Primary Research

Driscoll outlines the types of primary research that you will be conducting. What, according to Driscoll, is primary research? Why is it important? What will you learn from conducting it yourself? 

Thinking forward, I want you to begin to think about how you’ll employ all of these different methods for your own research. Be specific: what are some observations that make sense? Who makes sense to interview? What types of surveys will you conduct? We will learn more about specifics as we go along, so these are initial impressions. As well, think about how a mixed method approach to research is beneficial to your own understanding about how to conduct research and how this might serve you in future situations. 

Be sure to pull on Driscoll’s piece to discuss your primary research. 

In response to yours peers: provide feedback on their methods. What do you think? Agree, disagree? Why? 

DUE by class time on Tuesday, January 27, 2015. 

Walk, Talk, Cook, Eat, Etc. Etc.

For this blog post, you are going to create a scenario much like Haller did in her chapter on sources. Pulling from the reading, generate a conversation between me and you about a misconception you have about how to use sources (i.e. work from your *own* misconception not one you read about). As the chapter did, walk through how to counter that misconception and how to move forward from it. 

Response to your peers: agree or disagree with your peer's scenario and my response to it. 

DUE by class time on Thursday, January 22 EVEN THOUGH we aren't having a traditional class. 

Research Proposal

Please respond to this blog post by posting your research proposal.

Due by class time on Tuesday, January 20, 2015.

***You are NOT responding to your peers for this post.***

Genre Theory and Activity Systems

Imagine you are a research assistant to a high profile professor at a university: he is a journalism professor. He needs you to compose an email to the entire communication department asking them to read the Russell and Yanez's article, so that they can include it as part of their curriculum. He believes that this article could drastically improve both the retention rate of journalism students as well as help them in their careers to be better writers. In this email, your job is to clearly portray why the Russell and Yanez piece should even be considered--so you are not summarizing the piece--in other words, you want to *sell them on the piece. Please include specific details, even quotes, from the piece as you attempt to persuade the department.

You need to write the post in the genre of an email following all the conventions of an email. So, your audience for the email will be the communication department. 

You are, in many ways, attempting to put into practice what you read in this piece. 

Response to peers: Respond to whether or not you believe they effective "sold" their position to the department and say why or why not. Be specific. 

Due by class time on Tuesday, January 20, 2015. 

Brainstorming Continued

Working from your brainstorming from Tuesday, we are going to continue to refine your topic and your question(s). Please follow these steps to further explore your topic: 

(1) Inquiry Question: what do you want to know more about this topic? 

(2) Primary Purpose: what are additional questions that might help you research you main question? What do you hope to gain by conducting this research? 

(3) What, if any, prior beliefs, assumptions, understandings, preconceptions, prejudices, or ideas do you bring to this topic (be specific)? What personal experiences may have shaped the way you feel? Before you begin developing a working knowledge of the topic, what are you thinking about it? 

(4) Do some quick and dirty research: go to google. What types of information pops up? What are some important facts that seem to keep jumping out? 

(5) After working your way through two  brainstorming sessions and some quick-n-dirty googling, what are you now thinking about your topic? What are some things you'll need to keep in mind as you continue? 

Please work your way through these questions being as specific as possible. This is going to lead you to your proposal that's due on Tuesday. 

Due: In-Class Activity for Thursday, January 15, 2015. 

Rhetorical Situation: Take 2

As you did with Bitzer, please define rhetorical situation according to Vatz. What is rhetoric? How does Vatz's view differ from Bitzer's? Who do you find yourself aligning more with -- why? Situate the two readings inside the course: why is rhetorical situation so important to know and understand in course on research and writing? 

Finally, after reading the two pieces come up with your own definition of rhetorical situation: where do you see it fitting into your own writing processes? 

For this blog post's response to your peers: Provide a specific example of a rhetorical situation broken down into all of its parts. Conclude with a 2-3 sentence detailed explanation about why this is in fact an example of a rhetorical situation. ***Can not use the same rhetorical situation as someone else.***

Due: Thursday, January 15, 2015 by class time. 

Rhetorical Situation

**Remember, it's ok to be feel a little unsure of what this reading is saying. Just do your best. We will unpack it together on Tuesday.**

According to Bitzer, what is rhetoric? What is a rhetorical situation? Why are both important in the understanding of how to write? What do you believe comes first—the writing or the rhetorical situation? Do you believe all writing needs a rhetorical situation in order to write? Why or Why not?

What did you learn from reading this piece? Why might we start a course on argument with this reading?

Due: Tuesday, January 13, 2015 by class time. Don't forget to respond to at least one peer. 

Investigating Good Writing

Please respond to the following questions: 

(a) what is writing, in other words, what are the definitions, ideas, thoughts, expressions, etc. that you associate with writing. What makes writing good to you? When you think of research and writing--what comes to mind?  

(b) What type of writer do you see yourself as? Do you believe you are a novice or an expert? Why? 

(c) Create a list of 5-8 key terms you believe define good writing.

By the end of this first blog post, I want you to come up with a definition of writing that includes a list of key terms.

In-Class Writing for Thursday, January 8, 2015.