Before class on Tuesday, February 15, students will…

READ

  • My Announcement.
  • Assignment guidelines for Unit 1: Investigating a Discourse Community.
  • Be ready with questions!
  • Write a Post in which you do the following (approximately 200-250 words):
    • Create a “double-entry journal” exploring two observations that Swales makes about discourse communities. To do this, use the two quotes from Swales’ work you found compelling earlier. Write down each quotation and then explain what you found interesting or confusing.
  • This post must be complete and published under Unit 1 Work (which is under Student Work) by class time on Tuesday, February 15. Title it Full Name, Swales’ Quotes.
    • This is the first low-stakes writing assignment for this class! Remember: low-stakes assignments are worth 30% of your overall grade!
    • The template for how to create this post can be found in the Agenda for Week 2.
    • We’ve talked about how to post on OpenLab in class, but here’s a tutorial if you need it. (You have to join this class in order to create a post!)

During and after class, students will (this is otherwise known as homework)…

  • Discuss the U1 Major Writing Assignment.
  • Identify at least three discourse communities (DCs) you are involved with. These can be small (a club on campus) or large (a spiritual/faith community). To help you brainstorm about the details of these DCs, look at the list of questions below.
  1. What is this group’s goal?
  2. What are the ways this group communicates with each other?
  3. How does this group communicate with the outside world?
  4. What is the “language” they use within their group?
  5. What does a person need to know before they can join this group?
  6. Are there terms or actions that don’t need to be explained to a group member?
  7. Are there “rhythms of activity,” a sense of history, and a value system that the group members recognize?
  • After you’ve brainstormed, 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.
    • Look at the questions I posted above to aid your thinking/writing and check out my example here (I only did one–you need to do three!)
  • 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 Tuesday, February 22.
    • You have a whole week to do this assignment, but don’t wait until the last minute! 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) in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by class time on Thursday, February 17. (Confused about where to start reading? See visual of where to start reading below.)
  • Watch or read the transcript of Stella Young’s TedTalk by class time on Thursday, February 17.
Start reading “A Dedicatory Letter” when the screen looks like this!

On Thursday, February 17, we will…

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 Tuesday, February 22. 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? 

Upcoming reading assignment due by class time on Tuesday, February 22:

Review the following RESOURCE: