Let's "WRITE!"

Course Description:

Writing no longer refers solely to the written word. Rather, alphabetic text is just one way to compose--and we see/hear compositions in many different styles every day: musical compositions, sculptures, choreographic expressions, etc. While academic work generally privileges written texts, most of what we see and read in our daily lives is multimodal. That is, the composer uses more than one mode of expression to convey an idea. According to The New London Group (1996), there are five primary modes of communication: the visual, aural, spatial, linguistic, and gestural. 

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In this multimodal writing course, we will work together to improve our understanding of how we communicate in each of the five modes. We will learn how sound (the aural) can supplement the written (linguistic) mode (and even be more powerful at times), how still and moving imagery (the visual) can help us articulate and express our ideas, and how the layout of a page/screen (the spatial) can influence our understanding of the ideas expressed therein.

 

When we write traditional argumentative essays, we make claims that we support with evidence. In order to persuade our audience, we use Aristotle’s three primary modes of persuasion:
 

• Logos: logical appeals

  • facts, statistics, etc.

• Pathos: emotional appeals

  • when evidence is used to generate sympathy

• Ethos: appeals that establish credibility

  • info used to convince the audience that the speaker has authority 

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In multimodal compositions, whether argumentative or not, we rely on these same three types of appeals, but our evidence is further communicated through alternate modalities, such as the aural (the focus of unit 1) and the visual (the focus of unit 2). The aural is expressed in many ways: through the spoken word, music, and natural and mechanical noises, for example. And what about silence--which is the absence of sound--or is it? The visual is communicated in even more ways: photographs, screenshots, drawings, animation, video, color, etc. Often, the modes overlap, such as how the linguistic mode (alphabetic text) is also visual (we can see letters on a page/screen). In this class, we will explore the many ways that sounds and images can help us communicate in effective and creative ways.

 

Course Objectives:

• Critically engage in analysis of multimodal texts

• Consider the value and limitations of alphabetic text

• Understand that communicating through multiple modes can transform the meaning of a text far beyond decoration.

• Recognize that the modes of communication work together and influence the rhetorical impact of a text

• Develop a VOCABULARY through which to speak about multimodality

• Develop ability to effectively use media and software to produce multimodal projects

• Apply theoretical and practical knowledge of the aural mode to make wise rhetorical choices in production of aural projects 

• Apply theoretical and practical knowledge of the visual mode to make wise rhetorical choices in production of visual projects

• Give and receive constructive criticism to peers through workshops

• Practice and reflect on production and revision strategies 

 

Course Assignments:

There will be two main projects:

1. Audio-essay using Audacity (free) or Audition (if you own or prefer to purchase)

2. Video-essay using iMovie (free on Mac) or other comparable software with permission from instructor (not Windows Movie Maker)
    

You will also complete a series of day-to-day assignments that will help you learn and explore relevant software and consider the modes of communication as rhetorical devices. 

 

Course Materials:

There is no textbook for this course. I will assign and provide readings.

1. Mac or PC computer

2. Headphones (inexpensive is fine, but must cover your ears--so no ear buds).
   Order these immediately!

 

Grading:

Audio-Essay: 25%

Video-Essay: 30%

Process (Drafts and Workshops): 20%

Other Assignments: 15%

Participation and attendance: 10%

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*A note about process, which is worth 20% of your final grade: when the first draft of a project is assigned, you are expected to compose multiple drafts before submitting it for peer review/workshop. Just because it's the first draft you share with the class should not mean its the first draft you compose. To be clear, I expect to see significant progress between drafts. 

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Late Policy:

Daily work must be submitted by the due date. If it's not there when I go to grade it, which might be the same day it's due or a few days later, you will receive zero credit. 

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For obvious reasons, it's not possible to make up workshops. Since process is worth 20%, missing a due date for a draft or the workshop will have a detrimental effect on your grade. 

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For major assignments, the final audio-essay or video-essay, the late policy is 5 points per day. I don't check blogs daily. You are required to notify me when you have submitted. 

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Attendance:

Students are expected to attend all classes because we will be building a vocabulary for discussing multimodal texts, doing group work that will lead to the two main projects, providing feedback to one another as we write, and learning the software needed to compose multimodally. Participation is essential for learning, and absences will immediately put you behind.  What we do in class can not be made up later. 

 

There are no excused or unexcused absences. If you anticipate an absence, please let me know in advance and submit any work that is due before the class period. If you are ill and cannot attend a class, please email me to let me know.

 

If you miss more than 2 classes (one week of school), you will lose one letter (10 points) from your final grade. Per the university policy, more than 6 absences will cause you to fail the course.  

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Tardy Policy:

I take attendance when class begins. If you enter the classroom after I've taken roll but you are less than 20 minutes late, please stay after that same day so that I can mark you as late. If you don't stay after, I won't remember that you came in late and you will be marked absent. If you miss more than 20 minutes, you should still come to class, but you will be marked as absent.

 

Three tardies = one absence. 

 

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University Policies

 

You are responsible for understanding and abiding by all university policies.
Click HERE to read them. 

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