FYC13300:

 MULTIMEDIA  WRITING  &  RHETORIC  

Theme:  Rhetoric  and  Literacy  in  Digital  Culture  
Spring  2011;  sections  01,  02,  and  03  
 
Professor:  Dr.  Erin  Dietel-­‐McLaughlin  (you  may  also  call  me  Dr.  Erin  or  Dr.  “E”)  
Office:    300B  O’Shaughnessy  Hall  
Office  Hours:  2-­‐3:30  p.m.  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays  (and  other  times  by  appointment)  
Email:  edietelm@nd.edu  
Course  blog:  http://writingirish.wordpress.com/  
 
REQUIRED  MATERIALS  
• Graff,  Gerald  and  Cathy  Birkenstein.  They  Say,  I  Say:  The  Moves  That  Matter  in  Academic  
Writing.  New  York:  W.  W.  Norton  &  Co  Inc,  2010.  Print.  
• Fresh  Writing.  Ed.  Matthew  Capdevielle  and  Daniel  O'Duffy.  Plymouth,  Mi:  Hayden-­‐
McNeil,  2010.  Print.  
• Supplemental  readings  throughout  the  term.  
• Notre  Dame  e-­‐mail  account  that  you  check  DAILY.    
• A  WordPress  account  and  blog  (we  will  set  this  up  in  class).  
• An  MLA  style  manual,  either  print  or  digital  (note:  must  include  the  2009  MLA  update)  
• Access  to  our  Concourse  site  through  InsideND    
• Digital  Storage:  You  should  purchase  at  least  one  flash  drive  for  saving  your  work  and  
should  also  save  your  work  to  some  kind  of  online  storage.  Notre  Dame  provides  you  
with  online  file  storage  via  WebFile,  which  you  can  access  at  https://webfile.nd.edu.  
 
RECOMMENDED  MATERIALS  
• A  laptop  computer  with  word-­‐processing  and  wireless  Internet  browsing  capabilities.  If  
you  do  not  own  your  own  laptop,  the  Office  of  Information  Technologies  offers  a  rental  
service  that  may  be  of  interest  to  you  (see  http://oit.nd.edu/equipment/).    
• A  college-­‐level  dictionary.  
 
COURSE  OVERVIEW  
Simply  put,  this  course  is  an  introduction  to  writing,  rhetoric,  and  research.  Though  each  of  
these  terms  can  be  defined  in  numerous  ways,  we  will  focus  most  carefully  on  writing  as  a  
process  of  constructing  meaning  through  the  use  of  symbols,  rhetoric  as  argumentation,  and  
research  as  a  process  of  investigation  and  analysis.  Since  good  writing  begins  with  good  
thinking,  this  course  will  emphasize  the  importance  of  critical  reading  and  will  ask  you  to  
analyze  a  variety  of  print-­‐based  and  new  media  texts  throughout  the  term.    
 
These  literacies  have  long  been  a  cornerstone  of  academic  life,  and  the  ability  to  read  and  write  
effectively  is  one  of  the  hallmarks  of  an  educated  person.  Further,  literacy  historically  has  
strong  ties  to  identity,  citizenship,  and  community  participation.  But  digital  culture  and  new  
media  have  dramatically  impacted  reading  and  writing  processes,  challenging  academic,  
corporate,  and  other  sectors  to  reconsider  what  qualifies  as  a  “text,”  what  “counts”  as  
authorship,  and  what  literacies  are  needed  for  effective  participation  in  a  multimodal  society.    
 
With  these  shifts  in  mind,  we  will  spend  the  term  examining  what  it  means  to  read,  write,  think,  
and  argue  in  a  digital  culture,  grounding  this  exploration  in  rhetorical  principles  that  will  
advance  your  ability  to  think  critically  about  the  cultures  of  which  you  are  a  part,  both  online  

1
 and  off.    We  will  examine  a  variety  of  controversies  related  to  digital  media,  and  I  encourage  
you  to  make  personal  connections  between  the  course  material  and  your  own  interests  as  much  
as  possible.  Thus,  whether  you  are  an  enthusiastic  technology  advocate  with  all  the  latest  
gadgets,  or  a  skeptic  preferring  to  live  off  the  grid,  you  should  find  plenty  of  opportunity  to  
develop  your  perspectives  through  the  crafting  of  focused,  well-­‐supported,  rhetorically  sound  
arguments.  
 
MAJOR  ASSIGNMENTS  
Technology  Narrative  (150  points):  You  will  craft  a  personal  essay  that  tells  a  story  about  
your  relationship  with  technology  and  how  those  experiences  have  shaped  a  larger  interest,  
or  vice  versa.  The  purpose  of  this  assignment  is  to  orient  me  to  both  your  writing  ability  and  
your  overall  attitude  toward  technology.  Additionally,  this  project  will  help  to  set  the  critical  
awareness  and  self-­‐reflexivity  that  will  form  the  foundation  for  the  rest  of  the  assignments  
in  this  course.  Due  Week  3  (2/1).  
 
