WEEK

1

WEEK 2

BLOG 2
(e)tunes Compose
pg. 59

COURSE
OVERVIEW
FRI 21 AUG


MON 24 AUG

WED 26 AUG

BlOG 3
FRI 28 AUG
Praxis Analyzing

Violent Rhetoric &
Arizona Politics


WEEK 3

Music
autobiography
rough draft (more
polished than zero
draft but not quite
final) due by
midnight.

BLOG 4
Praxis The Web
Means the End of
Forgetting

MON 31 AUG

In class: Course intros


Assignment for today (AFT): Read (e)tunes
Introduction: The Digital Age of Music (pg 1-7) & The
Music Lesson (pg 137-151)

Review assignment guidelines and begin work on Music
Autobiography (see the Blackboard assignment
module)due for grading Friday September 4th.

In class, discuss autobiography assignment
AFT: In (e)tunes, read Excerpt from This is Your Brain
on Music (pg 43-60) & Guitar Zero (pg 175-182).

Also read (e)dentity Excerpt from Why I Blog (pg 97-
104)

Access my Weebly site and post Blog 2 using the
Compose prompt on (e)tunes pg. 59

In class, Work on autobiography zero draft.
Praxis Ch. 1: Practicing Rhetoric (focus especially on
definitions/classifications and other big ideas). SKIP pg
18-26.

In class, well talk about why were taking a rhetorical
approach in the class and practice analyzing ethos,
pathos, logos, & kairos in pop culture (advertising etc).

Reading: Read selected pages from Praxis Ch. 2
Responding Rhetorically: read pg 33-40, 49-61,
bottom of 63-66. Focus especially what Praxis means by
reading critically and responding rhetorically--what are
we looking at/looking for? What are the 6 essential
elements of an argument? How do you do a close
reading of a text? What does responding rhetorically to
a visual text require?

In class, discuss implications of the Snyder case &
related privacy issues; practice rhetorical response to
visual texts.

BLOG 5
Rhetorical analysis
of an ad/
commercial you
respond to
(positively or
negatively). Make
sure to include the
actual image or link
to the text in your
post. Do an internet
search for terrible
ads or great ads
if you need ideas.

WED 2 SEPT

Reading: Read Praxis Ch. 3 Analyzing Rhetorically.

Focus especially on understanding how kairos, ethos,
pathos, and logos operate in the arguments you
analyze. You can skim this chapter, but get the big
ideas. Note that the questions in Compose 3.15 pg 107
are the ones well use for the Music Rhetorical Analysis
Assignment.

Review assignment guidelines for the Rhetorical

Analysis (see the learning module in Blackboard)due
for grading Friday September 18th. Make a list of
possible subjects for the assignment & select the one
you think youll work with. Make a few initial notes on
the subject and bring to class.

In class, well do a practice analysis together in

preparation for the graded rhetorical analysis and share
possible subjects for the assignment.

MUSIC
FRI 4 SEPT
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
DUE

BLOG 6
Watch Video
Killed the Radio
Star by the
Buggles and
Internet Killed
the Video Star by
the Limousines
and compare
them and the
messages they
present.


WEEK 4
MON 7 SEPT

Post Rhetorical
WED 9 SEPT
Analysis zero-draft
as BLOG 7.

BLOG 8
Write a blog entry
on any topic you
like that is at least

FRI 11 SEPT

Reading: Read (e)tunes Summer Hit (pg 21-24) &

The Branding Power of Todays Music Video (69-73)

Labor Day: No Class

AFT: Read (e)tunes Does Pop Music Sound Lounder,
Dumber, and More the Same? (pg 25-27) & The Time
is Now: Acceptance and Conquest in Pop Music (111-
123)

Write zero draft of Rhetorical Analysis.

In class, discuss reading and touch base about
Rhetorical Analysis in process.
AFT: follow the links to essays/blogs in the multimedia
samples folder in the rhetorical analysis assignment
module in Blackboard). Review and make note of how
these writers use multimedia elements to enhance

vaguely related to
course topic.

RHETORICAL
ANALYSIS
INTERMEDIATE
WORKSHOP
DRAFT

BLOG 9
Post-workshop
reflection on
subjects others
wrote about
WEEK 5
Blog 10 in
response to either
of todays
readings
RHETORICAL
ANALYSIS DUE

BLOG 11
Record Labels
BLOG 12
Album Review
Analysis

MON 14 SEPT

audience appeal.


