115A Calendar Fall 2019
Week 1
August 26, Monday:
- Introduction of class members and syllabus/course.
2. Watch documentary—Miss Representation, 2011
Write a quick response to the movie, and discuss some responses.
Homework:
Read and write a precise summary (In 500 Words)of chapter Thirteen ““Let’s Take a Closer Look” Writing Analytically” (pp. 201-220 from Everyone’s An Author)). Post Summary to Canvas by Tuesday, August 27.
August 28, Wednesday
In the Class:
- Generating key critical/rhetorical concepts together from ““Let’s Take a Closer Look” Writing Analytically”” (pp. 201-220).
- Critical/rhetorical concepts and Miss Representation: (Potential Topics for class discussion) media and representation, media and gender, media and capitalism, media and status quo, media and hypervisibility, media and new colonialism, media and appropriation, signs, symbols and ideologies in Miss Representation
Homework: Get online and locate a media artifact for critical and rhetorical analysis. Read the assignment description carefully and look for the appropriate media artifact (music video, movie/animation clip, video advertisement etc.).
Bring your laptop and media artifact to class on Wednesday.
Week 3
September 2, Monday: NO Class (Labor Day)
September 4, Wednesday:
Initial analysis of your media artifact–
Critically examining your media artifact: What do you see in your artifact? What signs, symbols? What values or ideologies are being communicated? Whose values or ideologies are those? Who is communicating those values or ideologies? Who is benefitting and who is losing? Does your artifact echo any aspect/s of Miss Representation? How?
Homework:
1. Write a one and half page description of your media artifact. Try to be specific, accurate, and attempt to re-create the artifact as closely as possible in and through words. Post the Description to Canvas by Saturday, September 7.
2. Read and summarize in 300-500 words, “Writing Analytically/A Roadmap” (pp. 231-239 from Everyone’s An Author. Post summary to Canvas by Sunday, September 8.
3. Bring your laptops and your media artifact to the class.
Week 3
September 9, Monday:
1.Discussion of Rhetorical terms. Rhetorical angle at the artifact.
Homework:
1. Read and summarize (in 300- 500 words) chapter Seventeen: “Analyzing and Constructing Arguments” (pp. 379-418) from Everyone’s An Author. (Summary due by Tuesday, September 10th).
2. Read and summarize in 300-500 words Sika A. Dagbovie-Mullins’ “Pigtails, Ponytails, and Getting Tail: The Infantilization and Hyper-Sexualization of African American Females in Popular Culture” (PDf in Canvas). Post Summary to Canvas by Tuesday, September 10)
September 11, Wednesday:
We will also analyze Dagbovie-Mullins’ “Pigtails, Ponytails, and Getting Tail: The Infantilization and Hyper-Sexualization of African American Females in Popular Culture” article.
We will discuss the key concepts related to analyzing arguments.
Then, we will review some sample analysis essays (PDFs in Canvas)
Homework: Read and summarize in 300-500 words Asa Berger’s “Semiotic Analysis” (PDf in Canvas). Post Summary to Canvas by Saturday, September 14).
Week 4
September 16, Monday:
In class: We will examine advertiser’s key promotion strategies. Also discuss rhetorical and sexual appeals routinely used by advertisers and popular media.
You will work on pairs. You will also look at each other’s media artifact and share your critical observations
Homework:
- Read and summarize (in 300-500 words) Asa Berger’s Chapter” Discourse Analysis” (PDF in Canvas). Post the summary to Canvas by Tuesday, September 17)
September 18, Wednesday:
In Class: Group discussion on central ideas in Asa Berger’s Chapter” Discourse Analysis”
Homework: Keep working on your analysis essay.
Week 5
September 23, Monday:
No Class
Identify a space or activity, where the idea, process or instance that you are discussing in your essay is manifest. Take copious notes of what you see there. Describe in detail what you saw, where you saw it, how it is related to what you are analyzing in your essay, and in what way is that related to your topic and analysis. (Description Due to Canvas by Tuesday, September 24.)
September 25, Wednesday:
Organization, Transitions, Synthesis Heuristics, thesis heuristics
Homework: Finalize Rhetorical Analysis. Bring the full draft for peer review on Monday. Also submit a copy to Canvas by Saturday September 28.
Week 6
September 30, Monday: Peer review
Homework: Revise your draft based on peer review feedback.
October 2, Wednesday:
Small Group Conference in the class. Come together as a group on your chosen time slot.
Week 7
October 7, Monday:
Final Rhetorical Analysis Essay Due
Screening of a video clips related to American Dream:
Homework:
- Read and post 300-500 words summary of Paul Krugman’s “Confronting Inequality”. Post due in Canvas by Tuesday, October 8.
October 9, Wednesday:
Review the assignment sheet for argument essay.
Discuss Paul Krugman’s “Confronting Inequality.”
Rhetorical Reading of Paul Krugman (Group Activity)Analysis of some argument essays (PDF in Canvas)
Homework: Read and summarize in 300-500 words Tim Roemer’s “America Remains the World’s Beacon of Success”; Shayan Zadeh’s “Bring on More Immigrant Entrepreneurs”; and Gary S. Becker and Kevin M. Murphy’s “The Upside of Income Inequality”. Look for instances of claims being made and supported—analytical claims, argumentative claims, explanatory claims. Canvas Posts due by Saturday, October 12).
