• Discuss syllabus, start setting up Splinder accounts and signing up for the class blog.
• Write an introductory blog post. Be sure to note your major and area of specialty in your post so I can start tweaking the Disciplinary Groups. Be sure to "tag" the blog entry under "intros." (See my introductory announcement on the blog for more info on tagging.)
• Homework—read EOA Ch.1 Argument, 3-21. (If the book isn't in the bookstore yet, see this pdf of Ch.1 from an earlier edition.)

R Sept 3

• Discuss where/what is argument, conditions for argument, common ground, etc.
• Write a blog post on a foundational or current issue in your discipline; discuss its conditions for argument or common ground within the field (see EOA 16-21 and 24-25). Tag the entry as "issues."
• Comment on the posts of your other group members if there is time.
• Homework—read EOA Ch.5 Toulmin, 103-116.

• Discuss parts of Toulmin, group work on "American Value Systems" EOA 123-128 (value warrants). Post your group work as a blog entry. List everyone's name at the top of the entry. Tag it as "values."
• Homework—find a web-based ad and answer all of the the Qs (1-7) on EOA 117 under #1 based on the ads you find (not the one in the book). Post these on the blog. Include a link to the ad. Tag as "ads."
• Also check out Dissect an Ad if you need more to go on.

R Sept 10

• Brief class presentations of your ad analyses. If you could only find a print ad, post your resposnes on the blog and bring the ad to class.
• Homework—read "Judging Cinematic History" (NT 457-61); mark what you think are claims, supports, etc. as you read (preferably with a pencil); and write RR.1: see *Toulmin paper* for an example (identify all the Toulmin categories exhibited in the article; write a short paragraph for each; include a response; one-page, single-spaced, typed—turn in hard copy).

• RR.2 due, discuss essay and claims.
• Go over *Essay 1 Assignment*
• Homework—write an initial draft. Skim the essays in the section of NT that most closely correspond to your discipline; formulate a perspective on the issue; sketch out an initial draft of the paper; get your main claim in the draft (at least as it is formulated up to now); and pull in a few supporting ideas from the readings. The prose doesn't have to be great at this stage, just work on the main argument.

R Sept 24

• No Class
• Homework—continue work on draft.

• Draft day 1: bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and write a peer review on each of your group members' drafts; for the early drafts, focus your comments on the basic idea and claim (group 1—also email your papers to me).
• Make sure your file is named properly—lastname_essay1-draft1.rft (save papers as rich text format to make it easier to open on various computers).
• Homework—revise your draft based on comments.

R Oct 1

• Draft day 2: bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and do another peer review for each group member; for second drafts focus more on paragraphing, language, and style (group 2—also email your papers to me).
• Homework—finish/edit draft.

• Essay 1 due
• Go over *Bibliography* assignment in class and I will field questions on the assignment.
• Homework—read EOA Ch.3 Issues, 45-59 and think about what disciplinary topic you want to work with—it will be the basis of your research and the next two essays. Post a one paragraph summary of your basic topic idea and some initial search terms to the class blog (1-2 paragraphs, 250-350 words). Tag as "research."

R Oct 8

• Work through the *Library Assignment* in class. Email your findings to me.
• Homework—continue online research.

• Library visit, meet just outside of Fenwick Library (just inside if raining):
  1. I'll show you the journal stacks;
  2. scan the stacks and write down 5 journals in your discipline;
  3. skim the TOCs and find one article relevant to your issue;
  4. photocopy the article;
  5. show me your list and article before you leave for a participation grade;
  6. be sure to bring your Mason ID and/or some cash for photocopying.
• Homework—find a blog or web site written or maintained by someone in your field. Post the link on our class blog and evaluate it across the criteria in the Guidelines and EOA Ch.3 Issues, 55-59 (1-2 paragraphs, 250-350 words). Tag as "eval."

• Draft of Bibliography due, in class teacher conferences on bibs.
• During conferences start editing bib or read/mark material you've already found.
• Homework—finish Bibs and read EOA Ch.2 Rhetorical Situation, 27-38 and Academic Writing.

• RR.4 due; Discuss essay and proofs.
• Homework—read Joanna Wolfe, "A Method for Teaching Invention in the Gateway Literature Class" Pedagogy 3.3: To access free online
  1. go to http://library.gmu.edu
  2. click on databases
  3. scroll down and click on P
  4. scroll down to select Project Muse
  5. put in your email user id and pw
  6. click on journals
  7. click on P and select *Pedagogy*
  8. select vol 3 and iss 3
  9. scroll down to Wolfe
  10. select pdf to print out

• Group work on Wolfe (also see paradigms), post to blog as a group. Tag as "wolfe." Groups report out to class and discuss.
• Homework—read *Using Genres* and *Genre List.*

R Nov 12

• Discuss genre analyses in class.
• Post a brief analyses of the class syllabus as a genre on the class blog. Tag as "genre."
• Homework—read EOA Ch.4 Exploratory Paper, 76-92 and Ch.8 Argument Analysis, 176-197.

• Discuss *Essay 2 Assignment* and I will field questions.
• Discuss grading rubric and my LIST.
• Post an initial analysis of the disciplinary rhetoric exhibited in the articles you've researched so far: discuss the rhetorical situation and audience values/assumptions you are finding, state the type of claims that show up the most, etc. Just make your best guesses at this point: this is a brainstorming exercise. Tag as "rhetoric."
• Homework—write a draft of Essay 2.

R Nov 19

• Draft day 1, bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and do a peer review (group 3—also email your papers to me).
• Homework—revise draft.

• Draft day 2, bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and write a peer review on each of their drafts (group 4—also email your papers to me).
• Homework—finish Essay #2.

R Nov 26 (Thanksgiving)

• Essay 2 due, bring hard copies to class, discuss *Final Paper* assignment,
• Write *Issue Proposals* in class and post to the class blog. Tag as "proposals."
• Homework—skim EOA Ch.10 Research/Position Paper, 219-233 and develop an initial draft of your final.

R Dec 3

• Draft day 1, bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and write a peer review on each group members' drafts (group 5—also email your papers to me).
• Homework—write a full second draft.

• Draft day 2, bring in an electronic copy of your draft to class (on flash drive or just email it to yourself) and do a peer review (group 6—also email your papers to me).
• Homework—finish paper.

R Dec 10

• Final Papers due
• Teacher evals

Week 16: Finals Week

T Dec 15

• All rewrites due by 7:00 in my box in the English Department, RobA 487. Include my comments with rewrites.