FYS 100: The Graphic Memoir

Action List for Thursday, December 4

2008-12-02T11:59:00.003-05:00

There is nothing you have to do for class on Thursday, December 4. It may help if you have chosen a topic for your final project. But we're going to storyboard in class.

Do remember than any revisions of essays one and two must be sent to me by noon on Wednesday, December 3. I will not accept any late revisions.

Blog Postings are Done

2008-12-02T11:57:00.002-05:00

I have just checked everyone's blogs and will figure out blog grades in the next few days. I'll email them to each of you individually through Blackboard. And, no, you can't backdate any entries and say that I missed them later. I've checked each blog, and anything that was not there five minutes ago does not count. I've used Blogger too long to know that there is no lag between posting entries and having them appear.

Action List for Tuesday, December 2

2008-11-24T14:18:00.004-05:00

There are only a couple of weeks left in class, believe it or not. But there are still things to do.

Go back to the book assigned to you and find five specific pages where you think the author is doing something interesting and effective with her or his use of words and/or images. Team One has Bechdel, Team Two has Thompson, Team Three has Spiegelman, and Team Four has Satrapi.
Compose a blog post that lists those pages and describes why you think they are so effective and post it before class.

Be prepared to discuss your choices in class.

Prompt for Final Graphic Memoir

2008-11-24T13:35:00.007-05:00

This is it! Your final project for this course! As you know from the syllabus, you are going to complete your own graphic memoir for this course. You have read work by several writers. You have thought about what makes a good graphic memoir and what makes a week one. You have judged the work of others. Now, it's time for you to put all that knowledge and all those opinions to work.

You will create a four to six page graphic memoir. It's a memoir, which means that you should take a moment from your life and tell its story. It's graphic, which means that you should use words and images to tell that story. This is not a huge amount of space, so choose a focus carefully. If you would like to base this graphic memoir on the portrait that you created early in the semester, that would be fine.

There are many options you can use to create this, all of which I will describe in class. For those who do not come to class on Tuesday, November 25, the methods I recommend include:

1) Completing It by Hand: It is very possible to create this by hand, drawing the images and writing out the words or typing out the words and sticking a printout of them with photographs on a piece of paper. Or you may do some combination of techniques. If you choose this method, then I do recommend turning in color photocopies. Keep the original safe.

2) Using Comic Life: If you own a Mac or want to use one in a campus computer lab, then you might want to try out this program. It's what I used to create the first page of the course syllabus. This program was invented just to create documents like this. You'll have to use photographs or scanned images, but this program does make it relatively easy to create panels (and gutters) and add word balloons. If you chose this option, you can create a PDF and take it somewhere that has a color printer, such as the campus printing store in Hillyer.

3) Using Microsoft PowerPoint: PowerPoint does allow you to import images and create word balloons, but you don't have the ease of creating different types of panels. Still, you can use PowerPoint to complete this project if you intend to use photographs or scanned images.

There are other options, too, such as Microsoft Word or graphic design programs like Adobe InDesign. I don't care how you create it. I just want you to have paper copies with you in class the day this due.

When I grade this, I will not be looking at your artistic ability. I will be looking at the ideas behind the artwork. It's possible to earn an A for this assignment by drawing stick figures on a piece of paper if your work shows effort and depth. Remember everything we have gone over in this class. I'll look at how you use the gutter, synaesthetics, and line. When it comes to grading, I'll be evaluating your ability to choose a focus, create coherence, and exhibit details and depth.

Along with the memoir, please write a one to two page statement that describes what you tried to accomplish in this memoir. What choices did you make and why? What parts of the memoirs we read this semester inspired you and why? What parts of McCloud did you try to incorporate into your own work? You can email this statement in .doc or .rtf as long as it arrives before class on Thursday, December 11.

This is all due at the start of class on Thursday, December 13. You should bring two copies to class that day. You will put one copy out for everyone to read and give one copy to me. Color photocopies or printouts will be fine. I will keep my copy on file, and you can take the other with you. If you created the original by hand, then you may want to keep that to yourself in case something happens to these copies.

Be aware that I may invite guests to join us that day such as other faculty and administrators. Many people are interested in what is happening in these first-year seminars, so I may invite them so that they can see.

Warning: I will absolutely not accept any late work for this assignment. If it is not in at the start of class on that day, then you will receive an F for this part of the course. I have been known to go to my office, grade final projects, and turn in those final grades before checking my email or mailbox for late submissions. So no late work for any reason, got it?

Action List for Tuesday, November 25

2008-11-20T13:56:00.003-05:00

As you have been told ad naseum, essay three is due by noon on Sunday, November 23. For class next week, you do not need to prepare anything. I will be going over the final project in detail, showing you the different ways you can complete it (including different technologies you can use).

Revisions, Deadlines, and Fairness

2008-11-20T13:55:00.001-05:00

At the end of class today, I made a decision after talking with one of your peers. I will allow those of you who did not turn in essay one or essay two to turn either or both of those essays in by the time revisions are due, which is by noon on Wednesday, December 3.