In class, well experiment with multimedia elements in
drafts in progress.
AFT: complete intermediate draft of Rhetorical
Analysis.

In class, workshop Rhetorical Analysis.

WED 16 SEPT

AFT: Read A Field Guide to the Indie Marketplace
(91-96) & Aspiring to Art (193-204)

FRI 18 SEPT

AFT: Revise and polish Rhetorical Analysis.

Also Read (e)tunes Record Labels: Change or Die (pg
61-68)

AFT: Online, look up an album review of your choice.
Useful websites that have album reviews are Pitchfork,
Rolling Stone, Consequence of Sound, NME.com, &
Metacritic. Evaluate the review for potential bias, as
well as the evidence and support the critic provides for
their review.

In class, well introduce using Prezi as a mindmapping
tool; work individually and collaboratively with
invention strategies from Praxis Ch. 4 Inventing
Rhetorically (pg 133-138).

MON 21 SEPT

WEEK 6

BLOG 13
WED 23 SEPT
What parts of this

Praxis chapter
overlap with what
youve learned
about writing prior
to this course?
What was new
information? Can
you think of times
when the

Review Album Review Project, the Film Soundtrack
Project, and the Music Research Project assignment
modules in Blackboard due for grading Monday Oct.
5th, Wednesday Oct. 14th, and Friday Nov. 20th,
respectively.

Also, read Praxis Ch. 5 Writing Rhetorically (pg 145-
168).
Discuss research methods, with a special emphasis on
evaluating sources and conducting primary research;
brainstorming for topics & approaches. How to write a

suggestions in the
chapter wouldnt
work? If so, when
and why not?
BLOG 14:
Possible topics for
Music Research
Project

WEEK 7
BLOG 15
(e)tunes Invent
Prompt pg 167
Blog 16: Pitch
Statements

pitch/proposal.

FRI 25 SEPT

MON 28 SEPT


WED 30 SEPT

FRI 2 OCT

AFT: Have the album you wish to review chosen.

Then find, annotate, and evaluate two reviews of the
album youre analyzing. Bring your annotations with you
to class.


AFT: Read Praxis Ch. 7 Researching Rhetorically (pg
197-223)

AFT: Read (e)tunes Album Art (pg 165-167) &
Paisleys Progress (pg 183-187)


AFT: Write 2 pitch statements for the Research Project
assignment. Post as Blog 14 no later than class time.
Then, set up a poll for your topics using Poll Everywhere.
Youll administer it live in class.
In class, review pitch statements and weigh in as a

ALBUM REVIEW
DUE

WEEK 8
BLOG 17:
Invent Prompt pg
41

MON 5 OCT


WED 7 OCT

BLOG 18:
FRI 9 OCT
Your choice of topic
related to the
course

MON 12 OCT

WEEK 9

FILM
WED 14 OCT
SOUNDTRACK

DUE

FRI 16 OCT

Final pitch
MON 19 OCT
statement due

WEEK 10

WED 21 OCT

class.
Watch excerpts from Good Morning Vietnam and
complete Scene Analysis Framework handout.

AFT: Read (e)tunes Growing Up Gaga (pg 29-42)

In class, discuss projects in process and how to apply
some of the writing strategies discussed in Praxis Ch. 5.
In class, film screening and practice creating a
soundtrack.
Continue watching chosen film


AFT: Read (e)tunes Winners and Losers in Digital
Recording (pg 101-109)
Midterm break yesterday and today
AFT: Select one of your two pitch statements for your
final research topic.


Library visit to work on finding secondary sources

Research Project
ZERO DRAFT DUE

FRI 23 OCT

Prior to class time, complete and post your zero draft for
the research paper to Blackboard.

AFT: Bring tablet/computer and/or old-fashioned notes
and hard copy secondary sources for your research
project to class.

In class, research teams assigned. Come to class
prepared to discuss research in process and share
strategies with research team.

