Blog+Assignment

Blog Assignment: In this assignment, you will practice the fundamentals of critical thinking, close reading, and intellectual and academic discourse in the context of a technology-based community. You will offer your reflections on the texts we will study this year.

You will initially respond to topics I post. After my initial two prompts, however, I will occasionally turn the privilege of offering topics over to you. Remember that you are discussing the text as a work of art-- you are providing analysis, not just personal response (although your analysis might begin there). You responses should be a paragraph (must be six-eight sentences or longer, contain a topic sentence, and maintain coherence – i.e. do not jump from topic to topic. Choose a single idea and flesh it out).

By clicking on the “Discussion” tab you will be able to find my prompts, respond to them and as well as offer you own topics by clicking the “New Post” tab. If you experience any technical difficulties, you are still responsible for writing a post. In case you are unable to access Wiki, e-mail me your response (paste your response in the body of the e-mail), or bring me a hard copy before it is due.

Posts are to be posted **NO LATER** than 8am on the day that they are due. Unless I grant you an extension prior to the due date, late posts will receive NO credit. You have three options for posting:

You must respond by making a point or a related observation. Be sure you support your response with textual evidence (yes, that means quotes with page numbers). In the car metaphor, you should be paying attention to what's on the author's dashboard, how those things are affecting your ride, and what kind of “so what?” you're heading for, even if you haven't completed the trip.
 * Option One: Respond to questions and topics I post **

In the spirit of community and in order to sharpen your analytical and persuasive skills through conversation, you should comment on the entries of your classmates. You may: * consider a question posed by your classmates (eg., “Frank, I saw that passage as highlighting the underlying tension in the Dead family....”) * respond to a comment with a further comment (“Frank, I agree with your reading of Milkman's desire to fly. I also saw elements of that same desire on page....”) * offer a question that complicates or challenges a question posed by your classmates (eg., “Frank, I see your point about Pilate's name. Do you also, then, think Morrison is making a more general point about naming?”) * disagree (respectfully) with your classmates (“Frank, I disagree with your assertion that Morrison depicts Ruth as completely passive. For instance, on page....”)
 * Option Two: Respond to comments or topics posted by your classmates **

Formulate a question after providing an opening statement, observation, or interpretation of a particular character, scene, passage, theme, or image that you think will generate quality online discussion.
 * Option Three: Post your own topic or prompt **

I will be checking the Wiki site after every blog assignment to respond to you and to determine that you: * engage respectfully with the text and with each other * respond to the text in a __literary__ way * use textual support in each response * demonstrate an effort to engage with the novel and respond to it thoughtfully * consider that your audience is a formal academic one; use language and sentence structures appropriate to the occasion.
 * Make sure that in each post you provide textual support and that you are attentive to what the authors do to create the effect you are examining. **
 * Assessment **

After you post four times, you will receive a major grade for the work you have done online.

Assessment: If you respond in detail to me or your classmates for EVERY post, initiate your own topic at least once, use textual support for ALL your responses, and are consistent in thoughtfully considering the literary elements in the novel, you will probably earn an A. If you fail to post a response, offer cursory answers to questions, post only clarifying questions, neglect to include textual support, discuss the characters as if they exist, or fail to consider any literary aspect of the novel, you are unlikely to earn better than a D.