thesis statement (which may easily change as you do the research).
• Do the research. For more information, see guides on how to evaluate websites and other sources; understanding primary vs. secondary sources; and paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting sources.
• Organize the research. (Outlining can really help at this point.)
• Draft. See The Writing Process for drafting ideas, tips, and suggestions.
• Create your bibliography or works cited page.
• Revise your draft. Revise for content and for organization.
• Edit and proofread your final draft.

Questions to Consider When Writing a Seminar Paper

Your paper is likely to be evaluated according to these same questions, so it will do you a world of good to ask them of yourself as you draft your paper.

* Is your thesis (your stance on the issues or proposed solution to a problem) clearly evident?
* How well have you used evidence to develop your thesis and to support your own point of view?
* How well do you demonstrate valid logic and sound reasoning in the course of making your argument?
* How thoroughly have you researched this topic? Did you consult a broad range of sources, or are the sources too concentrated in one type or category of evidence (or a single disciplinary approach)? Are your sources current? Are they representative of the field(s) of research on this topic?
* How flexible have you been in approaching the topic, rather than letting your preconceptions influence your analysis of issues and their implications?
* How fair and accurate have you been in presenting complicating viewpoints, and in citing evidence that helps reconcile the opposition?
* How well have you conceptualized your audience in composing this argument, and what adaptations to your technique and style have you made in order to connect with that audience?

Assignment Due: December 14

113A  Calendar  Spring 2024

Week 1

January 24, Wednesday:  Introduction of class members and syllabus/course.

Watch these Ted Talks:

 

Homework:

 

Week 2

January 29, Monday:

Read and write a precise summary (500 Words due to Canvas by midnight Tuesday, January 30) of Kevin Kelly’s “Better than Human: Why Robots will—and Must—Take our Jobs”

January 31, Monday:

Group Discussion on Kevin Kelly’s “Better than Human: Why Robots will—and Must—Take our Jobs”

Discussion Questions on the Reading:

1. Kevin Kelly argues that machines will eventually take over many of the jobs that we now perform. This scenario may seem dire, yet he doesn’t appear at all worried. To the contrary, in fact. Why not? Find statements in the article that explain his attitude.

2. Though he acknowledges that some of his ideas are “hard to believe,” Kelly does not begin by saying explicitly what other ideas or assumptions he’s responding to. How does he begin, and how does that beginning set the stage for his argument?

3. Nicholas Carr is less optimistic than Kelly about the future impact of technology. Who do you find more persuasive, and why?

4. How do you respond to human relationship with robots, summed up into four categories in a chart in the article? Do you agree or disagree to his categories and why?

5. How do you respond to Kelly’s “Seven Stages of Robot Replacement”? Can you think of any real life examples where some jobs went through those stages? Explain.

Homework: 

1. Further research the topics/ideas we discussed in the class. Also, explore other possible topics on emerging technologies and media. You should be able to decide and pick a topic by next week.

2. Write a letter to a friend this time describing your response to Nicholas Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Post your letter to Canvas by Tuesday Midnight, February 4.

    

  Week 3

February 5, Monday: No In-person Class Due to Inclement Weather. Start drafting the essay—at least three paragraphs—for the beginning, middle or end of the essay. While doing that keep in mind that your writing goal in this progression involves deeply engaging with the arguments of the shared texts, and developing a position(s) of your own.

February 7, Wednesday:

1. Workshop on finding, contextualizing and evaluating sources for Progression 1 essay: We will take a tour through the library databases to see which ones might best serve our unit inquiry.
2. 1 min idea sharing on your essay topics
3. Analyzing the beginning and conclusion of two sample essays (download from Canvas)

Homework:

Read chapter 28, “Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing” (pp. 548-561) from Everyone’s An Author.

Now by using three shared texts and at least one secondary source, compose the first draft for Progression 1 essay. Make sure you keep in mind techniques of “quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing” as you compose the essay.

 

Week 5

February 19, Monday:

 

February 21, Wednesday:

 

Week 6

February 26, Monday:

February 28, Wednesday: 

March 4, Monday:

Asynchronous Class (We don’t meet in the class but complete the following assignment)

Write 500 words on some of the rhetorical and sexual appeals routinely used by advertisers and popular media and submit through Canvas link during the class time.

March 6, Wednesday: 

 

Week 8

March 11, Monday: ( We meet in-person in the class today)

March 13, Wednesday

 

Week 9 

March 18-24 Spring Recess (No Classes)

 

Week 10

March 25, Monday:

Peer Review

Unit 3

March 27, Wednesday:

Week 11

April 1, Monday:

Cesar Chavez Day (No Class)

 

Week 12

 

April 10, Wednesday: No Class–Data Collection: Conduct Interviews, Visit your Sites or Conduct Surveys to gather first-hand data sources for your essay.

Homework: Based on data collected and sources found, draft first 4 pages of your essay.

April 17, Wednesday

 

Week 14

April 22, Monday

 

  April 24, Wednesday

Independent Work (No Class)–Revise your Essay 1 and Essay 2 for your portfolio.

Revise your draft for Argument Essay and Finalize it.

May  1, Wednesday

Portfolio Workshop.

Homework: Read Bonus Chapter B: “Assembling a Portfolio” fromEveryone’s An Author online at digital.wwnorton.com/everyone4, and use ideas to organize your portfolio.

Week 16

May 6, Monday

Put together portfolio. Write Course reflection.  Finalize your Argument Essay. 

May 8 , Wednesday

No Class: Your Portfolio is due in Canvas today. Your Argument Essay is also due to Canvas today.

Your final portfolio should contain electronic copies of your three polished essays (Review Essay final draft, Rhetorical Analysis Essay final draft, and Argument Essay final draft) and a 2 double-spaced reflection on the entire semester–what you learned and how, what readings stood out, and what assignments and writing and research activities benefitted you the most. Upload those pieces through Canvas link.