1. The novel begins with Willie’s question to his father about why he was named after the English novelist W. Somerset Maugham. If a name is a crucial piece of a person’s identity, how useful is the information Willie receives? How does Maugham come across in his responses to Willie’s and his father’s letters?
2. How does Willie’s father become a holy man? What is comical, and what is reprehensible, in the choices he makes? Is he a person trapped in circumstances beyond his control, or might he have done things differently? What is the source of his narcissism? Considering that in Maugham’s The Razor’s Edge, the holy man is believed by his Western admirers to be a person of true integrity, why does Naipaul portray this character as a fraud?
3. Naipaul has written about India’s caste system in several of his nonfiction books. How does he recreate the social world of a caste-based culture in this novel? Why does he choose to root the circumstances of a novel about identity–or the lack of it–in a character’s half-hearted effort to rebel against the caste system? Given the feelings he expresses for his wife and child on pages 32 and 33, is Willie’s father a racist at heart, despite his admiration for Gandhi?
4. Willie has a painful love for his mother and despises his father. Why do his mother and sister seem immune to the sense of shame that Willie’s father has passed along to his son? What are the effects, in Willie’s later life, of this internalized shame?
5. What do the stories that Willie writes while in school [pp. 38—45] communicate to the reader? Which of them is the most powerful? Does Willie’s creativity spring solely from his hatred for his father? In his “Prologue to an Autobiography,” Naipaul wrote, “To become a writer, that noble thing, I had thought it necessary to leave [home]. Actually to write, it was necessary to go back. It was the beginning of self-knowledge.” How does this statement relate to Willie’s brief writing career?
6. What is the reason for Willie’s lack of knowledge about the world? How does he adapt to life in London? What point is Naipaul making about the insular world from which Willie comes?
7. How does it change his outlook when Willie realizes that a culture’s rules are largely “make-believe,” and that “he was free to present himself as he wished. He could, as it were, write his own revolution” [p. 57]? What difference does this new sense of freedom make for his life in the immigrant community in London? How does he attempt to remake himself? How successful is he in shedding his past?
8. Is it significant that Willie’s first book is, “in substance . . . like the story Willie had heard over many years from his father” [p. 96]? How is Willie like his father, and in what ways does his life, as it develops throughout the novel, mirror his father’s life?
9. What is the effect on Willie of his father’s letter telling him of Sarojini’s “international marriage” [pp. 105—06]? What do Sarojini’s letters, and the way she conducts her own life, say about her? Why is she so different from her brother?
10. In the aftermath of his book’s publication, Willie believes, “All that he had now was an idea—and it was like a belief in magic—that one day something would happen, an illumination would come to him, and he would be taken by a series of events to the place he should go. What he had to do was to hold himself in readiness, to recognise the moment” [p. 114]. What sort of revelation is this? Is Willie’s passivity simply the deepest expression of his character, or can it be attributed to his status as an exile who has willingly cut himself off from his past?
11. Is Ana’s letter the sign Willie has been waiting for? Is Ana’s plantation “the place he should go” [p. 114]? Why does Ana choose Willie? Why does he attempt to keep the truth of his background from her? Why, in the end, does he decide to leave her? Is he unable to face the political changes, as well as the violence, that may come to Ana’s part of the world?
12. In Half a Life, Willie moves from India to an unnamed country in East Africa; both are areas about which Naipaul has written at length. If you have read Naipaul’s nonfiction travel writing, or any his novels set in Africa, what is familiar or unfamiliar about his treatment of India and Africa in this novel? How does Willie’s life in Africa differ from his family’s life in India? Why is race such a preoccupation in the plantation society in which Willie moves?
13. Willie’s friend Percy Cato comes from a similar colonial background and is also of mixed blood, as is the tile worker Willie observes at work in the Portuguese seafood restaurant. How does Willie compare with Percy? Why is Willie so moved at the sight of the persecuted tile worker that he thinks to himself, “Who will rescue that man? Who will avenge him?” [p. 155]
14. What is notable about Naipaul’s writing style in Half a Life? How does the novel’s structure reflect Naipaul’s themes of time, memory, and the retelling of experience? Why does the novel end where it does?
Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Vintage.
A bibliography is a list of sources (journals, magazine articles, websites, books) on a particular topic you have researched. An annotation is a summary and evaluation of each of these sources.
What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography?
