ENG 103 Assignment #1: Literacy Narrative Essay

In a traditional literacy narrative you, the writer, discuss your history/background as a writer/reader, and think about who has played a role in your development as a literate person. As you think about this paper, however, keep in mind that literacy does not have to only mean reading and writing. You can be literate in anything, whether its a skill, hobby, sport or specialized knowledge base. Maybe youre really good at knitting or youre an amazing soccer goalie. Maybe youre an expert on fine chocolate or X-Men comics. I want you to inform me about your literacy, whatever it may be, in a narrative. You can approach this paper one of two ways: Option #1 Consider your development as a writer and reader over time and find at least three things (e.g. people, books, school(s), life experiences, etc) that have played significant roles in your growth (or perhaps lack thereof) as a literate person. In a well-developed essay, explain how each of these things has helped you develop as a writer and reader. In this paper, you must be sure to discuss not only what things have influenced you, but also what role this influence has played on your life as a literate person. Remember to support your assertions with examples and explanation. Option #2 Write a reflective essay in which you examine a particular literacy influence from your own life either positive or negativein extensive detail. In this approach to this essay, you must give several examples about how this one influence has aided or hindered your development as a literate person. You may find that all of your examples are positive or negative, or a combination. In the end, you will have to assess if this literacy sponsor has had a positive or negative effect on your overall development as a literate person. Because this is a reflective essay, it is appropriate to use the first person I. However, try to avoid using phrases like I think or I feel or I believe. These are vague and can weaken the points or arguments you are trying to make. Your paper will be evaluated for clear, precise language and organization. Your paper should tell the story (narrative) of your literacy development. Format Your paper should be typed, double-spaced in a twelve point (Times New Roman, Cambria, or Book Antiqua) font. Your paper should have one inch margins on both sides and top and bottom. Please have a creative title for your paper, not Literacy Narrative. Your title should relate to your subject.

ENG 103 Assignment #2: Rhetorical Analysis Essay In your first writing assignment, you concentrated mostly on analyzing yourself as a reader and writer. With this paper, we are going to move toward analyzing other authors works. In this essay you will be moving away from personal analysis toward a more academic one. For this assignment you will begin the process of conducting research, and in doing so you will analyze some piece of rhetorican ad, song, movie, tv show, flyer/poster (on campus or not), music videomuch like what we have done in class. When writing a rhetorical analysis essay you must consider why and how a writer or artist responds to a particular rhetorical situation. In some ways writing a rhetorical analysis is similar to a critique or review, except that you are examining more specific aspects of the piece (rhetorical situation, ethos, logos, pathos etc). You will need sources for this assignment1-2 primary and 2-3 secondary sources. Research will help you learn the historical and social context of the company, brand, ad, movie, song, artist etc. Your paper should read roughly as follows. Introduce and discuss your piece with the assumption that your reader knows nothing about the subject. Discuss the audience your selection is intended for. Discuss the surface meaning, what an observer, reader, viewer gets from just one or two views. Discuss the underlying meaning of your piece. Here is where you will definitely bring in your research. Consider the tone of the piece. Also, be sure to consider and discuss the context of the piece. Here also, you will need to bring in some research. In your conclusion, answer: How effectively did the rhetor communicate her message according to
the rhetorical situation? Your thesis statement should also answer this question.

Keep in mind o In this type of paper you should not argue your view or opinion of the piece, issue or topic. o Its not your job to agree or disagree with the essays thesis. Your goal is to argue how and why
the rhetor (author) used the language she did given the particular rhetorical situation.

Format Your paper should be typed, double-spaced in a twelve point (Times New Roman, Cambria, or Book Antiqua) font. Your paper should have one inch margins on both sides and top and bottom. Please have a creative title for your paper, not Rhetorical Analysis. Your title should relate to your subject.

ENG 103 Assignment #3: Argumentative Essay We have discussions, make arguments and advocate for things every day. What is an argument, controversial topic (or maybe a not so controversial topic) that is important to you? You may pick an argument of your choosing. Should your argument take the form of advocacy, you will have the option of using it for your fourth assignment, which will be a multi-modal presentation, in which you advocate for a particular issue or group. You can choose to argue anything, as long as you avoid topics on the list you have been given of banned topics. Make your argument using appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos. Be sure to avoid logical fallacies. We have examined and analyzed examples of both effective and ineffective arguments together in class. You should now be able to compose your own argument and effectively persuade a reader to see your side. Being able to compose an effective argument and write a successful argumentative essay will come in handy later when you are applying for a job or a new school, lobbying for a leadership position, haggling at a flea market, or even just advocating for your child at a PTA meeting far, far into the future. Frame your argument in a respectful manner in which you anticipate possible counter arguments and counter them beforehand. Use at least four sources (including a minimum of two primary sources). Include a works cited page and some piece of visual rhetoric, which should further or supplement your argument. Your essay will be evaluated for clarityboth in your language and argument, organization, and the effectiveness of your argument. Format Your paper should be typed, double-spaced in a twelve point (Times New Roman, Cambria, or Book Antiqua) font. Your paper should have one inch margins on both sides and top and bottom. Please have a creative title for your paper, not Argumentative Essay. Your title should relate to your subject.

ENG 103 Assignment #4: Multimodal Advocacy Project For this project, you will be doing more research. In your Literacy Narrative, you focused on personal writing. We then shifted to analysis and eventually argument. We are making another shift to arguing for a cause. This project will focus on advocating for an issue and group of your choosing. Choose an issue and group that is important to you and that you feel is worth advocating for. For example, if you feel that animal testing is wrong, you could research the SPEAK campaign. If you wrote your Argumentative Essay on an advocacy issue, you can expand on that for this project. After choosing a topic/group, you will begin to research and gather information about the following:
What is the mission of the organization? What is their stance on the topic? What types of events and activities do they sponsor to make others aware of their cause? What types of arguments do they have to counter opposition?

After gathering your research, you will also include your own ideas to synthesize with the above research. Be thinking about:
What are my personal ideas about the topic? Why do I have this stance? How can I support this stance? (You may have to look at additional sources to provide backup) What arguments do I have to counter oppositional arguments?

The Presentation When you have finished the above, you will begin synthesizing your research and ideas into a 5-7 minute presentation. When you make your presentation, you will come dressed professionally and will present your findings to the class. This presentation is a synthesis of your ideas with the ideas of the organization and issue. You will discuss why you chose the issue you did, as well as your personal beliefs on the topic. You will support your ideas with research. You will then provide the research that you found about the group. After providing your research, you will also have to at least briefly discuss counter-arguments. For example, if you are discussing the SPEAK movement, you should discuss what proponents of animal testing say and how you would counter these arguments. Please feel free to be as creative as you like and have fun with the presentation.