Rhetorical  Analysis  (150  points):  You  will  systematically  examine  the  rhetorical  effectiveness  
of  two  texts  and  will  draw  some  conclusions  about  the  rhetorical  strategies  of  those  texts.  
The  criteria  for  your  analysis  will  be  grounded  in  rhetorical  principles  we  discuss  in  class  
and  will  emphasize  the  role  of  rhetoric  in  communication.  This  project  will  also  give  you  a  
chance  to  learn  how  to  organize  longer,  more  complex  papers,  which  will  be  an  important  
skill  for  your  research  project.    Due  Week  6  (2/22).  
 
Research  Essay  (200  points):  You  will  write  a  traditional,  print-­‐based  essay  of  8-­‐10  double-­‐
spaced  pages  on  a  focused  topic  of  interest  to  you  that  somehow  engages  the  themes  of  the  
course.  This  argument  will  be  supported  by  your  synthesis  of  a  variety  of  credible  sources  
found  through  your  own  independent  research.  This  assignment  will  introduce  you  to  
genres  of  academic  argumentation,  the  complexities  of  research,  and  the  process  of  crafting  
an  original  argument  within  a  larger  conversation.  You  will  present  the  major  findings  of  
your  research  with  a  PowerPoint  presentation  in  class.  Due  Week  10  (3/22).  
 
Visual  Essay  (150  points):  You  will  craft  an  argument  that  communicates  primarily  through  
visual  media.  Like  the  research  essay,  your  visual  researched  argument  should  emerge  in  
response  to  the  themes  and  controversies  we  discuss  in  class  and  should  be  grounded  in  
your  independent  research  on  a  topic  of  interest  to  you.  This  assignment  will  help  you  
further  explore  the  relationship  between  text  and  visual  in  constructing  effective  
arguments.  Though  the  piece  should  stand  on  its  own  (i.e.,  it  should  not  require  any  
explanation  for  readers  to  grasp  the  intended  meaning),  you  will  also  draft  a  short  reflection  
that  describes  your  process  in  constructing  the  argument  and  the  rhetorical  choices  you  
made  along  the  way.  Due  Week  13  (4/12).  
 
Collaborative  Final  Project  (150  points):  Your  final  project  in  this  course  will  be  a  
collaborative  effort  in  which  you  and  your  peers  construct  a  multimedia  text  that  
demonstrates  your  understanding  of  the  rhetorical  principles  and  concepts  discussed  
throughout  the  term.  The  class  will  choose  the  form  this  project  will  take  and  the  role  each  
person  will  play  in  conceptualizing,  researching,  planning,  drafting,  revising,  and  editing  the  
project.  Your  grade  on  this  project  will  be  determined  by  the  quality  of  the  finished  piece  
and  your  peers’  assessment  of  your  contributions  to  the  project.  We  will  host  a  viewing  
party  to  showcase  this  project  at  the  end  of  the  semester.  Due  Week  15  (4/28).  
 
OTHER  REQUIRED  WORK  

2
 Readings:  Critical  reading  is  a  fundamental  part  of  this  course.  The  volume  will  vary,  but  you  
should  plan  for  about  20  pages  of  reading  per  class  period.  You  must  come  to  each  class  
session  prepared  to  share  your  notes  on  these  readings.  Failure  to  do  so  will  negatively  
impact  your  participation  grade.  
 
Blog  Entries:  Throughout  the  term,  you  will  compose  blog  entries  related  to  our  reading  and  
writing  topics.    These  entries  will  be  graded  on  a  credit/no  credit  basis,  and  entries  that  do  
not  demonstrate  active  critical  thinking  (that  is,  purposeful,  reflective,  reasoned  
commentary)  about  the  subject  matter  will  not  receive  credit.  
 
Participation/Daily  Work:  Full  participation  in  all  class  activities,  including  (but  not  limited  
to)  face-­‐to-­‐face  class  discussion,  discussion  board  threads,  peer  review,  and  collaborative  
activities,  is  a  requirement  of  this  course.  You  must  also  fully  complete  smaller  assignments  
designed  to  support  the  major  projects,  including  prewriting  activities,  in-­‐class  exercises,  
storyboarding  worksheets,  and  so  on.  Failure  to  do  so  will  negatively  impact  your  
participation  grade.  
 
PEER  WORKSHOPS  
Throughout  the  term,  you  will  share  your  works-­‐in-­‐progress  with  your  classmates  and  will  
provide  feedback  on  works-­‐in-­‐progress  from  others.  The  drafts  you  prepare  for  these  
sessions  should  be  the  product  of  your  careful  drafting  and  revision  up  to  that  point.    If  you  
need  help  in  your  early  drafting  process  (for  instance,  help  with  selecting  a  topic  or  advice  
on  how  to  get  started),  then  please  visit  me  during  my  office  hours  or  make  an  appointment  
and  I  will  be  delighted  to  help  you.  You  may  also  wish  to  form  a  writing  group  with  other  
members  of  the  class.    Meaningful  participation  in  peer  response  groups  is  REQUIRED.  We  
will  discuss  guidelines  for  providing  constructive  feedback  in  class.  
 
