ENGL 120:
College Composition II, 3 credits
Bulletin Description
Advanced practice in reading and writing of various genres for different
situations and audiences. Includes field research, collaboration, and visual
communication.
Extended Description
In this section of College Composition II, we will focus on rhetoric,
research, and the intersections among music, culture, and identity. In terms
of rhetoric and research, we will work on both concepts and application. In
terms of the music theme, we will read texts, write about music-related
issues, and consider the impact music has had on culture.
Required Texts
Trimbur, John. The Call to Write. Brief 4th Edition. 2008.
Recommended Texts
A writer’s handbook that includes MLA style sheets.
To save this expense, you may use online resources, such as the Purdue
Online Writing Lab (OWL), but you will be expected to consult these
resources and not rely on me to answer all questions of citation and
grammar. Learning to use writers’ resources is part of learning to write well.
Expenses & Supplies
Photocopying/printing:
 First drafts may be emailed to me to reduce printing expenses. Only
first drafts. Any other drafts emailed and not handed in as hard
copies will be considered late. You will still need to bring one hard
copy of draft one for your peer to review.
 To grading conferences, bring 1 hard copy for me and one for you.
 When reviewing classmates’ work for whole class workshop, either
print a copy of their writing or bring a computer so you can refer to the
text during our discussion.
 You will sometimes be expected to print items from the course site.
Feel free to format online readings and whole class workshop
documents to reduce printing costs, but do print them and bring them
to class or bring a laptop on which you can view them.
Instructor:
Steven Hammer
Office:
Minard Hall 320H
Office Hours:
12-2 WED, OR BY
APPOINTMENT
Course Information:
English 120
MWF 2-2:50
FLC 313
Phone:
701.231.7157
E-Mail:
steven.hammer@ndsu.edu
Table of Contents:
Syllabus 1-8
Schedule 9-13
Assignments 14-24
Readings & Resources 25-31
Other supplies:
 Optional USB/flash drives: you may want to bring a USB/flashdrive for saving your work when we
meet in the computer clusters (See course schedule). You may also use Digital Dropbox or may
email your work to yourself as an attachment.
 A writable CD for the playlist profile assignment.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 1

Possibility of purchasing music for your playlist CD (maximum $8; I will return the CD to you)
Major Assignments
 Class participation (based on attendance and level of participation in class). 100 points.
The participation grade will be earned as follows:
A
No more than 3 absences (1 week); active, substantive, and regular participation in
class (your body being in the room isn’t enough!)
B
No more than 4 absences, active and regular participation in class
C
No more than 6 absences (2 weeks), regular participation in class
D
No more than 7 absences, some participation in class
F
No more than 8 absences, minimal participation. After 9 absences (3 weeks) the
participation grade is zero points. 4 weeks absence or more will constitute failure of the
course, regardless of reason.

Daily work, including peer responses. Each randomly collected/graded piece is worth 5-10 points.
I will not collect all daily writing, but will not announce in advance which ones I will collect and
grade. If it looks like not many people have done the work, you can bet I’ll collect and grade that
day. Total: 50 points.

Playlist profile. Based on research (mini-annotated bibliography), create an 8-item playlist that
uses music to profile a political or cultural leader, present or past. Create the CD to accompany
the playlist. Full first draft 25 points. Final draft, 100 points.

Rhetorical analysis. You will analyze two related articles from
the list of articles on music and culture. 5 pages. First draft 25
points. Final draft, 150 points

Mid-term learning portfolio. 100 points.

5-entry annotated bibliographies for commentary project. Final
draft, 55 points.

Researched commentary. 6 pages. Topic must be connected to music and culture. First full draft
25 points. Final draft, 170 points.

PowerPoint video version of your commentary. (After portfolio is submitted). Presented to the
class. 100 points.

Final Portfolio. Students will include final versions of at least 3 different genres with a cover letter,
must total 15-18 pages of writing. Lowest grade major project must be revised for an improved
grade (over the pencil grade). 100 points.

