Week 3

Before class on Monday, February 14 students will…

• Read my Announcement.
• Create a post that shares three discourse communities you participate in. Describe each discourse community you listed, and discuss the basic “values, assumptions, and ways of communicating” found in each one. Also, name two or three problems or issues that are central to each one. Post it under Unit 1 Work and title it Full Name, My Discourse Communities by class time on Monday, February 14.
  • This is another low-stakes writing assignment (worth 30% of your grade) that will help you with the U1 Major Writing project!
• Read Mary Wollstonecraft’s “Dedicatory Letter” (pp. 1-3) to A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. (Confused about where to start reading? See visual of where to start reading below.)
• Watch or read the transcript of Stella Young’s TedTalk.
  • Here’s a copy of the transcript.

During class, we’ll DISCUSS the following:

• After reading Wollstonecraft’s letter and reading/watching Young’s speech, consider the following (and take notes):
  • What is Wollstonecraft’s discourse community? What is Young’s?
  • What’s the issue each of these women are sharing about their discourse community?
  • Who is the intended audience for each work?
  • How are the letter and speech similar? How are they different?
  • What are the writing strategies Wollstonecraft implements? What are Young’s? (Do they use examples, humor, or logic? Do they cite sources?)
  • Which did you feel more connected with? Why?

During and after class, students will WRITE (otherwise known as homework): 

• Create a post under the category U1 Work, titled Full Name, Wollstonecraft & Young. Please do the following:
  • Write two paragraphs in a single post, one paragraph about Wollstonecraft’s letter, the second paragraph about Young’s speech.
  • This assignment is due by class time on Wednesday, February 16. This is another low-stakes writing assignment, which is worth 30% of your overall grade.

Paragraph 1: Wollstonecraft

• Why is Wollstonecraft writing this letter? What is the issue she identifies?
  • Explain why Wollstonecraft sees the issue as a problem.
  • After reading this letter, how would you identify Wollstonecraft’s discourse community? Does the recipient seem to be a part of this group or outside of it? 

Paragraph 2: Young

• Why is Young writing/presenting this speech? What is the issue she identifies?
  • Explain why Young sees the issue as a problem.
  • After reading this letter, how would you identify Young’s discourse community? Does the recipient seem to be a part of this group or outside of it? 

On Wednesday, February 16, we will…

 During class, we’ll review and DISCUSS parts of the following RESOURCE:

• Purdue OWL “Effective Persuasion Presentation”

During and after class, students will WRITE (otherwise known as homework):

Brainstorming Discourse Communities and Research

• Create a Post, titled Full Name, Brainstorming DC & Research and posted under U1 Work, in which you do the following (approximately 200-250 words):
  • By now you’ve identified three discourse communities to which you belong as well as certain issues and/or problems specific to those groups.
  • Pick one problem that you have identified as specific to a certain discourse community and spend 30 minutes doing research about this problem. Set a timer to keep you on task! As you do research, here are some things to look for and note in your post:
    • Who is already involved in attempting to make the problem visible to outsiders? What are their positions, views, and strategies as they bring this problem to light?
    • Who needs to know about this problem? Why would you want to tell this audience about the problem? List ideas and information that would be persuasive in helping your audience understand that this particular issue is a problem. (Use the “Effective Persuasion” presentation as you make this list.)
    • Aside from doing internet or library research, you may interview (over the phone or via email is fine) anyone involved with or affected by this problem. Find three or four relevant and reliable sources: keep track of your sources and take detailed notes on what you find.
  • This post is due by class time on Wednesday, February 23. You have a week to do this, but don’t wait until the last minute, since this will help you with your Unit 1 writing assignment!
  • This is another low-stakes writing assignment, which is worth 30% of your overall grade.

There is no class on Monday, February 21!

Upcoming reading assignments due by class time on Wednesday, February 23:

• Read Frederick Douglass’ “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” 
• Listen to “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
• Review Washoe School District’s “The Quote Sandwich”