Essay #3 Topic Ideas (and Theses) for 11/11

Hello everyone. Again I hope that you found today's "field trip" to be beneficial and informative. Scott is certainly an energetic gentleman and you can be sure to find him in the Library most days. Just visit the Reference Desk!

Below I would like everyone to post a topic idea for Thursday. This should be a topic that you plan on pursuing in your upcoming paper, due one week from this Thursday!

Also post a potential thesis statement that you plan on arguing in your essay.

Remember to get these in by Thursday's class meeting (in truth, it shouldn't take you more than a few minutes at most to compile and post this assignment). Having all these ideas presented online should help everyone formulate stronger and more focused theses when the time comes to begin writing.

Hw #10 for 11/9

Below find the prompt for e-journal #10, due Tuesday 11/9.

After reading Braden, consider any lines of thought presented in the following prompt when responding: Many would argue that the Internet is merely another window through which the public may be spied upon by “big government” or by secret agencies. Do you feel that Braden and Westlake share a similar argument regarding this issue? According to these authors, and in your opinion, what are the weakest points (literally, sites) of the Internet? What are some potential results of the Internet’s ability to replicate and publish information? Do you feel that you participate in citizen-surveillance? Do you contribute to content on the web? If so, what kind? What of the Internet are you most wary about? Use at least two, properly cited textual examples in your response.

Hw #9 for 11/2

Here is the prompt for e-journal #9. Also, do not forget your reading in The Bedford Handbook (p.462-475) as well as the Hempel with Lehman article titled, “The Myspace Generation.” It can be found in the Mercury Reader (p.12-22) and posted on the blog.

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Spend the weekend being a bit more aware about your social internet usage, via your computer, your phone, or otherwise. Describe in detail what you are typically doing when you visit one of these sites. How many hours a day do you spend on social sites? Are you a multi-tasker too? Do you feel that face-to-face interaction is at risk of becoming obsolete, or do you believe that social ties are becoming stronger via new, electronic mediums?

Subsequent Update to Schedule, Reading, and e-Journal #8

Immediately below you will see the updates and changes I have made for next week.

For the 19th and 21th, be sure to bring all the articles we have read thus far in the second segment of the course so that we can discuss potential paper topics throughout the week's meetings.

I have yet to scan Thursday's reading (p.35-51 from the Hacker text) as I do not have access to the proper technology over the weekend. Therefore, early Monday morning (roughly 11am) I will have this reading appear as an added link to this very posting... thus, please revisit this post, locate the link, then download and print the reading, if need be. Having this reading prepared for class on the 21th is essential for our discussions that day.

Enjoy your weekend,
s.

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T 10/19:

~ Discussion of e-journal #7 (post your journal entry, but bring a hard copy to class too) and Essay #2 ideas
~ Be sure to bring Gladwell, Gore, and Winn texts to class
Reading: BH, p.35-51
e-journal #8: After reading from the Hacker text, take one of your paragraphs from e-journal #7 and revise accordingly. Then, as a second requirement, offer a draft thesis statement which you would consider using for your upcoming essay assignment. We will review these anonymously (as can be, after all) in class in order to identify key issues, lines of argumentation, and textual support. 

Th 10/21:

~ Making global revisions, then revising sentences before proofreading
~ Further discussion of possible essay topics, developing thesis statements, and, vitally, the use of quotation and proper citation to support one's thesis 
No additional reading or writing assignments… work on your paper and revision!

HW#7 for 10/19

Here is your prompt for e-journal #7, due Tuesday, 10/19:

In a well-developed paragraph describe the negative effects that Winn sees in habitual TV watching. Does Gore agree with her sentiments? Do you? What are some ways in which these two authors’ arguments compare and/or contrast? Use at least one example from each of these two texts in your response.

Hw #6 for 10/7

Please forgive my tardiness in posting this homework!!! I had thought that I had done so with the many others last Monday and Tuesday. Thank you for your understanding. Here is the prompt for e-journal #6:

Describe, with sensory detail where possible, a fashion trend that you have noticed and participated in during the past three or four years. Where did it begin (if you know), or where did you first begin to notice it? Who were the people to first wear this style? Does this particular fashion help identify a particular group? If so, who or what? Do you identify with them or it? Is there a music genre attached to this group; a set of beliefs; ideals; behaviors or rituals? Devote two paragraphs to this e-journal response, properly citing at least one quotation from Gladwell’s text to support your conclusions.

