What is Multimodal Writing?
exploring the lexicon of digital, hybrid, and visual media
A note on the CUNY Calendar: I do not practice the CUNY “Friday is a Monday schedule.” I have three other jobs and my own student duties, so I do not have the flexibility to just swap days. I assume that you also have responsibilities outside of my classroom and cannot just pretend that one day is *actually* another day. The calendar reflects this practice, but this may not be the same for other classes you take at CUNY.
| Date | In-Class Activities | For Next Class |
| Visual Rhetorics | Visual Rhetorics | Visual Rhetorics |
| Week #1
August 27, 2018
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Syllabus overview: introduce labor logs, course site, everyone sign up for the Commons!
Introduce project #1: Rhetorical Analysis of a Cultural Artifact ~ 2000 words; (20% of course grade) |
NEW ANNOUNCEMENT 8/28
To read: Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing and “Understanding Visual Rhetoric in Digital Writing Environments” and Dr. Traci Gardner’s “When Your Grades Are Based on Labor” and “Labor Log”, then complete labor log #1 and post to Labor Log #1 on the Commons To do: respond with your understanding of the authors’ main points and your response to those claims,~300 words, Commons blog (tag #Week1) To do: Introductory Survey EVERYTHING IS DUE THE SUNDAY BEFORE OUR CLASS IS SCHEDULED BY 11:59pm |
| Week #2
September 3, 2018 |
LABOR DAY – NO CLASSES SCHEDULED | Labor log #2 DUE
Find an example of an online story that uses visual elements within the article. Using Hocks and the graphic guide, analyze how the visual element relates to the text. Describe both the intent of the article and the role the visual element plays in conveying the primary message, ~300 words, Commons blog, (tag #Week2) To watch: ContraPoints: What’s Wrong with Capitalism? Pt. 1 and Pt. 2 EVERYTHING IS DUE THE SUNDAY BEFORE OUR CLASS IS SCHEDULED BY 11:59pm |
| Week #3
September 10, 2018 |
ONLINE – NO CLASSES SCHEDULED | Labor log #3 DUE
To watch: Black Mirror Season 1 Episode 2: Fifteen Million Merits (Netflix) and respond by analyzing the role that visual elements play in the episode, e.g. in the protagonist’s daily life, in the culture outside of the setting of the episode, connect to Contrapoints | What’s Wrong with Capitalism Pts. 1 & 2, ~300 words, Commons blog (tag #Week3) To do: bring notes for your rhetorical analysis project-see Dr. Carmen Kynard’s guide to rhetorical analysis-have an artifact selected by Week #4. EVERYTHING IS DUE THE SUNDAY BEFORE OUR CLASS IS SCHEDULED BY 11:59pm |
| Week #4
September 17, 2018 |
Labor log #4 DUE
UPDATED: To read:
Rhetorical Analysis (Project #1 DUE) Submit as a “Post” to the course site, check “Project #1” category, privacy settings are up to you, but be sure to invite me if you choose to post privately. EVERYTHING IS DUE THE SUNDAY BEFORE OUR CLASS IS SCHEDULED BY 11:59pm |
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| Co-Creation of Knowledge and Identity Online | ||
| Week #5
September 24, 2018 |
Introduce project #2: Research Project (2 components)
Reflective Annotated Bibliographies of 4 texts (including *1* unassigned academic reading from our course site): ~500 words each (20% of course grade) Research-Based Argument Paper: |
Labor log #5 DUE
To read: “Wikipedia, the Last Bastion of Shared Reality” by ALEXIS C. MADRIGAL and “Teens Are Debating the News on Instagram” by Taylor Lorenz; watch Black Mirror Season 3 Episode 1: Nosedive (Netflix) To do: how is your reality co-/constructed? provide at least one specific example, ~300 words, Commons blog (tag #Week5) ***NEW: bring at least two (2) potential sources to class for review with your writing groups. Be prepared to talk about how you find the sources you chose. |
| Week #6
October 1, 2018 |
Research-Based Argument Paper: ~2000 words (20% of course grade); look at sample essays; research lecture!