ASSIGNMENT  GRADING  STANDARDS  
The  specific  grading  criteria  for  each  major  assignment  will  be  provided  with  the  
assignment  sheet.  Generally  speaking,  however,  the  grading  standards  for  this  class  follow  
the  university-­‐wide  grading  standards  and  are  as  follows:  
 
 “A-­level”  work:  Clearly  meets  or  exceeds  all  expectations  for  the  assignment.  Maintains  a  
focused,  sophisticated  controlling  purpose  throughout  the  work  and  demonstrates  mastery  
of  major  rhetorical  principles  (audience,  purpose,  thesis,  organization,  development,  
coherence,  etc).  Demonstrates  superior  command  of  the  subject  matter  and  presents  an  
original  perspective  on  that  subject  matter  so  effectively  that  the  reader  enjoys  reading  the  
essay  and  learns  from  it.  Captivates  readers  with  clear,  powerful,  sophisticated  writing  style  
from  start  to  finish.  Connections  between  ideas  are  clear  and  smooth.  Polished  and  free  of  
sentence-­‐level  errors.    
 
“B-­level”  work:  Clearly  meets  or  exceeds  nearly  all  expectations  of  the  assignment.  Maintains  
a  focused  controlling  purpose  throughout  the  work  and  demonstrates  solid  command  of  
major  rhetorical  principles.  Demonstrates  good  command  of  the  subject  matter  and  
presents  an  original  perspective  on  that  subject  matter  in  an  interesting  and  enjoyable  way,  
though  perhaps  not  as  sophisticated  as  the  “A-­‐level”  work.  Writing  style  is  clear  and  
engaging  through  most  of  the  work.  Connections  between  ideas,  overall,  are  clear  and  
smooth.  Polished  and  free  of  all  but  a  few  minor  sentence-­‐level  errors.    
 

3
 “C-­level”  work:  Clearly  meets  all  basic  expectations  of  the  assignment.  Maintains  a  
controlling  purpose,  though  at  times  the  essay’s  focus  may  drift.  Demonstrates  an  adequate  
command  of  major  rhetorical  principles.  Demonstrates  a  fair  command  of  the  subject  
matter  and  presents  a  perspective  adequately,  though  it  may  not  be  as  original  and/or  
compelling  as  the  A-­‐  or  B-­‐level  essays.  Connection  between  ideas  are  adequately  made.  May  
contain  a  few  patterns  of  sentence-­‐level  errors,  but  not  severe  enough  to  interfere  with  
communication.  **Note:  many  students  are  surprised  to  receive  a  “C-­‐level”  grade  when  they  
have  “done  everything  listed  on  the  assignment  sheet.”  Simply  meeting  the  minimum  
requirements  constitutes  a  basic  “passing”  grade;  to  get  a  “B”  or  an  “A,”  you  must  exceed  
those  minimum  requirements  through  more  sophisticated  execution.  
 
“D-­level”  work:  Work  is  below  “average,”  meaning  it  does  not  clearly  meet  basic  expectations  
of  the  assignment.  Controlling  purpose  or  thesis  may  be  weak.  Demonstrates  some  
command  of  the  subject  matter,  but  may  not  present  that  information  effectively.  
Perspective  presented  may  not  be  original  or  truly  argumentative.  Connection  between  
ideas  may  be  rough  or  confusing.  May  contain  patterns  of  sentence-­‐level  error  that  are  
severe  enough  to  interfere  with  communication.  
 
“F-­level”  work:  Work  does  not  meet  minimum  expectations  for  the  assignment.  Shows  little  
to  no  controlling  purpose  or  thesis.  May  demonstrate  inadequate  command  of  the  subject  
matter,  and  information  may  not  be  presented  in  a  clear  and  appropriate  way  for  readers.  
Perspective  may  be  unoriginal,  difficult  to  follow,  or  not  truly  argumentative.  Connection  
between  ideas  may  be  very  rough  and  difficult  for  readers  to  follow.  May  contain  numerous  
patterns  of  sentence-­‐level  error  that  are  severe  enough  to  interfere  with  communication.  
 
REVISION  POLICY  
This  course  emphasizes  writing  as  a  process,  and  most  writers  find  that  a  work  must  go  
through  multiple  revisions  before  it  reaches  publishable  quality.  With  this  reality  in  mind,  
you  are  allowed  to  revise  TWO  of  your  major  assignments  for  a  higher  grade  (with  the  
exception  of  the  last  project,  which  is  collaborative).  The  revised  essay  may  earn  up  to  a  full  
letter  grade  above  the  original  graded  draft  (so,  for  example,  if  your  original  essay  draft  
earned  a  “C-­‐,”  then  you  may  revise  the  essay  to  earn  no  higher  than  a  “B-­‐.”).    If  you  choose  to  
revise,  then  you  must  first  schedule  an  appointment  with  me  to  discuss  your  revision  
strategy—this  appointment  must  be  scheduled  within  ONE  WEEK  of  you  receiving  your  
original  grade  on  the  assignment  (in  other  words,  you  may  not  wait  until  the  end  of  the  
semester  to  decide  which  two  papers  to  revise).  I  will  not  accept  revisions  from  students  who  
have  not  first  met  with  me.    We  will  establish  a  due  date  for  your  revision  during  our  
conference.  
 
