Tuesday, March 3, 2009

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).

1 comment:

jennifer said...

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