As part of the process of writing an essay, it is often helpful to approach the ideas in unconventional ways. Toward that end, I thought I would warm you all up the by starting things off with a creative exercise.
For your first prompt, you will write a brief entry describing a day in the life of your chosen professional. You may wish to do some research before you write, but don't drive yourself insane trying to find material.
Once you've completed your post (making sure to publish it), you will read at least one of your fellow classmates' posts and comment on it. When writing your comment, try to address the things that your perceive as key qualities and/or concepts of that profession (making sure to cite at least one specific example).
Answers to this prompt, as well as comments on your classmates' posts, will be due by next Friday (the 10th) no later than 10 pm.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Imponderables: Good things come in Threes?
From time to time I wonder, is all that money we pour into the movie industry going to good uses? You be the judge.
Prompt #5: To Wiki or not to Wiki?
As you have learned from the panel yesterday, the use of internet sources is a highly contentious issue in academia, particularly in regards to sites like Wikipedia, where users are free to edit content.
Although the Writing Program currently doesn't aprove of Wikipedia as a valid source, I understand that this notion is not necessarily shared by the rest of university. Thus, for your prompt this week, you will locate an article on Wikipedia that is related to the issue that you have selected for your assignent and assess the article's quality, taking into consideration such elements as the "discussion" page and any relevant controversies therein.
In addition, you may wish to consider comparing the article to other sources such as Encarta, Grolier, and Encyclopaedia Brittanica (please note that online access to these sites may require you to use the library computers).
Please note that it may be helpful to use the Toulmin model to break the articles down into their relevant components. Also, when reading through the articles, keep an eye out for anything that seems to resonate or dissonate with your own ideas.
Answers to this prompt and classmate comments are due by 10pm on Friday, March 30th.
Although the Writing Program currently doesn't aprove of Wikipedia as a valid source, I understand that this notion is not necessarily shared by the rest of university. Thus, for your prompt this week, you will locate an article on Wikipedia that is related to the issue that you have selected for your assignent and assess the article's quality, taking into consideration such elements as the "discussion" page and any relevant controversies therein.
In addition, you may wish to consider comparing the article to other sources such as Encarta, Grolier, and Encyclopaedia Brittanica (please note that online access to these sites may require you to use the library computers).
Please note that it may be helpful to use the Toulmin model to break the articles down into their relevant components. Also, when reading through the articles, keep an eye out for anything that seems to resonate or dissonate with your own ideas.
Answers to this prompt and classmate comments are due by 10pm on Friday, March 30th.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Suggested Readings for Assignment Three
As before, these are not required reading. That being said, your ideas for this essay only stand to benefit from perusing the works of those who have tread a similar path.
Understanding a Sensibility
Notes on "Camp" by Susan Sontag (1964)
While reading, consider how Sontag captures and describes a "sensibility." Also, see if you can find any threads of philosophical thought that seem to resonate with the ideas of the philosophers that you've studied.
Image and Representation
Arguably one of the most beneficial experiences of college is being exposed to the esteemed representatives of various modes of thought. Of course, in our modern age, one can attend such appearances fully armed and prepared with material not only from the horse's mouth, so to speak, but also that of his critics.
D'Souza and his supporters on his book, The End of Racism (1996)
VS.
A liberal college take on D'Souza and his works
In both cases, it might be helpful to examine the language used by both his detractors and his supporters. Also, ask yourself, a) what is the gist of the argument (i.e. the MLA), and b) what question does each text?
Understanding a Sensibility
Notes on "Camp" by Susan Sontag (1964)
While reading, consider how Sontag captures and describes a "sensibility." Also, see if you can find any threads of philosophical thought that seem to resonate with the ideas of the philosophers that you've studied.
Image and Representation
Arguably one of the most beneficial experiences of college is being exposed to the esteemed representatives of various modes of thought. Of course, in our modern age, one can attend such appearances fully armed and prepared with material not only from the horse's mouth, so to speak, but also that of his critics.
D'Souza and his supporters on his book, The End of Racism (1996)
VS.
A liberal college take on D'Souza and his works
In both cases, it might be helpful to examine the language used by both his detractors and his supporters. Also, ask yourself, a) what is the gist of the argument (i.e. the MLA), and b) what question does each text?
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Prompt #4: What Celebrity has influenced your notion of the Good Life?
For the purposes of the question, "celebrity" will refer to any reasonably famous person that the rest of us are likely to know (or be able to Google; incidentally, isn't it interesting that Google-ability is an indicator of renown?) Also, should you, by chance, despise a certain celebrity's way of life, note that such revulsion can constitute an influence on your notion of the good life.
Also #2 and #3: Make sure to address the "why" and "how" of the prompt.
Answers to this prompt and classmate comments are due by 10pm on Friday, February 23th.
P.S. Out of curiosity, would you prefer this be due Monday, February 26th, in order to pull some material from the Oscars?
Also #2 and #3: Make sure to address the "why" and "how" of the prompt.
Answers to this prompt and classmate comments are due by 10pm on Friday, February 23th.
P.S. Out of curiosity, would you prefer this be due Monday, February 26th, in order to pull some material from the Oscars?
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Imponderables, Round Two
Sometimes, when wandering through the aisles of the grocery store, I stumble upon a slice of reality that frankly, seems quite absurd. Thus, today's imponderable:
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Prompt #3: What makes an analysis innovative?
For this next prompt, you'll need to do some library footwork. I've already located the call number and other pertinent information, all you need to do is go and make the photocopies. You'll need to go to Leavey Libary to find the following book:
The Best American Essays of the Century, ed. by Joyce Carol Oates. The call number is PS688.B47 2000x, and you'll find the text in the general bookstacks.
From this text, you will select one of the two following sets of essays in order to answer the prompt.
On Technology:
The Best American Essays of the Century, ed. by Joyce Carol Oates. The call number is PS688.B47 2000x, and you'll find the text in the general bookstacks.
From this text, you will select one of the two following sets of essays in order to answer the prompt.
On Technology:
- The Future is Now, by Katherine Anne Porter, pp. 193-198
- Sex ex Machina, by James Thurber, pp. 153-158
- How it Feels to be Colored Me, by Zora Neale Hurston, pp. 114-117
- Bop, by Langston Hughes, pp. 190-192
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