Bonus opportunity: Any student willing to workshop (discuss) a piece of his or her writing once
during the semester with the entire class will receive a 10-point bonus, and the workshop is likely
to really help improve your writing (and your grade!) First come, first served.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 2
Don’t forget to hand in full first drafts!
The draft grade is based on 1) being
on time, 2) being long enough, 3)
being on topic, and 4) having a
works cited page, reasonably
formatted. This is an easy 25 points.
General Education Outcomes for English 120
Outcome #1: To communicate effectively in a variety of genres for various audiences and situations
English 120 will emphasize academic genres, and extend reading and writing to include genres common
in public communication situations. In order to achieve this outcome, students will:
o Read a variety of genres of writing, with an emphasis on writing produced for students and
scholars and writing produced for the general reader, intended to inform and influence members
of the public on matters of concern to all.
o Write in a variety of genres for various audiences and purposes (e.g. writing for specific
disciplines, writing to communicate visually as well as textually in order to reach wider audiences
and meet different reading styles, writing for the general public about issues you care about,
etc.)
o Practice effective and efficient writing strategies, including generating, developing, and focusing
ideas, sharing drafts of writing with peers and the instructor, revising and editing for clarity,
consistency, and correctness. Students should also understand that effective communication
can only be defined within the context and situation of reading and writing tasks.
Outcome #6: To integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful manner
English 120 instruct students in library and web research skills, and introduce field research as an
additional means of finding or generating ideas and knowledge. In order to achieve this outcome,
students will:
o Locate information in library and web resources, and respond to others' ideas within their own
writing.
o Conduct field research appropriate to their writing projects (e.g. observe people or things, conduct
interviews, write and distribute surveys, relevant to their topic), and integrate that research
o Use a thesis statement, claims, and evidence effectively when a writing situation calls for these
particular elements.
English Department Outcome Applicable for English 120
To understand leadership as a dynamic role, rather than a static position, that can be played out through
writing and collaboration
Students should come to understand the relationship between effective communication and leadership.
While civic leaders are often examples of good communicators, students should come to see through the
collaborative assignments and explorations of leadership in this course that leadership can take many
forms, and individuals who communicate well can either take leadership roles or support strong teams
throughout college, into their careers, and within their communities. In order to achieve this goal,
students will:
o Work collaboratively on at least one writing assignment.
o Reflect on their experiences as a collaborator as a means of understanding their own
experiences in a group, as a leader or member.
o Reflect on, and in some cases do research on, the concept of leadership.
Grading Scales
For assignments worth 5 points:
A=5
B=4
C=3
D=2
F = 0-1
For assignments worth 10 points:
A = 9-10
B = 8-8.9
C = 7-7.9
D = 6-6.9
F = 0-5.9
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 3
For assignments worth 25 points:
A = 22.5-25
B = 20-22.4
C = 17.5-19.9
D = 15-17.4
F = 0-14.9
For assignments worth 55 points:
A = 49.5-55
B = 44-49
C =38.5-43.5
D = 33-38
F = 0-32.5
For assignments worth 100 points:
A = 90-100
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = 0-59
For assignments worth 170 points
A = 153-170
B = 136-152
C = 129-135
D = 102-128
F = 0-101
For assignments worth 150 points:
A = 135-150
B = 120-134
C = 105-119
D = 90-104
F = 0-89
For the course:
A = 900-1000
B = 800-899
C = 700-799
D = 600-699
F = 0-599
1st Draft Grading Scales
Playlist
3 summaries with citation plus 8 item playlist = 25
points
Every citation + summary is worth 2.25 points.
RA
4 pages + works cited page = 25 points
3.75 pages + works cited page = 23.5 points
3.5 pages + works cited page = 22 points
Every quarter page is worth 1.5 points. Any draft
less than a page in length will receive 0 points.
Every playlist item is worth 2.25 points.
Commentary
6 pages plus works cited = 25 points
5.75 pages plus wc = 24
5.5 pages plus wc = 23
Every quarter page is worth 1 point. Any draft
less than a page in length will receive 0 points.
A missing works cited page will reduce the grade
by 1 point.
* Please note that if you have lots of white space
at the beginning, a bigger than normal font, big
margins, spaces between your paragraphs, I will
try to do my best to calculate how much text you
have to make a fair comparison with others
whose font is standard, margins are standard,
etc.
A missing works cited page will reduce the grade
by 2 points.
Grade Descriptions
A = Excellent work, virtually free of mechanical error (grammar, citation, punctuation, spelling), going
above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignment. Demonstrates sophisticated
understanding of the assignment and the writing situation. Reader should be able to read without
disruption.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 4
B = Good or above average work, minimal mechanical error, going beyond the requirements of the
assignment in a least one way, fulfilling all assignment requirements. Demonstrates understanding of
the assignment and the writing situation. Reading should be easy, with minimal disruption.
C = Ok or average work, some mechanical error is acceptable, just fulfills all assignment requirements.
Demonstrates basic understanding of the assignment and the writing situation. Reading may involve
minimal to moderate disruption.
D = Needs improvement to meet assignment requirements. Reading the text is challenging.
F = Unacceptable work. Does not fulfill most of the assignment requirements, is not handed in, or is not
the writer’s own work (the last two warrant 0s at best). Reading for comprehension may be nearly
impossible.
Grading Guidelines
 Pencil grade or final assignments handed in after their due dates will be reduced half a letter grade,
unless prior arrangements are made with me. After a week’s lateness, the grade goes down a full
letter grade for every week it is late. Missed and subsequently rescheduled grading conferences are
considered late submissions.

