Week 6 - September 30

Main problem in Rhetorical Analysis - unclear of the difference between an analysis and a summary.
Write: Reflect on the writing of this draft.  Compare to that of the rhetorical analysis rough draft.

Peer Review
Advocacy Feasibility Essay Workshop
In-Class Work on Advocacy Feasibility Essay

Looking Forward:
Work on your Advocacy Feasibility Essay.  Finish up the interviews and research.

Week 5 - September 25

Feedback from Portfolio Group:
Poor summaries that don't even make sense. 
Lack of clear focus.
Not going into the why this matters.  So what?
Misrepresenting the actual information that is presented.
Focus more on who the original article was trying to persuade.
How do you see the original text as persuasive?
Explore the credibility of the information.  Narrow in on it.  Mostly just bad commentary right now.  Focus more on why we should believe what the original authors are trying to get at.
Throw the paper away and write about one section - start with a phrase that makes sense and has potential and go from there. Some of you don't even have that.

Questions about Advocacy Feasibility Report
*If it helps to organize this as an actual report with headings and subheadings, please do so.
*Keep in mind paragraph lengths.  It is easier to read and understand short and clear paragraphs than long ones that go on and on.  Also, shorter paragraphs help you, as a writer, keep redundancy in check.
*Focus on what matters.  Why are you writing this? Be clear and explicit with this. 

Write: A large part of convincing the reader of the problem is your first person narrative.  This needs to come early in the paper (perhaps even at the complete beginning) and should be detailed and engaging.  Tell us the story of what this problem looks like and how it impacts your world.  This is the basis for your entire paper, so if you can't convince us of this from the get go, we won't care.  Write a version of that narrative now.  

Errors

Why grammar matters

Looking Forward:

Thursday, September 26 - Advocacy Feasibility Report rough draft posted to group Dropbox in BB - name the file with your last name and the assignment (ex: Advocacy RD Hartridge)

Monday, September 30 - workshop.  Bring 1 peer letter and the marked copy of each draft.

Week 5 - September 23

Topics

Google Scholar

Tracking Research Tips:

Zotero.com 
Evernote.com 
Diana Hacker and MLA guides

Research Ideas:
- What is the current problem?
- Background.  History.
* Would be a good place to interview the people who are currently 'in charge' of the problem.
- Why is this a problem?
* Does anyone else agree with you?  Polls, interviews, survey of GVSU students, faculty, etc
- What would be gained from resolving this issue?
- What is at stake if this problem is not resolved?
- What could actually be done to solve the problem?
- Look into places that have solved the problem.  This is a good space to research other colleges, campuses, situations where this problem has or could existed.
- What are the costs associated with implementing the solution?  (monetarily, space, time, etc).  In other phrasing, how is this feasible?

Brainstorm keywords for these different ideas, as well as places you could look for information/research and people you could interview.

You must use at least 4 sources in this report.  One of them should be an interview of some sort. 

Looking Forward:
Read for Wednesday, September 25:
"The Phenomenology of Error"
"Error Proof"
Thursday, September 26 - Advocacy Feasibility First Draft uploaded to BB groups - File Exchange.  Make sure that the file is either pdf or .doc and that it has your name and advocacy somewhere in the save as title.

Advocacy Feasibility Report

Advocacy Feasibility Report

Genre: Academic Argumentative: Advocacy:
Audience: Educated, curious readers
: Possible change-makers on GVSU’s campus
Page Lengths: In order to do this well, you should need about 5 pages.

Due Dates:

• Friday, September 20: Advocacy Memo Uploaded to BB
• Thursday, September 26: Advocacy Feasibility Rough Draft uploaded to BB groups
• Monday, October 7: Advocacy Feasibility Instructor Draft uploaded to BB assignments by midnight.
• Wednesday, October 9: Advocacy Campaign Presentations

Your second major piece for this class will be an Advocacy Feasibility Report.  An advocacy essay is designed to garner support from readers about a specific belief or cause, detail why the current situation should be changed or amended and suggest alternatives.  All of this is backed up with research and existing examples to support your claims and assertions.  In this situation you will be trying to raise awareness or elicit a specific change (either of something that already exists or for the addition of something new) for something on GVSU’s campus that matters to you.  Choose a topic that does interest you and that matters, but also that is realistic.  I want this writing to mean something to you and be something that you might consider submitting to the people who could actually make the change.  For example, if I was writing this I would have written a letter to the Director of Dining Services at Mary Markley Hall, demanding that the self-serve ice cream and yogurt machine be available for dinner each night of the week, not just Thursdays.  

