Created by: Ben Moats
Multi-genre project (Discourse 100):
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This was the final assignment in one of the Discourse 100 sections I taught, and it
combined writing with some speech components as well. The assignment also required
the students to think about how many of the same rules that apply to writing and
presenting also apply to other mediums such as film, photography, painting, advertising,
etc.
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To the best of my ability, the assignment assessed the following SLO’s:
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Explore and analyze their own and others’ values through the use of multiple
strategies that engage different sources and perspectives in written and oral discourse.
Identify and analyze how cultural context and assumptions play a role in the analysis
and production of discourse.
Understand basic rhetorical concepts (audience, purpose, genre, convention, logos,
ethos, pathos, logical fallacies, structure, etc.) and apply such concepts to the
interpretation, analysis, and production of written and oral discourse.
Use written and oral discourse to develop and present meaningful and interesting
ideas that show the students’ voice, a willingness to take intellectual risks, and an
attempt to enter an academic conversation.
Develop an introductory understanding of citation and an ability to appropriately cite
sources using a consistent professional style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).
Discourse I: Love and Class, Race and Rap
Mini-paper #1: Love?
25 points
For this first mini-paper, I simply want you to address the following question: what does
it mean to love someone or to be a loving person? Is it possible, in other words, to truly love
someone or to be a loving person? Why or why not? If so, what does that look like? How does a
truly loving person act? What does it look like or feel like to truly love someone? Soon, we will
be reading Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving, and we will be getting his perspective on what it
means to love. For now, however, I simply want you to draw upon your own experiences and
perspectives regarding the questions I have raised above. Along with addressing the questions I
have raised above, your paper must be at least 600 words in length. I do want you to do the best
you can as far as grammar and mechanics are concerned, but this first assignment will largely be
graded on your effort and the content of your writing. In other words, your paper will not be
severely downgraded due to spelling or grammatical errors. Your focus for this assignment,
therefore, should be on making your paper thoughtful, clear, and interesting to read, and not as
much on constructing a work that is grammatically and mechanically perfect. This mini-paper is
due on Friday, August 30th at the start of class. Be sure to bring a hard copy of your minipaper with you to class.