Annotated bibliographies are often created for other researchers as starting points, but the main purposes for this assignment are:
To foster in you closer, more critical, more rhetorical reading strategies
To help you establish more complex relationships with your sources
To help you begin to formulate ideas of your own
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.
The assignment
Create an annotated bibliography for three scholarly sources. Each entry should include MLA style citation and a 300 wd annotation of the source. The annotation should summarize the source, evaluate its purpose, usefulness and reliability and reflect on the ways this source fits into your research project. All annotations are due on the day the argument essay is due.
More specifically, in this progression, you will investigate an issue, debate, problem, controversy or a question pertaining to global crisis of your choice. You are required to use primary and secondary, scholarly and popular, and print and digital (online) sources in your essay. You are also expected to treat your research participants and sources ethically. When you research and develop your argument, you do a number of things simultaneously: extend a conversation, historicize, make a new claim, complicate an existing claim or established fact, find a gap in the studies done and propose a solution or offer an alternative perspective. As a college-level student writer, you also make moves that academics make in their essays: state your thesis or theses at some points in the essay, make general or specific claims, and furnish evidences for the claims made. I am aware that it is almost impossible to come up with some grand universal claims or some irrefutable thesis or set of theses in a paper of this length, but you can and have to attempt to present a tentative claim or set of claims in this paper corroborated by the data or sources you retrieve through different research methods. Even though it is an academic essay and you might have been schooled to avoid personal in your academic essays, I am open to you implicating yourself in the essay i.e. using “I” or bringing in relevant personal narratives or experiences from your life. In other words, your essay should ideally be a combination of personal and academic, experiential and empirical, and facts and narratives. Rather than a prose in mechanical form, it should be a record of lively and deep dialogue between yourself, your personal location, carefully chosen sources, and the ongoing conversations in the area or topic of your research. So, make your essay an exploration or journey into an unknown and try to make it known to an academic audience using the strategies and techniques (such as narrowing the focus, evaluating print or online sources, or dialoguing with sources) you learn in this progression.
Source Requirements
Primary research data (gathered through interviews, field visit, questionnaires, survey or observation)
2-3 scholarly sources (books, journal articles, book chapters etc.)
2-3 relevant still images
2-3 popular sources (videos, blogs, songs, cartoons, documentaries, websites, magazine articles or recorded TV or radio programs/talk shows)
The sources should be carefully chosen. I will provide you with some guidelines/criteria (such as relevance, currency, authority, credibility etc.) to evaluate both the online and print sources. I want you to follow them strictly as you decide on the sources for this assignment.
Your essay should be carefully edited; it should include accurate and consistent MLA citation, and it should reflect your perspective, viewpoint or position, your voice, your active presence, and deep and genuine engagement with your chosen topic.
Project Space includes an individual project and a group project. While space can be defined as urban, community, and personal, it may also be institutional (e.g., the university and hospital) and online (such as interactive Web 2.0 spaces), which challenge the neat division between private and public sphere. In these projects, you will analyze how different spaces shape our conception of world, self, and other.
Physical Spaces (Select one)
Library, Park, Café, Fitness Center, Shopping Mall/plaza, restaurant/marketplace, beach
In a group of three, you will consider the socioeconomics and politics of one physical space and one digital space.
Some Specifics for Group Project:
Choose one physical space and one digital space from the list below. We will do a draw to determine the spaces for each group.
Visit the physical space; observe, take notes, take pictures, videos, or interview of people in those spaces. You can also interview people about those spaces.
Examine your digital spaces and also take notes, screen shots, and videos.
Look for 2-3 relevant scholarly sources–at least one each on your physical and digital spaces.
Look for popular sources—images, songs, videos, animations, graphics, blogs and websites related to your spaces
Present your argument and findings in a finely composed and edited 5 min long video.
Your argument in the video should concern the question of public and private space, the economics and politics of space, and how we construct ‘self’ ‘other’ and ‘community” in particular spaces (physical and digital), and what are the stakes/tensions associated with these spaces. Be analytical and critical in your approach to video composition. Don’t just compare two spaces, but analyze them using some theoretical concepts from readings for the class, such as public/private sphere, ownership issues, privacy, copyright, third space, absolute and abstract space, representation of space and representational space, tactics and strategy etc.
Each one of you should contribute equally to the project. Keep a project log, with details on who does what for the project. Plan out presentation in such a way that each group member contributes equally into it.
Some Presentation Guidelines
1. Your presentation should include–description of your topic (nobody except your group knows what you are working on), explanation of your research and composing/editing process, discussion of your argument, editing decisions (organization), and how your editing decision supports or complements your claim.