In-class Reading, Gladwell's Text, and HW#5 for Tue (10/5)

Before coming to class Tuesday (10/5), please have previewed the following reading in The Bedford Reader: p.498-503.

For this next Thursday (10/7) please read and bring to class Gladwell's article, "The Tipping Point".

As a last reminder, do not forget that HW#5 is due a week from today. Please post your comments below before we meet for class next Tuesday. Thank you. Here is the prompt:

Why do you think it is important that one needs to give due credit to those whom they draw information from and reference? What are some ways that plagiarism may be avoided?

Rehtorical Strategy (HW #4 for 9/23)

Since the Bedford Handbook seems to be as rare as the dodo at the College Bookstore, I've included the reading as links below. Please visit them so that you may complete your reading (Section 3c) for this Tuesday, 9/21. I ask that you print these pages and bring them to class, if at all possible. You will need to save them to your computer and then open them with Adobe Acrobat. Here is the link.

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After doing the reading in the Bedford Handbook (p.67-75), answer the following prompt by commenting to this posting below to complete the homework for 9/23.

Argue for or against the use of cellphones in two paragraphs, using a different paragraph strategy/rhetorical device in each. Be sure of head each paragraph with a label that identifies which strategy/device you are employing to argue your point.

Guernsey's Article, First Reading in Hacker's Text, and Our "Spy" Games (HW#3 for 9/16)

Over the weekend I would like all of you to read the following pages in Hacker's text The Bedford Reader: p.67-75.

I would also like you to review both the Rowe and Guernsey articles. Print the former if you haven't already so that you can bring it to class on Thursday 9/16, our next class meeting. Annotate these texts as you are reading them. Attempt to locate his and her thesis statements and the supporting points and evidence they utilize to make their arguments. Also, highlight or mark any passages that you deem to be important, significant, outlandish, etc.

Consider how Guernsey's article compares and contrasts to Rowe's text. Remember that a contrast seeks only differences, while a comparison seeks both similarities and differences. We will be performing this activity in our next class.

For your journal writing I would like you to do the following... and remember do not do anything overzealous! I want you to be detectives, yes, but responsible, courteous ones at that!

Thus, the prompt:

Observe people in a public space such as a shopping center, a subway station or platform, a park, or a busy street. Spend one-half to one-full hour taking notes on those individuals that use cellphones. Describe the users' appearance, gestures, tones of voice, volume of speaking, and anything else that seems interesting and important about their use of their phone.

I would like you to observe two (2) people during this activity, providing a paragraph-length description of each. Post your observations below and have fun with this activity. 

Mercury Reader and the Rowe Article (HW#2 for 9/7)

It has come to my attention that the Mercury Reader is out of stock at the College Bookstore. Therefore, some students in the class have been unable to read this article and thus been unable to complete the homework.

I have also been informed that this Friday (9/4) there should be more copies of this text coming into stock. So please check the bookstore ASAP so that you can purchase this text. Beginning this upcoming week each student in the class will be responsible for owning a copy of the Mercury Reader. 


For those of you who have not yet obtained the book, the Rowe article can be found here. Please read it.


I would like every one to post their responses to the Rowe article below as a comment. Here are the two questions I would like you to answer, with a full paragraph devoted to each:

1)How do you feel when you hear other people's cellphone conversations in public spaces? Why?

2) In your view, what is Rowe's strongest argument against cell phones? What is his weakest? Why?

I hope you all enjoy the long weekend. Have a safe Labor Day!

First Day's Response (HW#1 for 8/31)

After reading the post titled "Introduction: How to Join and Contribute", please comment below by posting your first writing assignment for this class. Recall that you responded to the following prompt:

Describe one time when your beliefs/ideals were challenged. What was the experience like? How did you react? What was the outcome? 

This will be your first trial run at using this site. My advice to you is to simply copy and paste your response paper into the comment box. First changing the double spacing to single is preferable because it will save space on the webpage and it will also allow us to read the responses with greater ease.