Essay # 3

For Essay # 3, you will need to synthesize your own views, opinions, and argument in response to two texts. You will develop an original opinion or position on a subject and make an argument supported by your own evidence and reasoning, close analysis of the text, and use of at least two additional outside sources (in addition to the two texts you are comparing/contrasting). So your works cited page should include at least four sources. You can compare/contrast texts that have a similar or disimilar argument, but you have to be sure to summarize those arguments and provide your own perspective on each. Use two additional outside sources to help support your conclusion/interpretation of the problem or issue being discussed within your two texts.

For this essay, there is no draft, and thus your final essay will be due on Friday, December 5th, via EMAIL by MIDNIGHT.

November 17th – 21st

This week, we will be watching The Matrix in class. You should take notes while in class and then, after we’ve finished the film, write a response to any one of the following sets of questions:

• Do we live in a matrix? How so? Discuss ways our society enslaves us. How does the film represent current or contemporary issues?

• If you were faced with the choice of reality vs. the matrix, which would you choose and why? Would you fight for freedom, like Neo and the rest of Morpheus’s crew, or would you decide “ignorance is bliss,” like Cypher does, and get reinserted into the matrix? Explain your reasons and be sure to make frequent reference back to the film.

• Discuss symbolism in The Matrix. What kinds of symbolic themes are present throughtout the film? this is a purposefully vague and open-ended question, but you would want to focus on certain symbolic elements within the film (whether color, items, words or phrases, etc) and how those elements symbolize a greater set of issues, problems, concerns, or ideology.

Rather than respond here on the blog, please turn in a minimum two page response in class on Wedesday, December 3rd. Your response to this film will count as TWO blog responses, so be sure to approach your chosen set of questions thoughfully and logically.

Week of November 10-14th & Blog Response Assignment

Hi folks – for Monday, Nov. 10th: Those of you who did not bring in your annotated bibliography last Friday need to do so on Monday. We’ll be breaking up into similar groups to discuss and share ideas on essays.

For Wednesday, Nov. 12th, please read: “Our Cell Phones, Ourselves” (pp 351-371) in Common Culture. Also, be prepared to discuss your progress on Essay # 3 with me and/or other students and come with any questions you might have about the research process or writing.

For the blog response this week, please choose one set of questions from the reading above  (at the back of the article) to respond to and post here by Friday, November 14th.

Friday, November 14th, instead of meeting in class, please use that time to continue doing research on your last essay.

Check back for updates for next week . . .

Week of November 3rd-7th

Remember that Monday, November 3rd, we do not have class.

On Wednesday, November 5th, class meets in Innovation Hall, Room 327. By then, you should have identified two texts that you will be comparing/contrasting for Essay #3. Come to class with copies of those texts, a paragraph that describes how you intend to approach the third essay (whether you agree or disagree and with what main argument) and be prepared to start research for your other two sources.

For Friday, November 7th, please come into class with an annotated bibliography, for each of your sources. Also, please read “The Asian Invasion (of Multiculturalism) in Hollywood (pp 543-565) in Common Culture and be prepared to discuss in class (or else be prepared to be tested on the material).

Week of October 27th – 31st

Ok, folks, don’t forget, Essay # 2 is DUE on Monday, October 27th. Please have read the following assignment for discussion in class:

• “Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked”
  
• “Video Games: A Cause of Violence and Aggression”

You should always be sure to print out the readings and bring them to class to refer to during conversations and any in-class writing responses you might be asked to do.

For Wednesday, October 29th, please read: Cowlishaw, Brian. “Playing War: The Emerging Trend of Real Virtual Combat in Currrent Video Games” (385-398). Common Culture Reader.

For this assignment, you have one of two choices for a response, as listed below. CHOOSE ONE and respond to any set of questions listed under each choice:

CHOICE ONE: Play a video game (either one you rent, one you or a friend already have, or go to a video game outlet), play it for a while, and then discuss, in your blog response how it reflects issues of gender, class, ethnicity, or culture.

Below are sets of questions — choose ONE set to respond to:

• If you chose a game with people in it, think about the following: consider the roles: were the people in the game baseball players, boxers, soldiers, etc.? What about ethnicities? What ethnicities did you identify? Who seems to have what role? – what color or gender, for example, are the “bad guys”?
  Who is the hero of the game? What did these people look like? – fat, skinny, muscular, tall, short . . . and what roles did each play? And how does any of this reflect popular or contemporary ideas around race, class, and/or gender?
• What was the goal of the game? To kill all your enemies? To get the gold? To win the race? What obstacles did you have to overcome in order to move from level to level or to win the game? How might any of this reflect contemporary culture (our ideas about success, what it takes to win, the “American” story or ideal, etc.)? In what ways was the game NOT like life?
• In what ways was the game totally fantasy-like or had elements that were not at all realistic of modern society? Perhaps these elements were of a past that no longer exist. And if so, how might that reflect a particular set of ideas in today’s culture; and if so, what?