I think this is fair for a few reasons. One, those of you who turned in essays on time received extensive feedback from me, which will really help guide you during revision. Two, those of you who turned in work within the late period did not receive comments from me but do have the option of meeting with me to go over your essays. Three, those of you who did not turn in work during the late period will now be allowed to turn in essays one and/or two by the deadline for revisions but without the opportunity to discuss the work with me.

This seems fair because those who turn in work on time clearly benefit from it. Those who turn in work late have some benefits but not all. And those who did not turn in work late will not be in danger of failing the course but will not have the benefits everyone else had when it comes to preparing those essays.

But let's be clear about deadlines. Essay three is due by noon on Sunday, November 23. My standard late policy does apply to this essay, which means it must be turned in by noon on Sunday, November 30 (but will receive no comments). I will not accept any submissions of essay three after this final deadline. You will not be able to revise this essay.

Revisions of essays one and two are due by noon on Wednesday, December 3. I will not accept late revisions.

The final project, which I will describe in class on Tuesday, is due at the start of class on Thursday, December 11. I will not accept late submissions of the final project.

I certainly understand that some of you have had trouble working with time management in the transition to college. Therefore, I am allowing the chances for revisions and late submissions that I describe in this post. But the deadlines as described in this post do stand. Get them in your calendar, check out what is due in your other classes, and make plans for finishing this semester as smoothly as possible.

If you have questions or concerns, let me know.

Action List for Thursday, November 13

2008-11-10T18:09:00.001-05:00

On Thursday, we're watching the film version of Persepolis, and there's nothing to do to prepare for it. Just come ready to watch!

Action List for Tuesday, November 11

2008-11-10T18:08:00.002-05:00

Are we really just about done with the last reading for the course?

Finish Persepolis (different than the pages listed on the schedule); prepare for Reading Quiz #14.
Prepare to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic D, Team Two has Topic A, Team Three has Topic B, and Team Four has Topic C).
Create a blog post responding to Persepolis that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Action List for Thursday, November 6

2008-11-03T23:30:00.001-05:00

We're starting the last book!

Read up to page 110 of Persepolis (different than the pages listed on the schedule); prepare for Reading Quiz #13.
Prepare to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic D, Team Two has Topic A, Team Three has Topic B, and Team Four has Topic C).
Create a blog post responding to Persepolis that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Action List for Tuesday, November 4

2008-10-29T23:51:00.002-04:00

Same old story:

Read the rest of book two of Maus; prepare for Reading Quiz #12B.
Prepare to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic C, Team Two has Topic D, Team Three has Topic A, and Team Four has Topic B).
Create a blog post responding to Maus that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Action List for Thursday, October 30

2008-10-28T00:04:00.002-04:00

According the schedule, you have all of volume two to read of Maus, but I'm going to give you a bit of a break on that.

Read chapters one and two of book two of Maus; prepare for Reading Quiz #12A.
Prepare to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic C, Team Two has Topic D, Team Three has Topic A, and Team Four has Topic B).
Create a blog post responding to Maus that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Revisions

2008-10-26T15:35:00.005-04:00

It's now about 3:30 on Sunday, and the second essays were due at noon. I've received essays from five of you and have graded them all. The lateness of the other ten essays disturbs me. I can speculate about why, but I need you all to tell me what I can do to make the writing process easier for you. I want you to write strong essays for these class and learn the skills that will make your writing stronger in all of your current and future courses (as well as internship, volunteer, and work settings). We'll talk more about this in class on Tuesday.

My late policy now kicks in for the ten of you who have not turned in work yet. You have until next Sunday at noon to get essays to me. You will not receive a grade penalty but you will also not receive comments. I am going to allow everyone to revise the second essays as well as the first, but you have to turn in an essay if you want to have the options to revise. You can't revise something you have not written, so I have to have received an essay from you to be eligible for revision.

Revisions of both essay one and essay two are due by noon on Wednesday, December 3 (in .doc or .rtf); I will not accept late revisions. You can send them anytime before, of course, but you only have one opportunity to revise. If you send it to me next week, you cannot revise it again after I grade that revision. But you do have the chance to revise for an entirely new grade, so take advantage of this opportunity. We can have a meeting in my office to go over your work, and you can also meet with Lauren to talk about it. You can also visit the Center for Reading and Writing. Use all of the resources available to you to write the best essay and earn the highest grade possible.

You will NOT be able to revise the third essay or the final graphic memoir. So take the opportunity to revise what you can while you have the chance.

Action List for Tuesday, October 28

2008-10-23T11:30:00.003-04:00

We're moving on to the next unit.