Week 8
October 14, Monday: We will unpack issues associated with American Dream based on those readings.
Homework:
Read and Summarize in 300-500 words Brandon King’s “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold” (PDF in Canvas). Post the summary to Canvas by Tuesday October 15.
Everyone please start exploring your essay topic or research question/s. Remember your essay topic or research question/s should or could be on any issues, questions, debates or controversies associated with American Dream. 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 Wednesday.
October 16, Wednesday:
We will unpack Brandon King’s article.
Your research: What did you find as the associated issues of “American Dream”?
Homework: Read and summarize chapter 20: “Finding Sources/ Online, at the Library, in the Field” (pp. 455-484) from Everyone’s An Author. Post 300-500-words summary to Canvas by Saturday, October 19.
Week 9
October 21, Monday:
We will unpack “Finding Sources/Online, at the Library, in the Field.”
We will look at criteria for evaluating print and online sources.
We will discuss the components of a research proposal (I will have handouts for you).
Homework:
1. Please write a 250-word research essay proposal. (Proposal Due by Tuesday October 22).
2. Read and Summarize in 300-500 words chapter 7: “This is Where I Stand: Arguing a Position” (pp. 116-145) from Everyone’s An Author. (Post Summary to Canvas by Tuesday, October 22.)
October 23, Wednesday:
NO CLASS– Identify Interviewees or Primary Research Site; Arrange for interviews or field observation; Draft interview questions; Conduct interviews, if possible. You need to report progress in class on Monday. Also Locate at least 2 images related to your research topic.
Week 10
October 28, Monday:
- We will share our research proposals in the class: claim/ thesis, sources, research methods etc.
- We will look at various elements of argument.
- We will also do narrowing the focus exercise.
- Evaluation criteria distributed and explained
Homework:
- Prepare the first draft (4+pages) of the essay
October 30, Wednesday:
- Thesis Building Heuristic
- Peer Review sheet distributed
Homework: Complete the draft and submit it to Canvas (.doc or .docx) by Saturday, Nov. 2. Bring two print copies of your esssay to Class on Monday for peer review.
Week 11
November 4, Monday
Small Group Peer Review
Homework: Keep working on your essay.
November 6, Wednesday
One-on-one Conference in small groups in my Office Sierra Tower 834
Homework:
Finalize your essay based on peer review feedback and my revision suggestions.
Week 12
November 11, Monday:
NO CLASS–Veterans Day
November 13, Wednesday:
- Workshop on Web Design: <Wordpress: https://wordpress.com/ >
i. Create pages, create posts–connect pages with posts and other pages.
iii. Order menu, create sub-menu (parent-child), customize header, color, fonts, themes.
iv. Add widgets–blogroll, Twitter, recent posts/comments.
ii. Embed video/images, embed scribd doc.
v. Post bio. Group formation for web project
2. Also Watch Immediacy, Hypermediacy and Remediation Class Presentation
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE167KUiM5E&feature=related
2. Unpacking Paul V. Anderson’s “Creating Reader-Centered Websites” (on Canvas)
Homework: 1. Read and write 300-500 word summary of “Manifestation of Culture in Website Design” (article on Canvas) and post it in Canvas by Saturday, Nov. 16. 2. Each one of you, look for resources on your topic/theme—scholarly articles, magazine/online articles, videos, audios, animations, images, interviews, cartoons etc.
Week 13
November 18, Monday
In-class: Discussion of “Manifestation of Culture in Website Design.”
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?
Homework: Read and Write in 300-500 words the summary of “Testing Drafts for Usability and Persuasiveness”(Chapter in Canvas) and post it by Tuesday, Nov. 19.
November 20, Wednesday
No class—Complete Website Design–Conduct Usability Testing—Ask Participants to Sign Consent Forms.
Homework: Finalize your remediated website
Week 14
November 25, Monday:
Presentation of the first version of remediated website in the classroom.
Homework: Read and write in 300-500 words summary of Sheila J. Ramsey’s “Interactions between North Americans and Japanese: Considerations of Communication Style” and Rakesh Bhatt’s “World Englishes” and post it in Canvas by Tuesday, Nov. 26.
November 27, Wednesday
Discussion of those two articles–What do the articles say about the globalized world and the intercultural communication?
Formation of Peer Groups–Group members meet and discuss their positionalities–languages, cultural values, festivals, costumes, food, and other relevant topics.
Homework: Plan for the second second version of websites. Based on your conversation with your peer, what additional resources do you need? How could your peer help you to collect those resources.
Week 15
December 2, Monday:
Peer group work.
Homework: Based on your peer feedback and your own collection of various sources based on the feedback, import the first version of website and revise/update it.
December 4, Wednesday
Presentation of Second version of website. Whole Class Feedback
Homework: Start working on your Final Portfolio. Look for activities on December 9.
Week 16
December 9, Monday
Back to your final portfolio–big final project. Putting everything together in your portfolio: Revised Rhetorical Analysis Essay, Revised Argument Essay, links to two versions of remediated websites and a reflection paper for the remediation projects (3 pages), and an overall course reflection (1-2 pages) for the whole semester. Course Evals.
Homework: Finalize Everything-–Portfolio Link due to Canvas on Saturday, Dec. 14.
