Self-Reflective Essay Guidelines

Due: 05.09.07 @ noon.
Word Count: 750

Multi-media: None required
Hyperlinks: All citations need to be linked to original blog post.


At the end of this course, you will be asked to write a self-reflective essay on the writing of your blog. This post explains the purpose of the self-reflective essay and gives you some ideas for thinking about what you want to write.

Ideas for Self-Reflection
Note: You don't need to deal with all of these; in fact you won't. Choose the ones that best apply to you and your blog.

A. This course as learning experience.

• How do you see yourself as a writer?
• Has your attitude about writing changed? How?
• What have you discovered about your own processes of/for writing? What writing processes do you use and how have they influenced you?
• What part does workshopping with other students play in your own writing processes?
• How important to you is conferencing with your teacher or a writing tutor?
• What do you think is "good writing?" How do you evaluate your own writing and that of others?
• Have you learned to apply your knowledge about writing to situations outside the
UC-D composition classroom?

B. Your own development as a writer during this course.

• How has your writing changed during this period?
• What do you see as your greatest strengths as a writer?
• What areas of your writing are you still working on?


HELP YOUR READER see these changes, strengths, and--yes----weaker areas in your writing. Refer to specific writing on your blog to show your reader examples of your progress in key areas of your writing. These examples should be ited using quotation & linked to the original post in which it was found. You might talk about some of the following: ideas, content, insights, development, organization, focus, word choice, paragraphing, language conventions (grammar, punctuation, spelling). Your reader might be interested to hear you talk about your voice and style.

Important class announcement

Section 10: We will not meet on Monday, 04.23.07. Instead, we will have an out-of-class writing day. If you would like to meet & discuss your Rhetoircal Analysis, I will be in my office (1015 9th Street Park) during our regularly scheduled class period.

Section 01: We will not meet on Tuesday, 04.24.07. Instead, we will have an out-of-class writing day. If you would like to meet & discuss your Rhetoircal Analysis, I will be in my office (1015 9th Street Park) during our regularly scheduled class period. Also, as mentioned in class, I will have a substitute instructor directing your first peer-review session on Thursday, 04.26.07. I will return on Tuesday, 05.01.07 for the second peer-review session.

FYI: Peer-review forms for the Rhetorical Analysis will be uploaded to Blackboard this weekend. Please, print out 2 for the first session & 1 for the second session.

Rhetorical Analysis Guidelines

PLEASE NOTE: The final weekly writing assignment is located in the post immediately after these guidelines.

For your third assignment, you must choose a visual or hybrid text that contains an argument (e.g. a political cartoon, television commercial, photograph, or work of art). Once you have your primary text selected, analyze the piece by paying close attention to the types of rhetorical strategies (page 31 in “Envision2.pdf”) & appeals (logos, pathos, & ethos) utilized. A discussion of the text’s cultural resonance may also prove fruitful. As such, you will want to ask yourself, & then answer, the following questions: “What is the argument of the text?” “In what ways is the argument structured?” “What types of claims are being made?” & “What design elements are employed to forward the argument?”

The rhetorical analysis requires substantial time and thought, so it’s best to find a text you find interesting or feel passionate about. If you know a topic/text well, you’ll have a sense of what arguments are being made about it, and you’ll likely be eager to undertake sustained research and analysis.

A rhetorical analysis looks at the way an argument works (NOT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ARGEUEMENT) and may evaluate its effectiveness. You might think of your analysis as an argument about and argument. Accordingly, rather than simply listing every rhetorical detail you see in the texts, you should focus on some specific thesis, or claim. After examining the arguments closely, generate a claim with supporting reasons that describe or assess the way the text works

If you’ve chosen arguments that interest you, readers will sense your enthusiasm and want to learn more. But remember that won’t necessarily be familiar with the text you’re analyzing. You’ll need to provide background information and enough examples—quotations and images—to show them how the argument works.

When you write a rhetorical analysis, it’s obviously important to study your chosen texts carefully to identify key patterns. It is also important to lay out for each text the basic facts of what is called the rhetorical situation: who is writing about what for which audience. Conduct research in the library or on the internet so that you can accurately identify the argument, where and when it appears, in what medium, and so on. You may need to provide a paragraph or more of background information early in your paper to set the context for the argument.