First drafts handed in after the due date will receive 0 points. This is a nonnegotiable requirement. If
you wake up sick the day a draft is due, send it via a classmate or email or post it to the blackboard
site. Do not count on me checking my campus box after class.

Any projects completed collaboratively will receive one grade. Individuals will be asked to evaluate
and support both their own work and their peers’ work on the project. The self-assessment will serve
as a grading guide for me.

All written work is due at the very beginning of class on the due date.

I will hold mandatory conferences for the first couple of assignments.
Grading Conference Procedures
For the playlist profile and rhetorical analysis assignment, I will conduct an individual grading conference
with you.
The week before the conferences begin, I will post a sign-in sheet on my office door (322D Minard Hall).
You will sign up for a time that works for you. Then, you will come to the conference with two copies of
your finished final draft, the peer responses you received on the draft, and copies of all sources you
used.
In the conference, you and I will read your paper with a grading rubric to guide our reading. We will then
compare our evaluations of the document and discuss any differences. You will be able to revise two of
the major projects after the pencil grade for an improved grade.
Attendance
In compliance with NDSU University Senate Policy, Section 333: Class Attendance and Policy and
Procedure, <http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/333.htm>, and with the English Department’s Attendance
Policy, < http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/english/view.php?ArtID=300>, students’ prompt, regular attendance
is required for this course.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 5
If you are aware of a potential conflict with this class, consider taking another section at another time.
You have 1 week’s worth of free misses for illness/emergency. After a week, your participation grade will
go down, and after three weeks’ absence you will automatically receive a zero for participation.
According to English department policy, students who miss more than four weeks of class during
the standard academic semester (e.g., twelve 50 minute classes, eight 75 minute classes, or their
equivalent) will not pass the course. Moreover, each student is accountable for all work missed
because of absence, and instructors have no obligation to make special arrangements for missed work.
If you have a major emergency that causes you to miss a large amount of class unexpectedly, you
should withdraw and take the course at a time when you are able to attend more regularly.
What To Do If You Miss a Class Meeting For Any Reason
1. Do not come to me asking, “What did we do?” (Or, even worse, “Did we do anything?”)
2. As soon as possible, contact at least 2 classmates for full class notes, instructions, handouts, etc. If
the classmates you contact did not take helpful notes or are otherwise uninformed, you should
contact someone else. (You are responsible for knowing what transpires in each class session,
whether you are present or not.)
3. After contacting classmates for full information, you may then visit or email me if you have specific,
informed questions.
4. To submit late projects, staple an explanatory note to any material handed in late, clearly
identifying the item, the reason for its lateness, and the date it was originally due. If you are
handing the work in by email attachment, you must include an explanatory comment in the
body of the email message, as well as clear identifying information on the email subject line.
You may not hand in daily writing or in-class activities after the class period during which
they were due, nor can you hand in first drafts late for credit.
5. Material handed in without this explanatory information will not be accepted.
6. Late work will receive a grade reduction that will persist in revisions (5% per week).
Critical Incident Questionnaires (CIQs)
Each Thursday, at the end of class, I will hand out a document called the Critical Incident Questionnaire.
In the last 10 minutes, we will all fill out a questionnaire, answering questions about our engagement with
the class materials, concepts, and activities. Each of us will use a piece of carbon paper to make a copy
for ourselves to keep. It is very important that you keep these copies, as you will look back at your
responses each time you complete a portfolio. The CIQs will help you to recall important learning
moments and challenges. The questionnaires are anonymous. I will use them for a few primary
purposes: addressing major points of confusion shared by several students in the class, slowing down or
speeding up delivery of material to address student learning, adjusting my teaching strategies to target
learning styles in the class, and helping other teachers through research and publication of my findings to
understand how we can use reflection to improve learning and class communication.
Writing Format:
 Unless specified otherwise, all assignments must be typed.
 Use a 12-point font, double space, with one-inch margins all around, unless the document requires a
special design.
 Staple your document together or put it in a paper folder.
 Cover sheets are unnecessary, but use a heading that includes your name, the date, the title of your
work, and any draft information (Example: Playlist Profile, Draft 1 or Rhetorical
 Analysis, Final). Do not use headers for letters.
 Include works cited, citations, and "help received" statement as necessary (check your handbook or
a reliable online handbook for citation conventions).
