Paper (15%) - Individual Presentation (15%)
COMM 410 - Fall 2010
► Paper (15%) Hard Copy duein class Tuesday, Nov. 9th
Your task is to compose a 10-12 page paper that demonstrates your understanding of one or more of the rhetorical concepts, principles, or theories that we will encounter this semester. So, what am I looking for? For you to demonstrate to me that you can connect our class discussions and the course materials to something outside this class to help explain and/or predict communication behavior. [What Perkins would call a "performance understanding," right?] That something could be your own major discipline, but it could just as easily be something outside of school.
I encourage you to talk to me early and often about your ideas for either the paper or the presentation. Sometimes the more (and sooner) students talk to me about their ideas, the better the papers become -- not always, but sometimes(looking ahead, you may be reminded of Postman, “Preface,” ix).
What might you do?
- Show how a term in your own discipline acts as a metaphor that shapes the discourse and thinking in your field. [For example, recall the DEC’s “harvest”?]
- Show howknowledge in your field changes(or doesn’t) as a result of its practice/understanding of “communication.” [For example, does your field primarily employ the “transmission” model that Schneider describes?]
- Show how a communication/rhetorical concept that we've encountered plays out in a popular movie, TV show, or book – or in the political arena, for that matter. Focus on how this affects people’s or characters’ perception of ‘reality.’ [For example, I keep hoping someone might tackle The Matrix series. Though perhaps The Office or The Big Bang might be easier choices? ]
- Show how a rhetorical concept, principle or theory shapes communication, and thus others’ perceptions and/or behaviors, on the WWW or through some other communication technology. [Many of you if not all of you are more adept at using current communication technology than I am – teach me something? ]
- Something else – be creative – but talk with me well in advance about your ideas, OK?
▶Individual Presentation (15%) Will begin Thursday, Nov. 11th
Your task is to prepare and deliver an 8-10minute individual presentation that demonstrates your progress/achievement in this class. You may recall () that the syllabus suggests six "outcomes" that you should be able to "demonstrate" by the conclusion of this course –you might do well to review those as you plan your work.
For many of you, this oral presentation will be an adaptation[READ: condensation?] of your paper (described above), but you are not obligated to work with the same or identical material should you choose another topic or idea.
Your key goalfor this presentation shouldbe to demonstrate and communicateto your peers and meyour improved understanding and grasp of how communication affects and influences others’ behaviors and understanding of their world.
Procedure and "Tips"
- Beginning on Thursday, Nov. 11th and continuing through Tuesday, Nov. 30th, we will generally have five (5) speakers each day.
- Perhaps the most valuable thing you can do to bolster your odds of doing well on this assignment is identical to what I suggested above re: your paper. “Sometimes the more (and sooner) students talk to me about their ideas, the better the papers become -- not always, but sometimes. . . . .” OK?
- You will be expected to speak on the day you are scheduled, barring extraordinary circumstances. It may be difficult to schedule "make-ups" so I can't guarantee that you'd have a chance to do so if you miss your turn.
- You do not have to be a wonderful "orator" for these presentations -- but you had best be prepared and ready to share your ideas with us.
- The final exam for the course may draw upon any and all presentations so, as an audience member, you should plan to be attentive to these presentations. You might even plan to ask some questions.
Distributed in class: 8/31/10