FINAL  COURSE  GRADES  
Your  grade  in  this  course  will  be  based  on  your  performance  in  the  following  major  areas:  
I. Blogs,  Participation,  Homework,  and  Daily  Work  (200  points;  worth  20%  of  your  
grade)  
 
II. Writing  Portfolio  (800  points;  worth  80%  of  your  grade):  
a. Technology  Narrative  (150  points)  
b. Rhetorical  Analysis  (150  points)  
c. Research  Essay  (200  points)  
d. Visual  Essay  (150  points)  

4
 e. Collaborative  Final  Project  (150  points)  
 
Total  Possible  Points:  1000  
930-­‐1000  points  (93-­‐100%)  =  A  
900-­‐929  points  (90-­‐92.9%)  =  A-­‐  
870-­‐899  points  (87.89.9%)  =  B+  
830-­‐869  points  (83-­‐86.9%)  =  B  
800-­‐829  points  (80-­‐82.9%)  =  B-­‐  
770-­‐799  points  (77-­‐79.9%)  =  C+  
730-­‐769  points  (73-­‐76.9%)  =  C  
700-­‐729  points  (70-­‐72.9%)=  C-­‐  
600-­‐699  points  (60-­‐69.9%)=  D  
Below  600  points  (60%)=  F  
 
FINAL  PORTFOLIO  ASSESSMENT:  While  each  of  your  major  projects  will  receive  a  grade  during  the  
course  of  the  term,  your  final  writing  portfolio  will  also  be  assessed  holistically  (meaning  “as  a  
whole”)  at  the  end  of  the  semester.  For  this  reason,  you  should  take  care  to  polish  all  of  the  essays  
in  your  portfolio.  You  are  responsible  for  keeping  copies  of  your  work—failure  to  submit  a  
complete  portfolio  at  the  end  of  the  term  will  result  in  a  failing  grade  for  the  course.  We  will  talk  
more  about  portfolio  assessment  in  class.  
 
SUBMITTING  DRAFTS  FOR  GRADING  
Unless  otherwise  specified,  projects  will  be  due  by  MIDNIGHT  on  the  assignment  due  date.  
All  drafts  should  be  submitted  electronically  via  Concourse  in  document  format,  unless  
otherwise  noted.    When  you  save  drafts,  please  save  them  with  your  last  name  and  the  
appropriate  abbreviation  of  the  assignment.    If  your  name  were  Jane  Doe,  for  example,  your  
file  saving  conventions  for  each  major  individual  assignment  would  be  as  follows:    
DoeJane_NAR  
DoeJane_RHE  
DoeJane_RES  
DoeJane_VIS  
 
If  you  elect  to  revise  an  essay  for  a  higher  grade,  then  you  must  submit  your  revised  essay  
with  “REV”  added  to  the  filename,  like  this:  
DoeJane_NAR_REV  
 
LATE/LOST  WORK  POLICY  
I  do  not  accept  late  work.  I  do  not  provide  extensions.  It  is  your  responsibility  to  save  
multiple  copies  of  your  assignments.  Remember:  It’s  not  a  matter  of  IF  your  technology  will  
fail  you,  but  WHEN.    Prepare  for  these  inevitable  crashes  by  saving  your  work  in  multiple  
places  throughout  the  semester.  If  you  are  stricken  with  illness  or  experience  a  personal  
crisis  that  will  impact  your  ability  to  participate  in  class  or  submit  drafts  on  time,  then  you  
must  communicate  with  me  as  soon  as  possible  so  we  can  discuss  your  options  for  
completing  the  course.  
 
ATTENDANCE  POLICY  
The  success  of  this  class  will  depend  largely  on  meaningful  group  discussion  and  a  variety  of  
collaborative  activities  designed  to  support  the  major  assignments.  For  this  reason,  
attendance  is  mandatory.  If  you  miss  more  than  three  days  of  class,  then  your  final  grade  

5
 will  be  lowered.  If  you  miss  more  than  five  days  of  class,  then  you  may  fail  the  course.  With  
the  exception  of  excuses  issued  directly  from  the  Office  of  Residence  Life  on  your  behalf  (i.e.,  
death  in  the  family,  service  to  the  University,  etc),  you  will  not  be  allowed  to  “make  up”  
work  missed  while  absent  unless  you  first  make  arrangements  with  me.    
 
MISSED  APPOINTMENT  POLICY  
My  office  hours  for  Spring  2011  are  2-­‐3:30  p.m.  on  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays.  I  am  also  
enthusiastically  available  at  other  times  by  appointment.    I  encourage  you  to  make  
appointments  with  me  to  discuss  your  writing  progress  or  any  other  concerns  you  may  
have  about  the  course.    Please  come  to  your  conference  with  a  clear  sense  of  what  you  
would  like  to  discuss  during  our  meeting.    Be  sure  to  make  note  of  your  conference  time,  as  
well—a  missed  conference  outside  of  my  regular  office  hours  will  count  as  an  absence.  If  you  
must  cancel  our  appointment,  then  please  do  so  at  least  12  hours  in  advance  of  our  
scheduled  meeting  to  avoid  penalty.  
 