Email your second essay to me in the correct format by noon on Sunday.
Read book one of Maus; prepare for Reading Quiz #11.
Prepare to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic C, Team Two has Topic D, Team Three has Topic A, and Team Four has Topic B).
Create a blog post responding to Maus that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Action List for Thursday, October 23

2008-10-21T10:39:00.004-04:00

The main thing, of course, is to get the essay done.

Read (or re-read) the following sections in A Writer's Resource: (sections 6c [pgs. 70-5] and 10a-c [pgs. 121-30]).
Bring A Writer's Resource to class.
Bring at least two pages of a draft of this essay to class.
Start reading Maus because we will be discussing the entire thing next week.

Blog Posts, Comments, and Grades

2008-10-14T18:13:00.003-04:00

I have just gone over everyone's blog to see who is keeping up and who is not. After this review, I do have a few concerns. Some people are doing a great job of writing detailed entries, but many are not keeping up with the blog. Also, there is only one substantial comment from anyone who is not Lauren or me. Remember that you must comment on each other's entries to earn a higher grade for this part of the course. But that's in addition to keeping up with the required blog postings.

So, I have kept track of who has done what postings up to today, the conclusion of Blankets. Don't go back and write entries after the fact, but do keep up with all entries from now on. In terms of comments, it doesn't make a lot of sense to go back and post comments on entries about the essays, but you still have time to comment on entries about Fun Home and Blankets.

Here's the deal. I will allow everyone to comment on entries about Fun Home and Blankets up to the time the second essay is due. After that, there's not a whole lot of point to commenting when we have moved on. But if you want to raise your grade for this part of the course, then start making comments. No one will be able to earn an A for this part of the course without keeping up with the required blog entries and making comments on the blog entries of others.

Some people are writing some great entries, and it would benefit everyone to keep up with them.

Action List for Tuesday, October 21

2008-10-13T21:04:00.004-04:00

There is no class on Thursday, October 16, as I will be attending the Who Owns Writing conference at Hofstra University. The timing is pretty good since you can use the break to start working on your second major essay.

Read and be prepared to answer questions about the following sections in A Writer's Resource: (sections 5c and 5d [pgs. 48-52], 6c [pgs. 70-5], 10a-c [pgs. 121-30]).
Bring A Writer's Resource to class on Tuesday.
Review the strategies for developing ideas in A Writer's Resource and use some of them to develop ideas for your second essay.
Draft paragraphs for your essay if you think you have developed strong ideas and are ready to go.
Email Lauren with a sense of the focus you are going to take with this essay. Try to shape it into as strong of a thesis as possible. She'll take a look at it and reply with questions and such to get you thinking a bit more about what to do next. Just copy-and-paste into an email; don't worry about attachments. Get it to her by 4:00 PM or so on Monday, October 20 (I've told her she is under no obligation to offer feedback to anyone who sends it late).

Basically, get to work on that next essay now so that you can see me and/or Lauren if you have questions or to talk about drafts. There is plenty of time to get lots of feedback, but you have to use that time well.

Action List for Tuesday, October 14

2008-10-08T19:52:00.003-04:00

Things can move fast in a college course. Next week, we'll finish the second book, and you all will be starting serious work on the next essay.

Review the new policy on laptops in class.
Finish Blankets.
Prepare to take Reading Quiz #10 and to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic B, Team Two has Topic C, Team Three has Topic D, and Team Four has Topic A).
Create a blog post responding to Blankets that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

New Class Laptop Policy

2008-10-08T19:29:00.002-04:00

I understand that many of you prefer to type out notes rather than write them, but I'm concerned that it's too easy not to contribute to our discussions. So, if you pop open the computer now and then to type things, that's fine. But if you have the laptop open the entire time, please show me one full day's worth of note taking so I can see how you benefit from having it open the entire time and what results from all that typing. If you are taking pages of notes, then great. But if not, then that's problem. I also reserve the right to ask to see the notes you have taken (I may email you after class and ask you to send me a copy).

It's your choice if you want to come to class and engage with us or stay out and do the other work you are trying to do on the computer. Make a choice to be here or not.

Fun Home

2008-10-08T18:23:00.003-04:00

Before we get wrapped up in Blankets (so to speak), I wanted to put down a few thoughts about Fun Home, which is a book I love. I taught it last year in Gay and Lesbian Literature, but we focused mostly on the narrative, the pure story. In this class, of course, we're focusing on the relationship of text and image, and I got a lot more out of reading it this time around. I was really happy about some of the things that came up in our discussion, like how Henry said the father is drawn with strict, taut lines, while Bechdel draws herself much softer, like the child she is. That helped me point out the spot yesterday where the father's eyes seem larger and softer than in any other part of the text, signaling his shift in perspective at that moment. I also think Lauren is up to something when she pointed out the womb-like images of Bechdel lying on the floor with the telephone as a kind of umbilical cord. Kim's points about the father being drawn in drakness during one of his kinder moments earlier in the book is also spot on.

Now, the question will be how Blankets is similar and different. I'm already finding some interesting connections in my reading tonight.

