Week 11 Cohort Conferences

Below I have proposed times when I would like to meet with you, as a cohort, to discuss your research projects. This will be the first of a few, and it is really an opportunity for a very focused, small-group discussion specific to your project, but also to your individuals goals for the class. For this first cohort conference, I anticipate meeting for approximately 30 minutes. Please be sure to communicate with all members of your cohort before you sign up: it is important that everyone can attend. If none of the times available work (note that there are more appointment times than cohorts), we can try to negotiate one that meets everyone's schedule.

I will honor your requests 'first come, first served.' You may post your preferences as a comment here (preferred) or you may e-mail me.


Wednesday, April 1

12:00 Major Differences

2:15 Word of MouF

3:00 The New Standard of Normalcy

Thursday, April 2

12:00 Pancakes

3:15 Girl's Eye View

4QE: The Final Individual Essay

Thus far this semester, we have examined several forms and genres and have analyzed, from a rhetorical perspective, the way each presents a unique argument—or, perhaps more accurately, how different forms or genres offer unique opportunities, unique presentations, of specific claims and thus employ different types of appeals. This assignment, your final Quarterly Essay, offers you the opportunity to apply everything we’ve discussed about language, rhetoric, and public argument and craft an original argument of your own. In order to tailor the assignment to your own personal and professional interests and needs, please choose from one of the following options:

Option 1: Creative Nonfiction Essay
The work you have done thus far this semester has been analytical, formal, academic; this assignment offers you the opportunity to ‘play’ a little by exploring writing as a craft rather than as a mere vehicle for communication. The writing you will do for this option does not depart entirely from the practice you've had through the first two quarterly essays nor from the work you have been doing in your cohorts toward the research project; in fact, writing creative nonfiction relies on or draws from many of the principles that guide formal academic writing and research. The difference lies in the subject matter, approach, style, and delivery—in brief, the writer=s rhetorical situation and purpose.

This option, therefore, asks that you attempt (essayer) a creative nonfiction essay of you own and offers you the opportunity to merge the discipline of research and analysis with the aesthetic qualities of creative writing and to write about a subject from a perspective and in a style that is entirely your own. As Gutkind advises, “Ultimately, the primary goal of the creative nonfiction writer is to communicate information, just like a reporter, but to shape it in a way that reads like fiction.” In this regard, our work with rhetorical tropes and schemes, types of appeals, kairos, and forms of public argument should serve you well; in short, rely on your rhetorical awareness when crafting your essay.

Your creative nonfiction essay should be focused and economical, and it should also be well developed and immediate. The approximate length for this assignment should be 7 to 10 pages, but let your subject be your guide.


Option 2: The Academic Expository Essay
Exposition is, in many ways, an academic institution in and of itself. Encompassing a variety of forms, or rhetorical modes—including narrative and description, process-analysis, comparison/ contrast, illustration, and, of course, the traditional argumentative or persuasive paper—expository writing seeks to examine, highlight, inform, and/or reveal something about a topic, issue, or problem. Most of you have used the form consistently in your blogs, and it is the genre you employed in your first two Quarterly Essays.

For this option, then, you have the opportunity to choose a topic and issue that you find relevant, timely, and interesting, and advance a unique public argument that explores, provides commentary about, or informs your audience about the subject.

This essay should provide a thorough examination of a subject from a unique and informed perspective; it should evidence a clear rhetorical purpose (as we have discussed throughout the semester). The approximate length for this essay should be 7 to 10 pages, but (as always) honor content over page length requirement.

Option 3: The Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
This option is specifically designed for those of you who plan to go on to graduate or professional school, apply for internships or study abroad programs, et al. As part of the application process, most programs will ask that you craft a statement that represents your character and goals and gestures toward your interest and/or investment in their program. The key is understanding that the Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to not only introduce yourself to an admissions committee, but also to argue that you are a valuable potential candidate for the program, one that must not be overlooked.

