Schedule for Essays 2 and 3 (weeks 6-12)
Week 6: Essay 2
Mon, Feb 24
Read "Chapter 3" from A Little Argument and "Chapter 4" from They Say/ I Say.
As a group, review Bill Joy's essay: distinguish three different argumentative strategies.
Set up for You Tube conversation.
If you haven't already, make sure to sign up for a Prezi educational account.
Use chapter 3 from A Little Argument to help you come up with 3 to 5 topics that interest you. You need to do web research to acquaint yourself with the central arguments surrounding each. For each topic select a corresponding websource that allows web users to comment, such as a blog, or a You Tube video.
In class you will present each of your topics to your group so that your group can help you select one topic. Even if you think you already know the topic you want to work with, you must share at least three possible topics with your group.
|
Wed, Feb 26
Researching databases.
Once each group member picks a topic, the next stage is to strategize how to practice arguing on the message board of the blog or video of your choice (though it must in some way correspond to your topic). The traffic on the message board ought to be frequent, but not so frequent that your comments will get lost in an endless stream of postings. You want to have the space to work through a conversation between your group members while also leaving some opening for others outside the class to engage with you. It also must be a video that permits comments.
You will need to develop lines of argumentation using "Chapter 3" from A Little Argument and "Chapter 4" fromThey Say/ I Say. Assign members of your group (including yourself) roles to perform these arguments. These roles include the "advocate," the "antagonist," and the "interrogator."
Regardless of your role, you cannot simply agree or disagree in your posts to the message board. You need to supply good reasons as well as evidence. Use arguments from definition, from comparison/contrast, and from consequence. At the same time you can use the different kinds of fallicies to help you analyze and then attack another's argument as in need of further development, etc.
While you are engaged in this process, you will need to continue to advance in your research of the topic, beginning to identify and document different websites and texts. You will likely include these texts in your growing annotated bibliography.
|
Week 7
Mon, March 3
Continue to post to each other's Youtube video message boards.
|
Wed, March 5
Read A Little Argument, "Chapter 4": pay close attention to the section on writing proposal arguments.
Each group will present one sample from each online conversation to present to the class. Use screen shots (for PC; for Mac) and them put together into Prezi presentation, indicating which argumentative strategies were used by whom and how well they argued. Include suggestions for alternative ways arguments could have been written.
|
Week 8
Mon, March 10
Read A Little Argument, "Chapter 5."
Continue presentations.
We will discuss essay 2: the proposal.
Review A Little Argument, "Chapter 4," the section on writing proposal arguments. The key element to the process at this stage is that you have begun collecting academic sources, summarizing them and speculating about how you might be using them. So, come to class with several academic sources (academic journal articles and books), summaries and speculative thoughts. |
Wed, March 12
Continue drafting essay 2.
You will have to begin researching academic sources for your controversy, which will be included in your annotated bibliography. |
Spring Break
Mon, March 17
No class
|
Wed, March 19
No class
|
Week 9
Mon, March 24
Your first attempt of essay 2 is due to your group and me. In order to workshop, you must share the draft to your group and me by 6pm the day prior to class.
The workshop will focus on how each writer employed the basic maneuvers of making a proposal work, which may include several different kinds of argumentative strategies as well as 2-4 outside sources. |
Wed, March 26
Continue to workshop essay 2.
|
Week 10: Essay 3
Mon, March 31
Begin discussion of essay 3: Definition, Rebuttal, Causal, and Ethical arguments.
Researching for essay 3. |
Wed, April 2
Read Williams' "Lesson 4," which you will need to use to aid in your workshopping.
|
Week 11
Mon, April 7
Begin to draft essay 3.
Read Williams' "Lesson 5," which you will need to use to aid in your workshopping. Read and bring to class They Say/I Say, "Chapter 5." Read and bring to class A Little Argument, "Chapter 6." |
Wed, April 9
Continue drafting essay 3.
|
Week 12
Mon, April 14
Your essay three is due to your group and me the day prior to class in order to workshop in your groups.
Read Williams' "Lesson 6," which you will need to use to aid in your workshopping. |
Wed, April 16
Last workshop for essay 3.
|