TECHNOLOGY  USAGE  POLICY  
Given  the  subject  matter  of  this  class,  there  will  be  many  points  throughout  the  semester  
when  you  will  be  encouraged  to  use  laptop  computers,  cellular  phones,  iPods,  and  other  
mobile  devices  as  we  explore  and  critique  the  nature  of  literacy  in  digital  culture.  I  will  let  
you  know  when  these  activities  are  acceptable;  otherwise,  you  should  turn  off  all  electronic  
devices  at  the  start  of  class  and  should  refrain  from  texting,  instant  messaging,  Facebooking,  
gaming,  online  shopping,  checking  e-­‐mail,  listening  to  music,  or  engaging  in  any  other  
unapproved  use  of  technology  during  class  time.  If  you  are  caught  violating  this  policy,  you  
will  be  considered  absent  for  that  class  period  and  will  be  responsible  for  any  negative  
impact  on  your  grade  that  may  result.  Also,  for  privacy  reasons,  please  do  not  use  recording  
devices  in  class.  
 
CLASSROOM  DECORUM  
Differing  opinions  will  likely  emerge  during  class,  and  while  you  are  not  required  to  agree  
with  me  or  your  peers,  you  are  expected  to  be  respectful  and  courteous  to  me,  your  peers,  
and  yourself  during  these  discussions.    You  should  feel  free  to  express  your  perspectives  at  
any  time,  but  be  sure  to  keep  your  focus  on  the  ISSUE  at  hand  and  not  on  the  PERSON  with  
whom  you  may  disagree.  Sexist,  racist,  homophobic,  or  otherwise  discriminatory  language  
will  not  be  tolerated.      
 
ACADEMIC  DISHONESTY  POLICY  
As  a  Notre  Dame  faculty  member,  I  am  responsible  for  upholding  the  Academic  Code  of  
Honor  established  by  the  University.  The  student  handbook  for  these  policies  is  available  at  
http://www.nd.edu/~hnrcode/docs/handbook.htm,  and  I  encourage  you  to  come  to  me  
with  any  questions  you  may  have  about  what  constitutes  academic  dishonesty.  In  the  event  
that  you  are  caught  violating  the  University’s  Academic  Code  of  Honor,  I  am  required  to  
notify  the  appropriate  Honesty  Committee,  which  will  negatively  impact  both  your  grade  in  
this  class  and  your  permanent  academic  record.      
 
DISABILITY  STATEMENT  
It  is  university  policy  to  provide  reasonable  accommodations  for  students  affected  by  
documented  disabilities.    If  you  need  such  an  accommodation,  then  please  talk  to  me  after  
class.  You  must  also  contact  Disability  Services  at  (574)  631-­‐7157  or  showland@nd.edu  to  
file  appropriate  documentation  in  order  to  receive  accommodations.    

6
 Course  Schedule  
Note:  This  schedule  is  tentative  –  I  reserve  the  right  to  adjust  due  dates,  class  activities,  and  homework  assignments  as  
needed.  When  adjustments  are  made,  I  will  update  the  WEB  version  (available  at  
http://writingirish.wordpress.com/schedule).  TSIS  =  They  Say  I  Say.    
 
