Last Post: Reflection

Please read the directions below, but do not respond to the blog until class on Tuesday, July 30th:

Think of one class activity (a paper, a discovery exercise, a peer review, an in-class exercise or lesson) that stands out for you. In paragraph form, identify the activity, describe your experience with that activity (positive or negative), and explain what you gained from the experience. 200 words.

Week 8: in-class

Please do not respond to this blog before the lesson on Tuesday (but please review the sources). We will be responding in-class as part of the class exercise:

Look at the following sources, formulate your own thesis based on the ideas presented in the sources, and offer some supported opinion: quotes, summary, paraphrasing. Cite the sources, even if you don't have page numbers (because one is an article, and another is a video), just so your reader will know which information came from which article. Please endeavor to be as scholarly as possible, and remain objective. Keep your responses short. The thesis should only be one or two sentences, but you'll still want to keep it in a separate paragraph from your (brief) evidence and analysis.

Boston Strangler AP article

Boston Strangler NBC News Story

DNA and Cold Cases

Feel free to skim the last source, the .gov Special Report, and settle on evidence that helps you support your claims about the first two sources. You can also use the Find function in order to look for information that might help you.

Reply: discuss with a classmate what pieces of evidence you found in the sources that might help them prove their points better.

Working on body paragraphs

Take the class thesis we devised on the "We Can Do It!" Poster and come up with one body paragraph to support the thesis (the thesis is posted on the News Items on the front page of D2L). The paragraph must center around only one idea in the poster and offer only one or two points of support for that one idea. The paragraph must have an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence to encompass the main idea of the paragraph.

If you feel like the thesis could still use some work, then please type an alternate thesis above your main body paragraph, but make sure to label the two: Alt. Thesis and MBP to avoid confusion.

Reply: Offer one of your classmates some constructive criticism on his/her response to the initial post. Please avoid commenting on grammar and focus more on ideas (e.g. One of your ideas in the main body paragraph is well supported, but there are two ideas rather than one, and the second is not as well supported and could be eliminated).

Week 5: Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Practice

Sorry for the lateness of this post. I would strongly recommend that--for the practice--you respond to the blog before Tuesday. However, if you do not respond until Wednesday, I will not deduct points for lateness. 

Directions:

Look at the two websites. Read the About Us page for each, and then browse the websites, watch some videos, read some articles. Then, choose one website and determine the following:

1. The purpose of the website.
2. The audience of the website.
3. The main argument/thesis of the website based on the target audience.
4. The rhetorical (ethos, logos, pathos) methods and evidence the website uses to prove its argument to its target audience.

http://www.peta.org and http://www.humanesociety.org

Once you have made these determinations, please write out your own thesis like the one we wrote on Thursday for the Crichton speech. Include the website's thesis, then your determination of whether or not the website succeeds or fails based on the target audience, and then add how the website uses or misuses the rhetorical elements to succeed or fail in their argument. You may also go with the "yes, but," or "no, but" approach. Refrain from making blatant judgments, either positive or negative.

Classmate reply by Friday, midnight:

Rather than making suggestions for the argument itself, make suggestions for how your classmate might strengthen words and phrases to create a stronger thesis.

Week 4: Beginning Unit III

Please follow this link and watch the video, then answer the questions in paragraph form (watch the video at least twice and write down points as you watch):

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_and_the_magic_washing_machine.html

1. What is the speaker's purpose?
2. What rhetorical (pathos, ethos, logos) methods does he employ in communicating his purpose?
3. Does he succeed in convincing you, as one of his audience members? Please respond to this question in the following manner.

• Yes, he succeeds because...
• No, he does not succeed because...
• Yes, he succeeds, but....
• No, he does not succeed, but...

For the parts that come after the ellipses, please use evidence from the video. The reason for the formatting of your response to his presentation is that you need to know why you disagree or agree with him, and you also need to explain where he succeeds or fails, even if you agree/disagree with most of his points.

This exercise is to prepare you for the rhetorical analysis paper we will be working toward for the next week and a half.

Reply: choose a post you disagree with--either partially or completely), and then give evidence from the video of why you disagree. Please continue to be respectful. If you do not yet know how the blogs are graded, please look on D2L: Content/Get Started Here/Blogging/Blog grading.

As always, if you have questions, please let me know.

Week 3: beginning to identify audience, purpose and rhetoric

Initial post due before the start of class on June 11th. Respond to the initial post with approximately 200 words.

Instructions:

Please view the video below once, and then read the questions posted afterward and watch it again.

If you have trouble opening the above video, the link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7PThULPb3E.

Please format the questions into paragraph form as you answer them.

1. What is the purpose for the video?
2. Who do you think is the intended audience?
3. What aspects of ethos, logos and pathos does this video use to fulfill its purpose?
4. Does the video succeed in its purpose? (Why or why not?)

If you wish to express opinion, please do so, but remember to keep an academic mindset by using evidence from the video to back up any claims you make.

Peer Reply by Friday, June 14th.

Advise a classmate about how you may agree or disagree with him/her and use at least one piece of evidence from the video in order to support your response (use evidence that is different from what you used in your original post, and different from examples your classmate used in his/her post; if you have difficulty finding new evidence, then please find ways to rephrase). Please argue responsibly with your classmates by staying academic.

Let me know if you have questions.

Week 2: Summary

In your Little Brown Handbook there is an essay called "Student Loans," for which you will write a one-paragraph summary. This is an exercise in concision and also to practice writing your summary. You might think about performing this exercise prior to writing your summary of "Please Give Me Your--Divided--Attention."

Replies by Friday: on page 152 of the LBH, there is a list of key elements for writing a summary. Note one area where the poster has succeeded, and one area where the poster could improve on his/her summarizing skills. Please be as specific and professional as possible.

First Blog

Describe your goals for this class in 200 words or less, and how those goals fit into the larger scheme of your education.

Welcome

Each week, I will post a 21st century composition, and--based on the current unit--you will analyze and comment on that composition. Each student will also comment on at least one post by another classmate. Opinions are welcome, but are to be respectful and respected by all students, especially where language is concerned. Any opinion presented as fact must have some sort of citation to back it up. Conversations may continue into the classroom, where time permits.