**Always bring your PRINTED, ANNOTATED copy of assigned reading to class. All assignments/assignment directions are linked on this calendar.  Any changes to this calendar will be announced in class or on email.**

[If you are looking for Weeks 1-8 of the semester, please scroll to the bottom of this page!]

:)**Enjoy your Spring Break!**:)

Week 9 Mar 17-21 

Mon             Welcome back, topic revisiting.

Wed             Research workshop. Meet in HBC 227 computer lab. 

Fri                Research workshop. Bring laptops or tablets to class if possible.

At home this week:

• During class this week on Wednesday, post your Topic Idea to your Blog (must be posted on Wednesday — in case you miss class).
• Read Ballenger Chapters 1 & 2 –pages 40-49, and 51-69 (BB).  These strategies will be useful when completing your work for this week. Trying some of Ballenger’s strategies would be a good weekly blog post.
• Read the Developing a Research Strategy handout. Think about your own research plan, and where you are in the process described on this handout. For your weekly post, you can post ideas about your research plan to your blog.
• Continue researching your topic.  Look for sources both in the general sense (encyclopedias, Wikipedia, etc) and in the more specific sense (articles, books, chapters), and do data/web research as necessary—refer back to the things we’ve learned. Take good notes and consciously develop a research strategy.
• RPR #2 (Choose Web 2.0 Report OR Primary Research Report) Due Monday Mar 24 to your blog. Here are some handouts to help you with Primary Research:Primary Sources Definition, Primary Search Questions, Finding Primary Sources.

Week 10 Mar 24-28

Mon              Research workshop.

Wed              Meet in Computer Lab HBC 227. Research workshop.

Fri                 Class cancelled for conferences.

• Sign up for an individual conference (mandatory attendance) on our Portfolio Grading and Final Project Conference Google Doc.
• Read three classmates’ RPR #2s (remember, the blogs are linked on the main homepage). Be prepared to discuss on Wednesday.
• Narrow down your topic and develop a focusing question by completing Ballenger Exercise 1.4 on page 43/ or pg 44 (BB). Read Ballenger pages 69-100, 125-141 and review pages 46-49 (BB). Use these strategies throughout the week as you begin in-depth research on your topic.
• Post your RPR#3 Topic Proposal  to your blog by Mon Mar 31.  Here is a helpful handout from class to assist you in creating your topic proposal: Developing a Good Focus Question.

Week 11 Mar 31-Apr 4

Mon                  Meet in Computer Lab HBC 227. Research workshop & discussion of rhetorical concepts.

Wed                  Meet in Computer Lab HBC 227. Research workshop & discussion of rhetorical concepts.

Fri                      Class cancelled for conferences

At home this week:

• ***For WEDNESDAY’s class, be sure to bring ONE potential source that you plan to use in the project. ****
• Read Ballenger plagiarism pages 104-117,  and all of Chapter 4—about writing a rough draft.
• Finalize and thoroughly read and annotate your sources for the project.
• Read the Classical Appeals handout and check out previous students’  source lists for the project.
• RPR #4: Rhetorical Situation Map Due Mon April 7.

Week 12 Apr 7-11

Mon              Planning workshop.

Wed              Meet in HBC 227 Computer Lab. Symposium planning.

Fri                  Class cancelled for conferences.

At home this week:

• Finish searching for the sources that will go into your paper/project, and finish any primary research.  This is your last week to research—next week you’ll begin your project and paper drafts. Re-read the Final Argument Essay or Project Assignment directions to make sure you’ve chosen sources that will work.  Ask questions or get help this week with research.
• This week, review Joe Harris’ Chapters 1 & 2 (and your notes from class), thinking about how you will work with sources as a scholar, in the ways that Harris describes.
• If you are doing the argument paper, Complete the Review of Argument assignment, which is a freewrite about the genre of academic argument. Post to your blog by the end of the week (Friday).  Please also include your tentative thesis statement for the essay, boldfaced or underlined, to grab my attention. (You are not committed to this thesis until you write the paper–I just want to know what you are considering!)
• If you are doing the project, complete the Project Proposal   & post  to your blog by the end of the week (Friday). 
  
