Syllabus Spring 2006

This is a tentative schedule by week and day, for assignments, readings, and activities. Tentative means I can vary it as much as seems appropriate. However, plan on sticking very close to this outline especially on major due dates. I will post all revisions/additions of/to the syllabus on this web page. The updated web version will always override the print and PDF versions.

Essay Project due dates:

1 - week 6, W Mar 1
2 - week 10, M Apr 3
3 - week 15, Finals Week

Week 1: Introductions

M (Jan 23) - Introduction to course/syllabus: homework-read Chapter 1 (IC 5-17)

W (Jan 25) - Introduction to 4 perspectives: homework-pick a cultural practice you participate in or are interested in and break it down into the 4 ways of seeing—write 50 words or so on each, a one-page, single-spaced bulleted list is fine. Be prepared to discuss.

Week 2: Reading Process

M (Jan 30) - Discuss practices and perspectives: homework-read Chapter 2 (IC 18-28)

W (Feb 1) - Discuss reading as a process: homework-read Chapter 2 (IC 29-38)

Week 3: Writing Process

M (Feb 6) - Discuss Writing Process, in class writing (on your own process): homework-read/skim the Semiotics web site, pick a particular cultural object or text to analyze, search Google/Wikipedia for some background context or history, and then sketch out some responses to the heuristic questions or run it through the basic method (see example). This is invention for participation so it can be messy, or a list, or a map. Just come to class and be able to say a couple of things about your text and have a couple of questions about the process.

W (Feb 8) - Discuss the process of writing about culture; discuss B5s: homework-read Boyd (IC 58-66), write B5.1

Week 4: Section 1: Reading-Authenticity, Writing-Invention

M (Feb 13) - B5.1 due; discuss representation (audience/purpose); discuss SRs: homework-read Spiegler (IC 104-14), write SR.1

W (Feb 15) - SR.1 due; discuss marketing; discuss ORs: homework-read The Case (IC 132-36), Harrington (IC 138-39), Negativland (IC 147-53), Negativland (IC 158-59), RTMark (IC 164-65), write OR.1

Week 5:

M (Feb 20) - OR.1 due; discuss copyright: homework- skim the articles in all three sections of IC part II and think about which topic/issue you might write about (your general assignment will be to build an argument, response, or essay out of the additional sources in the section).

W (Feb 22) - Essay 1 assignment, do invention work in class: homework-read relevant entry in the Genre glossary (if you didn't read it in class), read Interview in the Genre glossary (IC 575-76), look over the list, and skim Clarity (PSM 1-22) and MLA style (PSM 127-154), write full draft of Essay 1, and write a peer review document for your paper (see example on IC 32).

Week 6:

M (Feb 27) - Draft due; peer review drafts: homework- revise/edit final draft of Essay 1 (come to class with one thing you learned about clarity/style, MLA, and genre from working on this assignment, and one thing you learned from the peer review process)

W (Mar 1) - Essay 1 due: briefly discuss clarity/style, MLA, and peer review, group work on arrangement (look at genre glossary): homework-read Tuan (IC 177-89), write B5.2

Week 7: Section 2: Reading-Place, Writing-Arrangement

M (Mar 6) - B5.2 due; discuss nature/culture: homework-read Rybczynski (IC 207-18), write SR.2

W (Mar 8) - SR.2 due; discuss design: homework-read The Case (IC 263-68), Yerkes (IC 275-77), Cisneros (IC2 80-82), Babbitt (IC 283-84), write OR.2

Spring Break March 13 - 17

Week 8:

M (Mar 20) - OR.2 due; discuss preservation/culture: homework- skim the articles in all three sections of IC part III and think about which topic/issue you might write about.

W (Mar 22) - No Class: homework- read Essay 2 assignment, assessing online sources, and Genre glossary (IC); Begin your research, artwork, or interview; Surf the web for an appropriate source; Visit the place you are writing about; Start a draft; Then write a 250 word abstract/paragraph that reports on the progress you've made as of Sunday--see Report (IC 581) and use the intro/body/concl info as a guide for your paragraph

Week 9:

M (Mar 27) - Discuss genre, online sources, and abstracts: homework- skim Grammar (PSM 23-62) and Punctuation (PSM 63-86), write full draft of Essay 2 (come to class with one thing you learned about grammar/punctuation)

W (Mar 29) - Draft due; peer review drafts, briefly discuss grammar: homework-finish Essay 2

Week 10: Section 3: Reading-Economy, Writing-Argument, Research Papers

M (Apr 3) - Essay 2 due; discuss argument: homework-read Meredith (IC 472-84), write B5.3

W (Apr 5) - B5.3 due; discuss education/jobs: homework-read Wright/Kaplan debates (IC 423-34), write SR.3 (summarize each side of the debate and then respond), keep an eye out for work related articles in the Post/Times online (skim the TOCs you get in your inbox)

Week 11:

M (Apr 10) - SR.3 due; discuss globalization: homework- bring in an article from the Post or Times online on a work or economy related topic

W (Apr 12) - Discuss argumentation (groups): homework-read The Case (IC 525-31), Goozner (IC 532-35), Bernstein (IC 536-38), Hassett (IC 550-55), write OR.3

Week 12:

M (Apr 17) - OR.3 due; discuss temporary work: homework- read writing essay exams

W (Apr 19) - in class Essay Exam: homework- skim the articles in all three sections of IC part V and think about which topic/issue you might write about. Genre glossary (IC), (come to class with one thing you learned about the genre of choice)

Week 13:

M (Apr 24) - sign up for teacher conferences, Essay 3 assignment, discuss argument/research paper, invention-thesis day: homework-read Research (PSM 100-11) and MLA (PSM 112-126)

W (Apr 26) - do teacher evals, do library assignment (meet in computer classroom, IN 317)

Week 14: Teacher Conferences

M (May 1) - teacher conferences (meet in JC 230): homework--continue research and drafting

W (May 3) - teacher conferences (meet in JC 230): homework--continue research and drafting

Week 15: Finals Week

W (May 10) – Final papers due in my box in the English department (RobA 487) by 6:00