  In  Class  Activities   Homework  (before  next  class)  
Tues.,  1/18   Introduction  to  the    Review  syllabus  and  bring  any  questions  to  class.  
  course  and  each  other.    Finish  your  introductory  blog  entry.  
Set  up  blogs.    Read  Schine,  “I  Was  a  Teenage  Illiterate”  
 Read  TSIS,  “The  Art  of  Summarizing,”  pp.  30-­‐41.  
 Using  the  strategies  discussed  in  TSIS,  write  a  summary  of  the  
Schine  article  and  post  to  your  blog.  
 Leave  a  comment  with  your  name  on  the  “Welcome”  entry  of  the  
writingirish.wordpress.com  blog  so  I  can  add  you  to  the  blogroll.      
Thurs.,  1/20   Critical  reading  and    Read  Trimbur,  “Writing  Memoir,”  making  note  of  strategies  to  use  
summary.  Introduce   as  you  begin  drafting  your  narrative  (Concourse)  
narrative.      Read  Humbert’s  “Close  to  Home.”  Make  note  of  two  strengths  of  
the  essay  and  two  aspects  that  could  potentially  be  improved.  
 Bring  an  artifact  related  to  the  subject  of  your  narrative  to  the  next  
class  (or  a  picture,  if  the  object  itself  is  not  available).  
Tues.,  1/25   Continued  discussion  of    Read  Baron,  “From  Pencils  to  Pixels”  
narrative.  “Show  Me,    Read  Bolter,  “Writing  as  Technology”  (Concourse)  
Don’t  Tell  Me”  exercise.    In  your  blog,  summarize  the  concept  of  “remediation”  as  defined  
by  Bolter  and  discuss  how  it  applies  to  Baron’s  article.  In  your  
discussion,  also  include  at  least  your  own  example  of  remediation  
not  mentioned  by  Baron  or  Bolter.  
 Continue  revising  your  narrative.  Be  prepared  to  share  a  strong  
draft  next  class.  
Thurs.,  1/27   Workshop.  “Technologies    Finish  your  narrative  
of  Writing”  activity  and    Read  Heinrichs,  “Soften  Them  Up:  Character,  Logic,  Emotion,”  
discussion.   (Concourse)  
 Read  Crowley  and  Hawhee,  “Visual  Rhetoric”  (Concourse)  
 Read  Center  for  Media  Literacy’s  “Literacy  for  the  21st  Century”  
(pp.  6-­‐7)  and  Key  Questions/Concepts  1-­‐5  (pp.  23-­‐27).  
(Concourse).  
 Using  the  readings  as  a  guide,  write  a  short  (200-­‐250  word  each)  
analysis  of  two  arguments  (one  text-­‐based  and  one  visual).  Post  
your  analyses  AND  the  link  to  the  texts  themselves  to  your  blog.  
Tues.,  2/1   Argumentative    NARRATIVE  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT  
basics/major  rhetorical    Read  Sullivan,  “From  Ultraliberal  Foe  to  Patriotic  Friend  of  Faith”  
concepts.  Assign   (in  Fresh  Writing,  pp.  39-­‐42)  and  Teufel’s  “Pathos  to  Victory.”  For  
Rhetorical  Analysis.   each  essay,  make  note  of  two  strengths  of  the  essay  and  two  
aspects  that  could  potentially  be  improved.  
 Read  Purdue  OWL’s  “Analyzing  Visual  Documents”  
 Begin  drafting  your  rhetorical  analysis,  using  the  analytical  tools  
and  criteria  we’ve  discussed  so  far  as  a  guide.    
Thurs.,  2/3   Critique  sample    Read  Heinrichs,  “Spot  Fallacies”  (Concourse)  
rhetorical  analysis    Listen  to  Skeptoid’s  “A  Magical  Journey  Through  the  Land  of  
essays.  Organization   Logical  Fallacies”  
strategies.    Find  an  example  of  a  logical  fallacy  not  discussed  by  Heinrichs  or  
Skeptoid  and  post  it  to  your  blog,  along  with  an  explanation  for  
why/how  the  text’s  reasoning  is  flawed.  
 Continue  drafting  your  rhetorical  analysis.  Be  sure  to  refer  to  your  
style  manual  for  proper  MLA  formatting  and  citation  guidelines.  

7
  Bring  a  strong  draft  of  your  rhetorical  analysis  to  the  next  class.  
Tues.,  2/8   Workshop.  Logical    Read  Prensky,  “Backup  Education”  
fallacies  activity.    Read  Richtel,  “Growing  up  Digital,  Wired  for  Distraction”  
 Read  TSIS,  “They  Say,”  pp.  19-­‐28.  
 Using  the  TSIS  chapter  as  a  guide,  write  a  paragraph  that  
summarizes  the  debate  engaged  by  the  Prensky  and  Richtel  
articles,  while  also  including  your  own  perspective  on  the  issue.  
Thurs.,  2/10   Developing  strong    Respond  to  the  discussion  prompt  on  the  
analytical  paragraphs,   writingirish.wordpress.com  blog.  After  leaving  your  own  
part  1;  start  “Digital   comments,  reply  to  the  comments  of  at  least  2  of  your  peers.  
Nation”    Consider  setting  up  an  appointment  at  the  Writing  Center  to  get  
feedback  on  your  rhetorical  analysis.  
 Using  the  model  for  paragraph  development  discussed  in  class  as  a  
guide,  work  on  strengthening  the  body  paragraphs  of  your  
rhetorical  analysis.  
 Read  TSIS,  “Three  Ways  to  Respond,”  55-­‐67.  Be  prepared  to  apply  
the  strategies  described  in  the  chapter  to  our  discussion  of  “Digital  
Nation”  next  class.  
Tues.,  2/15   Finish  “Digital  Nation.”    Read  TSIS,  “Connecting  the  Parts,”  pp.  105-­‐118.  Apply  the  
Discuss  film  and   transition  strategies  discussed  in  the  chapter  to  your  rhetorical  
readings.  Synthesis  and   analysis.  Be  prepared  to  share  a  strong,  nearly  complete  draft  of  
counterarguments.   your  rhetorical  analysis  during  the  next  class.    
 Read  Gladwell,  “Small  Change:  Why  The  Revolution  will  Not  Be  
Tweeted”  
 Read  Allnutt,  “Why  Malcolm  Gladwell  is  Wrong  About  Digital  
Activism”  
 Locate  an  example  of  a  digital  activist  movement  and  draft  a  short  
analysis  of  the  strengths/limitations  of  that  movement,  using  
arguments  of  Gladwell  and  Allnutt  as  a  guide  for  your  analysis.  
Post  your  analysis  and  a  link  to  the  movement  you’ve  analyzed  to  
your  blog.  
Thurs,  2/17   Workshop.  Discuss    Begin  wrapping  up  your  rhetorical  analysis,  taking  the  feedback  
readings  and  homework.   from  your  peers  into  account.  
Assign  Research  Essay.    TSIS,  “Distinguishing  What  You  Say  from  What  They  Say,”  68-­‐77.  
Strategies  for  inventing    Read  “Breed-­‐Specific  Legislation:  Barking  up  the  Wrong  Tree”  (in  
viable,  fresh,   Fresh  Writing,  pp.  49-­‐55).  Make  note  of  two  strengths  of  the  essay  
argumentative  topics.   and  two  aspects  you  think  could  be  improved.  
 Based  on  your  reading  of  TSIS,  analyze  the  way  the  author  of  
“Breed-­‐Specific  Legislation”  distinguishes  his/her  own  voice  from  
the  voice  of  the  sources.  
 Do  some  exploratory  research  on  at  least  two  topics  you  are  
considering  for  your  research  essay.  Come  to  class  prepared  to  
discuss  your  ideas.  
Tues.,  2/22   Critique  sample  research    RHETORICAL  ANALYSIS  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT  
paper.  Finding  and    Read/listen  to  “Cheating  in  College  is  Widespread”  
evaluating  sources,  part    Read  Kulish,  “Author,  17,  Says  It’s  ‘Mixing,’  Not  Plagiarism”  
1.  Work  on  proposals.      Review  the  “Student  Responsibilities”  section  of  the  Academic  
Code  of  Honor  Handbook  
 In  your  blog,  explain  in  your  own  words  the  concept  of  “academic  
dishonesty.”  Then,  discuss  some  of  the  factors  that  may  contribute  
to  the  prevalence  of  academic  dishonesty  amongst  college  
students.  
 Continue  working  on  your  research  proposal,  due  next  class.  