• Read about the Symposium Assignment and prepare for your panel accordingly–Programs are due on FRIDAY.
• You will receive an email of Monday’s Symposium Programs sometime over the weekend. Please be sure to check your email and read over the programs that you get, so you are prepared for Monday’s symposium. You will get a printed copy when you walk into class that day. Take some time to jot down a few questions you have for each group.
• It is not necessary to post the usual “weekly blog post” this week. Your work above will serve as your weekly blog post.

Week 13 Apr 14-18

Mon                 Symposium.

Wed                 Symposium.

Fri                    Symposium.

At home this week:

• Read the programs for each symposium panel the day before they present, and jot down a few questions for each group.
• If you are doing the project, prepare a two-page draft (double OR single-spaced) of your Project Statement.  If you are doing the paper, prepare a four-page draft (double-spaced) of your Argument Essay. Email this to me as s digital copy (a MS Word .doc/.docx if possible). Please title your document with your name  (i.e. ErinSmith). This will be due on Monday April 21.   (I will accept and appreciate any early submissions of drafts–i.e. before Monday!)
• It is not necessary to post the usual “weekly blog post” this week. 

Week 14 Apr 21-25

Mon                    Class Cancelled for conferences.

Wed                    Symposium follow up, paper workshopping.

Fri                       Detailed peer review session & final workshop.

At home this week:

• Review Harris Chapter 5, and actively use revision strategies when working on your draft.
• Finish your project / essay.
• Bring the most complete draft possible of your essay, statement and/or project for the Peer Review session on Friday, printed.

Last Day of Class Apr 28

Last Day     (Mon)              Project gallery, paper submissions, sad goodbyes.  Argument essay and Project due. 

At home this week:

• Post your final blog post, detailing what you have learned about the research process, some “play by plays” (highlights) of your work over the semester/second unit, and some details from your research project that you want the world to see. Imagine this as a reflection piece, but also a way to “close” your blog. Be creative with presentation (pictures of your project, done or in-process, are welcome, for example). Aim for about 500 words. 
• Make sure your Portfolio (blog) is complete by April 30 for my final assessment (any assignment you are handing in for late credit, plus the above reflection, need to be there or they will not be counted). 

 

Post-semester notes:

Final projects and papers will not be returned unless you make arrangements for me to do so. Please contact me in the fall or summer if you want to pick up your work.  I do not provide feedback on final projects unless it’s requested (please don’t request if you are not serious about picking up your work.) If you have met the obligations of your portfolio grade contract, don’t expect to hear from me, unless your contract and my record of your work wildly disagree. Feel free to email me about your portfolio if you have any questions about how your work was assessed.

Protecting your blog: Once final grades are assessed, I will email you with directions for  protecting or “closing” your public blog. Please be sure to check your SU email in the weeks after the semester.

Week One Jan 13-17

Mon                  Introduction to course inquiry. 

Wed                 Film Screening of “Inside Hurricane Katrina” (National Geographic).

Fri                     Discussion of reading and film. Discuss Blog Requirements.

At home this week:

• Familiarize yourself with the Syllabus, Calendar, Portfolio Grading Contract, and Course Description.
• Using the Blog Requirements, begin setting up your blog using SU’s Expressions (WordPress based) or a different blogging software that you are already familiar with. Here is the Expressions help guide, if you need it.  Be sure you learn how to post a blog entry.
• Print, read and annotate Ari Kelman’s “Boundary Issues” (BB). View as much of the remainder of the National Georgraphic film as you can, even 20 minutes. Be prepared to discuss these in class on Friday, 1/17.
• Read and annotate “Katrina” by George W. Bush (BB)  and  Chapter One of Joe Harris’s Rewriting (BB). Be prepared to discuss these in class next week, on 1/22.
• Complete the Film and Reading Response Blog Post & post to your Blog before class on Wednesday 1/22. Remember to email me the web address for your blog so that I can see your post!
• Bring your completed Portfolio Grading Contract to class on Wed 1/22.

 

Week Two Jan 20-24

Mon                No classes due to holiday.

Wed                Discussion of Harris, Bush readings.

Fri                   Discussion of Bond reading.

