If Tufte Came to Dinner...

If Tufte came to dinner, what kinds of things would you want to ask him (just to be clear, re: visual design and presentations)? What do you think motivates Tufte? What guidelines might he offer you for giving a successful presentation?

due 10/3 by class

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Choose one image/ad from the film and complete a brief analysis of it. Be sure to consider how your reaction and understanding of that ad is shaped by the way you encountered it. If applicable, be sure to talk about being able to watch the "construction" of the ad in the boardroom scenes for Ban, Sheetz, etc.

due 9/14

30 Days

Choose one scene from the "Minimum Wage" episode that you found particularly memorable and/or persuasive. Remember that in a documentary (and all reality TV), a director has at her disposal infinitely more footage than can appear in the final film. Why did the director choose to include *this* scene? What is its purpose and how does it further the film's ultimate argument? Also, what rhetorical appeals is the scene drawing on? (Ethos? Pathos? Logos?)  Finally, what role did the filming technique itself play in the effectiveness of the scene? (Was it a handheld camera shot? Was it set up by the "stock footage" of Columbus? What about the camera angle?)

Remember that blog posts need to be at least 300 words.  Due 9/12.

practice post

Try adding a comment just to make sure that you can.

Letter to Dr. Phillips

Introduce yourself to the class by telling us a little bit about yourself. Be sure to address the following topics:

• your major and professional goals after graduation
• your language background--home language(s) and languages you've studied
• writing experience (in English and other languages)
• professional experience and professional writing experience
• hobbies and interests

Remember that blog posts need to be at least 300 words long and that you need to send me your blog user name by Friday's class.

due Friday, 9/31

Editorializing

We spent quite a bit of time in class analyzing the structure and argumentation of editorials. Now is your chance to respond to the content of those arguments. Choose one of the four editorials and write a response. Consider the argument, its strengths, weaknesses, and the kinds of evidence employed.

due 5/17

If Tufte Came to Dinner

What would you say to Tufte if you had the chance to meet him? What questions would you have for him? What would the two of you argue about? What common ground would you find?


Then consider: What guidelines would Tufte suggest for you as you prepare for Thursday's presentation?


due 5/17

Professional Discourse: What I Know So Far

Spend a few minutes blogging about what you've learned so far in your research. What kinds of claims do you think you can make about writing in your field? You might also find it helpful to read other students' responses, even if they are from different fields.

due 5/3 by class

Coleman & Funk pg 91

Choose one of the questions on page 91 and respond to it here. Posts are due by class time on 5/1.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

Choose one image/ad from the film and complete a brief analysis of it. Be sure to consider how your reaction and understanding of that ad is shaped by the way you encountered it. If applicable, be sure to talk about being able to watch the "construction" of the ad in the boardroom scenes for Ban, Sheetz, etc.

due 4/12

30 Days

Choose one scene from the "Minimum Wage" episode that you found particularly memorable and/or persuasive. Remember that in a documentary (and all reality TV), a director has at her disposal infinitely more footage than can appear in the final film. Why did the director choose to include *this* scene? What is its purpose and how does it further the film's ultimate argument? Also, what rhetorical appeals is the scene drawing on? (Ethos? Pathos? Logos?)  Finally, what role did the filming technique itself play in the effectiveness of the scene? (Was it a handheld camera shot? Was it set up by the "stock footage" of Columbus? What about the camera angle?)

Remember that blog posts need to be at least 300 words.  Due 4/10.

Dr. Phillips' Letter of Introduction

Dear 308J Class,

I am an almost-local, originally from Lancaster, Ohio. I've lived either there or in Athens for most of my life, although I've also lived abroad for a few months each in England, Australia, Germany, Vietnam and Japan.  Traveling is my favorite hobby.  After a pretty dull summer last year because of the birth of my son in June, I'm very excited to be spending a chunk of this summer in England. We won't be staying for the Olympics, unfortunately, but I'm still excited.  I'm also looking forward to showing England to my son, Jack.

Despite quite a bit of traveling, the only language I really speak is English. I've spent a lot of time studying languages because of a background in linguistics (French, Spanish, German, Vietnamese, Arabic) but I've never had enough time or opportunity to become fluent.  I spent several years teaching English to refugees and international students, so I've tried to learn a bit of their languages so that I can understand their cultures better.

In addition to traveling, I also enjoy cooking. Or at least I used to. I've found that most of my hobbies have taken a serious nosedive since last June.  At the moment cooking usually seems like a chore instead of something that's fun. Instead, right now I seem to be specializing in blowing raspberries, changing diapers, and rolling a ball with Jack. And (with the exception of the diaper part), those things are pretty fun too.

best,
Dr. Phillips

Analyzing Visual Texts

What have you learned so far about doing visual rhetorical analysis? What kinds of things should you be looking for? How will you approach your analysis for your paper?

due 4/5

Where are you writing?

Where do you find yourself writing these days?  For what purposes?