Action List for Thursday, October 9

2008-10-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

We have finished the first major text of the course and will move on to the next.

Read chapters one and two of Craig Thompson's Blankets.
Prepare to take Reading Quiz #9 and to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic B, Team Two has Topic C, Team Three has Topic D, and Team Four has Topic A).
Create a blog post responding to Blankets that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.
Bring A Writer's Resource to class; at this point, you should be bringing Understanding Comics to class whenever we are discussing one of the major texts, too.
Read my suggestions on how to review your graded essays, and review your essay when I email it back to you.

Prompt for Essays Two and Three

2008-10-06T21:17:00.003-04:00

For your next two essays, you will be following the same guidelines. I want you to write an essay that analyzes how the writers we are reading use text and image to put forth a particular point. The specific focus of your essays will be up to you. Basically, you need to analyze and compare each book in regards to a whatever thesis you want to prove. Essay Two will focus on Bechdel and Thompson, and Essay Three will focus on Spiegelman and Satrapi.

One of the big traps to avoid is to make sure that you analyze rather than summarize. Summary is where you focus on what happens in a text; analysis is where you focus on how and why an author presents things. The strongest essays will use some of the theories in Understanding Comics to guide their analysis; I'll talk about how in class.

In fact, we'll spend lots of time in class talking about these essays. There will be several writing workshops in class, too. Know now that I will be looking for several things in this essay such as your ability to create a strong thesis, develop focused paragraphs with detailed evidence, and compose clear sentences. All evidence you cite for these essays should be in MLA format, whcih I will go over in class; I also expect you to use A Writer's Resource as your guide for all formatting and editing issues.

Essay Two is due by noon on Sunday, October 26, and Essay Three is due by noon on Sunday, November 23 (there is an error on the Course Schedule, but November 23 is the correct date). Each essay should be 4-6 pages long. Remember that essays should be in .doc or .rtf format, not .docx. Do not count on revising these essays, so make sure to turn in your best efforts.

Addendum: One thing I did not make clear early on is the issue of audience. You are not writing for me or your peers in this class. Write for a general, college-level audience who does not know these texts. In other words, you will need to describe things for readers who do not have the books in front of them or who were not privy to what we have discussed in class. Writing for a broader audience like this helps show me how well you can describe and analyze these images and words. In your revisions of the second essay and in the third essay, I will expect you to show an understanding of audience in this way.

Reviewing Your Graded Essays

2008-10-06T20:57:00.002-04:00

When you get an essay back from me, it's important that you do a few things. First of all, make sure that you can see all of my marginal comments. There will be a summary comment at the end with the grade, but there are also several comments in the margins. If you use Word 2003/4, then choose View and Markup. The comments should appear. In Word 2007/8, choose Balloons (in the reviewing pane) and Show Revisions in Balloons. Read over all of the comments. If you are confused about why you received the grade you received, then reread the prompt for the assignment and the Grading Rubric.

Anything highlighted in yellow refers to a sentence-level issue. Something is off in the area that I highlighted. There are probably several ways to fix it, but if you don't see the problem right away, use A Writer's Resource to help you. I will also gladly go over those things with you in my office.

If I am allowing you to revise, then make a plan for your revision. I also strongly advise you to see me and/or Lauren for guidance. But don't wait until the last minute, and don't just fix little things (unless you're in the B+/A- range and only have little things to fix). If you only fix a few things here and there, I may not raise the grade because it doesn't count as a true revision.

One thing to keep in mind about college is that a B+ counts as honors level work. If you earn a B+ in every class you take, you will graduate with a 3.33 GPA; you need a 3.25 to graduate with honors. I consider a B+ or higher to be honors-level work, and no one should feel bad if you earned "just" a B.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, let me know ASAP!

Action List for Tuesday, October 7

2008-09-29T22:01:00.003-04:00

As you know from the course schedule, there is no class meeting on Thursday, October 2, because I will be attending the Visible Memories Conference at Syracuse University. For our next meeting, you will have to have completed the reading that we would have done for both this Thursday and next Tuesday.

Check out the background information I have posted about Alison Bechdel.
Finish reading all of Fun Home.
Prepare to take Reading Quiz #8 and to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic A, Team Two has Topic B, Team Three has Topic C, and Team Four has Topic D).
Create a blog post responding to Fun Home that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Background Information on Alison Bechdel

2008-09-29T21:38:00.002-04:00

Alison Bechdel has been getting a lot of attention in the last couple of years because of Fun Home, which is #68 on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Best Books of the last twenty-five years. There are Wikipedia entries for her and Fun Home itself. Because she is still young and working tirelessly, it's probably not a surprise that she has a strong online presence. Check out her blog, her Flickr page, her YouTube channel, and her Facebook profile. It's very easy to get to know more about her as a writer and person.

These videos have a lot to teach us about Fun Home. If you missed me showing them in class, then check them out here.