At home this week:

• Read and annotate “Coming Home: AKA ‘You Gotta Have Paper to Come Back!’” by Darwin C. Bond-Graham (BB) (this reading has been moved).  Watch Act II of Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke on Youtube (also is available at Bird Library in DVD format) for Fri 1/24 discussion.  You will begin the video around 1:00 and watch the rest of the film (one hour total).  TAKE DETAILED NOTES .
• Begin taking notes about the connections you see across your readings. What similar issues are coming up? What perspectives on specific matters do you see that are shared, in conflict, or otherwise related to one another? What details do you notice in more than one text, and what are the authors’ attitudes toward these details?
• Read and annotate Ebert (BB) and watch the Levees.org film for Mon 1/27 discussion. 
• Stop by my facebook page and post a comment before Mon 1/27.  Share some of the connections you are seeing, especially when reading Ebert. How does Ebert’s text pull together some of the issues that appear across these multiple readings/films? What conversation could you imagine happening between Ebert and the Levees.org filmmakers? Keep your comments extremely brief—this is microblogging, not regular blogging. Post to my wall (do not message or chat me!).  “Liking”, tagging, etc. counts as participation.
• Sidenote about Facebook–I will not “troll” or browse your page; I might see your status updates in my newsfeed, but I will not seek them out –I am purely interested in using this platform for class material.  Feel free to ABSTAIN from this FB activity altogether–just send me an email in that case.

 

Week 3 Jan 27-31

Mon                  Discussion of Ebert/Levees.org.  Go over Synthesis Essay requirements.

Wed                  Film screening and discussion of Bond Graham.

Fri                     Discussion of film. Discussion of paper planning, Harris reading.

At home this week:

• Continue to focus on brainstorming and documenting the connections you see across the texts.  Try and narrow your focus to one or two very specific (perhaps small) issues you find interesting.  Catch up on the *new and improved* facebookpage discussion as necessary, posting more, reading posts, searching for ideas.
• Read and annotate “Coming Home: AKA ‘You Gotta Have Paper to Come Back!’” by Darwin C. Bond-Graham (BB) for discussion on Wednesday.
• Read Harris Chapter 2 for Fri 1/31 (BB). (Printing this is optional.)
• Begin planning for the Synthesis Essay. Post your Outline Assignment to your blog by Mon 2/4.
• Remember, if you have not participated already, post to the  *new and improved* facebook page about the Bond-Graham reading, or a paper idea. Please do this by Mon, Feb 3. I am counting facebook participation as an assignment this week–get involved if you didn’t do so last week/already.

 

Week 4 Feb 3-7

Mon                 Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 227).  Searching and brainstorming strategies for the Synthesis Essay.

Wed                Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 227). Writing Workshop for Synthesis Essay—bring all research and drafting materials to participate.

Fri                  Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 009). Discuss Harris Ch 5 and Quoting section.

At home this week:

• Read and annotate Chapter 5 from Harris (BB) AND Quoting excerpt from Chapter 1 (pp 28-33) this week. (BB) (Printing these is optional.)
• Locate two potential sources for your Synthesis Essay and post them to your blog as an Annotated Bibliography with links/pdfs by Friday 2/7.  (Bring a copy of the sources to class so you can work with them–digital or print, your choice.)
• Write a 2-3 page rough draft of your essay for Mon 2/10, post it to your blog, and bring a digital copy to class. Your rough draft MUST include an engagement with the texts, that is, analysis and synthesis of quotations from your sources.  You can hand in any portion of your rough draft (beginning, middle, end) for my feedback.

 

Week 5 Feb 10-14

Mon                 Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 227). Writing Workshop.

Wed                 Writing Workshop and Peer Review of drafts.

Fri                    Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 009). Writing Workshop.

At home this week:

• Work on your draft.
• Bring a PRINTED copy of your full rough draft (5 pages) to class on Wed 2/12 for a handwritten peer review session.  If you do not bring a printed copy, you will get a zero for this assignment and will not be able to participate in the review.
• Use the collection of handouts to help you write your paper: Introducing Sources, Body Paragraph Examples, Forwarding Sources Rhetorically, MLA Checklist, or Concluding with Questions.  Also, here are two sample essays that you can examine: Student Example (1) Student Example (2)
• During this week or over the upcoming weekend, use one of the strategies described on Harris pg. 111 or 117 (abstract, sentence outline, or road map).  Document your use of one of these strategies and print it out/handwrite it on a rough draft.   Hand this in with your final draft.
• Work on your Synthesis paper, revising and editing according to Harris and the guidelines given in the assignment and in class.  Your final draft should be stapled with the rubric on top when you hand it in on Wednesday, your documented Harris revsion strategy, and your peer-review draft attached beneath.  You are not asked to post a copy to your blog.