1.  The first step in writing this essay will be drafting an Advocacy Memo.  This should be formatted as a simple memo to me that basically says what you would like to write about, and will include what you are going to advocate, why it is important to you, and what change you would like to see. This statement of purpose should be specific enough that I will easily be able to tell what you will be writing about and why.  Since this is a memo it should be fairly short, direct and to the point. 

2.  Once I have approved your issue, you need to do some research.  Perhaps research the department that could make this happen - get a good understanding of what is currently available and why.  Research other schools or institutions (government and city planning would even work) to see how they address this issue.  Use outside research to support your end goal.  Pull in sources and examples that show your idea, or something relatively similar, is viable, feasible and needed. 

Your introduction should be engaging and also state the issue you are advocating clearly.  It should also provide a general outline that the rest of the paper will provide details on.  In addition, make sure you indicate who you are early on - why does it matter that YOU are writing this letter?  What stake and claim do you have on the outcome of this situation?  Why does it matter to you and why should anyone care about your thoughts and opinions?

Provide depth, background story, key components, and details about your issue in the body of the essay.  Make sure all of your points are somehow brought back to your main purpose with this issue.  Do not include information that is not relevant or advancing to your purpose.  Ice cream is only available for consumption one night during the dining hour and that is ridiculous and should change immediately. Also, everyone knows ice cream is made of magic.

Provide detailed examples and resources for the facts that you state in our essay.  Your piece had more legitimacy if you quote facts and statistics from known and respected entities than if you only use your own opinion.  Your mom does not count as a known source, unless she actually is an expert on the topic.  According to a random (but highly credible) blog I read, “25% -30% content of ice cream is milk. Milk is composed of Lactoferrin, which has a role as agents of non-specific defenses against pathogens. Lactoferrin also has a Antiviral activity, particularly against cytomegalovirus, influenza, and HIV.”  Thus, more ice cream eating with reduce the risk of HIV infection on campus.  Don't we want our campus to be healthier in general?

Briefly explore alternative ways of looking at the issue.  This is important in establishing your own credibility – it is easier to believe someone if we can see that they are able to see the big picture.  In addition, you need to take into account the feasibility of your proposal - is it financially feasible?; does it go against the moral code of the university?  This is where you could pull in interview information.  Being able to see both sides of the issue will allow for greater audience appreciation. I understand that allowing us to use the self-service ice cream machine every dinner period may result in more clean up for you and a higher cost, but...

Conclude the paper with your stance – this will depend on if you are writing for a call to action or simply to raise more awareness.  An emotional appeal typically works at this point.  Make sure you are clear though – what should the action be, and why?  Why is more awareness needed?  For the love of god, please let us eat ice cream freely.  It increases happiness and your health, and, by default, makes for a better living and knowledge-gaining environment.

Include a separate works cited page that clearly shows where all of your facts and quotes come from.  Any information that is not common knowledge must be included.

3.  In addition to the written paper you will need to produce an Advocacy Campaign.  Change and knowledge cannot occur unless the information can be shared in a meaningful way, and often a group of you need to be behind this idea.  So, how can you spread knowledge about your specific topic?  Potential ideas could be: photo essays, t-shirts, short films, song, pamphlets, flyers.  Use your imagination.  You will need to create a tangible product that can be presented to our class and that I can collect (digitally is fine).  If you are creating something that would require an actual product purchase, such as a t-shirt, you can create a digital mockup and present that image.  Going back to my ice cream machine idea, I would probably make a poster of some sort to hang around campus, or create a witty t-shirt that I would force my friends to wear.  


