Essay three is a clean draft--a completely new paper that revises and refines the ideas present in one of the first two essays. You will actually receive two grades on it. One grade will be the new grade that you receive on the original assignment (if it is higher than the original grade, then the new grade will replace the old one). The other grade, your grade on paper 3 proper, will be on revision alone: it will reflect how thoroughly you revised the old paper. The way to revise your paper three grade (meaning, the grade on the revised draft) is to do another global revision. And the easiest way to do that is to revise the other paper you didn't revise the first time (so, if you revised paper 1 the first time, this time do a global rewrite of paper 2).
The clean draft is the most extreme version of the global revision method described by Nancy Sommers. It consists in essentially writing a new paper on the same topic. While you can borrow phrases here or there or wordings that you find helpful, the basic idea is to start fresh, from a blank page. Instead of thinking about filling up space, you will think about what you were trying to convey in the first draft, and start from there. One good technique is to use active rewriting and prewriting: before you even sit down to begin the next draft proper, you want to have a good deal of test writing under your belt, in which you prefect and practice ideas and help to refine what is most important for your argument. Doing this helps you avoid including filler, low value introductory material, and other mostly unhelpful information that you could easily do without, and that simply hampers your paper. The official due date for paper 3 is Friday, November 6, but you are free to turn it in before that. If you are efficient, you might even be able to revise both papers within this time.
Practicing the prewriting, rewriting, and focusing skills in paper three will be one of the most useful strategies for our last paper. The final paper will be a more developed, somewhat longer paper that builds on all the skills we have practiced so far: focusing on a narrowly defined topic, locating and entering a conversation, and supporting a strong claim. For the last paper, we will be adding in an additional research requirement: 3 or more scholarly sources. The purpose of this added research will be to allow you to more fully develop the conversation you are joining, and to allow you to more authoritatively address your position within it.
In the first paper, we used research to locate and participate in a conversation. Professional scholars, however, usually add in another step at this point: after locating a conversation, they return to research to find additional perspectives and information that can help them master and speak authoritatively about the conversation. Such research does not simply provide you with additional information: it helps you more clearly understand the significance of the conversation and the value of your contribution to it.
For paper four, you might think of yourself as in a similar position to that of a journalist who is investigating a specialized issue and attempting to translate it into terms understandable by the general public. Talking to experts and reading their work will not only help you first grasp and understand the terms of the conversation, but it will allow you to clarify what you think is most important about the issue for your own readers, and to do so with authority. Comparing and contrasting the different scholarly views will let you clarify assumptions that one scholar relies on but that another one explicitly articulates more clearly. It allows you, in other words, to understand the important terms of the debate.
The final paper should be 6-8 pages long in Times New Roman, 12 point font with 1 inch margins. If you want to have a chance to submit an early draft for a grade and full comments, you will need to submit it by Monday, November 23. The final paper is due Tuesday, December 8th by midnight.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Friday, October 9, 2015
A helpful link for MLA
MLA is a very simple citation format that consists of a works cited list and in text citations. The rule of thumb is to only put works you directly reference in the works cited list, and to provide enough information in parenthesis in the text so the reader can find out what source you are referencing in that list. Here's a brief overview of the specifics courtesy of Purdue's Online Writing Lab.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
An interesting essay - in video form
Here's an interesting example of a close, detailed analysis, one discussing a medium (painting) and presented in a medium (a video) that we haven't discussed as much in class. But all of the insights are transferable, and finding them in a different context might help expand your sense of possibilities in your written work.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Paper 2 - Details and Debates
For the first paper, we practiced emulating one of the central features of academic writing: its narrow, specific, and tight focus. For this second paper, we will keep that level of specificity, but also employ research to connect our claims to the work of other scholars studying the same topic. As with the last paper, you can select any class text as the basis for your analysis, and you are also free to explore other topics of interest to you. The most important thing, again, is not what you write about, but how you write, and by focusing in on a precise detail or aspect of whatever text, film, clip, or other phenomenon you are exploring, you will ensure that your writing keeps this narrow and focused quality.