How will you most effectively accomplish this assignment? Examine logical appeals by looking carefully at how well the claims made in a piece are stated, qualified, and supported. Be specific in identifying these appeals, quoting from verbal arguments and describing visual arguments. Examine the emotional appeals by identifying emotions and explain how they are generated. Evaluate their relevance to the claim offered. Again, be specific, quoting or describing the emotional details clearly enough for readers to understand them. Examine ethos and assess the credibility of the writer, artist, or sponsoring institution. Is the argument presented by someone you are moved to trust? Is the appeal honest? Explain why, using specific evidence from the argument you are analyzing.

These analyses will make up the body of your essay. You’ll also need to frame this discussion with an introduction, perhaps outlining your thesis and providing relevant background information, and a conclusion that comments on your focal point and answers the “So what?” question.

Check that the logistical elements of the paper work smoothly: If you’ve incorporated images, are they clear and readable? Have you documented any outside source materials? Does the structure and content of your analysis make sense—can readers move easily from idea to idea as you develop your analysis?

Minimum Criteria: a) 1000 words, b) 2 multi-media elements, c) 2 hyperlinks, d) 1 print-based secondary source from the library integrated into the fabric of your text, & e) a works cited section at the end of your post.

REMEMBER: You will need to construct a clearly articulated thesis statement in your introduction that specifically addresses the argument you will be forwarding about the text you have chosen. Think of this an argument about an argument.

Once you have chosen your primary text, answer the questions on the Prewriting Checklist on pages 52-4 in “Envision2.pdf.” Since you do not have the last three questions on page 54, I have transcribed them in their entirety below:

Rhetorical Appeals: How does the author of the text use images to work in conjunction with rhetorical appeals? For instance, does the image reinforce an appeal to reason? Is it designed to produce an emotional effect on the audience? Does the use of a certain style, such as black-&-white authority, contribute to the ethos of the text?

Strategy of Development: What strategy of development does the text rely upon? Narration? Definition? Comparison-contrast? Example & illustration? Classification & division? How do these strategies contribute to the ad’s persuasive appeal?

Cultural Resonance: Does the text use ethos—in the form of celebrities, famous event or places, or recognizable symbols—to increase its persuasive relationship to a cultural movement?

The Prewriting Checklist on page 25 of “Envision1.pdf” may also be of use as well.

Finally, refer to your MLA handbook for proper integration of secondary source material. If you have any further questions about this assignment, please feel free to stop by my office hours.

Final Weekly Homework Assignments

For your final weekly homework assignments, you will freewrite on 2 topics (i.e. 2 separate entries) of your own choosing. Remember, each post must contain a minimum of 1 multi-media element & 1 hyperlink.

Addendum to Homework Assignment

For those of you who emailed me asking if they could just place a link within their post (this is will not be adequate for the assignment) or don't remember how to embed a Youtube video, the directions are here. Have your video posted by this afternoon at latest or you will not receive credit for this assignment.

Extra Credit Assignment

To receive extra credit for this assignment, you must go see the new David Lynch movie, Inland Empire, then write a 500 word response about the movie no later than 04.20.07. The movie is playing at The Mayan Theater as a limited engagment, so the movie will probably stop showing by the end of the week. In addition to this, YOU MUST PRESENT ME WITH YOUR TICKET STUB. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE.

Assignments fro week Beginning 04.09.07

1) Post a Youtube video clip on your blog by Wednesday, 04.11.07. DO NOT provide any accompanying text.

2) The following student pairs will write 250 comments on each others video clip. For example, in the first paring, Jose Acosta will post a 250 word comment on Jackie Yllescas' Youtube clip, & she will post a 250 word comment on his. The pairings are as follows:

Section 10: Jose Acosta & Jackie Yllescas; Roint Alkayam & Jiarui Xie; Elizabeth Benton & Jonathan Tran; Nathan Bos & Lu Tian; Aaron Deng & Anna Ters; David Kim & Anna Palissa; Chelsea Kissell & Amanda Mount; Nga Le & Ed Moran; Jordan Lopez & Genevieve Marquez.

