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Source Read + Class Lead: Assignment Description

History of Science Fiction, by Ward Shelley – viewable at

On an assigned date, you will be responsible for not only the required reading but also the recommended reading, which will be a scholarly article or book chapter that provides some kind of philosophical underpinning for the day’s text.

Individually, you will write a brief blog post about the recommended reading, in which you summarize its central points and argue for its relevance to the required reading. As a group, you will be responsible for kicking off the day’s class with an organized presentation in which you similarly explain the recommended reading and how it illuminates the day’s central text. You will need to communicate with one another ahead of time in order to avoid redundancy and repetition within your presentation. Each group member must contribute a roughly equal number of slides and spoken content to the presentation.

Due Dates and Reading Options

I will distribute a sign-up sheet in class on Thursday, 5/19 and will assign you to a group if you miss that day. The options are as follows:

  • Clark, “Bad Borgs?” (paired with RoboCop)
  • Monday, 5/30 by 11:59 PM: Blog post due
  • Tuesday, 5/31: In class presentation (slides / script due by class start, reflection by day’s end)
  • Baudrillard, “The Finest Consumer Object: The Body” (paired with “The Girl Who Was Plugged In”)
  • Wednesday, 6/1 by 11:59 PM: Blog post due
  • Thursday, 6/2: In class presentation (slides / script due by class start, reflection by day’s end)
  • Haraway, “A Cyborg Manifesto” (paired with “Rachel in Love”)
  • Monday, 6/6 by 11:59 PM: Blog post due
  • Tuesday, 6/7: In class presentation (slides / script due by class start, reflection by day’s end)
  • Butler, Introduction to Bodies That Matter (paired with Dawn, Part I. Womb)
  • Wednesday, 6/8 by 11:59 PM: Blog post due
  • Thursday, 6/9: In class presentation (slides / script due by class start, reflection by day’s end)
  • Vinge, “The Coming Technological Singularity” (paired with Blindsight, beginning-91)
  • Monday, 6/27 by 11:59 PM: Blog post due
  • Tuesday, 6/28: In class presentation (slides / script due by class start, reflection by day’s end)

Required Elements for the Blog Post

  • 500 words (minimum)
  • Students who are under the minimum word count will face a significant grade penalty.
  • I will not penalize lengthy posts, but try not to go over 1000 words (as you should capture the main points of the recommended reading in a brief manner).
  • Complete sentences and paragraph format
  • Content – Your blog post should answer the following questions (but treat these as a set of guidelines rather than as a checklist to answer in order)
  • What is the central argument / thesis of the recommended reading? Note that some sources may have multi-part arguments – your goal here is to capture the central points of the text.
  • What evidence does the author use to support his or central points?
  • How is the recommended reading relevant to the day’s required reading? That is, how does this source offer a way to think about the issues or themes or the day’s assigned short story, film, or novel segment?
  • Audience
  • The audience will be myself and your fellow classmates
  • Keep in mind that your audience is familiar with the required reading, so you don’t need to summarize that in any way.
  • Citations (parenthetical + works cited)
  • When you summarize, paraphrase, or directly quote from a source, follow that material with a parenthetical citation.
  • Parenthetical citation format is as follows:
  • “Quote” OR Paraphrase (Author Last Name Page #) – e.g. “Winter is coming” (Martin 12).
  • Provide a works cited list in MLA style at the end of your post, with citations for both the recommend and required text. For MLA citation rules see
  • You should not look up any other sources for your post beyond the recommended and required reading
  • But, do use a dictionary or the internet to look up context as you read the article in order to better understand it
  • Individually written
  • Each member of a read / lead group must compose this blog post independently (ideally, before you all discuss the reading to organize your presentation)
  • Category label: Source Read + Class Lead
  • Tags: Please tag your post with at least 3 tags. Tags are general keywords that describe the content of your post.
  • Post Title: Your last name, Read / Lead #X (where X is your read / lead group number)

Required Elements for the Presentation

  • Each group’s total time will be 10-15 minutes
  • Each group member must speak for at least 2 minutes
  • I will indicate when your group is close to running out of time
  • Practice your presentation alone (or together as a group) to ensure that you’re meeting requirements
  • Audience
  • If your source involves complex terms or concepts, explain them for your audience (and avoid jargon)
  • Content
  • Requirements are the same as for blog post element, with one exception: conclude your presentation with at least 3 questions for your classmates regarding the required reading (based on themes or issues that came up in the recommended reading)
  • Attribute Sources
  • If you use images, film clips, or sounds that are not self-created, acknowledge them by providing a works cited list on your final slide(s)
  • Cite both the required and recommended readings in your works cited slide
  • Script
  • You should have prepared remarks to accompany your slides and speak as the slides play
  • Notecards to help you follow along are acceptable, but you should not read off a piece of paper during the entirety of the presentation
  • One member of your group must email me the script by the start of class time
  • Nonverbal communication
  • Consider your posture, facial expression, gestures, eye contact with your audience, etc.
  • Verbal communication
  • Make sure that you speak at a pace and volume that is easy for the audience to follow
  • Slides / Visual Aids
  • One member of your group must email me your slideshow at the latest 5 minutes before the start of class
  • The slideshow will look like this:
  • Title slide (containing author / title of recommended reading, title of required reading, and names of all group members)
  • Content slides (as many as necessary, but each group member must contribute at least 1 slide to the content portion)
  • Works cited slide (more than one if necessary)
  • Ending questions slide (containing at least 3 discussion questions)
  • The slideshow must be consistent in formatting (in terms of font, theme, and color)
  • Your group can choose the software you like best (Google Slides, Power Point, Prezi), but it must be accessible to me without a software download
  • Format
  • Aim for simple slides (e.g. 3-5 bullet points, central terms or phrases)
  • Include images – 1 image per slide is generally a good rule