Part One

Part Two

Action List for Tuesday, September 30

2008-09-24T23:29:00.004-04:00

The work we have been doing for the past few weeks has been preparing us for next week when we get into the texts that form the true substance of the course. That is, we're into it after you email the first essay to me.

Email Essay One to me following the guidelines I presented in class and list here; remember that the deadline is noon on Sunday, September 28.
Read chapters one and two of Alison Bechdel's Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.
Prepare to take Reading Quiz #7 and to discuss with the class how your team's discussion topic is at work in the text (Team One has Topic A, Team Two has Topic B, Team Three has Topic C, and Team Four has Topic D).
Create a blog post responding to Fun Home that focuses not just on your response but on how you see your team's discussion topic working in the text.

Discussion Teams and Topic Groups

2008-09-24T22:31:00.008-04:00

Ultimately, this is a class about critical reading, writing, and thinking. I think that the only way to improve your skills in those areas is to practice them as much as possible. For that reason, I have created the discussion teams listed below. Each of you is in a team, and each day we have a text to discuss, you will be in charge of initiating our discussion on a particular topic. I will always announce that topic in the action list so that you can be prepared.

Discussion Teams

Team One: Darryl, Lisa, Danny, Matt

Team Two: Kim, Mark, Keyokah, Kelsey

Team Three: Shawn, Henry, Jourdan, Alex

Team Four: Justin, Erin, John,

Discussion Topics

Topic A: Types of Transitions

Topic B: Depictions of Time and Motion

Topic C: Synaesthetics and Distinctions between Lines

Topic D: Relationships between Words and Pictures

Submission of Essay One

2008-09-24T21:36:00.005-04:00

Your first formal essay for this course (and perhaps in college) is now due. As you prepare the final draft, keep a few things in mind.

Reread the Prompt for Essay One to make sure that you remember all of the expectations I have for this essay.
Read the Grading Rubric so that you know how I will assess these essays and so that you can make any changes you see fit to make before you submit the final draft to me.
Make sure your essay is typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins on all side in a normal font like Times New Roman or Georgia.
Give your essay a title that is specific and germane to your approach.
Format your essay--including heading, title, and page numbers--so that it fits MLA; see chapters 29 and 30 of A Writer's Resource for an explanation of that style if it's new to you.
When everything is done, save in .doc or .rtf format and attach it to an email addressed to me.

I need to receive the final draft of Essay One by noon on Sunday, September 28, but you can send it anytime before then. If I have not received it by then, my late policy kicks in (see the syllabus if you don't remember what that is). By 6:00 PM, I will have written back to each of you to tell you that I received it. Give me about ten days or so to get them back to you because I want to make sure I give each one the time it deserves.

If you are unclear about how to do anything to make your essay fit the formatting guidelines, contact me or Lauren as soon as possible.

Grading Rubric

2008-09-24T21:26:00.001-04:00

Grading is a part of the course in which I do not necessarily find pleasure. While I enjoy responding to your essays and helping you improve your writing and deepen your thinking, having to put a letter at the end as sort of a final act is not fun. Still, grades are necessary parts of a college education, and after teaching for several years, I do have a clear sense of how to grade particular essays. It is my responsibility to be as clear as possible to you about how I grade and what you need to do to receive the grade you want. This rubric is meant to stimulate discussion between us about what makes strong writing. Let's go over your assignments together and talk about what to do to improve them. Use this as a starting place for learning and a guide as you draft and revise.

A "C" Essay:

Meets the general requirements of the prompt,
Follows a clear organizational plan,
Centers on a thesis or controlling purpose,
Uses concrete and specific details,
Provides supporting reasons and information,
Exhibits a basic sense of structure, and
Displays few grammatical and stylistic errors that do not impede meaning.

A "B" Essay:

Meets the requirements of the prompt fully,
Follows a clear organizational plan that does not feel rigid or confining,
Focuses on a specific and clear thesis or controlling purpose,
Uses concrete and specific details so that almost all reader questions are addressed,
Provides a range of supporting information, and
Displays strong sentence styles and structures.

An "A" Essay:

Goes beyond the requirements of the prompt,
Exhibits an original and insightful perspective,
Includes rich and vivid details that do not feel extraneous or overbearing,
Flows freely and never causes the reader to stumble or pause,
Explains ideas completely yet succinctly, and
Follows rules of grammar while also using a variety of sentence styles and structures.

A "D" Essay:

Generates text without much connection to the prompt,
Shows some problems in organization,
Follows tangents and irrelevant points,
Uses few details or only keeps things abstract,
Provides few reasons for support, and
Exhibits a disregard for sentence structure and grammar that impedes meaning.

An "E" Essay:

Does not meet the general requirements of the prompt including page length,
Uses little or no detail or support,
Does not display a clear plan for organization, and
Exhibits a clear and obvious disregard for sentence structure and style that impedes meaning.

Action List for Thursday, September 25

2008-09-22T23:03:00.004-04:00

It's most important now to continue work on the essay so that you are not writing it at the last minute.