Section 01: Yusuf Algarni & Fu Wang; Martha Altman & Kiah Wallace; Ahmad Alwanza & Breanna Vogt; Michelle Brake & Korin Redig; Nancy Bui & Bridgette Petit; Jennifer Chavez & Issah Mohammed; Donielle Dominguez & Jackie Martinez; Analisa Fisher & Sophia Mahmood; Christopher Forrester & Tsering Lama; Wogahta Gebreyesus & Rachel Krier; Hannah Houck & Molly Bloom.

FYI: If for some reason your partner does not post, please contact me as soon as possible so that I may a) inform your partner that they need to post ASAP, or b) so we can replace your current partner with myself.

2) Your second post will be a freewrite on any subject matter you wish, just make sure you follow the standard 250 word, 1 image/video, & 1 hyperlink minimum.

3) Write 3 additional comments. These need only be the standard 50-75 word repsonses.

Assignments for Week Beginning 04.02.07

1) Select an advertisement from the "Unofficial Calvin Klein Ads Archive." How is sex appeal utilized in the ad? Is it effective or ineffective? Appropriate or inappropriate? Does the ad employ any of the exaggerated uses of pathos mentioned in the second chapter of Envision?

2) Select one of the satrical ads located at Adbusters. What rhetoircal strategies does the ad implement? What types of appeals does it employ? As a parody, how does the ad utilize the original ad/image to create a social/cultural commentary?

3) Post 4 comments on any post from either section.

Extra Credit Assignment

This Saturday, 03.31.07 at 4:00PM, Noah Eli Gordon will read from his new collection of poems entitled A Fiddle Pulled from the Throat of a Sparrow. The reading will take place at Cameron Church which is located at 1600 South Pearl Street at the East Iowa intersection. This event is free to the public. Afterwards, there will be a reception & book signing at Book Buffs.

As always, to receive extra credit for this assignment, you must attend the event & write a 500 word response on the reading which is to be turned in no later that 1 week after the event.

This would also be a good time to remind you of two other upcoming events that have been previously mentioned. Tomorrow, 03.27.07, Joshua Poteat & Allison Titus will read at the King Center for the Performing Arts at 7:00PM. On Monday, 04.02.07, Danielle Dutton & Stephanie Young will read in the Turnhalle of the Tivoli Student Union at 8:00PM.

Also, please do not forget to read the post immediately after this one, as it contains this week's homework assignments.

Assignments for Week Beginning 03.26.07

1) Section 01: Read "Envision1.pdf" for 03.29.07 & "Envision2.pdf" for 04.02.07. Section 10: Read "Envision1.pdf" for 03.28.07 & "Envision2.pdf" for 04.01.07. Both files are now up on Blackboard.

2) Select a photographer from the list of artists at the Foley Gallery & write a 250 word observation on one of their pieces.

3) Write a 250 reflection on the photograph you chose.

4) Write a 250 word analysis of the elements of the photograph: color, alignment, repetition, patterns, size, perspective, balance, contrast, choice of material, characters, action, etc. Then ask yourself: what persuasive statement does the image convey? What is its arguement? What is the message for the reader?

REMEMBER: The new guidelines for weekly posts have a minimum criteria of 1 hyperlink & 1 multi-media element. It may be helpful to embed the image file of the photograph you choose into the first post.

5) 4 comments: you cannot post these for students in your section. All 4 comments must be for students in the section you are not part of.

6) Alter your blog's sub-heading to: "English 1020 at UCDHSC."

Reminder for the week beginning 03.12.07

Have 2 completed copies of your rough draft for next week; we will be peer-reviewing them in class. Also, I will upload the peer-review form for the reflective essay to Blackboard by Sunday night. Please, download 2 copies & bring them to class.

To prepare for this assignment, please read the remainder of the invention & drafting sections in "RCWW5b.pdf." These can be found on pages 214-20.

Assignment for Week 03.05.07

In addition to working on your the rough draft of your Reflective Essay, your assignment for this week will be to create hyperlinks for the ENGL 1020 section you are not in. As such, those in Section 01 will create hyperlinks to the blogs of students in Section 10, & Section 1o will create hyperlinks to the blogs of students in Section 01. For those of you who have already done this, you will not have an additional assignment.

IMPORTANT

Section 01: I have taken ill & will not be able to make class tomorrow, Thursday, 03.01.07; therefore; class will be cancelled. Please, come prepared to discuss the reflective essays in "RCWW5.pdf" on Tuesday, 03.06.07. IF YOU ARE FRIENDS W/ANYONE IN CLASS, PLEASE INFORM THEM OF THE ALTERATION TO THE SCHEDULE.

