Blog Post #9

For your ninth blog post, I want you to find and analyze a Buzzfeed article. Try to pick one where you feel as though you're an "insider" to that community. You can do this by scrolling through various interesting ones or using the search bar to find one that you feel will fit you. For instance, I might search for terms like "New England" or "English" or "Graduate Student" or "90s." Choose any list where you feel like you might be able to judge its contents.

Once you have selected your list, copy its title and link into your blog post. Then, write a 300 word analysis critiquing it. Some things you might discuss are: how accurate or original the writer was in depicting this community; how wrong the writer was in depicting this community; the relationship between the image and the text of a specific meme; a meme that you felt accurately describes this community but was not featured on the list; the relationship between the original cultural use of one of the memes and its current use in this list; or an image that you would change to create a stronger relationship between what the text is saying and the image. Be as specific as you can, referring your audience to specific memes in your analysis.

As well as posting this analysis to your blog by the beginning of class on Thursday, November 21 (by 11 am), make sure you have the text you wrote available to you somewhere (whether by printout or on your computer), as we'll be practicing some speaking skills using our ideas.

Let me know if you have any questions!

Blog Post #8

In your eighth blog post, I would like you to consider the revisions that you'll be making to your ethnography essays. Essentially, I would like you to pick out three moments in your essays that you'll be revising for your final draft and explain the impetus behind these decisions. Some questions you might consider are: How did the idea for the change you're going to make come about? Was it pointed out by a reader? Did you spot it on your own? Why are you making this change? What do you think it will do for the paper? Why is it important to make this change? For information's sake? For logic's sake? For clarity's sake?

Remember that revisions are changes to ideas/content/structure (not small scale changes like punctuation). If you're having trouble identifying three moments that you will be revising, consider suggestions that your readers made that you decided not to change. What is your reason for keeping this as is?

Write at least 300 words (about a hundred per revision) and post by the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 19th at 11 a.m. As always, let me know if you have any questions.

Blog Post #7

In your seventh blog post, I want you to begin some research for your ethnography. First, find a secondary source that you might use for your essay. Then, write a narrative of 150-200 words detailing the source that you have found and how it might work with your project. Details that you might include are (but are not limited to): what type of source it is, what kind of information is found in the source, what you learned from it, if/how it changed the way you think about your project, the credibility of the site, the author(s) of the site, or a quote that you're thinking of orally citing in your speech. At the end of your post, make sure to include the citation (APA or MLA format, whichever you prefer).

Please post your "research memo" by Sunday, November 3 at 11:59 pm. Let me know if you have any questions!

Blog Post #6

In your sixth blog post, I'd like you to respond to Burke's "Sucked Beneath the Tunnels of Las Vegas." Pick out one main point that you'd like to discuss. It could be something that stuck out to you, something you identified with, something you want to analyze, something completely disagree with. Make sure to include at least one quote from Burke to back up your point. Write at least 300 words. 

Please your thoughts onto your blog by Thursday, October 17 at 9 am. Let me know if you have any questions!

Blog Post #5

In your fifth blog post, I want you to reflect on your proposal speech. Watch your speech on the class capture (on Bb) and critique yourself according to the rubric. What did you do well and why? What didn't you do so well and why not? What might you improve in the future? Write at least 250 words.

Please post your strategies by Sunday, October 6 at 11:59 pm. Let me know if you have any questions!

Blog Post #4

In your fourth blog post, I want you to think about how you've planned to persuade your audience that your space/cultural group is worthy of study through your speech's content and delivery. Identify how you plan to use 1) ethos, 2) logos, and 3) pathos within your speech. Make sure you discuss how you're using (or plan to use) all three appeals. Write a few sentences detailing the way you use each one. Then, write why you think that strategy will be effective for your audience. In total, the post should be around 150-200 words.

Please post your strategies by Sunday, September 29 at 11:59 pm. Let me know if you have any questions!

Blog Post #3

In your third blog post, I want you to begin some preliminary research for your proposal speeches. First, find a secondary source that you might use for your speech. Then, write a narrative of 150-200 words detailing the source that you have found and how it might work with your speech. Details that you might include are (but are not limited to): what type of source it is, what kind of information is found in the source, what you learned from it, if/how it changed the way you think about your project, the credibility of the site, the author(s) of the site, or a quote that you're thinking of orally citing in your speech. At the end of your post, make sure to include the citation (APA or MLA format, whichever you prefer).

Please post your "research memo" by the beginning of class on Thursday, September 19 at 11:00 am. Let me know if you have any questions!