Continue drafting essay one; contact Lauren and Nels with any questions. If you wish to schedule an appointment with Nels to go over your draft, please do so.
Read Understanding Comics (chps. 4-9).
Compose a blog post about the reading, and prepare for Reading Quiz #6.

Action List for Tuesday, September 23

2008-09-17T23:09:00.004-04:00

You've got just over a week to complete the first essay, and we're going to transition to looking at graphic texts.

Email Lauren with a page or so of text for your first essay. It does not have to be perfectly formed and can just be two or three separate, disconnected paragraphs. She'll take a look at it and reply with questions and such to get you thinking a bit more about what to do next. Just copy-and-paste into an email; don't worry about attachments yet. Get it to her by noon on Monday, September 22 (I've told her she is under no obligation to offer feedback to anyone who sends it late).
Read Understanding Comics (chps. 1-4).
Compose a blog post about the reading, and prepare for Reading Quiz #5.

Action List for Thursday, September 18

2008-09-15T22:44:00.006-04:00

There is not a lot of reading for Thursday, so think about your writing while you have some time.

Read the essay by Beth Richards and bring any questions about it to class since she will be joining us; remember that we have Reading Quiz #4, too.
Post a response to the Richards essay on your blog; in this response, try to move away from simple expressions of like or dislike and dig into the writing more, perhaps by looking for the modes that we discussed in class or stating what you think the essay is about while explaining what in the essays makes you think what you think.
Fastwrite a few paragraphs for the portrait you are writing for class; try writing a paragraph in each of the modes we discussed in class.
Begin posting comments to the blogs of your colleagues; see the Prompt for Blog Postings for ideas of how to construct comments.

Strayed/Sedaris

2008-09-15T14:47:00.005-04:00

Bad professor! I said I'd post some thoughts about the readings after class, and I've taken this long to do it. Part of it is that we had a good discussion, and I don't have a lot to add. I find both of these essays to be very provocative, especially since they offer two extreme views of dealing with a mother's death. Perhaps these essays represent the two extremes of dealing with grief? Or perhaps they are more similar than we think? What I mean by "similar" is that both authors are kind of in denial, and they distance themselves from their grief, though sex or humor. More for me to think about....

As you read the other essays or re-read these, look for the different levels of writing, how authors move from high exposition/abstraction to intense description (and all the places in between). I'll return to this point in class.

Some favorite quotations:

"I lied not to protect myself, but because it would have been rude not to. To express loss on that level is to cross a boundary, to violate personal space, to impose emotion in a nonemotional place" (Strayed 299).

"'Now that's different,' she'd say. 'A living baby. All my grandchildren have been ground up for fertilizer or whatever it is they do with the aborted fetuses. It puts them under my feet but keeps them out of my hair, which is just the way I like it'" (Sedaris 111)

Action List for Tuesday, September 16

2008-09-10T23:10:00.003-04:00

As a reminder, the purpose of these Action Lists is to guide you so that you can produce the best work and earn the highest grade possible in this class (and, subsequently, in your other classes, too). I list the things I list so that you can know what concrete steps you can take to do well. Do everything, and you will be on the right track.

In addition to the same kind of reading you've been doing, it's time to start thinking about the writing.

Choose the person you are going to write about for your portrait and brainstorm some ideas, images, and memories for this person. Just sit down for a few minutes and write down everything that comes to mind about this person. Do not discard anything that comes to mind; keep a record of it all at first.
Download and print the three essays for Tuesday (Benson, Gropnik and Orlean); they are available on Blackboard (remember that I will print them for you if you come to me).
Read the essays and post responses to them on your blog; remember that Reading Quiz #3 is on Tuesday.
Bring the essays to class to help you during discussion.

Beard/Cooper

2008-09-10T17:24:00.005-04:00

I want to post some responses to the readings, too, but I think it makes the most sense for me to do it after. I mean, I don't want to give away answers to quizzes and let people who didn't do the reading get credit! And I think it makes sense, when necessary, to extend or comment on our discussion. I did love out discussion yesterday. We covered the range of issues I wanted to cove as well as ideas and points I didn't plan on, and I was glad to see some disagreement about which essay was stronger and such.

I'm a fan of both essays, but they are very different. Reading "The Fourth State of Matter" by JoAnn Beard again, I wonder if she takes too long to get to plot, to the "meat" of the narrative. I mean, I love the stuff about the dog and think it's important. It says a lot about her passivity and about her compassion. If she cut the part about the squirrels, would we be losing something? We would lose the great description I pointed out in class of the former beauty queen now able to herd goats and express the anal glands of a dog. It's a good question to consider, though. You don't want to lose readers before getting to the deeper substance of your piece.

