Reflection on Unit 3 (10-15 min)
Think back to discussions about developing your campaign plan, working on drafts of it, and presenting about it today. Think about your plans for how you will get your documents to your out to the public, out to your audience(s). Also, go back to previous lesson plans on rhetorical velocity, algorithms/newsfeeds, on print vs. digital media, and really all lesson plans since, in one way or another, they touched on issues of delivery (how will you get it to your people?) and circulation (how will it be delivered over and over again once you deliver it?).
Take 10 minutes to write some reflections in response to the questions on the Unit 3 reflection sheet I passed out. When you are done, post them to the Google Docs link under the heading of “Unit 3”
What are some of the things that are emerging from campaign plan discussions that appear worth thinking about when it comes to circulation, delivery, etc.?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wVrZQoMQ_61Q4Cmg_aGcR4uQRLAv9Rs5v-ynlzKDAV8/edit?usp=sharing
Much of this discussion centers on the questions of Unit 3. Based on what we explored there, let’s return to your reflections on Unit 2. Also, check out Unit 1. What themes do you notice there? Take 5 minutes and examine themes.
Check out the word cloud, again, as well to help you think about themes from these reflections.
Here is a word cloud from Unit 2
Here is a word cloud from Unit 1
Collaborative Writing: Final Touches on Campaign Plan (20-30 min)
How did you collaboratively write this semester? What were some successful strategies? What did not work so well? (logistics of getting together, sharing writing, digital tools used, writing as one voice)
The last item in the parenthetical is something I want to focus on today. It is important when thinking about submitting a final draft of something that is written by several people. Now, in some cases, you might produce a multi-authored text that explicitly presents multiple voices, but this is rare in professional writing.
I found the following checklist on things to look out for to move toward a consistent text and voice, and I reproduced it below:
- Shifts in font, format, or other mechanics
- Shifts in spelling or acronym usage (health care vs. healthcare; AA vs. A.A.)
- Shifts in person or perspective (“I” vs. “we” vs. “the authors” vs. “our team”)
- Shifts in tense (“completes” vs. “completed”)
- Shifts in terminology (“document” vs. “report” vs. “proposal”)
- Absence of transitions
- Lapses in logic (“as stated previously” – but never actually stated!)
- Shifts in style (verbose vs. tight, dull vs. engaging)
In your campaign groups, assign each bullet but the last one (will return to that soon) to each group member (distribute fairly as you see fit). Each group member will read your current in-progress draft of your campaign plan to check for these elements and note if they occur.
Once finished, share with your team for edits.
Now, for the last bullet, “shifts in style.” You have to ask yourselves what kind of voice do you want and how choices at the sentence level can manifest that voice.
What kinds of things are there to look out for? Let’s get a list going.
Now, discuss with your group what kind of voice you want, and how to manage style of the document to support that voice. Read over your draft and think about shifts in style that take place that need to be brought to consistency or revise to meet the tone and voice that you want for your campaign plan document.
What did you find? What were some patterns across groups?
Writing to a Public prep (10-15 min)
Who are you writing to? How? Are you using an existing campaign piece? Are you doing quick re-write? Are you handing something out (print)? Are you leaving material somewhere and observing (print)? Are you publishing your website or Facebook page and attempting to drive traffic there with someone’s social media account (digital)? Are you emailing folks you know (digital)?
Remember. Don’t spend more than an hour of your time doing on this. But do make sure you are doing enough that you can observe people reading in public or experiment with people engaging with your material online.
Break (15 min)
Revision (15-20 min)
For the end of term, in addition to collaboratively revising your group’s campaign plan, you’ll turn in a revision of your letter and a revision of one of your campaign pieces. If you haven’t already, I have this handout on revision planning to help you think about what to revise, how, and to plan your work schedule for it.
*Let’s also walk through rubric for writing evaluation..
Peer Response on Revision-in-Progress (30-45 min)
Let’s revisit the revision plan. Where are you at? How’d you go with love rather than labor here?
I’m going to pass out these sheets on peer response, let’s quickly go over it.
We’ll have one group of three, so for that group you won’t have as much time to independently work on your revision once the pairs are finished. Or, what we can do is pass each draft to left and have a say-back ready (#2) and then proceeds to revisit piece to do #3 and #4. Then, at end, each person shares their #5 with author.
When finished, work independently to consider notes from your partner. Revisit revision plan and consider tasks going forward. And, well, get to work. I’m going to come around to check in and help as needed.
What Sentences Can Do: An Example from Your Letters (15 min)
Thinking about syntax, punctuation, and sentence type as a way to change rhythms of your writing. Have some sentences from your letters this week that I wanted to talk about.
Admin (5-15 min)
4/10: final campaign plan draft in class
4/11 by 11:59pm: final campaign plan draft submitted
4/17: informal presentation on pedagogical object
4/17: informal report on writing to a public
4/24: Revision of letter into a campaign piece largely reliant on alphabetic or alphanumeric writing
4/24: Revision of campaign piece one or two
4/24: Pedagogical object
4/24: Brief reflection on revisions, course, group work
–Informal work/lower-stakes work
—Major work/higher-stakes work
Work on revisions–bring more work in next week to share with a peer! Write-to-a-public experience! Pedagogical Object! Final plan by tomorrow at 11:59pm! Loud noises!