Genre (10 minutes)

Take out your weekly private writing as you work on the below so I can give you credit for it.

Choose one of the following questions and write an answer on this Google Doc:

• What from Dirk’s recommendations led you to believe the first ransom letter was most effective? Name as many things from the article that supports your reasoning. (this question is actually NOT an endorsement of writing ransom letters–just to be clear! Don’t kidnap!!)
• Dirk writes that “rules are appealing; they tell us exactly what to do with regard to writing” and that “rules change as the genre changes, that no rules apply to all genres, and that genres require more effort than simply following the rules” (258). After reading this article, how is thinking about “rules” both helpful and unhelpful when thinking about genre?
• What genres of writing can you name? Name a bunch.
• What genres NOT expressed in writing can you name? Name a bunch.

Genre, Mode, and Medium (20 minutes)

For genres not expressed in writing, how were those genres expressed?

Modes are the way in which something is expressed. So, writing vs. speech, for example. Or an image, or video, or…what else?

Medium is the way in which text is delivered. Is a document delivered: via email, via social media, speech through the phone rather than in person, or on printed paper through the mail or by hand delivery?

Let’s compare excerpts of the following to Nice White Parents.

Is it the same genre?

Is it the same medium?

Is it the same mode?

How about this clip?

Same genre?

Same medium?

Same mode?

Zooming in on Sound (20-30 minutes)

Let’s listen again to this short news piece on Memorial Day and a person that helps to preserve veterans’ tombstones. I have some questions I want you to consider as you listen.

Note every type of sound you hear. Why there? Why then? (Kairos).

How does language and sound effect work together?

How do the speakers speak? How fast or slow? How do they enunciate their words? Is there a difference in approach among speakers? What kinds of words do they choose to use? What kinds of sentences?

Here is a transcript of the first approximately 40 seconds of the report:

On this Memorial Day, many Americans are pausing to place flowers and flags at the tombstones of military veterans. But we now have the story of a man who has made restoring those tombstones his mission. Here’s Kathy Carter of member station USF in Tampa.

A towering oak tree, draped with Spanish moss, offers little relief from the Florida sun as Andrew Lumisch scrubs grime from the headstone of a World War I veteran.

What kinds of sentences are these? Why are they written the way they are do you think? What can a listener process vs. a reader? What affordances are there? What can you do when you read vs. when you hear? What changes as new speakers come into play?

Let’s hear it one more time.

What do you think?

Research Unit Intro + Conferences Next Week (20 minutes)

Let’s read this DRAFT of a research paper prompt. I am going to revise it after today when we talk more.

A few things to decide as a class:

• What kinds of things should we write about?
• How can we make the most of our writing to help us in a podcast (or two) we might make together?
• What documentation style (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago) should we use? Since we are writing in community with one another toward the shared goal of creating a podcast
• How can we set up this assignment so you are getting practice at being researchers learning about something you care about?

Next week, you are going to meet with me in groups to talk through some initial ideas about your research project. I am not requiring you to turn in anything in writing (yet) but to get credit for your research proposal, you must give me *SOMETHING* thought-out and interesting. I may ask you to send something in writing AFTER our meeting next week if I feel you can do better. My whole thing in 2150 is I am trying to push you closer toward being more self-sufficient compared to 2100.

Here is where you are going to sign up.

Comments and Cover Letter for Draft 2 of Rhetorical Analysis (10 minutes)

First, questions about accessing comments on your drafts that you got back on Monday?

Second, how do you react to a comment? Any volunteers? If not, I have an example ready to go.

Third, what is this cover letter asking you to do? Let’s go back to the Rhetorical Analysis, Draft 2 prompt.

Next Time

-Listen to episode 5–the final episode!

-Complete your Reaction post on Monday

-Get to work on your revision of your rhetorical analysis if you haven’t already!

-Get thinking about what your research project could be about. Bring your proposed ideas to your meeting with me next week.

-Weekly private writing of at least 10 minutes for Wednesday, March 5: Think back to something that you have done that made you proud–like proud in a way that’s like, “Damn, I can do this.” What was it? Why were you so proud? What helped you get to that moment where you felt you did a really good job at something? What did you do? But, also, what did others do for you that helped you get to that point? I want you to think about this because I want you to feel proud about the work you do on the podcast this semester.