For this paper, instead of thinking about research as the process of finding information, we will instead think of it as a process for locating and entering an ongoing scholarly dialogue, conversation, or exchange of ideas. By clearly defining who you are talking to and why you are talking to them, scholarly research helps to focus your writing and to clarify its significance. In addition to finding out facts, academic research helps organize such information into distinct arguments with a defined relationship to one another, thereby clarifying what information is useful and what information is extraneous.
For this assignment, do not think of yourself as trying to disprove other scholars or contradict their work. Your claim, rather, should simply situate your topic within an existing conversation. Be positive and productive: show how the conversations help make sense of what you are studying, and show how your topic contributes and extends existing conversations. Remember the lesson of Monty Python: mere contradiction is not argumentation. Instead, think of yourself as very modestly using the work of others to amplify your claims and help establish why they are significant by clarifying whom you are speaking to and why.
This paper should be 3-4 pages long, typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 inch font with 1 inch margins. You should include at least 1 scholarly article, but you should use as many as are necessary. You are also free to use non-peer reviewed sources from quality publications such as those found through the library databases, but this is not a requirement. Bring a rough draft for peer editing Friday, October 2 and Friday, October 9. The paper is due Friday, October 16 by the start of class.
For this paper, instead of thinking about research as the process of finding information, we will instead think of it as a process for locating and entering an ongoing scholarly dialogue, conversation, or exchange of ideas. By clearly defining who you are talking to and why you are talking to them, scholarly research helps to focus your writing and to clarify its significance. In addition to finding out facts, academic research helps organize such information into distinct arguments with a defined relationship to one another, thereby clarifying what information is useful and what information is extraneous.
For this assignment, do not think of yourself as trying to disprove other scholars or contradict their work. Your claim, rather, should simply situate your topic within an existing conversation. Be positive and productive: show how the conversations help make sense of what you are studying, and show how your topic contributes and extends existing conversations. Remember the lesson of Monty Python: mere contradiction is not argumentation. Instead, think of yourself as very modestly using the work of others to amplify your claims and help establish why they are significant by clarifying whom you are speaking to and why.
This paper should be 3-4 pages long, typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 inch font with 1 inch margins. You should include at least 1 scholarly article, but you should use as many as are necessary. You are also free to use non-peer reviewed sources from quality publications such as those found through the library databases, but this is not a requirement. Bring a rough draft for peer editing Friday, October 2 and Friday, October 9. The paper is due Friday, October 16 by the start of class.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Essay 1 - Comedy is everywhere
The first paper is a deceptively simple assignment: pick a specific reading from class, or other example of comedy, and write an argumentative 2-3 page essay on it. Your paper should feature a strong, refutable, significant thesis. The thesis should possess all of the components we've discussed in class (clear topic; focusing question; central claim; a connection to and role in a larger debate or conversation; clearly defined key concepts; organized evidence; and a strong sense of significance).
This is also going to be one of the more difficult papers to write, as it is very open ended, and asks you to provide a compelling take on any topic of your choosing. You may write about the novel we are reading, about a clip we have watched, or about any other thing we have read or watched in class. You may also pick almost anything else of interest to you (run the topic by me if you have any doubts or questions about it). If you are unsure what to write about, then pick something from the class.
As with all college writing, what you write about is less important than how you write about it, and it is this latter skill we are attempting to master. The most important thing for this assignment is to focus in on a very specific feature of the work you are writing about, hone in on a narrow topic and question it suggests, and provide a strong, refutable claim in answer to it. The point of this exercise is to practice framing narrow questions and topics; making significant, specific, refutable, non-trivial claims about them; and to support those claims with specific bits of textual or detailed evidence.
Have a posible topic picked out for a writing exercise on Friday, September 11th. Bring a rough draft to class for Friday, September 18th. The paper is due Friday, September 25th.