8
  Meet  in  Library  next  class.  
Thurs.,  2/24   LIBRARY  DAY.  Mini-­‐  Select  at  least  two  sources  you  plan  to  use  for  your  essay  and  write  
conferences  to  discuss   a  short  blog  entry  giving  basic  information  about  the  source  and  
proposals.   how  you  expect  it  will  contribute  to  your  argument.  
 Bring  the  sources  you  blog  about  to  the  next  class  (note:  one  of  
these  sources  must  be  a  printed  book).  
 Read  TSIS,  “The  Art  of  Quoting,”  pp.  42-­‐51.  
 Read  TSIS,  “Planting  a  Naysayer,”  pp.  78-­‐91.    
Tues.,  3/1   Working  with  sources,    Continue  drafting  your  research  essay.  Make  sure  to  cite  all  
part  2.  Avoiding   sources  according  to  MLA  style  guidelines  and  use  appropriate  
plagiarism.   quoting  conventions.  
Paraphrase/summary/qu  Read  TSIS,  “Saying  Why  it  Matters,”  pp.  92-­‐100.  Apply  what  you  
otation.  Class  debate.     read  to  your  draft,  especially  the  introduction  and  conclusion.  
 In  Fresh  Writing,  find  an  example  of  one  introduction  or  
conclusion  you  find  highly  effective  and  one  that  you  think  could  
be  improved.  Be  prepared  to  discuss  these  during  the  next  class.  
Thurs.,  3/3   Academic  dishonesty;    Apply  some  of  the  organization  strategies  we  discussed  in  class  to  
Intros/Conclusions   your  research  essay.  
workshop.  Organization    Read  TSIS,  “Analyze  This,”  pp.  175-­‐192.  Use  the  strategies  
strategies.   presented  (along  with  the  development  strategies  discussed  
earlier  this  term)  to  develop  the  supporting  paragraphs  of  your  
research  essay.  
 Read  Purdue  OWL’s  “Designing  an  Effective  PowerPoint  
Presentation”  and  “How  to  Use  Prezi”  
 Begin  preparing  a  short  (approx.  3  minute)  presentation  of  your  
research  essay,  using  either  PowerPoint  or  Prezi.  
 Be  prepared  to  share  a  draft  of  your  research  essay  in  workshop  
during  the  next  class.  
 Be  ready  to  use  your  MLA  style  guide  during  the  next  class.  
Tues.,  3/8   Workshop.  MLA    ANNOTATED  BIBLIOGRAPHY  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT.  
Jeopardy.    Double-­‐check  the  MLA  page  formatting,  in-­‐text  citations,  and  
works  cited  page  entries  of  your  research  essay.  
 Read  TSIS,  “But  Don’t  Get  Me  Wrong,”  pp.  129-­‐137.  Apply  the  
strategies  you  read  about  to  your  research  essay,  focusing  on  
improving  metacommentary  (including  the  title  of  your  essay).  
 Continue  working  on  your  research  presentation.  
Thurs.,  3/10   Research  Presentations.    Begin  wrapping  up  your  research  essay.  
Assign  Visual  Essay.    Finish  your  research  presentation,  if  you  have  not  done  so  already.  
 Read  “Visual  Rhetoric”  student  essay    
 Read  “Creating  a  Photo  Essay”  
 Read  “Creating  a  Video  Essay”  
 View/read  Perrin’s  “The  Gift  of  a  Vote,”  including  the  reflective  
paper.  Make  note  of  the  essay’s  audience,  purpose,  and  use  of  
sources.  
 Find  one  more  example  of  a  visual  argument  and  post  it  to  your  
blog,  with  an  explanation  of  what  the  argument  is  and  how  that  
argument  is  constructed  visually.  Be  prepared  to  discuss  your  
example  in  the  next  class.  
Tues.,  3/15   Mid-­‐Term  Break  –  No  Classes  
Thurs.,  3/17  
Tues.,  3/22   Research  presentations.    RESEARCH  ESSAY  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT  
Critique  sample  visual    Conduct  some  preliminary  research  on  at  least  two  topics  you  are  
arguments.  Distribute   considering  for  your  visual  essay.    