 

Week Six Feb 17-21

Mon                 We will have some last-minute discussion of MLA, conclusions, the rubric.

Wed                Synthesis Paper Due. Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 227). Blog Writing Workshop with OLS guest teachers Jeff Fouts and Samantha Duncan. 

Fri                   Meet in Computer Lab (HBC 009). Blog Writing Workshop. Class cancelled due to illness.

• Read at least two blog posts of your choice on the web. Take note of style, formatting, capabilities, flexibilities in the blogging format. Be prepared to discuss these in class. Here is a place you can search for Blog posts: WordPress Blog Search Feel free to use any of the blogs in my Blogroll(links on the right of this page).
• Complete an About Me Entry for your blog, and post it by Friday, Feb 21. 
• Read over the Blog Translation Assignment for your Synthesis Essay. You can start working on this if you’d like. It will be due Friday, Feb 28.
• Tinker with your blog, improving visuals & readability, streamlining, and tailoring it to the Blog Requirements by Friday, Feb 28.  
• Watch clips from Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke (2006) and If God is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise (2010) (BB) for Monday, Feb 24. Take detailed notes, especially marking anything that raises questions for you or could prompt further research. Please find the clips on BB, in the readings folder (scroll to bottom). The film clips total about 2 hours (keep in mind, this is partly making up for missed class time). 

 

Week 7 Feb 24-28

Mon            Catch-up day. Discussion of translation assignments & About Me posts.

Wed           Meet in Computer Lab HBC 227. Blog writing workshop. 

Fri               Blog writing & reading discussion. Bring a laptop/tablet, if possible.

At home this week:

• Post to your blog this week (I will be looking for 1-3 posts a week from now on), sharing questions that arise from reading & class discussions. Your posts can be notes, reactions, rants, paragraphs, list of questions. They should illustrate that you are doing some thinking about topics that arise in class that might be of interest for further research. 
• Research/read any TWO of the selected articles in the “Unit 2 Readings” folder on BB. Feel free to also search for articles that go beyond the ones in the folder, if you wish to. The goal is to dabble in some topics that extend beyond Katrina, so that together, we can inspire a host of research topics for Unit 2.  Be sure to comment, in your blog posts, about the reading you are doing.  We will discuss these readings in class on Friday (2/28) & Monday (3/3). 
• Read pages from Ballenger Chapter 1:  pp 23-24, 30-33 (BB). This will help you to start thinking about a Unit 2 research topic. 
• Finish the Blog Translation Assignment for your Synthesis Essay, due Friday, Feb 28.
• Tinker with your blog, improving visuals & readability, streamlining, and tailoring it to the Blog Requirements by Friday, Feb 28. 

 

Week 8 Mar 3-7

Mon            Finish reading discussion. Topic brainstorming.

Wed           Meet in HBC 227 Computer Lab. Encyclopedia research workshop.

Fri               Research workshop. For all workshops for the rest of the semester, you should have all of your research materials, sources, notes with you.

At home this week:

• Post regularly to your blog this week (I will be looking for 1-3 posts each week), sharing questions that arise from reading & class discussions. Your posts can be notes, reactions, rants, paragraphs, list of questions. They should illustrate that you are doing some thinking about topics that arise in class that might be of interest for further research. 
• Narrow down at least one or two options for research for your final project. Your topic at this point can be quite general. You will narrow it down & commit to a topic after break.
• Prepare for Wednesday 3/5 by: 1) Developing a list of potential topics/questions you have interest in from your semester-wide readings/notes —  try to narrow down to one or two general topics for this week’s research 2) Within this list, highlighting or circling words or phrases that might be used as KEYWORDs for web searching or encyclopedia searching, 3) doing some general web searching (Googling) using your key words, and 4) bringing your keyword list to class on Wed and/or posting to your blog.
• Read Ballenger Chapter 1 pages 33-36, and Chapter 2 pages 60-68. (BB) 
• RPR #1 Due (Encyclopedia & Data) March 7 11:59pm, before you leave for break.