This is the post for the week of May 3, 2016.
Readings for the week of May 3
For this week, please review the following as needed:
Work for the week of May 3
Submit your revised draft by 11:59 PM on Monday, May 9, following the instructions below. Project 4 is the final exam. There is no grace period on this project.
- Go to the "Genre Analysis Report" assignment in Canvas.
- Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
- Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
- Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
- Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
- Tell me how well you met your goals.
- Tell me anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
- Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in. Remember that there are no revisions or rewrites after your work is graded.
Thanks to everyone for a great semester, and for those of you graduating, best of luck as you embark on your careers.
Last updated on 2nd May, 2016, 10:15 AM
This is the post for the week of April 5, 2016.
Readings for the Week of April 5
Work for the Week of April 5
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Use the Genre Analysis Examples to guide you as you gather information and draft your own report. You will work on different topics, but the arrangement and kind of information that they include is similar to what you need to work on.
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To prepare for writing your report, compare the Tables of Contents for the Genre Analysis Examples, and complete the Project 4 Organization Quiz in Canvas by 11:59 PM on Monday, April 11. If you need more time, you have a 2-day grace period, which ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 13.
Last updated on 28th March, 2016, 2:56 PM
This is the post for the week of March 29, 2015.
Readings for the week of March 29
For this week, please read the following as needed:
Work for the week of March 29
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Choose your focus for Project 4, following the advice in Step One of the assignment. Consider the various kinds of writing you can examine in your report, and choose one that you have not yet written in your career but that you want to know how to write.
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Write your proposal, following the instructions on the Genre Analysis Proposal page. If you need an extension, take advantage of the 2-day grace period for daily work. The proposal is an important part of the process, since it makes sure that you’re on the right track before you dive into writing the actual report, which is worth 15% of your course grade.
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Begin your research for the project, and be sure to keep track of your sources for your bibliography. This is a large project, so I encourage you to work steadily over the next month, rather than waiting until the last minute.
Last updated on 27th March, 2016, 3:46 AM
As you begin work on your Genre Analysis Project, you can use these examples to guide your work.
Limited Access
I am limiting access to these examples since they were written by students in previous classes I taught. You will have to log into Google Drive, using your VT.EDU email address to access these files:
Students’ names have been removed from the examples and replaced with majors (e.g., “A CS Major”). Be sure to indicate your name on your report rather than your major.
Future Examples
I am hoping to use some of your reports as examples for classes in the future. I will ask for your permission during the last week of class.
Last updated on 27th March, 2016, 3:39 AM
After you spend some time thinking about the kind of writing you want to learn about in more detail, you will write a short, informal proposal that tells me what you propose to study. I will review and approve your proposal (or suggest some changes). Here are the details on what you need to do.
When Is the Proposal Due?
You will post your proposal in Assignments sections of Canvas by 11:59 PM Monday, April 4. There is a one-week grace period. Your proposal is worth 15 points of your overall grade for Project 4.
What Do You Write?
Write a short proposal that explains the genre (or kind) of writing that you will focus on for your report. You can return to Chapter 11 of Markel for additional help. Address the following points in your proposal:
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Background/Introduction
Give some background on your genre, your experiences with it to date, what you already know, etc. Then clearly state, "I would like to study this genre for the following reasons: . . . ." What are your motivations for doing work in this area?
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Areas to be Studied
What are the key points you will explore/research? What are some questions you will ask and try to answer with this project? What do you intend to do with this project?
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Methods of Research
What is your research strategy? What exactly are you planning to do to try to find answers to your questions?
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Timetable
What are your target dates for various stages of completion? You have five weeks for this project, so set some deadlines for yourself to ensure you are ready to share your rough draft on April 26 and turn in your project on May 9, as your final exam. Create your schedule to finish by the due date, and remember that there is no grace period on the final exam, since I must turn in course grades.
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Qualifications
What makes you qualified to do this research? What skills do you bring to the table that will help you deal with this topic effectively?
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Request for Approval
Ask for approval; ask for guidance, articulate your biggest concerns at this point; ask for suggestions about next right steps; provide contact information.
What Happens After You Turn In Your Proposal?
I will read all the proposals and give you feedback on your plan ASAP. Keep working on your project as if you have approval.
Last updated on 27th March, 2016, 3:04 AM