This is also going to be one of the more difficult papers to write, as it is very open ended, and asks you to provide a compelling take on any topic of your choosing. You may write about the novel we are reading, about a clip we have watched, or about any other thing we have read or watched in class. You may also pick almost anything else of interest to you (run the topic by me if you have any doubts or questions about it). If you are unsure what to write about, then pick something from the class.
As with all college writing, what you write about is less important than how you write about it, and it is this latter skill we are attempting to master. The most important thing for this assignment is to focus in on a very specific feature of the work you are writing about, hone in on a narrow topic and question it suggests, and provide a strong, refutable claim in answer to it. The point of this exercise is to practice framing narrow questions and topics; making significant, specific, refutable, non-trivial claims about them; and to support those claims with specific bits of textual or detailed evidence.
Have a posible topic picked out for a writing exercise on Friday, September 11th. Bring a rough draft to class for Friday, September 18th. The paper is due Friday, September 25th.
Monday, August 31, 2015
The endless possibilities of blogging
For your blog posts, feel free to follow your interests and passions, even if you see only a tenuous connection to some of the main topics we have discussed so far. All I ask is that the blog posts draw our attention to a piece of writing, a clip, a news article, or even an excerpt from a novel or other longer work, and provide your take on that: why is it significant? What makes it meaningful for you? What do you want others to understand about it? Feel free to interpret comedy in the broadest possible sense: you can blog about not only things that are intentionally meant to be funny, but things that are unintentionally funny, or anything else that presents an interesting incongruity, unexpected detail, or surprising feature that is worth comment.
I'm always a bit hesitant to provide models, because there's no set formula for writing these posts. The following are just some examples of different things you could do, and you should feel free to ignore them if they are not interesting or appealing, for they are not at all the only way of approaching the subject.
Here is an example of a fun post on a very dry topic--typography--that nonetheless points out the unexpected beauties of a classic film (not exactly comedy, but incongruous or unexpected beauty, shall we say).
This post is a smart and silly critique of the unintentional comedy and inanities of popular culture.
Here's an example of a music review of an old album of an old band from my hometown that more or less became The Shins. It's not exactly an analysis of something comedic, but it is an insightful review that points out some interesting and unexpected details in its own way.
Of course, best and worst lists can always be a fun way to do a blog post.
You can go with something light and silly on college life or other close-to-home topics. Hey, it may seem a bit informal, but it actually does a very nice job of closely analyzing the language in the emails, albeit in a goofy way.
And of course, you can always try to elevate the dialogue when it comes to current events.
Here is an example of a fun post on a very dry topic--typography--that nonetheless points out the unexpected beauties of a classic film (not exactly comedy, but incongruous or unexpected beauty, shall we say).
This post is a smart and silly critique of the unintentional comedy and inanities of popular culture.
Here's an example of a music review of an old album of an old band from my hometown that more or less became The Shins. It's not exactly an analysis of something comedic, but it is an insightful review that points out some interesting and unexpected details in its own way.
Of course, best and worst lists can always be a fun way to do a blog post.
You can go with something light and silly on college life or other close-to-home topics. Hey, it may seem a bit informal, but it actually does a very nice job of closely analyzing the language in the emails, albeit in a goofy way.
And of course, you can always try to elevate the dialogue when it comes to current events.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Lead blogger sign up sheet for 11:30 course (FYW 1213-02)
Lead blogger sign up sheet for 11:30 course, with links to blogs
Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments, or email it to me. Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.
September 4: Mary (https://mtomorrow.wordpress.com)
Sept. 11: (Sarah http://quirkofsarah.wordpress.com)
Sep. 18: Kirby (http://kirbyq.wordpress.com)
Sep. 25: Phebe (http://phebehuth.wordpress.com)
October 2: Madeline (http://madelineeast.wordpress.com)
Oct. 9: Jessica (fulaughs.blogspot.com)
Oct. 16:KK (Comedykkfyw.blogspot.com)
Oct. 23: Keyu (http://keyuwu.blogspot.com)
Oct. 30: Elizabeth (elizabethfyw.blogspot.com)
November 6: Alex (http://princesszeldastea.tumblr.com)
Nov. 13: Chad (http://chadtalksaboutfunnythings.blogspot.com)
Nov. 20 (discussion takes place after break): Noah (http://dubiousdude.blogspot.com)
Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments, or email it to me. Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.