FYI: Comments, which are now due on Mondays, will be reduced from 100 words to 50-75 words--excepting, of course, the comment to this blog which is to contain only the suggestion for a sub-title.

Overhauls & Assignments for 02.27.07

After discussing the status of our blogs with both classes, it appears as though the criteria set by each section was very similar. As such, I have attempted to synthesize the new guidelines so as to streamline the standards & not hold each section to different evaluative measures. Therefore, the guidelines you see below, while not exact, resemble extremely closely those we formulated in class.

New Minimum Criteria for Weekly Assignments

Word Count:	250-500
Hyperlinks:	at least 1
Multi-media:	1 Image or Video

Additional alterations are as follows: Comments will now be due on Monday evening instead of Sunday evening & individual blogs will contain a formatted sub-heading (more on that in a bit).

FYI: Re-evaluation of Comments will take place during the second session of this week.

Below are the homework assignments for this week.

1) Your first post utilizing the new weekly posting standards will be a freewrite. As such, you will determine your own subject matter & write from whatever angle you feel appropriate. But, remember the following syllabus regulations:

All members of the course must commit to creating a place of study where everyone is treated with respect & courtesy. Everyone must share in the commitment to protect the integrity, rights, & personal safety of each member of the classroom & virtual community.

This would also be a good time to remind everyone that, while writing posts for this class, your language, attitude, & conduct should adhere to the same policies as in the brick & mortar classroom. Disrespect directed towards others in the virtual realm will be dealt with in the way same it would be if your were on campus.

2) Instead of writing a second post, each student is to alter their blog Layout so as to contain links to the main ENGL 1020 hub & the individual blogs of every student in their section. You may provide links to the other section as well, but it is not required. To perform this task, you will first need to go to your "Dashboard." Once there, click on "Layout" in the manage section. A screen will load that contains a schemata of your blog. In the side-bar section, click "Add a Page Element" & select "Link List." A new dialogue box will open in which you will be able to enter URL of each student's blog & a "site name." The "site name" should be each student's name.

3) 4 comments. 1 comment will be to this post. In it, you should forward a suggestion as to what the standardized sub-heading should be for the 1020 blogs. Keep in mind that, although your primary audience is other members of ENGL 1020, anyone with access to the internet can view your blog. You should keep this in mind when formulating your suggestion. 2 comments will need to be made to bloggers not affiliated with ENGL 1020. Perhaps, you could comment on 1 of the blogs you analyzed in class, a friend of yours that has a blog, or another blog you read on a regular basis. Your final comment should be to another student in ENGL 1020.

4) Please, make sure to bring the sample Reflective Essays from "RCWW5.pdf" to this week's second session.

FYI: Peer review & final draft due dates for the Reflective Essay are located in the post below.

Update for 02.26.07

The guidelines for your Reflective Essay are now up on Blackboard. The file is labled "RCWW5b.pdf." Section 01: we will be conducting peer reviews on 03.13 & 03.15. Section 10: we will be conducting peer reviews on 03.12 & 03.14. Both sections, YOUR FINAL DRAFT IS DUE BY 03.18.

The assignments for this week's writings will be posted Tuesday morning after both sections have had a chance to alter the parameters for weekly posts.

Update for 02.22.07

Permanent links for my email address & Blackboard are now located at the bottom of this blog.

Homework for Week 02.19.07

Due Date: 02.25.07

1) Section 01 & 10: Each of you will be assigned a blog from Fimoculous' "Best Blogs of 2006 that (Maybe) You aren't Reading." Analyze the site, asking yourself "How is this blog composed?" & "What types of conventions & components does the blog utilize?" You should consider both content & form. Afterwards, consider how the blog you were assigned differs from your own blog. How can you incorporate those differences into your own site? (Remember: 500 words & 1 hyperlink) Below are the site assignments:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

