Blog (30%)
The first day of class everyone will set up individual weblogs. For class we will be using the free site
Motime. If you already know how to set up a blog and want to use a different site, you may.
If you already have a blog, you can use it for this class but you may want to set up one specifically for this class
so you don't clutter up your personal blog. Once the blog is established, you will be expected to post at least twice a week (this is the minimum).
Posts should include responses to weekly readings, collections of notes for your possible project, links to other sites of interest,
postings of "found" images online (or links to video clips, mp3 files) along with commentary. You will be expected to read and respond
to each other's blogs. There may be class time devoted to blogging and responding, especially early in the semester.
Weekly blog posts will count toward your participation grade. For the final blog grade, select your 10 best (most developed or most interesting) blog posts, revise them,
and turn them in as a print portfolio at the end of the semester. I'll grade them based on the level of ideas and detail.
There is no particular word length. If you can say something smart, interesting, or insightful in a short space, that's all you need.
You can:
- revise the posts on your blog and send me the urls,
- revise them and send them to me in a word doc, or
- revise them and turn them in as a print portfolio.
In each case, the basic idea is to move from more open, inventive blog writing style to a more thought out and developed print-based style.
Writing Exercises (20%)
As the semester progresses, you will also have four small digital writing exercises. These should be posted to your Mason web space.
Earlier in the semester we will set up your Mason web space and do basic html and composer tutorials that will help you set up a basic index page
for your web space. Each exercise should be linked from the index page. These are small exercises to
get you thinking about some basic principles of web-based rhetoric and to practice some basic digital
skills—skills can rarely be learned outside of some particular project or assignment. As you are
working on the exercises, think about how the rhetorical principles you are working on might
play into your final project. You will have class time to work on the exercises, but if you don't finish
them that day do them for homework. They should all be done by the final due date (see syllabus).
Qualifications:
- I may give two or three options, some may be more basic or some more invovled.
Pick one appropriate to your level.
- If you feel you have plenty of web experience, you may post your assignments to your blog.
Class Participation (10%)
In addition to weekly blogging and class exercises, there will be some other separate participation grades. I will count class
attendance, individual effort outside of class to learn technologies, attendance of two STAR workshops of your choice, and
attendance of Text and Community functions in your participation grade.
Home
• Info • Assignments • Syllabus •
Links 