Evaluation:
Essays will be evaluated on the following:
- Summation of the topic (I.e. Define terms, show why it is important) (Rhetorical situation: why are you writing?  Why is knowledge or change important?)
- Ability to state the other side
- Ability to clearly state your view
- Ethical appeals
- Logical appeals
- Emotional appeals
- Focus throughout the piece
- Appropriate tone - some of your topics might be quite serious and will need to have a tone that reflects that, however some will be more lighthearted and a more whimsical tone might win the reader over more.  This will be determined by both the main audience (who you are actually addressing your memo to, as well as the topic) 
- Appropriate MLA Format
- Careful editing of grammar, spelling
- Coherence and logical organization
- Insightfulness
- Works cited appropriately (in-text and Works Cited)
- A mutlimodal component that will attract others to your cause

Week 4 - September 18

Meet in Library Lab 2. Research Day!

Introduce Advocacy Feasibility Paper
Fine tune your issue and work on your memo.

Looking Forward:
Friday, September 20 - Upload Advocacy Feasibility Memo to BB
Monday, September 23 - Work on Advocacy Feasibility Draft in class.

Citation Help

Use this link to take you to a handy site full of lovely citation help.

Can Writing Change the World?

"I believe that writing should be good for something.  That doesn't mean it has to be advocacy writing, but it does mean that good literature contributes to our understanding of the world. A poem can help us see the grandeur of an insect or a flower. A song can celebrate romantic love.  However, my favorite writing helps us open our hearts to  all living beings.

Dr. Mary Pipher, Writing to Change the World

***

"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

    -Exodus 22, King James Version

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. "
    - J F Kennedy. Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy - January 20th 1961

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change. "
    - Charles Darwin

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with inherent and inalienable Rights; that among these, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness"
   - Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence 1776

"And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
   - Martin Luther King, August 28, 1963

Goodreads most influential books

12 songs that changed the world

Songs and Poems that Changed the World

Online Education Database of "50 Books that Changed the World"

