Preparation for 9/2: Writing an Intertextual Conversation

Folks, this is the first formal writing you are doing for me this semester, so I need you to show me what you can do.  For this assignment, you'll be synthesizing together your two critical texts for Tuesday (Grant-Davie with either D'Angelo or Porter) in order to better understand their claims, their assumptions, their implications, and their usefulness for writing in the mediated public sphere.

I'm asking you to write an "intertextual conversation," which essentially means constructing a figurative (not literal) conversation between two authors, where you show the influences of one on the other, or where you show how one author's work is either implicitly or explicitly referencing ideas presented by the other. There are several ways to do this. You might make the case for how both authors could be drawing on the same or similar traditions in articulating their concepts. Or, you might make the case for how one author takes up, builds on, disrupts, completes, complicates, or moves the other author's concept forward. Or, you might do something else.

Your intertextual conversation should be brief (~2 single-spaced pages, word-processed or typed). In spite of its brevity, I'm looking for depth and breadth in your writing—that is, I'll be looking for you to demonstrate a good grasp of each author's overarching argument while also noting its nuances and intricacies. You should not simply summarize both texts, but you should communicate to a reader who hasn't necessarily read both texts. This means you should be prepared to explain key terms or concepts that are important to the conversation you are constructing, and cite relevant examples from each text, as well as to interpret the most important parts of their theories and how those theories are organized.

Please include the <MLA citation> for your readings and use <in-text (parenthetical) citations> throughout your IC where needed.

This is due in print/hard copy at the beginning of class on 9/2/14. Please remember to bring both critical texts to class in some material form. See you on Tuesday,

-Prof. Graban

Preparation for 8/28: course blog, your blog, blogging dates, your letter

Hello, everyone.

In preparation for Thursday's class, I have asked you to take care of these few -- but important -- tasks:

• if you have not already done so, complete the ENC 4404 questionnaire (distributed  in class);
• accept my invitation to our course blog (you'll get this in an e-mail, and I have given you some basic instructions on navigating the blog on the handout distributed in class);
• create your own blog (get as far as you can, referring to <this 3-minute tutorial> courtesy of Ms. Spiezo) and e-mail me the URL or address of your blog once it has been set up;
• send me an e-mail with your top 3 preferences for dates when you will <initiate discussion on the blog> (9/11, 9/16, 9/30, 10/9, 10/30, 11/6); 
• compose a "Goals" letter (and bring 2 printed copies to Thursday's class). In that letter, discuss your learning and writing goals for this semester, telling me what kind(s) of expertise you are hoping to gain or what kind(s) of breakthrough(s) you are hoping to achieve. Write something that you wouldn't mind having 2 or 3 of your peers read, but format it and shape it in such a way that it also effectively communicates to me. Give your letter purpose, content, maturity, and style.

I look forward to continuing our discussion on Thursday!

-Prof. Graban

Welcome to ENC 4404

Welcome to ENC 4404 for the Fall 2014 semester! This dedicated blog space hosts announcements, daily class preparation, gateways for assignments, and a forum for conversation as the class gets underway. This semester, each of you will be writing and maintaining your own blog where class discussion will ensue, and in the first week of class, your blog links will appear under "Member Blogs" in the navigation bar at right. Until then, feel free to browse the "Course Links" at right to preview (or review) any of our course documents.

-Professor Graban