Bernard Cooper's "101 Ways to Cook Hamburger" is different. It's not as linear or plot-driven, true. After class, I was thinking about the essay, and I think Cooper, who is just as passive as Beard, is an observor, a thinker, who spends his time watching people. Because of his fear, he hangs back. There's not much of a plot since he doesn't do much of anything. I do like his portrait of Theresa. She sounds fascinating, and he provides just enough that I feel like I can see her (even if he doesn't give a lot of details about her looks).

Both of these writers describe poeple well. Perhaps that's because of their passivity, the fact that they sit back and watch others do things. Pay attention to those descriptions; they'll help with the first essay.

Action List for Thursday, September 11

2008-09-08T19:27:00.005-04:00

You had a lot to do for Tuesday, I know. For Thursday, things are easier.

Download and print the two essays for Thursday (Strayed and Sedaris); they are available on Blackboard (remember that I will print them for you if you come to me).
Read the essays and post responses to them on your blog; remember that Reading Quiz #2 is on Thursday.
Bring the essays to class to help you during discussion (I often ask people to read passages out loud or to find quotations for us to discuss).

Prompt for Essay One

2008-09-08T18:57:00.005-04:00

Your first formal essay in this class pushes you to practice some of what we will talk about in the first few weeks of this course. We'll be reading various personal essays (without images or graphic elements); your assignment is to write one. More specifically, you are going to write a portrait of someone who used to play a role in your life but no longer holds the place of significance that they once held.

Any formal assignment in college may sound daunting at first, but you will not be at a loss for what to write in this essay nor will you write it at the last minute. In class, we will engage in several exercises to help you with this essay. What we read and the other activities should help you develop ideas and strategies for handling this essay. Also, you should feel free to ask questions of me or Lauren during any part of the drafting process.

One thing to keep in mind that is that, even though you are writing from personal experience, good essays do not necessarily reveal private details. Intense relationships do not necessarily make the best essays. And you're not auditioning for Jerry Springer or Dr. Phil. You just have to write an essay that has some personal meaning behind it that will be understandable to public readers.

I will post a general grading rubric later, but know that when I grade this essay, I will assess how well you describe this person and analyze their importance in your life then and now. I will also look at standard things professors grade in any assignment such as how you are able to create focused and developed paragraphs that move easily from one to the next.

The final draft of this essay should be three to four pages (double-spaced and in MLA format for heading, page numbers, etc.), and it is due by noon on Sunday, September 28. Attach it to an email message (in .doc or .rtf format) and send it to me. I will reply and let you know that I received it and was able to open it. Please give me at least ten days to grade these; I will return them to you by attaching the graded copy to a reply to your previous email message.

Action List for Tuesday, September 9

2008-09-03T20:21:00.007-04:00

There's a fair amount to do for next week, but some of it is preparatory work that makes the rest of the semester easier. You can find important links to course documents in the sidebar to the right.

Read through the syllabus, and ask Nels any questions it raises for you (by email or in class).
Buy the books and/or order them online.
Create your blog, email the URL to Nels, and post an introduction of yourself.
Download and print the two essays for next week (Beard and Cooper); they are available on Blackboard (remember that I will print them for you if you come to me).
Read the essays and post responses to them on your blog; remember that Reading Quiz #1 is on Tuesday.
Bring the essays to class on Tuesday to help you during discussion (I often ask people to read passages out loud or to find quotations for us to discuss).

Prompt for Blog Postings

2008-09-01T15:56:00.003-04:00

As I said in the post about creating a blog, I believe that writing in a public space can be very beneficial. I think it's something can really enhance your learning. As stated on the syllabus and schedule, you will post a response to the class readings by the start of class on the day we discuss that reading. You can post your response days early or in the hour or two before class, just as long as it's up before class begins. I plan to read through as many of the posts as possible to get a feel for what everything thinks so that I can decide how to shape our class discussion.

Each post you make should have some substance to it. It should be at least a couple of hundred words or so. Other than that, there are various directions you can take. This is where you can give your gut level reaction to the texts. What did it make you think and/or feel? You can ask questions about it. Did it confuse? Does it get you thinking about something bigger? Once we're into the course, you can make connections to other things we've read, pointing out connections (or disconnections). Just respond. Grammar and organization and all that are not a big deal for these posts. It's okay to write quickly from the gut.

A few times each week, you should also post comments to posts by your classmates. Again, go for some substance, something more than "I agree." Ask them questions. If they say something about one part of the book that reminds you of another part, describe it. Basically, extend what they said in some way.

Remember that anything you write is publicly available. It's even possible that the authors of what we are reading could read your responses to their work. That does not mean you should not be critical. Just be professional and detailed. If you didn't like something, explain why. Does the language seem too affected for you? Do you think they don't provide enough details or evidence for their points? Even if you love it, be clear about why.

In the end, what you write is not as important as the fact that you describe your gut-level responses to what we've read. There will be times when I ask you to do something specific in your postings, but most of the time, it's about your thoughts. I'm looking forward to reading them!

