schedule
multimedia authoring: exploring the new rhetorics
engl 355 fall 2006

dr. patricia freitag ericsson ericsson@wsu.edu 335-4820 223 avery office hours: 1:15-2:00 tth and by appointment jared anthony (graduate assistant) jjanthony@wsu.edu

 

quick link to portal pages

CP - Course Pack;
ix/ve - visual exercises by Ball and Arola
AML - meet in the Avery Microcomputer Lab

This schedule is a work in progress. Assignments will be added and linked as the schedule grows throughout the semester. Plan to check the online version of this schedule at least once a week for updates. The online version is available at http://www.wsu.edu/~ericsson/355_sched_F06.html

Week 1	Aug. 22	Introduction to class; review of syllabus and schedule; academic honesty policy; skills/interests survey; discussion question "What is rhetoric?"
	Aug. 24	CP: Foss, Foss, and Trapp. "Perspectives on the study of rhetoric" Part 1: Identify Foss, Foss, and Trapp's definition of rhetoric and write it down (include a page number citation). Do these authors suggest any alternate definitions of rhetoric? If so, how are those definitions different from the one they settle on? Part 2: Search (online or in any texts you might have access to) for at least two definitions of rhetoric and bring them to class; be ready to explain what you think they mean and how they differ from the definition(s) presented in the reading for today.
Week 2	Aug. 29	Birdsell and Groarke, "Toward a theory of visual argument;" Part 1: Do Birdsell and Groarke believe that we can argue with images? Explain your answer in a paragraph or two using at least two direct quotes from the article (include the page numbers for these quotes so you can refer back to them). Part 2: What definition of rhetoric are Birdsell and Groarke working from? Do they believe any changes in a definiton of rhetroic are necessary in order to make a successful argument about arguing with images?
	Aug. 31	CP: Catherine Hobbs, "Learning from the past;" Part 1: Write a one-two sentence summary of Hobbs argument. If you can find a summary in her own words, you can use a quote. Then in one page or so, explain how she supports this argument--include page number references to particular points in the article. Part 2: Write a definition of rhetoric that you--at least at this point--think works well. If you borrow from a definition that has been used in class or that you found in your research that's OK; if you want to combine definitions fround in your research, that's OK too; if you want to create a definition of your own, OK. Your definition must be supported by a justification that explains why you have rejected other definitions and why the one you've chosen works.
Week 3	Sept. 5	AML: Jessica Helfand "Electonic typography: the new visual language;" In-class exercise
	Sept. 7	AML; CP: Manovich, Prologue: Vertov's dataset;" Read the linked handout before coming to class in addition to the Manovich reading. After reading the article, go back through the reading we have done so far this semester and find connections between what Manovich/Vertov are claiming and what the previous scholars we've read are claiming. Write down any/all connections you find--even if you're not sure about why they are connections. For as many of the connections as possible, write a brief explanation of your sense of how they are connected. Make sure you cite page numbers of all articles so that the specific points can be located by others. Citations should be in this form: (Birdsell and Groarke, p. xx) or (Hobbs, p. xi).
Week 4	Sept. 12	Movie: "The man with a movie camera;" See writing assignment below--due on Sept. 14
	Sept. 14	CP: Martin Solomon: "The power of punctuation;" Writing Assignment--due today
Week 5	Sept. 19	AML: Workshop on Helfand and Solomon Assignment # 1: Helfand claims that "We need to look at screen-based typography as a new language, with its own grammar, its own syntax, and its own rules. What we need are new and better models, models that go beyond language or typography per se, and that reinforce rather than restrict our understanding of what it is to design with electronic media." What models does she suggest and why? Assignment # 2: write a one paragraph overview of Solomon's argument about the importance of punctuation. Assignment #3: Flyer exercise
	Sept. 21	AML; An Alphabet that Thinks by Richard Lanham; Part 1: On page 132, Lanham begins to lay out the reasons why there is "a disinclination to use the mental, as well as the electronic, equipment. Summarize the reasons he provides to explain this disinclination. Part 2: At the bottom of page 144, there is a paragraph beginning "So where do we stand with the electronic book?" Read this paragraph carefully (BTW, you should look up the word "condign"). Then check out these links: Egyptian hieroglyph and Sumerian cuneiform. Write an explanation of how you understand Lanham's claims in this paragrph--but don't attempt the explanation until you've looked at the links. This explanation should be at least a paragraph in length. Part 3: Write a substantial response to one (1) of the questions below. a) What do you think of Lanham's critique of Sven Birkert's book? b) What do you think of Lanhams critique of Jane Healy's book?
Week 6	Sept. 26	CP: Nicholas Burbles, "Rhetorics of the Web: Hyperreading and Critical Literacy" Technology Autobiography assignment
	Sept. 28	AML; workshop on TA and peer groups set up; draft of TA completed and Peer Group notified by noon Oct. 1;
		NOTE SEVERAL CHANGES IN SCHEDULE FROM HERE ON
Week 7	Oct. 3	Meet in regular classroom; overview of all articles read so far; bring course pack other copies of articles to class; TA Peer Feedback Due
	Oct. 5	AML; ; process for completing ix/ve discussed;TA due; completion of comparison of articles read so far
Week 8	Oct. 10	AML; ix/ve 1, 2, 3 completed; discussion of comparison and charting of articles; begin Hypertext Multimedia Argument assignment
	Oct. 12	AML; CP: Scott McCloud, "The vocabulary of comics;" and "The infinite canvas: digital comics;" ix/ve 4, 5, 6 completed
Week 9	Oct. 17	AML; ix/ve 7, 8, 9 completed; Visual Argumentation Assignment (VAA) discussed
	Oct. 19	Visit WSU Art Museum; VAA (Anthony)
Week 10	Oct. 24	Draft HMA # 1 due and in-class presentation of HMA # 1; Discuss HMA #2 assignment; set rubric for HMA #2
	Oct. 26	AML: Draft of VAA Due; Workshop on HMA # 2 Storyboard; HMA # 1 due by 5:00 pm
Week 11	Oct. 31	AML; Storyboard due; in-class critique of Storyboard; Final Draft of VAA
	Nov. 2	AML; Workshop on HMA # 2; Professional Site Assignment (PSA)
Week 12	Nov. 7	AML; Presentations of PSA ideas--a brief oral overview of the kind of professional site you'd like to work on, including why you think it would be fun and what you have to offer as a team member--also include what kind of expertise you'd like to have on your team--teams will be made up of 4 members each; teams composed; Webfolio Assignment
	Nov. 9	In-class presentations of HMA # 2
Week 13	Nov. 14	In-class presentations of HMA # 2
	Nov. 16	In-class presentations of HMA # 2; HMA #2 due by 5:00 pm
Week 14	Nov.28	AML; PSA Workshop; PSA Storyboard and Proposals due at end of class
	Nov. 30	AML: PSA WorkshopAML; course evaluations
Week 15	Dec. 5	Presentations of PSA (PSA due the day your group presents)
	Dec. 7	Presentations of PSA
Finals Week	Dec. 12	Webfolio due by midnight date Dec. 12

 

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