Look at Sample Annotated Bibliography |
Labor log #6 DUE
To watch: Black Mirror Season 4 Episode 1: U.S.S. Callister (Netflix) and “Mobilizing a Movement of the Mind” by Aja Monet To read: “When the First Voice You Hear is Not Your Own” by Jacqueline Jones Royster, “How Twitter Became Home to the Teen Status Update: ‘Local Twitter’ is a booming network of basic, young suburbanites across the country.” by Taylor Lorenz Make connections between/among the texts, ~300 words, Commons blog (tag #Week6) ***NEW: Post your Project #2 Research Essay prewriting (tag #Project2) ***NEW: respond to the members of your writing group’s posts with at least 100 words; offer one observation of something they wrote that interested you and offer one piece of constructive criticism by 10/14 at 11:59pm (tag #Week7)
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| Week #7
October 8, 2018 |
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY – NO CLASSES SCHEDULED | Labor log #7 DUE
To watch: Lemonade (visual album) by Beyoncé and read What Do the Teens Know About this Tweet That We Don’t? by Ashley Feinberg and “How Instagram Threads Became the WikiHow for Gen Z” by Taylor Lorenz ***NEW: Post your Project #2 Research Essay prewriting (tag #Project2) ***NEW: respond to the members of your writing group’s posts with at least 100 words; offer one observation of something they wrote that interested you and offer one piece of constructive criticism by 10/14 at 11:59pm (tag #Week7) |
| Week #8
October 15, 2018 |
Midterm check-in during class
Introduce self-evaluations!: after you’ve submitted each Project, post a ~500-word self-reflection where you assign yourself a grade based on your labor for each Project (cite Labor Logs!) |
Labor log #8 DUE
To watch: Black Mirror Season 3 Episode 6: San Junipero (Netflix) and Black Mirror Season 4 Episode 4: Hang the DJ (Netflix) To read: “It Was the Gatekeepers Who Failed: The internet doesn’t actually offer an unconstrained marketplace of ideas.” by CONOR FRIEDERSDORF and “The Big Lie at the heart of the technology revolution” by Damon Linker ***NEW: POST PROJECT #2 DRAFT, Commons blog (tag #Week8 and #Project2) |
| Creative and Weird Writing! | ||
| Week #9
October 22, 2018 |
Project #2 WORK | Labor log #9 DUE
To do: play assigned Porpentine games: Neon Haze, Frolic RPG, One-Move Boss, All Your Time-Tossed Selves, and Sim Crystal Mud City! and Tyler Vile’s Hasidic Witch Murderer; and finally, read Stephon Lawrence’s poems in glittermob ~300-word response on Commons blog: what was your experience like? what emotions or sensations did you have? who is Porpentine’s intended audience? can you envision any other situations where the “twine” style of text-play would be appropriate or effective? (tag #Week9) ***NEW: POST PROJECT #2 FINAL, Commons blog (tag #Project2) |
| Week #10
October 29, 2018 |
In-class reflection on Project #2; PROJECT #2 DUE DATE | Labor log #10 DUE
To watch: Her (Netflix) To do: provide some thoughts on your own relationship to technology: what media feels authentic to your experience? much popular media dealing with technology focuses on thriller or horror genres; what do you think is next for tech? multimedia response! – make a meme/GIF that speaks to your relationship to technology and write a short reflection to accompany your multimedia submission, Commons blog (tag #Week10) |
| Academic & Professional Writing | ||
| Week #11
November 5, 2018 |
Project #3 Intro: Portfolio, Cover Letter, and “Re-Mediated” Revision | Labor log #11 DUE
To do: make me a “non-traditional” resume: video, infographic, portfolio, etc. (some tips) and post to the Commons (tag #Week11) |
| November 10: Course withdrawal period ends. Last day to withdraw from a class with the grade of “W” | ||
| Week #12
November 12, 2018 |
WordPress crash course!; if we have time: #Week11 reflection and response workshop w/ writing groups | Labor log #12 DUE
Post a draft of your reflection on your “non-traditional” resume to the Commons blog (tag #Week12) |
| Week #13
November 19, 2018 |
In-class portfolio workshop w/ writing groups | Labor log #13 DUE |
| Week #14
November 26, 2018 |
Portfolio and re-mediated revision workshop w/ writing groups | FINAL Labor log #14 DUE
Reflection on remediation, ~300 words, Commons blog (tag #Week14) |
| Week #15
December 3, 2018 |
In-class reflection on Project #3 DRAFT; ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS | |
| Week #16 | ||
| December 10, 2018 | NO OFFICIAL CLASS MEETING
LAST DAY OF FALL CLASSES open Office Hours/Study Hall in VC 6-145
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FINAL PORTFOLIO AND ALL FINAL REVISIONS DUE December 17 |
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