Required Elements for Reflection

Submit your reflection by 11:59 PM on your presentation day via T-Square, as a .doc or .docx document with the file name “Last Name, Read / Lead Reflection”. You do not need to submit the reflection on the blog. Each group member should produce a reflection individually.

You will save this two-part reflection and return to it later in the semester as you prepare your final portfolio.

Write a one-paragraph introduction to the artifact that articulates your intellectual process for this project. Put another way, explain where your ideas came from and how they evolved during the course of the project. You should also discuss how composing processes (examples: prewriting, outlining, drafting, peer review, revising, editing) affected your intellectual process, and vice versa.

After the introductory paragraph, compose bullet points answering each of the following questions. Compose 2-3 bullet points per question and 1-3 complete sentences per bullet point. Review this assignment sheet as you compose your answers.

  1. What were the main intellectual goals of the assignment? Please situate these goals in terms of the course theme and in terms of the communication skills you were to learn or practice.
  2. What is your argument or purpose? How did you make the argument or purpose visible and persuasive in your artifact?
  3. Who is the intended audience for your artifact; why is this an appropriate audience? How is your choice of audience reflected in your artifact?
  4. What are the defining features of the genre or media that you are using in this project? How do you make use of these features?
  5. If you had more time for revision, what would you change and why?

Submit your reflection on T-Square, under the “assignment submission” tab and select “Read / Lead #X Reflection.”

Submitting Your Assignment

  • 11:59 PM, day before in-class presentation
  • Submit individual post to class blog (typed directly into a new blog post)
  • Submit individual post to T-Square (.doc / docx file, MLA format; for MLA format rules see
  • 9:55 AM, day of in-class presentation
  • One group member emails me complete slideshow
  • Format can be .ppt, .pptx, Prezi, or Google Slides
  • If you use an online platform, make sure that you’ve granted me access
  • Also bring your slideshow to class on a flash drive
  • 10 AM, day of in-class presentation
  • One group member emails me complete script (.doc / .docx format)
  • 11:59 PM, day of in-class presentation
  • Submit individual reflection to T-Square (.doc / .docx file)

Points Breakdown

The source read + class lead assignment is worth 100 points total (10% of your final grade in the course). The grade breakdown is roughly as follows, and, as with all course assignments, I will use the programmatic rubric to guide my assessment of your assignment.

Points / Requirement
5 / The Basics: On time, meets required elements
45 / Blog post: Thoughtfully summarizes central points of recommended reading and analyzes its relationship to the required reading
45 / Presentation (live): Presented in a manner that demonstrates thoughtful verbal and nonverbal communication as well as careful planning by the individuals and group as a whole; presents recommended reading content in an accessible way for a GA Tech audience and offers incisive discussion questions to kick off the day’s class
5 / Reflection: On time, meets required elements

