ENG 1101: Original Traces

Write one paragraph in which you:
– provide a one-sentence summary description of the controversy you are writing about
– describe some of the competing perspectives and positions that people have taken on that controversy (be specific)
– write a one-sentence thesis statement that summarizes the argument of your paper — “In this paper, I will argue that . . .”

2 pieces of paper:

Paper 1: What is the biggest problem you’re having right now with your research paper? [FOLD AND WRITE "PROBLEM" ON THE OUTSIDE]

Paper 2: What is one thing thing you’ve done that has helped you write your research paper? [FOLD AND WRITE "HELPFUL" ON THE OUTSIDE]

Problem: finding books
solution: keywords – think more broadly about your topic. brainstorm ideas. related ideas. spin out keywords

Here is the final research paper assignment

Small groups discussion: final paper topics
Questions to ask:
1. Is the topic an architectural controversy?
2. How is the topic local to you?
3. Is the topic overly broad/general? How can it be made more specific.
4. How is the topic related to the themes of our class?
5. What are some of the major positions that people have taken on the controversy?
6. What kinds of primary and secondary sources might be found?

Readings:
“Between Queens and Brooklyn, An Oil Spill’s Legacy” NY Times

“Newtown Creek/Oil Spill Study” EPA, 2007

Final Research Paper
Primary and Secondary Sources

Writing
Bring a paragraph describing your final research paper topic. Your paragraph should explain the following:
– what is the topic?
– in what ways is it a controversy?
– in what ways is it local to you?
– how does it relate to the themes of our course?

Blog Posts
– dealing with spam

Story of Stuff – Designing for the Dump

Spam/privacy issues — common class password

SPAMBOT

Research methodology
– following curiosity
– asking questions
– defining a topic
– querying databases
– documenting sources

– the sustainability of gaming platforms
– the sustainability practices of companies that produce video games
– the sustainability practices of Activision

Gaming
– search terms: “call of duty servers” “energy consumption + PS3″ “energy consumption + game console” — “activision” “activision + servers”

In preparation for Paper #3, write a blog post that does the following:

1. Identify the problem you want to write about and class readings related to it.

2. Do at least one search of library databases to try to find additional materials. Make sure that you cite the articles you’ve found, and email them to yourself.

3. Coin at least two neologisms that you want to propose as solutions to this problem. Think about terms that are mashups of two or more words and that evoke the solutions. Ex. “blobjects” — a combination of blobs and objects

Citation info: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/ — look for “An Article from an Online Database (or Other Electronic Subscription Service)”

Here is the paper assignment for Essay #3: paper3-assignment

Important dates:

Thursday, Nov. 18: blog post (assignment)

Tuesday, Nov. 23: First draft due (please bring to class)

Tuesday, Nov. 30: Final paper due (please submit electronically)

For Tuesday’s class, please read Jen Phillips’s “What Happens to Your Phone When You Recycle It?” and Annie Leonard’s related video, The Story of Electronics.

We’ll discuss both of these texts in class, along with an upcoming essay assignment.

Please remember that we will meet in front of the Ursula C. Schwerin Library on Thursday for our library session. Please be on-time; if you are late, please ask a librarian at the reference desk to point you to the second-floor library classroom.

Titles:
– Use creative, original titles
– double meanings with some ambiguity provoke the interest of readers
– good titles play with double meanings
– Strong metaphor
– should encapsulate a central issue or tension in the article

Writing a Blog Post:
Images
– use an image — provokes interest, illustrates
– provide citation for image

Audience
– on our blogs, immediate audience = classmates. secondary audience = wider public

– personal feelings/opinions
– difference between blog and personal journals:
— blog – can use multiple types of media – images, video

– public: censor yourself? Can’t say as much as you want to say because you don’t want to offend your audience. ex. can’t write, “these mofos said x.” — have to be respectful
– use proper grammar spelling
– have to get your point across without coming off threatening or like you’re forcing your views upon them. Show problem through your eyes and your solution. You CAN express yourself, but you need to do so appeals to readersr
– reference things – cite sources.