Good news: no BlogWork this week

Hi gang,

Since you have both a writing assignment and a reading assignment for next week, I've decided not to post a blog assignment for Monday. You're welcome.

Remember, your revision for essay 1 is due on Wednesday, and your reading assignment for Monday is "Barbie, G.I. Joe, and Play in the 1960s," which can be found on p. 772 of your reader.

See you Monday!

Tag--you're it!

Hi everybody,

For this assignment, something easy--we're going to play the blog version of "tag."

Here's how it works: for Monday, I've asked you to read two essays: Understanding Star Wars and Celebrities Who Arent Really Celebrities. Each article contains words or references that you might find unfamiliar or challenging. For your blog assignment, you will be given a word or reference by the previous poster in the blog. You are to describe or define that word or reference as completely as you can. Then you are to leave another word or reference for the next person who posts on the blog.

For example: let's say I log into the blog, and the person before me asks, "Who is Frances Ford Coppala?" (Coppala's name is mentioned in the fourth paragraph on page 329 in the Understanding Star Wars essay.) I would write, "Frances Ford Coppola is a noted American film director whose works include such famous films as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now. Then, to complete my entry, I would post, "What was Ronald Regan's Strategic Defense Initiative?" (it's mentioned on page 328 of the Understanding Star Wars article) The next person would answer that question, and then leave a question of his or her own, and so forth.

Got it? OK the, I'll start. What was Ronald Regan's Strategic Defense Initiative?

Have fun!

When in the Course of Human Events...

Hello everyone,

Your reading assignment for Wednesday, September 20, is the Declaration of Independence. You can find the text of the Declaration here. As with any reading assignment, please make sure you read this piece more than once, and come to class prepared to discuss it. If you read the Declaration online, use a separate piece of paper to take any notes you may need for the class discussion.

On Wednesday, you will also be handing in the drafts of Essay 1 that we worked on in class on Monday.

Thanks!

Blog Time

Hi everybody,

For our first blog assignment, let's keep it simple. I'd like you to describe your worst writing experience ever. What were you trying to do? What happened? What went wrong, and why? Be honest, be brutal, and be specific.

TO POST YOUR REPLY: Please click on the "comments" link below, and then enter your reply in the comments box. DO NOT post your reply as a new entry on the main blog page. Thanks.

See you Monday!

Welcome

Hi everybody,

Welcome to the class blog. The blog will not only provide us with a way of communicating with each other outside of the classroom, but will also serve as a forum in which we can launch discussions about our text and our work that can continue in class.

Each week, you'll be given a blog assignment that must be completed before Monday's class. The assignements are generally posted by Thursday evening, and must be completed by Sunday evening. Participation in these on-line blog discussions are mandatory, and will count toward your final grade.

Additionally, in the unlikely event that a class is cancelled due to inclement weather or instructor illness, you are required to check the blog for information on assignments or other instructions I might have for you.

Good luck to everyone this semester, and I look forward to working with you.