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Programmatic Rubric

Scale / Basic / Beginning / Developing / Competent / Mature / Exemplary
Rhetorical Awareness
Response to situation, including purpose, audience, register, and context / Overlooks two or more aspects of the situation or assignment, and thus does not fulfill the task / Overlooks at least one aspect of the situation or assignment and thus compromises effectiveness / Attempts to respond to all aspects of the situation or assignment, but the attempt is incomplete / Addresses the situation or assignment in a complete but perfunctory or predictable way / Addresses the situation completely, with unexpected insight / Addresses the situation in a sophisticated manner that could advance professional discourse on the topic
Stance
Argument, significance and implications (“so what” factor) / Involves an unspecified or confusing argument; significance is not evident / Makes an overly general argument; significance is difficult to discern, or not appropriate to the rhetorical situation / Makes a simplistic or implicit argument, or multiple arguments that have no clear connection to one another; gestures towards significance, but does not fully develop it / Makes an explicit and straightforward argument that does not oversimplify the problem or question; explores at least one implication of the argument in depth / Makes a complex, unified argument that clearly articulates a position or stance; explores multiple implications of the argument / Offers an inventive, expert-like argument that clearly articulates a sophisticated position/stance; explores multiple implications of the argument in a compelling manner
Development of Ideas
Evidence, analysis, and substance / Claims requiring support are not backed by necessary evidence; lacks analysis of major pieces of evidence; content is not substantive / Evidence and/or analysis is weak or contradictory; does not account for important evidence that could support or disprove the argument / Evidence provides minimal but necessary support to each point; attempted analysis is not sufficient to prove the argument / Evidence and analysis are substantive; they support the argument and related claims, but are mostly predictable / Evidence fully supports and proves the argument and all related claims; evidence is always paired with compelling analysis / Evidence and analysis are precise, nuanced, fully developed, and work together to enhance the argument,
Organization
Structure and coherence, including elements such as introductions and conclusions as well as logical connections between points / Lacks unity in constituent parts; fails to create coherence among constituent parts; contains major argumentative holes or fallacies / Uses insufficient unifying statements; uses few effective connections; some logical moves necessary to prove the argument are absent / Uses some effective unifying claims, but a few are unclear; inconsistently makes connections between points and the argument; employs simplistic organization / States unifying claims with supporting points that relate clearly to the overall argument and employs an effective but mechanical scheme / Asserts and sustains a claim that develops logically and progressively; adapts typical organizational schemes for the context; achieves substantive coherence / Artifact is organized to achieve maximum coherence and momentum; connections are sophisticated and complex when required
Conventions
Expectations for grammar, mechanics, style, citation / Involves errors that risk making the overall message distorted or incomprehensible / Involves a major pattern of errors / Involves some distracting errors / Meets expectations, with minor errors / Meets expectations
in a virtually flawless manner / Exceeds expectations and manipulates conventions to advance the argument
Design for Medium
Features that use affordances of the genre to enhance factors such as usability and comprehensibility / Lacks features necessary or significant for the genre; uses features that conflict with or ignore the argument / Omits some important features; distracting inconsistencies in features; uses features that don’t support argument / Uses features that support the argument, but some match imprecisely with content; involves minor omissions or inconsistencies / Supports the argument with features that are generally suited to genre and content / Promotes engagement and supports the argument with features that efficiently use affordances / Persuades with careful, seamless integration of features and content and with innovative use of affordances

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Helpful Sections of WOVENText

For some advice about collaborating with a group, see Chapters 8 and 9 (page 159-197).

For advice about preparing and giving oral presentations, see Chapters 10, 11, and 12 (page 198-240) and Chapter 15, section I (549-568).

For some guidance on using sources, see Chapter 19 (714-731, 758-763) and Chapter 20 (776-796).

Collaborating With Classmates and Group Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of group members to set up at least 1 meeting (virtual or in-person) prior to the presentation, to ensure that you are happy with your presentation content and that you are equitably dividing the labor of the presentation. I highly encourage you to practice your presentation together (either in person or via Skype).

To coordinate your schedules, I recommend emailing one another your busy times OR one of you might create a free survey on

Tools for PreparingYour Presentation

  • PowerPoint
  • How to install MS Office for free (for GA Tech students) -
  • Prezi ( – a free online presentation software
  • Google Slides ( – free online presentation software that allows for collaboration
  • If you need to book a quiet room to practice your presentation, here’s an on-campus resource (you would need to book the space a few days ahead of time, at least) -
  • If your group wants to practice your presentation via recordings, here are some options:
  • How to record on a Mac -
  • How to record in Windows via Power Point –
  • Free screencasting software -
  • My favorite, user-friendly software is at To use it:
  • Click the button that says record screencast to first download the free software.
  • Once the software downloads, click record screencast and wait for your browser.
  • Resize the screencast window to be full screen (drag the corner of the dotted line box).
  • Make sure your slides are open to slide show and click "record" for the screencast.
  • While the software counts down, open your slide show software in full screen and start narrating when the first slide starts. Test the software a bit to make sure that your microphone is picking up your audio.
  • Using this software, you should be able to upload the cast directly to YouTube.
  • Windows 10 screencasting -

Lateness and Missing Presentation Policy

Read / lead blogs that are posted late (i.e. after 11:59 PM on your chosen date) will receive a maximum possible grade of C. If you submit this post late, you risk damaging the success of your in-class presentation. I will not accept a read / lead individual post later than 1 week after the initial due date.

You must be on time to class on your read / lead day and cannot make up this presentation (with the exception of extreme emergencies, which would require the involvement of the Dean of Students).

If you miss the presentation, even when other group members are present, you will receive a grade of 0. If you do not speak during the group presentation, you will receive a grade of 0.

Revision Policy

In this class, you may choose to revise 1 blog post or the cyborg essay. For this assignment, you may revise the blog post component (but not the live presentation).

In order to be allowed any revision, you must send me an email or meet with me no later than 72 hours after I return the grade for the assignment. In the email or meeting, you must tell me what the most central issues with the initial assignment were (beyond the grade), what your plan for revision is, and a deadline for when you will submit the revised assignment (which can be no later than 1 week after the meeting and must occur prior to the last class meeting).

The revised assignment will receive an entirely new grade (not an average of the old and new grade). I do not guarantee a higher grade for revised work, but a revision cannot bring your grade down (unless you plagiarize the revised assignment).