ENGL 320: ASSIGNMENT
OVERVIEW
Introductory
Survey. In class on the first day, I'll ask you to take a few minutes
to tell me about your background and experience in Composition and to give
me some idea of subjects that interest you. I will use the information
to help
tailor the course to your concerns and interests. Ungraded.
Informal
Presentation. Working alone or with a partner, prepare a 1-2 page
handout that does the following: presents the main arguments of each of
the readings; compares and/or contrasts the assigned readings for the week;
relates the readings to ideas and issues raised in the previous weeks or
to outside reading of your own; poses questions for class consideration.
Using this handout, I'll ask you to lead the discussion or make some sort
of informal presentation for about 15-20 minutes of the class. (5%)
Six
Short Critical Responses. Each week, I will ask you to explain
key concepts and/or apply specific critical methods. The purpose of these
entries is to help you work through material that may be unfamiliar to
you. Ideally the entries should focus primarily on one chapter, one essay,
or one concept. In other words, I'd like you to engage critically with
some specific aspect of the readings. You may, for instance, try
forming a question or two in response to a reading (with some attempt at
answers), or you might instead write a critique, or an endorsement, or
a connection to something else you've read, a connection to your own teaching
practices, etc. The format is informal but analytic (a conversational style
is fine). Your response should be about 750-1000 words (3-4 pages).
Since these responses will inform discussion, please bring four copies:
one for me and one for three other readers. Each short response is
worth 5% for a total of 30%. You do have the option to revise two
of these.
Review
of Current Theory/Annotated Bibliography. Research, review, and
comment on five year's worth of composition scholarship on a specific topic
of your choice. Topics might include (but are certainly not limited
to) basic writing and literacy issues; computers and writing; rhetorical
or stylistic studies of literary texts; rhetorical or stylistic studies
of non-fiction texts; historical studies of curricula, writing programs,
movements; history of rhetoric in a specific context (e.g., the historical
construction of authorship, of subjectivity, etc.). Almost anything is
possible. (Please see the attached bibliography for a few possible topics
and starting points.) This review of current theory should take the
form of an extended preface followed by an annotated bibliography.
The preface (about 3-4 pages) should provide background, a description
of your focus, a brief statement of your research methods and a summary
of your conclusions or observations. The annotated bibliography (about
6-7 pages) should consist of at least 10 items of recent scholarship, each
followed by a detailed descriptive paragraph. (If you prefer to submit
this project as a bibliographic essay or as some other form of researched
essay, just talk with me first.) The research must go beyond the readings
for this class. Please plan ahead. You may need to go to another
library (such as the U of Pittsburgh) for your research. (10+
pages; 30%)
Final
Paper. Revise and develop one of the short responses (of your choice)
into a paper, or respond to a call for papers for a conference. The
extended response or conference paper should be about 2,500 words (10+
pages). It will be worth 35% of your final grade and is due finals
week, along with your complete portfolio.
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