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 6
Academic Honesty
"I stole my term paper off the Internet, but I think it’s
okay. My topic is plagiarism."
—Cartoon by Randy Glasbergen
Cartoons accessed May 16, 2008
http://www.teachers.ab.ca/Quick+Links/Publications/ATA+News/Volume+41/Number+16/Cartoon+4116.htm
https://ilrb.cf.ac.uk/plagiarism/tutorial/images/plagdead.jpg
Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: Work submitted for this course must adhere to the Code of Academic
Responsibility and Conduct as cited in the Handbook of Student Policies: “The academic community is
operated on the basis of honesty, integrity, and fair play. Occasionally, this trust is violated when
cheating occurs, either inadvertently or deliberately. This code will serve as the guideline for cases
where cheating, plagiarism, or other academic improprieties have occurred . . . . Faculty members may
fail the student for the particular assignment, test, or course involved, or they may recommend that the
student drop the course in question, or these penalties may be varied with the gravity of the offense and
the circumstances of the particular case” (65). See also: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/335.htm.
Academic Honesty Defined: All written and oral presentations must “respect the intellectual rights of
others. Statements lifted verbatim from publications must be cited as quotations. Ideas, summaries or
paraphrased material, and other information taken from the literature must be properly referenced”
(Guidelines for the Presentation of Disquisitions, NDSU Graduate School, 4).
English Department Policy on Plagiarism. Instructors in the English department try to distinguish
between inadvertent and deliberate plagiarism. Initial instances of inadvertent plagiarism will be pointed
out and revision will be expected; deliberate plagiarism may result in zero for an assignment, possible F
for the course. See the English department guidelines for more details:
http://www.ndsu.edu/ndsu/english/view.php?ArtID=165
Helpful website for understanding and avoiding plagiarism:
http://ec.hku.hk/plagiarism/introduction.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/
Special Needs
In keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I encourage students with special needs who need
accommodations in this course to contact me as soon as possible so that the appropriate arrangements
can be made.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 7
College Composition II
Schedule
Please note: this schedule may and probably will change slightly throughout the semester.
**CtW = Call to Write
Unit One: The Playlist Profile
Date Reading Assignment
Writing Assignment
Class Details
Tu 25
Take notes in class on leadership!
-Introductions: what’s on your
music playlist?
-Your goals for the course
-How do you define leadership?
Daily writing. Part 1: Everyone come
to class with a list of 3 people or
groups who have been political or
cultural leaders from 3 different
decades (or centuries!) Try to think of
people who are not obvious—it’s
more interesting.
-Syllabus hunt: most important
items
Th 27
Part 1: Go to blackboard
(NDSU’s home page,
Blackboard link, English
120) and print the course
pack, including syllabus,
schedule, and some class
resources. Bring it to class
every day.
Part 2: Read the syllabus
portion (the material that
precedes the schedule).
These policies are our class
contract.
Tu 1
Read CtW 2-4, 5-18: five
factors & how contexts
shape writing
Th 3
Find 3 sources through
EBSCO databases on your
leader and begin reading
**
-Brainstorm class “leaders” list: what
makes a leader?
Part 2: Under each person’s name,
write down at least three verifiable
(you can find this in sources) reasons
that person constitutes a leader.
By today, choose a leader from our
brainstormed list or elsewhere that
you will profile through a playlist.
Read **CtW** 99-100, 209215, 226-230: Profiles
Read sample playlist
profile.
Read CtW, 426-35, Finding
and Evaluating Sources
-Introduce playlist assignment
Five factors
-Dominant impressions in profiles
-Playlist as profile
Come to class with a list of at least 5
possible songs that might make it
onto your playlist. What might each
of these songs represent about the
person you are profiling?
Preliminary research guidance
session: finding materials in EBSCO
Using handbook, doing annotation
Intro and use CIQ
CtW = Call to Write
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 8
them
Work on your citations and
summaries.
Review “what makes a
good summary”
guidelines
Brainstorming possible dominant
impressions: p. 234 “Deciding on the
Dominant Impression”
-Playlist style and voice: informal,
mid-level, formal handout
WCW overview/interest
Tu 8
Th 10
Reread the Keith Taylor
playlist profile and think
about how you would
respond to it as a peer—
bring a print out to class
with your notes on the
page about what’s already
working (what do you
like?) and what needs,
work, is confusing, where
the profile doesn’t yet meet
the assignment guidelines.
Bring all 3 completed citations plus
summaries for the bib portion of your
playlist. Bring copies of the sources,
as well.
Plagiarism and Summary
CtW 31-41, reading sources
closely
First draft of playlist due
-Peer review: PR questions and
rubric
-Introduce RA assignment
-CIQ
Writing Assignment
Class Details
-Rhetorical Analysis: Rhetorical
Situation
-Apply 5 factors chart to a
document
Unit 2: Rhetorical Analysis
Date
Reading Assignment
Tu 15
Read CtW 41-55,
rhetorical situation
Type peer review comments and
return in class (email copy to
Hammer)
Th 17
Read CtW 56-73:
analyzing arguments
