Unit 1:

Portrait of a Word

Class 1 1/29:

Class introductions, reading of and discussion about class syllabus and course schedule, discussion about the class and expectations, and discussion about literacy, and transfer.

HW: Please go to, signup for, and explore our class’ Openlab site.  Please read Mike Bunn “How to Read Like a Writer” and “Online Discussions: Tips for Students”

Class 2 1/31:

Discussion about outlining, brainstorming, and drafting. Discussion about Portrait of a Word assignment. Discussion about peer workshops. Review of “How to Read Like a Writer” and “Online Discussions: Tips for Students.”

HW:  Please read and blog post for Hanif Willis Abdurraqib “Zayn Malik and the Songs that Bring us to Prayer”. Blog Here.

Class 3 2/5: Review of “Zayn Malik and the Songs that Bring us to Prayer”  and discussion about peer review, revision, editing, and proofreading.

HW: Please post to Openlab your Portrait of a Word outlines on or by class Feb 7th. Please read Junot Diaz “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”Outline Blog Post Here

Class 4  2/7: Conferences and peer workshops for Portrait of a Word outlines. Discussion about code switching. Discussion about “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” Discussion about reflective writing assignments.

HW: Please submit the first draft of your Portrait of a Word assignments by Feb 14th.

Class 5 2/14: Conferences for Portrait of a Word first drafts.

HW: Please read and do the blog post for Anne Lamott “Shitty First Drafts” Blog Here.

Class 6  2/21: Discussion about “Shitty First Drafts”

HW: Submit the final draft of the Portrait of a Word and Part One  Reflection by Feb 26th to Blackboard.

Unit 2:

Discourse Communities

Class 7  2/22: (This is a Thursday)

Discussion about discourse community and genre. Discussion and group work about Reddit.

HW: Please read and blog post for Erik Borg, “Discourse Community” and Patricia Bizzell “What Is a Discourse Community?”Blog Here.

Class 8  2/26:

Discussion about “Discourse Communities” and “What Is a Discourse Community?”

HW: Please read and blog post for Kerry Dirk, “Navigating Genres” and please watch the video “Understanding Genre Awareness”

Class 9  2/28: 

Discussion about “Navigating Genres”. Discussion about Discourse Communities assignment. Discussion about critical analysis. Discussion about analysis and synthesis.

HW: Outline your Discourse Communities assignment and submit to Openlab by Mar 6th.Outline Blog Post Here

Class 10  3/4:

Portrait of a Word conferences.

Class 11  3/6:

Podcasts discussions. Group work on analysis and synthesis. Peer workshops and conferences for Discourse Communities assignment analysis.

Class 12  3/11:

Workshops for Discourse Communities assignment outline. In-class conferences for Discourse Communities assignment.

Class 13  3/13:

Library research session. Students will find one source that ties into their Discourse Communities assignment.

HW:  Please find at least one piece you will use for your Discourse Communities assignment and write an analysis for it and how you will use it in your piece and post it to OpenLab by Mar 15th. Blog Here.

Read John Mundy and Glyn White Chapter 10 “Comedy, Race, and Ethnicity” from “Laughing Matters”.

Class 14  3/18: Discussion about “Comedy, Race, and Ethnicity”

HW: Write the first draft of your Discourse Communities assignment and submit it by Mar 25th to Blackboard. In addition, read  Suzanne Moore “Cancellation Might Feel Good, But It’s Not Activism”

Class 15  3/20: Discussion about rhetoric and audience.

HW: Please read Raul Perez “Racism without Hatred? Racist Humor and the Myth of Color-blindness” and Timmerman, Gussman, and King “Humor, Race, and Rhetoric- a Liberating Sabotage of the Past’s Hold on the Present”.

Class 16  3/25:

Conferences for Discourse Communities assignment first draft. Conferences about Midterm grades.

HW: Please submit the final version of Discourse Communities assignment and Part Two reflection by April 1st   to Blackboard.

Class 17 3/27 :

Discussion about primary and secondary sources. Discussion about research citation formats. Discussion about research planning. Discussion about proposals and annotated bibliographies. Discussion about “Racism without Hatred? Racist Humor and the Myth of Color-blindness” and “Humor, Race, and Rhetoric- a Liberating Sabotage of the Past’s Hold on the Present”. In addition, review of  “Cancellation Might Feel Good, But It’s Not Activism”

HW: Blog post proposal and annotated bibliography using “Racism without Hatred? Racist Humor and the Myth of Color-blindness” and “Humor, Race, and Rhetoric- a Liberating Sabotage of the Past’s Hold on the Present”.Blog Here.

Class 18  4/1: 

Discussion about New Genre/New Audience assignment. Peer review of proposals and annotated bibliographies. Discussion about use of texts and argumentation

HW: Decide on an audience and genre for the New Genre/New Audience papers for discussion by next class. Brainstorm ideas for your New Genre/New Audience papers.

Class 19  4/3:

Review of New Genre/New Audience brainstormed ideas.

Class 20  4/8:

Conferences for Discourse Communities assignment.

HW: Write a proposal for your New Genre/New Audience and submit to OpenLab by April 10th. Blog Here.

Unit 3:

New Genre/New Audience 

Class 21  4/10:

Review of New Genre/New Audience proposals 

HW: Post outlines for your New Genre/New Audience

papers by April 15th to Openlab.Outline Blog Post Here

Class 22  4/15:

Review of New Genre/New Audience paper outlines.

HW: Please write an annotated bibliography about one piece of research you find for your New Genre/New Audience assignment by April 17th  to Openlab.Outline Blog Post Here

Class 23  4/17:

In-class work for the New Genre/New Audience.

Class 24  5/1: Peer workshops for New Genre/New Audience 

proposal and annotated bibliographies.

HW: Complete the first draft of New Genre/New Audience 

paper and submit it by May 6th to Blackboard.

Class 25 5/6:

In class peer review for first draft of New Genre/New Audience paper.

Class 26  5/8:

Discussion about Portfolio and Final Reflection

Class 27 5/13:

Conferences for New Genre or Portfolio/Final Reflections.

HW: Submit the final draft of New Genre/New Audience 

paper and Portfolio by May 20th  to Blackboard.

Class 28  5/15:

HW: Submit the final draft of New Genre/New Audience 

paper and Portfolio by May 20th  to Blackboard.

Class 29  5/20:

Portfolio with final draft of New Genre/New Audience 

paper due.

Class 30  5/22:

Grading Day