Creating a Blog

2008-08-31T20:34:00.005-04:00

There are certain beliefs I have that fuel my thinking about teaching. One, writing is not just something you learn to do but something you do to learn. In other words, when you sit down and write, especially informally, you give yourself the chance to open you mind to new thoughts. Sometimes, you start out writing about one thing but end up writing about something else, surprising yourself and learning something. Two, sharing your ideas with others helps you to learn even more in the end. First of all, when you know people are going to read what you write, you think about it more deeply and make sure that you are clear about what you want to say. Second, when people respond to your writing, they help you deepen your thinking even more, pushing you to explore new angles and different perspectives. That is why each of you is creating a blog for this class where you will create posts of your initial reactions to ou reading and other activities.

Creating a blog may sound really confusing at first, but it's not that big of a deal. If you would like help creating it, meet with me in my office, and we can do it together on my computer. Also, you can change just about everything about your blog later, so if you change your mind or learn something new that you want to incorporate, you usually can alter things later.

Here's how to create a basic blog for this class.

1) Go to Blogger.com. At the bottom right of the page, there is an orange arrow that says "Create Your Blog Now." Click on that.

2) Answer all of the questions on this page. Put in whatever email address you want, such as your hartford.edu address. The most important part of this page is where it says "Display Name." This is the name that is publicly available to the world. You do not have to use your full name or even your real name. You can use just your first name, a nickname, or a something else entirely. It should be something somewhat professional, and you will need to let me know what it is. Your classmates will probably need to learn it, too. But using a name other than your real one means that Google will not be able to connect this blog to you. If you want Google to find you, then use your name. If not, then choose something completely different. If you don't care, I recommend using your first name or initials. The choice is ultimately yours. When you are done with everything, click "Continue."

3) Give your blog a title, which is up to you. You can use something simple ("My Class Blog") or a song lyric or phrase or whatever. Again, it should be somewhat professional, but you can have fun with it. Then choose an address. Click "Continue."

4) Choose a template. You can change this later. But chose something for now and click "Continue."

5) You are done and ready to blog! Your first post should be an introduction of yourself. Just tell the rest of us in class whatever you'd like us to know. Feel free to add links and images (something you should feel free to do to any of your entries). Also, email me with your blog's address. I can then add you to the list of student blogs on the course blog and make sure you get credit for your work.

Some of you make take to blogging very easily, and some of you may be cautious or balk at it. It won't take long for you to get the hang of things. You may never get so into it that you'd want to do it on your own, but you'll do fine in terms of class expectations. As I say constantly, let me know if any concerns or questions arise.

Contacting Nels

2008-08-31T20:09:00.005-04:00

It's very important that we stay in contact with each other throughout the course. If problems arise or you ever have any questions or concerns, you have to let me know as soon as possible. Luckily, there are lots of ways to contact me.

1) The best way to reach me is to email me. I love email because it creates a clear record of our conversation that we can refer back to later. I'm sure you, like me, have a lot going on in your life, so being able to go back and check what we talked about after the fact is very useful.

2) Come by my office (Auerbach 212B) and see me. As stated on the syllabus, my office hours are from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. If you're in the area during those times, drop by. I do recommend that, when possible, you set up a time to meet by email or when you see me in class because I do have various meetings on and off campus. I am in and out of the office a lot, but we should be able to make a time to meet easily. It's great to meet face-to-face to go over drafts of your formal assignments or my comments on graded versions or when we need to talk about something in detail.

3) You can send messages or post on my wall on Facebook. I never add students as friends first (because I know you may want to keep some things private), but if you add me as a friend, I will confirm it. Then, you can contact me on there. Know that I get notification of all Facebook messages and wall posts by email, so email is still the quickest way to get to me, but Facebook will work.

4.) Instant message me if you have Gmail or are on Facebook. When I'm logged into email or Facebook, you can message me, which is great for a quick question. Many times, especially when I'm home outside office hours, I'm just jumping on and off quickly, or I'm logged in but away from the computer, so I may not respond or may have to leave quickly. But this can work for a quick question or if you want to make sure I'm in my office if you are hoping to stop by.

5) Comment here on the blog. If you have a question you can ask publicly about something in a post on here, feel free to leave a comment. I'll respond when I get it. Like Facebook, though, I get email notifications of comments first, so that is quicker, but I will read all comments posted to this blog.

Like I said, stay in touch and let me know whatever it is you think I need to know thoughout the semester. And let's talk whenever you have any concern in mind.

Welcome to the Course Blog!

2008-08-31T15:46:00.001-04:00

If you're reading this, there's a good chance that it's because you are enrolled in my section of FYS 100 at the University of Hartford for Fall 2008. At the time I'm writing this, it's still a few days before our first class meeting on September 4, but I'll be adding information to this blog throughout the week.

I have to say that I'm really excited about this class. I love what we're going to be reading, and I think it really will be possible to have fun with what we're doing this semester. I know I'm going to enjoy it, and I hope everyone else does, too.