2. Make your presentation interesting/lively–screen your video, and explain how they helped you make your argument.
3. Try to make your presentation interactive–ask questions, involve audience to discussion, and ask for audience feedback to your presentation, content on the movie etc. even during the presentation, and definitely at the end.
4. Plan out your presentation in such a way that every group member contributes equally to the presentation.
Assessment Criteria for Video Project
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 %)
Grading Rubric for the Individual Project:
A Excellent
B Very Good
C Acceptable
D Weak
Effectiveness of the assignment: Project is produced in an academic context and is expected to contain a thoughtful and insightful thesis, main idea, position, or claim that is sustained throughout the piece.
The thesis is clear, insightful and thought provoking. It is sustained consistently throughout the project.
The thesis is clear and it is sustained consistently throughout the essay.
The thesis is plausible but offers inconsistencies throughout the project.
The thesis is weak or absent. It is not sustained throughout the project.
Response to assignment: Projects written or produced in an academic context are expected to address the topic and issues set forth in the assignment and address all aspects of the writing (prompt) task.
The project responds to the assignment in depth, thoroughly exploring the topic and the issues chosen by each group.
The project responds to the topic and the issues chosen by each group in a meaningful way.
The project responds to the topic and the issues chosen by each group.
The project does not respond to the assignment chosen by each group and it treats the assignment in a superficial, simplistic, or disjointed manner.
Support: Projects written or produced in an academic context are expected to provide support for main points with reasons, explanations, and examples for intended audience.
The thesis and supportive evidence is fully and convincingly developed, supported with insightful reasons, explanations, and examples.
The thesis is fully developed, supported with good reasons, explanations, and examples.
The thesis is adequately developed, supported with some reasons, explanations, and examples
The thesis is inadequately developed, unsupported with reasons, explanations, and examples.
Organization: Projects produced in an academic context are expected to be well-organized in both overall structure and presentation.
The project is well-structured; its form contributes to its purpose. Project/presentation is well-organized and carefully linked to the thesis.
The project is generally well-structured with only a few flaws in overall organization. Presentations are organized and linked to the thesis.
The project is structured with only a few flaws in overall organization. Presentations are adequately organized and generally linked to the thesis
The project is poorly structured; organizational flaws undermine its effectiveness, it is not well-organized nor is project/presentation linked to the thesis
Grammar and Mechanics: Projects and/or presentations are written in an academic context and are expected to maintain surface level correctness in terms of syntax, grammar, spelling punctuation, and format. Effective and prepared speech and presentation are expected.
The project/ presentation is correct in terms of its syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format. Speech and delivery of presentation is prepared and very effective.
The project/ presentation is good in terms of its syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and format. Speech and delivery of presentation is good and effective.
Project/ presentation exhibits sentence level/ speech preparedness level errors that distract somewhat to the overall presentation effectiveness.
Sentence and speech level errors are so frequent and disruptive that they detract from the project’s effectiveness
Individual Project
Individually, each one of you will write a 1,000 words essay, which demonstrates a good scholarly research. You will explore a set of very pointed questions around a particular issue, debate, idea or complexity related to two spaces of your choice (from the list below). You can choose to work with the same set of spaces that your group chooses to work on. But, individually, you will make a claim about those spaces, support your claim with evidence, and draw a logical conclusion following adequate exploration and discussion of issue or questions pertaining to your chosen spaces.
Some Specifics for Individual Essays:
2-3 scholarly sources
2-3 popular sources—images, blogs, videos, documentaries etc.
2 set of primary data—collected through two of these methods–interviews, field visits and observations, and/or survey questionnaires
Give your project a working title, which may or may not become the title of your paper.
Statement of purpose/research question/s:
Explain what you hope your research will find or show. State your question or series of questions before you begin your research. After you have conducted significant research you should be able to answer your question(s) in one or two
sentences, which may become the thesis of the final paper.
Background:
Explain your interest in and experience with this topic. Describe any previous research you have conducted on this or related topics, any classes you have taken on this or related topics, or any reading you have already done in the field. If you have personal experience that has led you to want to do more research, describe that here too.
Rationale/Significance:
Explain why this topic is worth considering, or this question or series of questions is worth answering. Answer the following questions: why should your instructor let you select this topic? What do you hope to learn from it? What will this new
knowledge add to the field of knowledge that already exists on this topic? What new perspective will you bring to the topic? What use might your final research paper have for others in this field or in the general public? Who might you decide to share your findings with once the project is complete?