9
 storyboarding  worksheet.    Additional  homework  TBA,  depending  on  needs  of  the  class.  
Thurs.,  3/24   Narrow  topics.  Media    Finish  a  proposal  for  your  visual  essay.    
stations  activity.    Complete  a  storyboard  for  your  visual  essay.  Be  prepared  to  share  
your  proposal  and  storyboard  during  the  next  class.  
 Be  prepared  to  work  on  your  visual  essay  during  the  next  class.  
Tues.,  3/29   Mini-­‐conferences  to    Continue  working  on  your  visual  essay.    
review    Additional  homework  TBA,  depending  on  needs  of  the  class.  
proposals/storyboards;  
in-­‐class  work  time.  
Thurs.,  3/31   Work  day    Continue  working  on  your  visual  essay.  Bring  a  “draft”  of  your  
visual  argument  to  the  next  class.  
 Read  Ordonez,  “What  Working  for  Wikipedia  Taught  Me  About  
Collaboration”  
 Read  Moxley  and  Meehan,  “Collaboration/Literacy/Authorship”  
 Drawing  from  the  readings  and  your  own  experiences,  write  a  blog  
entry  in  which  you  reflect  on  the  role  of  collaboration  in  your  
academic/work  life  up  to  this  point  and  the  role  you  anticipate  it  
will  have  in  the  future.  Use  your  discussion  as  a  starting  point  for  
responding  to  the  following  question:  To  what  extent  is  
collaboration  a  vital  “literacy”  for  success  in  the  21st  century?    
Tues.,  4/5   Workshop  time.  Discuss    Continue  working  on  your  visual  essay.  You  should  be  wrapping  
articles.  Assign   up  the  bulk  of  your  drafting  soon.  Make  sure  to  include  
collaborative  project.   documentation  for  all  material  (images,  music,  sound  bytes,  
quoted  material,  etc)  
 Communicate  with  your  peers  regarding  your  role/ideas  for  the  
collaborative  project.  Make  plans  for  how  to  utilize  time  on  
Thursday,  since  we  won’t  be  holding  formal  class.  
Thurs.,  4/7   NO  CLASS—Coordinate    Finish  your  visual  essay.  
with  classmates  on  how    With  your  classmates,  determine  the  scope,  audience,  purpose,  
to  use  this  time.   and  medium  for  your  collaborative  project.  Begin  sketching  
  individual  responsibilities  and  a  timeline  for  completion.  You  will  
have  an  additional  planning  period  during  the  next  class.  
Tues.,  4/12   Work  day.    VISUAL  ESSAY  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT.  
 Work  with  your  classmates  on  your  collaborative  project.  Be  
prepared  to  give  a  progress  report  on  the  project  during  the  next  
class.  
Thurs.,  4/14   Directions  for  final    Continue  working  on  collaborative  project  
portfolio.  Work  day.    Be  prepared  to  give  a  progress  report  during  the  next  class.  
 Begin  preparing  your  final  writing  portfolio.  
 
Tues.,  4/19   Work  day.  Editing  tips.    Continue  working  on  collaborative  project  
 Continue  compiling  your  portfolio  on  Wordpress  
Thurs.,  4/21   Progress  report  on    Continue  working  on  collaborative  project  
collaborative  project.    Continue  compiling  your  portfolio  on  Wordpress  
Work  time.    
Tues.,  4/26   Progress  report  on    Finish  collaborative  project  
collaborative  project.    Continue  compiling  your  writing  portfolio  on  Wordpress  
Work  time.    The  next  class  period  will  be  your  last  in-­‐class  work  day.  
Thurs.,  4/28   Final  work  day;  peer    COLLABORATIVE  PROJECT  DUE  BY  MIDNIGHT  
evals.    Finish  any  last-­‐minute  revisions  to  your  final  portfolio.    
Tues.,  5/3   Last  class  day—Portfolios    Have  a  great  summer!  
due!  Showcase  projects.  

1
0
1
1