September 4: Mary (https://mtomorrow.wordpress.com)
Sept. 11: (Sarah http://quirkofsarah.wordpress.com)
Sep. 18: Kirby (http://kirbyq.wordpress.com)
Sep. 25: Phebe (http://phebehuth.wordpress.com)
October 2: Madeline (http://madelineeast.wordpress.com)
Oct. 9: Jessica (fulaughs.blogspot.com)
Oct. 16:KK (Comedykkfyw.blogspot.com)
Oct. 23: Keyu (http://keyuwu.blogspot.com)
Oct. 30: Elizabeth (elizabethfyw.blogspot.com)
November 6: Alex (http://princesszeldastea.tumblr.com)
Nov. 13: Chad (http://chadtalksaboutfunnythings.blogspot.com)
Nov. 20 (discussion takes place after break): Noah (http://dubiousdude.blogspot.com)
Lead blogger sign up sheet for 10:30 AM course (FYW 1213-01)
Lead blogger sign up sheet for 10:30 course
Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments, or email it to me. Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.
September 4: Parker (https://parkerfyw.wordpress.com/)
Sept. 11: Nick (http://nickkuninblog.wordpress.com)
Sep. 18: Charlotte (http://chuckleswithchar.wordpress.com)
Sep. 25: Whit (http://notsodrywhit.wordpress.com)
October 2: Kirsten (http://livetolaughkm.wordpress.com)
Oct. 9: Emma (http://emmacomedyfyw.blogspot.com)
Oct. 16: Katty (http://kattyscomedyblog.blogspot.com/)
Oct. 23: Sara (http://tianjiaoli.blogspot.com)
Oct. 30: Cawood (cawoodblog.wordpress.com)
November 6: Kendall (http://kendallsthoughtsblog.wordpress.com)
Nov. 13: Connor (http://comedyblogfyw.wordpress.com)
Nov. 20 (discussion takes place after break): Ahmal (amalmomani.blogspot.com)
Post the week you want, along with the address of your blog, in the comments, or email it to me. Spots are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Lead blog posts are due the Friday of the week before we discuss them.
September 4: Parker (https://parkerfyw.wordpress.com/)
Sept. 11: Nick (http://nickkuninblog.wordpress.com)
Sep. 18: Charlotte (http://chuckleswithchar.wordpress.com)
Sep. 25: Whit (http://notsodrywhit.wordpress.com)
October 2: Kirsten (http://livetolaughkm.wordpress.com)
Oct. 9: Emma (http://emmacomedyfyw.blogspot.com)
Oct. 16: Katty (http://kattyscomedyblog.blogspot.com/)
Oct. 23: Sara (http://tianjiaoli.blogspot.com)
Oct. 30: Cawood (cawoodblog.wordpress.com)
November 6: Kendall (http://kendallsthoughtsblog.wordpress.com)
Nov. 13: Connor (http://comedyblogfyw.wordpress.com)
Nov. 20 (discussion takes place after break): Ahmal (amalmomani.blogspot.com)
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Welcome! Here is our official course schedule, updated in real time as needed.
Note: After the first few weeks, the assignment for each Wednesday also
includes reading and responding to the lead blogger, and the assignment for
each Friday includes reading and commenting on your peers’ blogs. From time to
time I may move readings around or replace them to more closely coincide with
the class’s current interests. Watch the blog for these updates.
From time to time I may announce changes in the course schedule.Although I will try to post an updated version of the syllabus online as
quickly as possible, you are responsible for all changes announced in class.
Confederacy = A Confederacy of
Dunces
Course schedule:
Week
1: Introductions
M August 24
W 26: Introduction.