Method/Methodology:
Describe the kind of research you will conduct to complete this project (library research, internet research, interviews, observations, ethnographies, etc.). Also explain how you will conduct your research in as much detail as possible. If you will consult others (such as a statistician, an ethnographer, or a librarian) explain what role they will serve and how you hope they will enhance your development of an appropriate methodology for this project. Discuss the kinds of sources you hope to consult and the methods you will use to extract and process the information you gather in as much detail as is possible at this stage. (As the project is underway you might find the need to revise your methodology, explore new types of source material, and/or adopt new methods of gathering and processing data. If this happens, revise this section of the proposal.
Limitation:
Describe the limitations of your research project. Will you be able to cover everything on your topic in this research? What are the geographical limitations? Are there other limitations like time period of coverage in the research?
Problems:
Describe the problems you expect to encounter and how you hope to solve them. For example, texts might be unavailable, necessitating travel to other libraries or use of inter-library loan facilities; people you had hoped to interview might be
unavailable or unwilling to participate, necessitating that you select other interviewees or change the focus; internet sites might be down or no longer available, etc. (Try to imagine every possible problem so that you have contingency plans and the project doesn’t become derailed.)
Bibliography:
Make a list of texts you plan to consult. If you are writing a library-based research paper you should aim to make a list of at least 5 potential sources (7 is better), which you will then narrow down as you conduct the research. Many sources initially seem relevant, but turn out not to be, so it is always better to list all sources that might be of interest. As you eliminate sources, cross them off of this list. Mark sources that are particularly useful, and add new sources as you come across them. This will enable you to make a Works Cited list at the end of your project (i.e.: a list of only the works you have summarized, paraphrased, or quoted from in the paper.
Please now write a 250 word research essay proposal in which you identify your research question, explain what motivates you to pursue this particular project, set an agenda for doing further research, and describe the sorts of things you imagine you might do to deeply explore and analyze your topic. You might want to use above components as your guide/s. Due on Monday, February 02.
Literacy narrative is telling a story about reading and composing in print
and/or digital media.
Consider the following questions as you think through your literacy journey:
When and how did you learn to read or compose texts on papers and (or) screens?
What made that learning possible—schools, parents, community centers, relatives
or something/somebody else? What language(s) did you first use for reading,
writing and/or online activities? Is English your first language? When and how did
you learn to speak, read and write in English? What about computers and the
Internet? When and where did you first encounter them? What did you begin
with? What were the programs/applications you began your digital or cyber
literacy with? Where did you stand in relation to alphabetic literacy or digital literacy
in high school, for instance, and where are you now? If you speak more than one language, what is your degree of proficiency in each of them? How do they play out in your multiple literacy practices? Is your literate life informed by variables such as age, sex, gender, class, nationality or digital divide? And finally, what are your literacy priorities at this point?
Take next five minutes to jot down your thoughts around these prompts.
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 Friday, January 26. Also post your first blog post to your website by Friday, January 26.
Week 2
January 29, Monday:
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 Friday, January 26. Research/visit your physical and digital spaces. Take notes of what you observe.
January 31, Wednesday:
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?
Look for resources for your video project. Also interview people or collect responses for your questionnaires etc. Bring your resources to the class.
Workshop on video editing.
Homework: Work further on your video project.
Week 3
February 5, Monday:
NO CLASS due to Inclement Weather. Meet as a group and work on your Project Space Video.
Homework: Keep working on the video and prepare a rough cut
February 7, Wednesday:
Video Workshop.
Homework: Finalize your video. Prepare for the presentation. Embed video to your personal website.
Week 4
February 12, Monday
Further Workshop on Group Video
Homework: As a group, prepare the final cut for presentation on Monday.
February 14, Wednesday
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 19, Monday
Narrowing down the topic, synthesis heuristics
Homework: Draft 4 pages of your essay
February 21, Wednesday:
Peer Review
Homework:
Finalize your Project Space Individual Essay
Read and blog on “The Socio-Economic Implications of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)” (PDF on Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal website by Friday,February 23.
Week 6
February 26, Monday:
Project Space Essay Due
Discussion of the “The Socio-Economic Implications of the COVID-19.”
Screening of part of Earth Under Water Documentary:
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.
