Archive forFebruary, 2007

Josh’s discussion starter

February 26, 2007 @ 7:39 pm · Filed under Assignments, ENG251, discussion starter

Read this for Thursday (3/1).

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discussion starter for 2/27/07

February 26, 2007 @ 6:57 pm · Filed under Assignments, ENG251

Here is a link to Aliya’s article for class tomorrow.

And, she would like you to check out this video as well.

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analytical essay assignment

February 21, 2007 @ 9:44 am · Filed under Assignments, ENG251

due: 3/1
3-5 pages

For this essay you should choose a film (any film), a song, a music video, or a musician/group for analysis.

In the packet I gave to you in class is a sample essay that analyzes a film, please use this as a guideline/model.

  • film analysis: find a scholarly article or essay that discusses either the reading of film in general or addresses specifically the film you are looking at. Utilize this source to assist your own reading. You can respond to or against it or use it as a framework to set up your own claims about the film. Or you can use it as additional support for your own argument.
  • music video analysis: guiding questions for this topic are on pg. 219 of the handout from class. Choose a music video–either a current one or one you remember clearly from when you were a bit younger. Address the way(s) in which this video affected you. Did it shape you as a person? Does it have the ability to influence the way people live? How do you see the effects of music video playing out in society? If at all.
  • musician/group myspace profile: Choose a musical artist and check out their myspace profile (or any other similar site). Analyze the way in which they market her/him/themselves on these sites as compared to other forms of marketing they may do (ads in magazines, posters in record stores, interviews on MTv TRL, etc.). How does the medium affect the message being portrayed by the artist(s)?
  • song or album analysis: Choose a particular song or album and write an analysis. What is the meaning of the song or album? How do you read it? Based on what evidence? Remember, one of the things we’ve talked about in class is that analysis is often based on like or similar objects (the platform shoes compared to doc martens example). Consider the song or album in comparison to others by the same artist or by others within the same genre of music.

    • Ultimately, for any essay you choose, you need to have a central argument–a claim that you are making, otherwise known as a thesis statement. Think about the moves you’ve seen other writers making. David Leonard focuses on what is absent, incidental, or left out, yet central and vitally important. Tara Needham also comments on absence or what is obscured in her reading of Starbucks. Use the guidelines from class about creating an argument essay (and we’ll talk more about this on Thursday in class).

    On Tuesday, 2/27 bring to class with you either a twenty-minute focused freewrite on your chosen topic or a page (or so) of your essay (make sure it a portion that contains your central argument).

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    reading for Thurs. 2/22

    February 17, 2007 @ 12:32 pm · Filed under Assignments, ENG251

    Maria’s “discussion starter” reading.

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    Readings for Thursday

    February 12, 2007 @ 11:19 am · Filed under Assignments, ENG251

    Please read this for Thursday’s class.

    Also, the essay on Grand Theft Auto is outside my office door, so don’t forget to pick it up.

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    web 2.0 video

    February 7, 2007 @ 9:18 am · Filed under ENG251, web 2.0

    I know you all have some reservations about this whole read/write web we’ve been discussing, but check out this video by Michael Wesch. It might add a little bit of excitement! We can talk about it in class on Thursday.

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    reading assignment for Thursday

    February 5, 2007 @ 12:16 pm · Filed under Assignments, ENG251

    Christine’s “discussion starter” article is here. Please have it read and be prepared to discuss it on Thursday.

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    In-class freewrite prompt

    February 1, 2007 @ 10:09 am · Filed under ENG251

    “The triumph of advertising in the culture industry is that consumers feel compelled to buy and use its products even though they see through them” (24).

    Theodor Adorno : “The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as Mass Deception”

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