ENG 1020 Project 1 Literacy Self Analysis  F 2012
Writing strategy questions to guide us:









What is analysis?
What is Literacy?
How can we analyze ourselves as literacy participants?
What are discourse communities and how do they connect to us?
What is reflection, and how can we do it effectively?
What are genres and how can we analyze them?
What is a rhetorical situation and how can we recognize it?
How can we develop strong, clear thesis sentences/main point sentences?
How can we use specific evidence from reading/research to support points we make?
Readings:





“Complexity of Identity: Who Am I” –Beverly Daniel Tatum(on Blackboard)
“The Concept of a Discourse Community”—John Swales (excerpt on Blackboard)
PEOPs by Fly (http://home.bway.net/fly/peops.html)
“Shitty First Drafts” –Anne Lamott
Pilot episode of “Alias” (in class)
Overview:
As we launch into this semester of reading, research and writing, we need to begin with some basics.
Who are you? What do you bring to this class? What do you already know about literacy (reading and
writing)? What kind of reader are you? What kind of writer are you? What does it mean to reflect? What
does it mean to analyze?
In this Project, we’ll explore ways to read various genres (types of texts) analytically, looking at an
author’s claim(s), the evidence he or she uses, and other aspects of rhetorical analysis. We’ll practice
rhetorical analysis on various types of texts.
Along with these reading skills and strategies, we’ll explore the idea of discourse communities, and
reflect on the discourse communities we’re a part of, making connections between our experiences
and our reading and writing. We will select a text from our personal experience that is influential,
impactful, or powerful in some way, and use that as an additional piece of evidence to support our
identity as readers/writers.
The discourse communities we’re a part of, the experiences we’ve had that connect to literacy, texts
that are meaningful to us and our experiences in this class will help us analyze ourselves as literacy
participants and eventually form a reflective argument for the kinds of readers/writers we are.
Writing Exploration 1: Observation and Analysis of “Alias” Pilot—Due Mon 9/10
For this WE, we will exercise observation and note taking strategies, practice our rhetorical analysis skills,
as well as further develop our understanding of discourse communities and identities. You will be
responsible for the observation notes you take in class, and your Observation Response paragraphs. See
Handout for full description of assignment.
Writing Exploration 2: Creating Your Own PEOPs—Due Wed 9/12
This WE should be devoted to exploring your own identity as it relates to the discourse communities you
are a part of. Together, we will consider the various discourse communities we identify with, as well as
how our experiences relate to the readings, “The Complexity of Identity: Who Am I?” and the Swales
piece. You will choose the two discourse communities that are most interesting and important to you,
and will create 2 separate PEOPS, one for each dis. comm. You can choose two complimentary
communities/identities, or two contrasting ones. You will use these PEOPs to explore, or research your
own identity as defined by these two discourse communities. Through this WE, push yourself to reflect on
each chosen piece of your own identity—it will help inform your Analysis Essay later on. Your PEOPs
should contain an equivalent to 2 full pages of writing, and should follow the conventions of the
examples we looked at in class.
Project 1: Literacy Self-Analysis Essay—Due Monday 9/17
For the Self-Analysis Essay Assignment, you’ll be analyzing yourself and your experiences, and then
making a claim about who you are as a reader/writer. Think about your experiences in this class so far,
your experiences with your influential text, and your discourse communities. Think very specifically about
what you’ve learned about yourself through your self-analysis this unit. What kind of writer/reader are
you? How do you know? You must use your own experiences, your work with the readings, as well as
your influential text, to help support your argument. You must properly incorporate evidence from these
sources, correctly cite (quote or paraphrase, giving appropriate credit) them in order to support your
thinking. Questions to consider as you write:
How do you think of yourself as a reader/writer? Why? (so we’re setting up a claim + evidence)
How do your PEOP discourse communities that you chose contribute to your identity as a
reader/writer? In what ways? (be very specific!)
How does your reading of ALIAS inform (if at all for you) your understanding about your own identity?
How does your identity as a reader/writer connect (if at all for you) to the Tatum reading?
How does your experience with your influential text inform the kind of reader/writer you are?
Putting it all Together~ The Submission Packet:





Alias Reflection Paragraphs
2 PEOPs
RR Draft and Packet
4-5 pg. Analysis Essay
1 pg. Reflection Letter
Date
Reading Due
Writing Due
In-Class Activities
~Welcome~
6-word memoirs; Go over syllabus, set
up Ning; eportfolio site; Project 1
F-8/31
Complexity of Identity:
Who AM I? by Tatum;
Set-up Ning profile;
“Complexity”
response blog;
What is Analysis? What is Literacy?;
“Complexity” group analysis
M-9/3
LABOR DAY!!! No Class!!!
LABOR DAY!!! No
Class!!!
LABOR DAY!!! No Class
W-9/5
“The Concept of a Dis.
Comm.” by Swales;
explore PEOPs page
Swales response
blog
Discourse Community mini-lesson;
Deconstructing PEOPs/genre analysis
W-8/29
F-9/7
Double Entry notes intro;
Influential Text
Summary of I.T.
Read“ALIAS” and take Observation
Notes
M-9/10
“Shitty First Drafts”
ALIAS Paragraphs
Due; “Drafts”
response blog
Maintenance Talk; discuss Lamott
reading; read/write (Foresman 157-162)
W-9/12
PEOPs Due; Shitty
Draft
Shitty Draft workshop; Recursive Writing
mini-lesson
F-9/14
RR Draft
Reader Review Day; L.O. reflection
M-9/17
Project 1 Due
Project 2 assigned