The Republic by Plato. Considered to be the most influential text on philosophy and politics, this work delves into what is right and just. Many ideas such as philosopher-kings, Theory of Forms, and thoughts on immortality of the soul were borne of this work and continue to be discussed today.
The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. One of the most recognized and popular political texts written, this tract was commissioned by the Communist League and detailed a process for the working class to rise up and eliminate class struggles.
The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine. Paine's book states that the government's role is to protect the rights of its citizens, and when the government cannot do so, it should be overthrown. This book was written to defend the French Revolution and was an inspiration for democracy around the world.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Published anonymously in 1776, this tract supported the Americans in their fight for independence form the British during the American Revolution.
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville. On a visit from France, de Tocqueville described what he saw as the reason democracy was succeeding in America, despite its failure in other countries.
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli.This political treatise from 1513 offers advice on how an aspiring prince can obtain the throne and how an existing prince can avoid overthrow.
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriett Beecher Stowe. Written by a middle aged, white woman in 1851, Uncle Tom's Cabin has been credited for changing the views of slavery in the north and continues to serve as a reminder of the effects of slavery and other inhumane acts.
On Liberty by John Stewart Mill. This philosophical work was considered radical when it was written in the mid-1800s, but it contains the kernel of all modern democracies with a call to moral and economic freedom from the state.
Das Kapital by Karl Marx. This critical analysis of capitalism and its exploitation of workers attempts to explain why change is necessary in a nation ruled by capitalism.
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. Smith's book, published in 1776, advocates a free-market economy. This book is largely viewed as the beginnings of modern economics.
Guerilla Warfare by Che Guevara. A Marxist revolutionary famous for helping the plight of the oppressed, Guevara wrote this book as an instruction manual of revolt for those trapped in a totalitarian regime. It has become a guidebook for thousands around the world, not only those living in an oppressive state.
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. Written in the 14th century, this collection of tales brought to life characters and stories that remain popular today. This work is one of the most read and studied in the world.
Lady Chatterley's Lover by DH Lawrence. Lawrence's book about an aristocratic woman who commits adultery with a working-class man was banned in the UK due to the sexual details and language used. This book brought the idea of censorship to light and helped overthrow it.
Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. Considered one of the most important pieces of literature in the world, the Divine Comedy is an epic poem that details a journey through the realms of the dead.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Read all the plays and poems written by William Shakespeare to understand why he is known as one of the greatest writers in the world. The characters, stories, and language have taken hold of readers for hundreds of years and continue to play an important part of modern culture.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The theme of preserving cultural history in the face of Western domination in this novel gave voice to the oppressed in Africa and caught the attention of the world. This novel, written in 1958, is still widely read and studied as an example of the damage of colonialism.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville. This now-famous book about a man's hunt for the great whale is considered one of the greatest novels. The book is heavy on symbolism, but is also famous for the nature writing and detailing of the whaling industry.
1984 by George Orwell. This dystopian novel describes life in a totalitarian regime that has stripped the people of their rights. The themes in this novel have become a major part of modern culture, as have terms such as "big brother" and "doublespeak" (resulting from Orwell's term of "doublethink").
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Another dystopian novel, this one by Huxley is often considered one of the great novels of the 20th century. Huxley's novel looked unfavorably on the loss of an individual's identity through technological advancements. Some of the developments Huxley wrote about have become startlingly accurate as the future he predicted in 1931 has come closer to reality.
Iliad and Odyssey by Homer. These two ancient Greek epic poems were a part of young Greek scholars' education and remain so today for students around the world. The Iliad details a few weeks during the end of the Trojan War and the Odyssey describes Odysseus' ten year journey home from the Trojan War. These two works are important for their detail of Greek history and legend.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. This novel, originally published as two books, is one of the most influential and popular novels to emerge from Spain. The adventure, symbolism, and characterization contained in this novel has promoted this book to the popularity it still enjoys today, and it continues to inspire others to create movies, stories, and more based on the story of the man of La Mancha.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. From the time this book was first published in December of 1843, it has enjoyed enormous popularity. During the time that Dickens' wrote the story, Christmas traditions were going out of style. He is often credited with saving the old traditions of Christmas.
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. Flaubert's story of a woman who engages in adulterous affairs in an attempt to escape from a loveless marriage was subjected to censorship, and Flaubert was taken to trial over the novel. After his acquittal, Madame Bovary became renowned as a masterpiece of the Realism movement.
The Arabian Nights Entertainment by Andrew Lang. This English language version of One Thousand and One Nights retells the ancient stories that have now become popularized around the world, including the plight of Scheherazade, the adventures of Aladdin, and the voyages of Sinbad.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling. This first book of the wildly popular Harry Potter series has sparked the imagination of an entire generation of young readers and inspired those with a few more years under their belts too. The cultural impact the Harry Potter series has had on the world is unmistakable.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. The realistic details of this novel and the depth of psychological exploration have contributed to this book's frequently being included as one of the best novels of all time.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. One of the best-selling books around the world, this story (which is often debated about whether or not it is a children's book) invites the reader to think about the meaning of life, love, and separation. There have been many adaptations of this book, reflecting the depth of the impact it has made.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This book has the distinction of being the most translated book by a living author. The reason for its popularity resides not only in the inspirational tale that Coelho has told, but also in the fact that Coelho has embraced technology and sharing of this novel at no cost. He credits this action with promoting book sales.
Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. This landmark book details the days of a Jewish family in hiding during the Nazi takeover in the Netherlands. The innocence of this young girl so full of hopes and dreams is in sharp contrast to the reality of her ending at the hands of the Nazis. This book has become a symbol and reminder against racial persecution.
Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi. Written in Italian, then translated into English and German, this story is a personal narrative of Levi, who spent one year in Auschwitz. The story Levi tells does not go for the shock value of the Nazi atrocities, but instead examines how easily humanity can become degraded.
The Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollstonecraft. Considered the first great treatise on feminism, Wollstonecraft wrote in response to those who felt that women should not be educated. She argued that women are human and deserving of the same respect men enjoy.
The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. In an attempt to understand herself, de Beauvoir undertook the writing of this book, which details the inequality women have faced throughout the years. The book still stands as an important examination of what it means to be a woman in this world.
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf. Woolf discusses the differences between men and women writers and how these differences come down to the availability of freedom and money that men have, in comparison to women. Despite often being overlooked as a proponent of feminism, this work by Woolf displays the depth of her feelings on the topic.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau underwent an experiment of living isolated on Walden Pond in order to better understand society. He wrote the results of this experience in Walden, which has subsequently become a source of inspiration for those seeking a simpler, more self-sufficient life.
A Dictionary of the English Language by Samuel Johnson. Considered the most influential dictionary of the English language, Johnson compiled this book over nine years. It is thought to be the book that began the scholarship of literary study.
Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton. Written while Cambridge was closed because of the plague, Newton wrote his thoughts on gravity, mechanics, calculus, and light and color. This book set the stage for modern thinking on math and physics.
The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud. Freud included the basics of his theories on psychoanalysis in this landmark work that is still read worldwide. While many current scholars disagree with many of Freud's theories, the fact that he brought the science of psychology to the public marks this book as one that changed the world.
On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. This work by Darwin laid the foundation for the theory of evolution. Recently, the idea of evolution has come under fire by religious organizations, but the thoughts and observations Darwin made in this book were revolutionary in his time and still continue to be studied and debated today.
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Carson wrote on the topic of environmental justice in a book that inspired readers to think seriously about their relationship to the Earth. This book helped the modern environmental movement get off the ground.
Geographia by Ptolemy. Ptolemy wrote and mapped the world according to the knowledge he had in the 2nd century. These works were used for hundreds of years afterward. Today's cartography is directly descended from Ptolemy's work.
The Meaning of Relativity by Albert Einstein. Published as one book, this is actually four lectures Einstein gave a Princeton in 1921. This work demonstrates the genius behind the thinking that made Einstein famous.
The Bible. This sacred text brought Christianity to the world and has continued to serve as a source of inspiration for millions of people. It is the most translated and the most frequently purchased book in the world.
The Qur'an. The sacred text of Islam, the Qur'an is believed to be the last word of God after the Christian Bible. This book is the cornerstone of the Islamic religion.
The Torah. The written laws and teachings that are contained in the Tanakh (also known as the Old Testament of the Bible by non-Jews) are known as the Torah. This sacred text guides Jews through their daily living.
The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Perhaps the most well-known Tibetan text, this book was written by a Tibetan monk and discusses what happens during death, during the time between death and rebirth, and during rebirth.
The Analects.
The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. Written in the 13th century, this book is considered to be a leading authority on what it means to follow the Christian religion.
The Bhagavad Gita. This sacred Hindu scripture is considered one of the most important philosophical texts. Krishna acts as the teacher in this text, and the words here are thought to be a guide to Hinduism as well as to how one should live life.
I Ching. Also known as the Book of Changes, this is the most widely read of the five sacred Chinese texts. The I Ching became popular around the world as a sort of sacred fortune-telling device. The text is more likely intended as a source of guidance to express the themes of balance, evolution of events, and change.
Tao Te Ching. Also known as the Tao, this text was written by Lao Tzu, the keeper of the Imperial Library, who was asked to share his wisdom for coming generations. The result is this text, known as a source for many famous Chinese sayings.