CHOICE TWO: Answer any one set of the following questions:

• According to Cowlishaw, what is the relationship between realistic war games and first-person shooter (FPS) games? In what ways are they similar and/or different? Why do you think the author takes the time to discuss the differences between real and virtual experiences? What relevance does his discussion about virtual vs. real life experiences have on popular culture?
• Cowlishaw argues that video war games seek to mimic the “cinematic” experience of war. Why do you think video game producers do this? What does this suggest about popular culture?
• There has been a lot of debate around whether violent video games negatively influence children and young adults. How do you feel about this? Make an argument either way — and be sure to support your argument with logic and examples.

For Friday, October 31st, please read: “Borg Journalism” (pp 407-418) in Common Culture and be prepared to discuss in class.

Monday, November 3rd: NO CLASS / check blog for assignment for Wednesday, Nov. 5th.

Readings & Assignments for October 17th – 27th

For Friday, October 17th, you should be coming to class with your revised annotated bibliography and three quotes from each reading that you believe will be useful to your argument.

Essay # 2 Drafts are due on Monday, October 20th IN CLASS! Please see Essay # 2 page (you can also click on link at top of this blog page) for details. You must bring in three copies of your draft to class on Monday.

For Wednesday, October 22nd, come to class with comments for peers on drafts; though you will discuss your thoughts with your peers, you need to have several thoughtful responses written on each draft. Rather than meeting in Innovation Hall, we will meet in our regular classroom.

For Friday, October 24th, please read the following:

• “Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked”
  
• “Video Games: A Cause of Violence and Aggression”

Be prepared to discuss (and even write about) these readings in class. You should always be sure to print out the readings and bring them to class to refer to during conversations and any in-class writing responses you might be asked to do.

FINAL ESSAYS DUE ON Monday, October 27th!

For week of October 13th – 17th

For Wednesday, October 15th, please come into class with an annotated bibliography for Essay #2.

An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of resources. Each entry includes the standard bibliographic (works cited) citation – author, title, publisher, etc. – found in any bibliography, plus a concise (about a paragraph or two) description of the resource and some comment on its value or relevance to your argument.

An annotation is generally more than just a summary of a reference. Rather, each annotation should describes and analyze that specific resource. Points to consider when making your analysis are:

• content of the resource
• usefulness and/or scope of the resource
• limitations of the resource
• reliability and/or credentials of the author(s)
• intended audience
• significant or special features of the work
• your reaction to the resource
• how it will help support your argument

Week of October 6-10

For Monday, October 6th: Read Intro to Chapter on Technology, “Breaking Down Borders” and “Cyberhood vs. Neighborhood” (pp 337-351) in Common Culture. Respond to any one set of questions in “Examining the Text” at the back of one of the two chapters (here on blog – responses must be posted by 7 a.m.); come in prepared to discuss a question from the other chapter.

For Wednesday, October 8th: Meet in Innovation Hall, Room 327; bring in a paragraph that describes your argument in response to one of the two texts we discussed last week, as well as your intended approach for your next essay. Also, come prepared to begin your research for Essay # 2 (we will begin research in class).

For Friday, October 10th: Locate and bring in one scholarly article or data set that supports your essay argument (and be prepared to discuss how and why).

Monday, 9/29 – 10/3

Your final essay is due on Monday, September 29th. We’ll begin to discuss essay # 2 and do an in-class writing exercise. No reading or blog assignment due on Monday.

For Wednesday, October 1st, please read: “Stoooopid …. why the Google generation isn’t as smart as it thinks” and write, on this blog, your thoughts in response to this article. You agree or disagree with the author? Why or why not? You should have posted your blog response by Wednesday morning, before class starts.

For Friday, October 3rd, / Please check blog again Friday afternoon to see what to do for next week (including reading for Friday). So for next week, please have this article read: “Is Google Making us Stupid?” and come into class with your proposed argument (for or against the two above articles) and be prepared to explain what approach you intend to take. You don’t need to know yet HOW you will argue, but rather what you hope to argue and how you plan to do your research and what evidence you hope to offer.

Week of September 22nd – 26th

By Friday, 9/19 class: please read: “Keeping it Real: Why We Like to Watch Reality Dating Television Shows”  (pp 193-200) in Common Culture.

We will NOT have class on Monday, Sept 22nd. Please use that time to continue working on your essays and/or attend one of the Fall for the Book festival events (throughout the week). Anyone who blogs about one of the Fall for the Book events/readings by Friday will receive extra credit.

Here’s the schedule of readings for Wednesday, 22nd and Friday, 26th:

Wednesday, 9/24: Read A Writer’s Reference Chapter: Punctuation, P1 & P2; Class Meets in Innovation Hall, Room 327 – we will go over some of the common issues I identify within your first sets of drafts.

Also, go to the Writer’s Reference website, sign in, click on “Grammar Exercises” to the left, then click on “Punctuation” and do the following exercises (accessible via links on right of page): E-ex P1-3: All uses of the comma / please complete these exercises before class on Wednesday

Friday, 9/26: Read: “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals” (pp 73-91) in Common Culture. Bring in a link to an advertisement (i.e. on You Tube) that you think fits three or more of the elements described in the article and be prepared to discuss your example.

Your FINAL ESSAYS, along with your first draft, as well as peer and instructor comments will be due the following Monday, September 29th.