Synthesis Exercise–how are the two texts– “The Socio-Economic Implications of the COVID-19” and “Ripple Effect from Russia-Ukraine Test Global Economies” 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 Sunday, March 31 (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 Sunday, March 3.
Week 7
March 4, Monday:
Asynchronous Class (We don’t meet in the class but complete the following assignment during the class hours)
Watch the video below and write 500 words responding to the following questions (with examples) and post your response to Canvas link during the class time:
What constitutes an effective argument? What is the role of analysis and sourcing in constructing an effective argument?
Homework: 1. Read and blog on “THE GLOBAL THREAT LANDSCAPE IN 2020” (PDF on Canvas). Post your blog response to your personal website by Tuesday, March 5. 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 6, Wednesday:
Asynchronous Class (We don’t meet in the class but complete the following assignment during the class hours)
Answer these questions and submit your responses through Canvas link named Research Proposal by the end of class hours:
What is the topic for your argument essay?
What is the tentative title of your argument essay?
What are two questions you want to research for your argument essay?
Do you have any prior experience with the topic? Why did you pick that topic?
What do you hope to learn from your research? What will this new knowledge add to the field of knowledge that already exists on this topic? What new perspective will you bring to the topic?
Describe the kind of research you will conduct to complete this project (library research, internet research, interviews, observations, questionnaires, etc.). Also explain how you will conduct your research in as much detail as possible (remember the source requirements for this assignment)
Describe the limitations of your research project. Will you be able to cover everything on your topic in this research? What are the geographical limitations? Are there other limitations like time period of coverage in the research?
Finally, present a list of sources you plan to consult. Make sure to include at least 10 potential sources (12 is better), which you will then narrow down as you conduct the research.
Week 8
March 11, Monday:
We meet in class (on campus from today)
Narrowing the focus exercise
Discussion of Argument Essay Evaluation Criteria (PDF in Canvas)
March 13, Wednesday:
Prepare the first full draft of your argument essay. You must share your draft with a designated partner for peer review during the Spring Recess.
Week 9 (March 18-24)
Spring Recess
Week 10
March 25, Monday:
Peer Review
Homework:
Revise your essay draft responding to your peer’s feedback and submit the Final Draft of your Argument Essay through Canvas link by Sunday, March 31.
Watch Immediacy, Hypermediacy and Remediation Class Presentation:
3. Read and Annotate Paul V. Anderson’s chapter “Creating Reader-Centered Websites” (on Canvas)
4. 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.
Week 11
April 1, Monday:
Cesar Chavez Day (No Class)
April 3, Wednesday
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).
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.
3. 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.
Read and post a Blog on “Testing Drafts for Usability and Persuasiveness”(Chapter PDF in Canvas) by Tuesday, April 9.
April 10, Wednesday:
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.
Week 13
April 15, Monday:
Peer Review of remediated websites.
April 17, Wednesday:
Prepare 10 slides for presentation around the process and experience of remediating an essay into a website. Questions to consider in your presentation include:
What topic does your website cover? Why did you pick that topic?
How is your website organized? What are the tabs and sub-tabs and how are they related?
Who is the primary audience of your website? Who is secondary?
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?
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?
How did you locate and evaluate additional media for the website? What did you consider during the evaluation of the media?
Week 14
April 22, Monday
Presentation of your slides in the class
2. Finalize your remediated website around peer feedback and submit the link through Canvas.
April 24, Wednesday
Presentation of your slides in the class (Cont’d)
2. Finalize your remediated website around peer feedback and submit the link through Canvas.
Week 15
April 29, Monday
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!
Literacy narrative is telling a story about reading and composing in print
and/or digital media.
Consider the following questions as you think through your literacy journey:
When and how did you learn to read or compose texts on papers and (or) screens?
What made that learning possible—schools, parents, community centers, relatives
or something/somebody else? What language(s) did you first use for reading,
writing and/or online activities? Is English your first language? When and how did
you learn to speak, read and write in English? What about computers and the
Internet? When and where did you first encounter them? What did you begin
with? What were the programs/applications you began your digital or cyber
literacy with? Where did you stand in relation to alphabetic literacy or digital literacy
in high school, for instance, and where are you now? If you speak more than one language, what is your degree of proficiency in each of them? How do they play out in your multiple literacy practices? Is your literate life informed by variables such as age, sex, gender, class, nationality or digital divide? And finally, what are your literacy priorities at this point?
Take next five minutes to jot down your thoughts around these prompts.