The conventions for Statements vary from organization to organization; if you intend to continue your education, it is well worth your time to investigate the expectations of your chosen profession or desired program with regard to the application process—even if this is just a practice run. If you do not yet have a specific path in mind, then you may elect to write a general statement that you can later revise and tailor to meet the specific expectations of your application. The thing to remember is that this form, perhaps more than any other, is explicitly about ethos—your ethos. What will make you stand out as a unique and promising candidate among a large population of qualified, experienced, and enthusiastic competitors? The Statement of Purpose affords you some measure of control. A well-crafted Statement should run about two-pages, but bear in mind that these two pages will likely be the most economical, labor-intensive two pages you may ever write, and that the length expectations and limits will vary from program to program. For the purposes of this assignment, if you have no specific application guidelines, two pages is a reasonable metric.

"No, We Straight": Obama Racially Bilingual (from NPR's Talk of the Nation)

Audio for this story will be available at approx. 6:00 p.m. ET

Talk of the Nation, March 10, 2009 · In January, then President-elect Barack Obama visited Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C. When the cashier asked him if he wanted his change, he replied "Nah, we straight." [more]

In this broadcast, Dawn Turner Trice speaks brilliantly about the ways in which we adapt our speech to reach different audiences, noting that our use of language is only as effective as our audience's understanding of it. She talks about the importance of flexibility and adaptablility in speech and the use of vernacular in making ideas accessible--but also of the importance of being genuine, or avoiding affect, in doing so. At its core, it is a discussion about negotiating different communities of discourse.

In the language of our course, her discussion addresses balancing logos (text, words, and arrangement) with pathos (the audience's reception and response) and its effect on ethos (character, either genuine or affected).

I found the program to be an excellent supplement to the discussions we've been having in class, so if you have a few extra moments, I would strongly encourage you to listen in.

Enjoy!

Refining the Research Proposal: A Few Tips

I've received a few e-mails this weekend that express concern over meeting the page length requirements for the 3QE Research Proposal, so I thought I would offer some additional guidelines, including recommended page length projections per section, that may help allay your concerns and prompt your drafting. By all means, please continue to ask for clarification as the need arises.

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Part of composition is thinking about how to develop, expand, and enrich ideas that at first glance seem fairly straightforward. The balance between cogency and detail is one key to effective writing. I would argue that any 'utterance' is much more complex than it seems, and thus, part of your job--especially in a proposal--is to ‘unpack’ those ideas, those utterances.

That said, here are a few tips and guidelines specific to this project proposal:

The most important thing to remember is that your proposal is, itself, an argument—not the argument you want to research and develop in your project, but an argument about pursuing the project; the proposal argues your plan, and it is an excellenttool for helpingyou imagine the scope of, and approach to, your project. Be sure to develop your claim and offer pisteis a-plenty.

Issue: 2-3 pages

It is not enough to speak in broad terms about your topic or to simply state your claim--you must propose it as a viable topic worthy of inquiry. Summarize the complexity of the issue and its scope. This is where you will discuss, in Bitzer’s terms, exigence. Convince your interlocutor, me in this case, that this project is worth your time and effort. In addition to identifying the issue, try answering these questions as you brainstorm:

* Why does the issue interest you?
* Why should other people be interested?
* What is your rationale for pursuing it?
* What is at stake?
* Why does the issue matter?
* What constraints will you face?
* Is this an existing issue, one that others have argued, or does it introduce a new issue?
* What resources are available? How accessible is the issue for you?
* Perhaps most importantly, what questions do you have about the issue?

Keep in mind that, though well developed, this is the overview of your project; you will provide specific details related to your project later in the proposal.

Position Focus: 1-2 pages

Here you will discuss your cohort's unique angle, approach, and investment in the issue and the ways you intend to explore the issue. Some questions to consider:

* If this is an existing argument, what makes your voice unique?
* What new approaches or perspectives do you have (or hope) to offer?
* Do you have experience with the issue? How is that experience relevant?
* What are the implications of your specific argument?
* What are your limitation and constraints?

Audience: 1-2 pages

As we have discussed, audience gets tricky with public argument (see ethos), and you should take some time to think critically about the following:

* Who is your intended audience?
* Who may be your peripheral or secondary audience?
* To whom will the project matter? In what way?
* How might different constituencies respond?
* What can you anticipate about your audience?