Section 01: Algarni, Yusuf; Altman, Martha

Section 10: Acosta, Jose; Alkayam, Ronit

http://we-make-money-not-art.com

Section 01: Alwazna, Ahmad; Brake, Michelle

Section 10: Benton, Elizabeth; Bos, Nathan

http://www.futureofthebook.org/blog/
Section 01: Bui, Nancy; Chavez, Jennifer

Section 10: Deng, Aaron; Kim, David

http://www.historyofthebutton.com/

Section 01: Dominguez, Donielle; Fisher, Analisa

Section 10: Kissell, Chelsea; Le, Nga

http://blogs.citypages.com/corpus/

Section 01: Forrester, Christopher; Gebreyesus, Wogahta

Section 10: Lopez, Jordan; Marquez, Genevieve

http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy

Section 01: Houck, Hannah; Josette, Molly

Section 10: Moran, Ed; Mount, Amanda

http://stereogum.com/

Section 01: Krier, Rachel; Lama, Tsering

Section 10: Palissa, Anna; Ters, Anna

http://screens.blogs.nytimes.com/

Section 01: Mahmood, Sophia; Martinez, Jacqueline

Section 10: Tian, Lu; Tran, Jonathan

http://www.makezine.com/blog/

Section 01: Mohammed, Issah; Petit, Bridgette

Section 10: Tucker, Brady; Xie, Jiarui

http://starbucksgossip.typepad.com/

Section 01: Redig, Korin; Rodarte, Graciela

Section 10: Yllescas, Jackie; Jordan, Chadwick

http://web.ncf.ca/ek867/wood_s_lot.html

Section 01: Wallace, Kiah; Wang, Fu; Vogt, Breanna

2) Select an image on-line that you find interesting, unique, or aesthetically compelling. Incorporate that image into a blog post & write a fictitious 250 word caption for the image. DO NOT use any portion of an existing caption for the image. DO NOT research the image or its context. The caption you generate should derive solely from your observation of & reflection on the image itself. Click here for techniques & guidelines on writing a caption. Obviously, 250 words is longer than most traditional captions, so slavish adherence to the guidelines on the site is not mandatory.

While you may choose any image on the web you want (no pornography, please), here are some sites with images that may be helpful if you are having a difficult time selecting and image: 1, 2, 3, & 4.

3) Write 4 100 word comments on 4 other students' posts. 1 post should be for another student who evaluated the same blog as you & a second comment should be for another student's evaluation of a blog you did not write on. The other 2 comments can be for any other posts you desire.

IMPORTANT: The post below contains this week's reading assignments. Please, download & read the appropriate files if you already have not.

Readings for Week Beginning 02.19.07

Section 01 & 10: For the first session of the week, please read "Beyond2.pdf" & "RCWW5.pdf" pages 158-161. As always, these files can be found on Blackboard. For the second session of the week, read "RCWW5.pdf" pages 162-173.

Also, REMEMBER TO BRING ALL 3 PEER REVIEW FORMS to class. These will count toward your final grade on the Observational Essay.

The writing assignments for this week will be posted soon, so check back in the next day or two.

FYI: Thursday, 02.22.07 @ 7:00pm, The Dikeou Collection will host at poetry reading by Bin Ramke. As previously mentioned, this will be a valid extra credit assignment.

Extra Credit Assignments

The Dikeou Collection sent out the following e-flier; all of the below events are available for extra credit. Guidelines are the same as those listed in the previous post.

poetryatdikeou

The Dikeou Collection is pleased to announce the launch of a new poetry and fiction reading series, poetryatdikeou. The inaugural reading will take place on Thursday February 22nd, 2007 at 7pm, with Bin Ramke reading from his forthcoming book Tendril. Ramke is a professor of English at the University of Denver where he also edits the Denver Quarterly. He is the author of numerous collections of poetry, including Airs, Waters, Places (2001) and Matter (2004). Jillian Mukavetz, an undergraduate student of his, will kick off the evening with a reading of her own work.

In 2007, the Dikeou Collection will also host a series of group readings and chapbook swaps. Already slated to read in 2007 are Elizabeth Robinson (March 22nd) and Jake Adam York (April 12th).

For more information, please email info@dikeoucollection.org, call (303) 623-3001.

Update for 02.11.07

I uploaded the Peer Review form for your Observational Essay to Blackboard. Please, download the file & bring two copies to class, as well as two hard copies of your rough draft.

Remember, each successfully completed Peer Review accounts for 1 point (4 points) of your total grade (15 points).