INDIVIDUAL
RESEARCH
MEETINGS

BLOG 19
Reflect on your
research meeting
and plans as you
move ahead.
WEEK 11

INDIVIDUAL
RESEARCH
MEETINGS

BLOG 19
Reflect on your
research meeting
and plans as you
move ahead if you
havent done so
already.
INDIVIDUAL
RESEARCH
MEETINGS

BLOG 19
Reflect on your
research meeting
and plans as you
move ahead if you
havent done so
already.
3 pg ROUGH
DRAFT OF
RESEARCH

MON 26 OCT

Your final pitch and proposal (including annotated
bibliography) are due in Blackboard by 7 P.M. the
evening before your research meeting.

NO CLASS. TIME USED FOR PRIMARY RESEARCH AND
MEETINGS WITH INSTRUCTOR ABOUT RESEARCH
PATHS.

RESEARCH
MEETINGS/
INDEPENDEN
T WORK
WED 28 OCT

FRI 30 OCT

Your final pitch and proposal (including annotated

bibliography) are due in Blackboard by 7 P.M. the
evening before your research meeting.

NO CLASS. TIME USED FOR PRIMARY RESEARCH AND
MEETINGS WITH INSTRUCTOR ABOUT RESEARCH
PATHS.

MON 2 NOV

AFT: Complete a 3 page rough draft of the research

paper.

Your final pitch and proposal (including annotated

bibliography) are due in Blackboard by 7 P.M. the
evening before your research meeting.

NO CLASS. TIME USED FOR PRIMARY RESEARCH AND
MEETINGS WITH INSTRUCTOR ABOUT RESEARCH
PATHS.

PROJECT

In class, jigsaw in research teams to get input

on/suggestions for research. Freewriting as time allows.

WEEK 12
PREZI
MULTIMEDIA
MINDMAP

WED 4 NOV

FRI 6 NOV

AFT: Create a Prezi multimedia mindmap for your
Research Project. Make sure to have access to your map
for class.

AFT: Continue working on your research project.

In class, jigsaw in research teams to get input

on/suggestions for research. Freewriting as time allows.

MON 9 NOV

WEEK 13

WED 11 NOV

ESSAY FOR
PORTFOLIO
REVISION IN
PROCESS

FRI 13 NOV

ESSAY FOR
PORTFOLIO
REVISION IN
PROCESS

MON 16 NOV

WEEK 14

WED 18 NOV

FINAL RESEARCH
PROJECT DUE

FRI 20 NOV

WEEK 15

MON 23 NOV
WED 25 NOV

Arrange to workshop Research Project with team
outside of class.
AFT: Read Chapter 2 from Craft of Research (PDF posted
on Blackboard)


AFT: begin revising Research Project based on
teams input.

Review assignment guidelines for Course Portfolio (see
the learning module in Blackboard)due for grading
Wednesday December 2nd.

In class, invention activities for portfolio reflection
AFT: Begin revising one of the essays you plan to include
in the portfolio & bring to class for feedback & guided
revision work.

In class, working with revisions for Portfolio
AFT: Begin revising the other essay you plan to include
in the portfolio & bring to class for feedback & guided
revision work.

In class, working with revisions for Portfolio

AFT: Bring paper, laptop, or tablet to class to work on
reflection and/or revisions for Portfolio

In class, work on Portfolio. Discuss informal
presentation process for Research Project.
AFT: finish Research Project. Bring computer/materials
to work on informal presentation for Research Project.

In class: Work on informal presentation for Research
Project.

THANKSGIVING BREAK ALL WEEK

WEEK 16
PREZI
PRESENTATIONS
FOR RESEARCH
PROJECT

PREZI
PRESENTATIONS
FOR RESEARCH
PROJECT
COURSE
PORTFOLIO DUE

PREZI
PRESENTATIONS
FOR RESEARCH
PROJECT

FRI 27 NOV
Presentations
& Course
Wrap-Up
MON 30 NOV

In class, whole class presentations for your research
project findings

WED 2 DEC

In class, whole class presentations for your research

project findings

FRI 4 DEC

In class, whole class presentations for your research

project findings

AFT: Bring electronic device (tablet, phone, laptop) to
complete online course evaluation during class time.
In class, wrap-ups and reflections.

FINAL EXAM
WEEK

Individual meetings to return evaluated Course

Portfolios and discuss individual progress over course of
semester. Be prepared to reflect!