Purpose: 1-3 pages

Here you have the opportunity to talk extensively about your goals. In addition to thinking about your project’s objectives, rhetorical purpose, and priorities (see original guidelines), you might also consider the following in relation to the larger public argument:

* How is your project, your argument, situated?
* What role do you envision for your project?
* How much do you know about your issue as you begin?
* What are your personal goals fro the project? What do you hope to gain?

The more you can articulate about your goals, the more efficient and effective your time spent researching, planning, and drafting.

Genre: 1-2 pages

As we have been exploring in class, the form or genre you select for your project makes an argument of its own. As we move into the final half of the semester, we will begin a closer examination of form and genre. For now, though, it is a good idea to try to think critically about what form will best help you achieve your goals. As you research your issue, the form that best 'carrys' it may shift as needs be.

That said, it is good practice to at least consider the most effective system(s) of delivery for your unique argument. Consider,
* What form or genre will best support your overall rhetorical aims?
* To what forms or genres do you have access?
* How much of your time will need to be invested in learning the expectations
and conventions of your chosen form or genre?

Hopefully, these tips will help you imagine or (re)imagine the look of your proposal.

3QE: Collborative Research Proposal--Guidelines

As you draft your proposal, please consider and address the following:

ISSUE: With this project, you have the opportunity to engage a particular thread of public discourse, a unique public argument. Here, you may decide to respond or contribute to an existing public argument or introduce an issue for public awareness and dialogue.

POSITION FOCUS: How you approach the issue, your point of view, will be the core of the paper. It should be manageable, but thorough. It should engage the larger issue through a specific position or argument. It should represent your ethos, or in this case your group ethos, and your particular ‘take’ or ‘angle’ on the issue.

AUDIENCE: To whom will you address your argument? What do you know, or what can you anticipate, about your audience?

PURPOSE: What do you hope to achieve with this project? This question, too often overlooked in research projects, will influence every other decision you make about the project and will frame the project itself. Return to your answer often as you work through the project. Questions to consider:

a. Do you want to move your audience toward conviction or toward action?
b. Do you wish to

* Inform?
* Convince?
* Explore?
* Make decisions?
* Meditate or pray?
* Explore a mode of self-expression?

If you want to achieve a combination of the above, then how would you prioritize your goals?

GENRE: Public arguments enter the stream of discourse through a multitude of forms, each with a particular, distinctive purpose. The form you choose itself makes a rhetorical statement—don’t underestimate the power of form, and try to match your tone, focus, and approach to the form of presentation.

In choosing a genre for this project, you are limited only by your imagination and unique ability: don’t be afraid to take risks, to bring your talents to the table.

Cohorts will present their projects in medias res to the class on April 23.
Final projects are due in the final portfolio on May 11.

3QE: Collborative Research Proposal--Overview

What you write, the choices you make as you write, has implications well beyond the page, or in the case of “school” writing, beyond the assignment itself. The interrelation of the four modes of literacy—writing, reading, listening, and speaking—play out in social, political, ideological, and personal ways and milieux; it is difficult if not impossible to separate language from its context or contexts. When any writer shifts his or her focus too far toward mechanical correctness, he or she often loses sight of the fact that, at its very center, writing is a human act, laden with concerns of power, expression, communication, et al. Good writers tend to exhibit some understanding of this power in language; outstanding writers wield this power with an ease and grace that makes it seem almost intuitive, “natural,” inherent to writing itself. I argue that writing that is cognizant of its potential effects (or affects, as the case may be) is not a given but rather a deliberative process and the result of patience, honing, and practice; it is informed, involves careful observation, critical reflection, and rhetorical awareness. These qualities will serve you well as you engage public arguments and move toward the collaborative research project.

Research in composition and rhetoric involves a multiple-step, nonlinear process, one that begins with careful planning; articulates a specific, tangible position; builds a sophisticated system of support; and advances an original idea or fresh approach to achieve its objectives through fair, accurate, principled, and well-reasoned means.

To begin this project, which will carry you through to the end of the semester, you must first negotiate the scope of the project within your cohort. Please understand that as you investigate, the specifics of your project may shift; having a plan will contextualize your project and will aid you in the process of building your case and focusing your research. With that in mind, please address the following guidelines as you discuss the project within your cohort, and report your conclusions in the form of a project proposal, a brief essay (3QE) outlining your plan, due March 12 (via e-mail or dropbox).