Other activities: Buy A Confederacy of Dunces and start
reading ahead (it is a long book and we will attempt to finish it by week six).
Other activities: Start blog, email me
the link, and select a date to serve as lead blogger. Post your first blog
entry on the best piece of comedy you’ve seen recently (post the link or
describe it), and whether you feel the reading helps you understand the work or
its ideas.
Week
2 – Superiority, Incongruity, Relief: Theories of the Comic
W Sept. 2: Read: Finish Hutcheson, “Thoughts on Laughter.”
·
Read Zupancic.
Other activities: Write a blog post on
which theory of comedy you find most persuasive, and use another example of comedy to illustrate
your claims. Do the theories just describe different types of comedy, or does
one get closer to the essence (and why aren’t all examples of incongruity,
superiority, or relief funny?)
Week
3 – Idiots and Dunces
M 7: Labor Day. No Class
· Confederacy,
Intro, pp. 1-27.
Other
activities: Post first response to lead blogger’s post and readings
by Wednesday’s class.
F 11: Read
Confederacy, pp. 27-58.
Bring some ideas for possible paper topics.
Week
4 – Dunces cont’d
M 14: Read:
Confederacy, pp. 58-104.
W 16: Read:
Confederacy, pp. 104-152.
F 18: Read:
Confederacy, pp. 152-207.
Bring in rough draft for peer editing.
Week
5 – Dunces, cont’d
M 21: Read: Confederacy, pp. 207-235 (through ch. 9)
W 23: Read: Confederacy, pp. 235-261 (through ch. 10)
F 25: Read
Confederacy, pp. 261-303 (through ch. 11)
Paper 1 due. Library day or
writing workshop.
Week
6 – Genres of Comedy - Satire
M 28: Read
Confederacy, pp. 303-336 (through ch. 12)
·
Read Confederacy, pp. 336-377 (through ch. 13)
F Oct. 2: Read Swift, A Modest Proposal
·
Finish Confederacy (through ch. 14)
Bring
rough draft for peer editing.
Week
7 – Genres of Comedy – From Satire to Slapstick and Back
M 5: Watch Chaplin, The Great Dictator (On Hulu - Or You Tube copy here)
F 9: Read: The Irony of Satire (Moodle).
Bring
rough draft for peer editing.
Week
8 – Genres of Comedy – From Silly To Gross
M 12: Fall
break. No Class.
Paper 2 due. Writing workshop or
library day.
Week
9 – Genres of Comedy – From Gross to Absurd
F 23: Read Zizek.
Bring rough draft of paper 3.
Week
10 – From Absurd to Dark
M 26: Read Rochester, A Satyr.
W 28: Watch Twin
Peaks (Watch season 1 episodes 1 and 3 - but hey, might as well watch 2 also, no? On Hulu and Netflix)
F 30: Read: Andre Breton and Claude Rawson.
Bring rough draft of paper 3.
Week
11 – From Dark to Anxious and Existential
M Nov. 2: Watch Annie Hall (On reserve in library, or rent or buy on Amazon or Google Play)
W 4: Read Kierkegaard (through to end of preview, p. 18) and this brief reflection on his work.
F 6: Paper
3 due. Possible library day or writing workshop.
Week
12 – From Existential to Political
M 9: Watch: To
Be or Not To Be (1942 version - watch here on You Tube or rent online)
F 13: Read Melville, “Bartleby the Scrivener."
Possible
writing workshop or library day.
Week
13 – Farting around
M 16: Watch:
Team America: World Police (on Netflix, HuluPlus, and YouTube)
F 20: Read Zupancic (Moodle).
Possible
Writing workshop
Week
14 – Giving Thanks
M 23: Clip show/Student Choice Awards
W 25: Thanksgiving
break. No class
F 27: Thanksgiving
break. No class
Week
15 – Almost there
M 30: Writing workshop.
W Dec. 2: Bring in rough draft.
F 4: Bring in rough draft.
Week
16 - Finish
M 7: Last class.
W 9: Study day.
F 11: Final exams.
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