Download Writing 101: Writing as Conversation

Writing 101: Writing as Conversation
Unit 1: The Conversation Model
In this unit, we will discuss the ways that your writing can be thought
of as a conversation—a discussion among various people who share common
interests and concerns. In a conversation, we must both listen and
speak. Thus, understanding writing as a conversation brings together
two key facets of the writing process: looking inward to form one’s own
opinions, and looking outward to the world in order to consider other’s
perspectives. In conversational writing, we must both read and write,
taking into account the words and ideas of others while still
confidently voicing our own.
Reading: Introduction to Conversations, which describes the
“conversational” model of writing.
Topics:
A. Hearing Civic Conversations:
1. Education
a. Models for Secondary Schools
b. Public vs. Private Education
c. Alternative Models: School Vouchers and Charter
Schools
d. Alternative Settings: Smaller Schools and Home
Schools
2. Social Problems
a. Gun Regulation
b. Who Owns the News?
c. Does Pornography Cause Harm to Women?
d. Will American Accept Gay Marriages and Gay Families?
e. Is Genetic Engineering a Threat or a Moral
Imperative?
Resources: Conversations Companion Website, Introduction to Student
Resources section
Unit 2: Prewriting: Inventing and Assessing Your Beliefs
In this unit, we’ll develop some techniques for prewriting, a stage of
the writing process that asks us to reflect on our own predispositions
on a topic, as well as on the ideas of others. Before we can feel
confident enough to make a well-constructed statement on any topic, we
must first gather and articulate our own beliefs, and then see how they
stand up as we listen to others. We’ll do some exploratory activities
such as brainstorming, freewriting, and group conversations on specific
issues, followed by some readings that will help you to consider how
others have expressed themselves on those same crucial topics.
Topics:
A. Issues of Social Class
1. Who Has Access to the Best Schools?
2. What Does It Mean to Be Literate? The Digital Divide
3. How Does Social Class Affect Crime and Punishment
B. Issues of Gender
1. Defining Gender
2. Is English Sexist?
3. Does Pornography Hurt Women?
4. Women and Guns
Resources: Exercises in the Conversation Starters sections of the
Conversations Companion Website.
Unit 3: Widening Your Perspectives: Assessing Arguments
In the last unit, we discussed some of our own views, and how they
might change in light of the ideas of others. In this unit we will use
a model of critical reading in order to consider the ways in which we
might make considered judgments on complex issues. Critical reading
means that as we read the ideas of others, we are assessing their
credibility in a number of ways: the quality and quantity of support
provided, the tone and presentation of that supporting evidence, and
the relative value of each argument in light of other authors’
perspectives. By reading a series of essays on a similar topic, we’ll
be able to imagine a conversation or dialogue taking place among the
various writers—a conversation that we will eventually enter ourselves.
But first, we must learn to make value judgments based upon careful
analysis rather than mere intuition.
Topics:
A. Issues of Family and Relationships
1. What is a Marriage?
2. What is a Family?
3. Should Gay Marriage and Adoption Be Permitted?
B. Civil Rights and Civic Responsibilities
1. Conformity and Activism: What Does Democratic Citizenship
Require?
2. What is the Scope of Government Regulation 1: Gun Control
3. What is the Scope of Government Regulation 2: Regulation of
Fast Food
4. The USA Patriot Act: How much information about us should
the government have?
Resources: Exercises in the “Getting into the Conversations” sections
of the Conversations Companion Website.
Unit 4: Considering Stylistic Options
In this unit, we’ll practice using the various styles that are
available to us in the English language, and discuss some ways that
style can be suited to purpose and audience. As we practice these
skills, we’ll read about the concept of literacy, in order to better
understand how writing style—and even issues of “proper” writing—can
change depending upon the rhetorical situation. We’ll also discuss
methods of disseminating ideas—the many media within which we can
“publish” (i.e., make public our ideas and words—and how our language
styles must be adapted to those media.
Topics:
A. What is Literacy?
1. Literacy Narratives: Franklin and Douglass
2. What Does it Mean to be Educated? What’s College For?
B. Media
1. Big Media: Who Owns the News?
2. Alternative Media: A New Free Press?
3. Two-Way Media: Is Talk Radio Good for Democracy?
Unit 5: Organizing an Argument
In this unit, we’ll study the various ways that other authors have made
arguments. As such, we’ll spend a good deal of time analyzing differing
approaches to making an argument. Some authors are direct and linear,
stating a thesis and defending it. Some use stories or narratives to
illustrate their case. Others use refutation, arguing against contrary
viewpoints. Arguments can be built based upon practical experience or
theory, upon hard scientific “facts” or emotional reactions. By
studying the variety of argumentative styles in the essays we’ll read,
we’ll try to develop our own repertoire of approaches to argument.
Topics:
A. Analyzing Arguments on Genetic Engineering
B. Analyzing Civic Arguments: Cocaine Penalties and Technological
Surveillance
Unit 6: Getting into the Conversation: Research and Becoming an
Informed Speaker
In this unit, we’ll discuss methods of becoming a more informed speaker
and writer on any given topic. First, we’ll explore some of the
available research tools for gathering information and opinions, both
in print and via electronic sources. Then we’ll return to some of the
topics about which you’ve been reading. Using both your own research
and information found at the Conversations Companion Website, you’ll go
more in depth on a topic of your choice. You’ll have the opportunity to
report your findings to the class for further “conversation.” This will
also prepare you for an independent research project on one of the
civic issues contained in our textbook.
Topics:
A. Using Research Tools: Books and Periodicals
B. Using Research Tools: Using Electronic Sources
Resources: Exercises in the Web Explorations and Web Destinations
sections of the Conversations Companion Website.
Unit 7: Interpreting and Using Visual Rhetoric
In this unit, we’ll apply the various methods of reading we’ve been
discussing—looking at rhetorical situation, styles, how authors appeal
to readers, etc.—to another type of persuasion: visual rhetoric. Visual
rhetoric is persuading with images rather than words (or through the
combination of images and words). This type of persuasion is a very
powerful tool. We’ll first discuss ways that others use visual
rhetoric, analyzing examples in Conversations’ “Visual Conversations”
sections, as well as images linked to the Companion Website for the
book. Then we’ll discuss some ways that you can effectively incorporate
visuals into your own writing.
Topics:
A.
Reading Visual Rhetoric: How Images Persuade
1. Images as Political Action: Visual Conversations 2 and 5
2. Defining Gender through Pictures: Visual Conversations 3
3. Gay Marriage in the Public Eye: Visual Conversations 4
C. Using Visual Rhetoric
1.
2.
3.
4.
Available Technologies
Using visuals with decorum
Academic style and visual aids
Visual arguments in the public sphere
Resources: Instructor’s Resources on Visual Rhetoric
Unit 8: Revision
In this unit of the course, we’ll discuss techniques of revision.
Revision is more than editing errors. Instead, it involves reviewing
your original draft and determining the parts that work well—along with
those that could be more effective with additional supporting evidence,
could be made more clear by using a different style, or could be more
logical with a more focused organization of ideas. As an example, we’ll
discuss the debate on single motherhood in Part 4 of Conversations, and
see how each author “revises” his or her thoughts in reaction to the
ideas of other authors, and the impact of additional information and
new perspectives.
Topics:
A. Arguments on Single Motherhood: Whitehead, Young, Elshtain, and
Steinfels