Week 4 - September 16

* Use the first part of class to finish up your Rhetorical Analysis paper.  The final copy will be uploaded to D2L by midnight.
* A thought on making more of an analysis and less of a summary - actually indicate that rhetorical strategies were used to get across the points.  Acknowledge that you will be looking at the different components of the article and how they are effective, etc.  The same idea goes for the conclusion.  Don't re summarize the article; instead, articulate how the rhetorical and contextual aspects lead to a specific paper tailored to a specific audience, etc.
*Inserting a hanging indent for works cited pages: 

This is how you indent in a work cited page.  It can be quite frustrating because it will not let you change formatting and indent easily.  Highlight the selected text, right click, under paragraph look in the indentation section.  Click on special and select hanging.  

* Thoughts on "Saying is Believing"
Write: Which of the points do you struggle with in your own writing?

Can Writing Create Change?

Write: What have you read that has changed your world - this can be a big or small change.  It can be a big or little read.

Write:  Create a list of grievances you have towards GVSU.  This can be a big or little scope, of high importance or something petty.

* New schedule update

Looking Forward:
Monday, September 16 - upload final draft of the Rhetorical Analysis paper to D2L
Wednesday, September 18
Meet in Lab 2 in the Mary Idema Pew Library (located in the lower level atrium)
Read: EW Skim Documentation section beginning on page 206 (no need to skim Chicago, only MLA and APA)