Propose which two articles to analyze
by this date
Prepping for PR: why PR, how: peer
review the Keith Taylor playlist
profile together (mock WCW)
Sign up for conferences this week
-Rhetorical analysis: Logos,
Ethos, Pathos
- Social Context
Apply textual, immediate,
social/historical context to a text
-Credit Union email analysis Structuring the rhetorical
analysis
Tu 22
Revised draft of playlist due for
pencil grade at your conference time
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 9
-CIQ
Attend pencil grading
conferences, no class
Th 24
Tu 29
Spend at least 2 hours working on
your rhetorical analysis this week
Read CtW 73-80:
rhetorical stance,
argument structure
Attend pencil grading
conferences, no class
Rhetorical analysis: Rhetorical
Stance
Review the rubric for playlist
profile
Style and voice informal, midlevel, formal handout
Th 1
Read “Becoming a
Critic of Your
Thinking”
RA First Draft Due
CtW, 632-644
(Portfolios)
Type peer response, bring a copy for
the peer and one for Hammer
Peer response
-Overview learning portfolio
assig
CIQ
Tu 6
Th 8
Read sample LP letter
(Sample LP is a .pdf on
Blackboard)
Read Ch. 9,
Commentary, pp. 288292
Mid-term Learning Portfolio due
(assignment TBA)
-Introduce Commentary
Assignment
-Preliminary topic brainstorming,
CtW 304-05
-CIQ
Tu 13
Read Ch. 9,
Commentary, pp. 29598, 304-10
Th 15
Read 3 Domains of
Knowledge Handout
and complete the
accompanying
assignment
Unit 3: Textual Commentaries
Date
Reading Assignment
Tu 20
CtW, Ch. 13, Working
with Sources 439-51
-Commentary genre
- Review proposal requirements
-Assessing your knowledge 30607
“Guidelines for analyzing your
audience” sheet
RA Pencil Grade Draft Due in conf,
be prepared to talk about the
revisions already made based on
peer comments
Attend pencil grading
conferences, no class
Work on developing your
commentary proposals this week.
Writing Assignment
Commentary proposal due
Attend your RA pencil grading
conferences this week
Class Details
Quick PR check of commentary
proposals
Annotated bibs & research
Introduce annotated bib assignment
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 10
Analyze annotated bib entries
Th 22
Tu 27
CtW, Ch. 14 print, elec.
and other sources 46875
Daily writing: bring a minimum of 3
and a maximum of 5 annotated bib
entries in MLA style to class.
CtW, Writers
Workshop on Tone 31117
10 entry Annotated Bib due (prep for
commentary)
Th 29
Peer response to bib entries,
annotation, documentation
CIQ
Tone in Commentary, From Rant to
Comment
-Developing a commentary claim,
-Intros/framing 308-09
-Organizational patterns: general to
specific, familiar to unfamiliar,
climactic, chronological, spatial,
Nestorian
CIQ
Drafting sections
Tu 3
Commentary first draft due
Th 5
Tu 10
Peer review, draw on 310
Introduce final portfolio assig.
CIQ
emphasis—“macrorevising” or
global revisions
-Distribute portfolio folders
Th 12
Tu 17
Annotated bibs & research
Read sample portfolio
cover letter
Read Texley “21st
Century Skills” in this
course pack
Commentaries due for pencil grade
(please bring hard copies to class
and email a copy to me)
As you read the Texley article,
highlight or underline any skills or
knowledge that Texley seems to be
suggesting 21st century students
should develop.
-CIQ
-What’s in a reflective letter?
-Drawing on daily writing to start
your letter.
Then, write two paragraphs that talk
about how you have been developing
one of these skill or knowledge areas
in this class. Be as specific as possible.
Th 19
Read PowerPoint Is
Evil, CtW 271-74
Please compose at least two
paragraphs, one in response to
prompt #5 on your portfolio
assignment (show your
understanding of a genre), one in
response to prompt #6 (show your
understanding of how to do and
incorporate research). Please put
those paragraphs on the discussion
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 11
Emphasis on “microrevising” or
local revisions
-Show and talk through PowerPoint
Do’s and Don’ts CtW 610,
www.designwritingresearch.org/ar
chive.html
-Introduce PowerPoint Video
Commentary assignment
board; you can either reply to this
prompt or start a new thread.
CIQ
I will try to respond to these prompts
ASAP as a way to give you help with
your cover letter.
Unit 4: PowerPoint Video Commentary
Tu 24
CtW, Ch. 19, Visual
Design
Portfolios Due
Search for and bring to class copies of
at least 5 images such as photos, clip
art, etc. that seem to reflect or inform
your commentary argument (they can
be black and white and even more
than one per page—print quality is
not the issue). Be sure to cite them as
sources so that you can put them in
the works cited of your PowerPoint
video. Anyone without the
homework will be considered absent
for most of class today.
Th 26
Tu 1
Th 3
CIQ
Email requests for permission to use
any images that you’ve found thus far
for your video. You will include
copies of these emails and any
responses with your PowerPoint
video final draft.
Intro to storyboarding
Bring
*the music you would like to work
into your PowerPoint video along
with your storyboards, your
commentary drafts, and any other
materials you’ve already gathered.
Store files on a USB flash drive
PowerPoint video workshop I in
cluster: Audacity audio editing,
integrating into PowerPoint
Begin storyboard ideas
PowerPoint video workshop II in
cluster: PowerPoint
CIQ
Presentations of PowerPoint
commentaries w/ discussion
Course evaluations—no CIQ
Th 10
Presentations of PowerPoint
commentaries w/ discussion
Meet in our regular classroom for final exam session (no test). Required attendance for participation.
Return any graded work. Finish presentations of PowerPoint commentaries w/discussion
Assignments section follows:


How to convert a textual
commentary to a visual one
Thanksgiving holiday
Tu 8
Finals
Week
Tom Chapin’s “Not on the Test”
music as commentary
http://www.tomchapin.com/
Playlist profile
Collaborative rhetorical analysis
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 12




Mid-term learning portfolio
Annotated bibliography
Commentary and PowerPoint video commentary assignments
Final portfolio
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 13
Profiling a Leader:
The Playlist Profile
Due Dates
9/10
9-19 to 9-24
Draft due
Pencil grade conferences
Description
Profiles highlight some aspect of a person’s life or personality to make a point for readers. Playlists are
lists of music that typically reflect something about the person who created them. For this assignment,
you’re going to take the purpose and focus of a profile and try to reflect something about a leader
through musical selections.
If you are profiling Barack Obama, for instance, you might want to make it clear that he’s trying to be a
change agent by selecting music such as David Bowie’s “Changes,” which has lyrics such as “You’ve left
us up to our necks in it” and “Ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain).” Add to that “Stars and
Stripes of Corruption” by the Dead Kennedys—“The stars and stripes of corruption/Let’s bring it all
down!/Tell me who’s the real patriots/The Archie Bunker slobs waving flags?/Or the people with the
guts to work/For some real change/Rednecks and bombs don’t make us strong/We loot the world, yet
we can’t even feed ourselves.”
The list will include notes to each track, explaining what this track represents about the leader and her or
his qualities. It can be a critique or a praise of the leader but must be focused and based in research, not
in slander or blind love. Again, you can use the notes to each track to draw the connection between
researched information about the leader and the song you’ve chosen.
You may choose to either
 Write in the first person as though you are the leader him or herself, choosing self-promotional
and self-referential tracks. This is a little more of a creative writing approach.
 Write about the leader in the third person as you would normally when profiling someone:
“Barack Obama is the Democratic Party’s candidate for President in the 2008 elections. He has
emphasized throughout his speeches that he wants to be seen as an agent of change.”
5 Factors
Audience: General readers interested in either thematic playlists or your leader/leadership.
Context: Blog on the web as publishing context. Discussions of leadership in the 21st century in public
forums as social context.
Purpose: To educate readers about the nature of leadership through one specific leader as an example.
To entertain.
Genre: Playlist profile (a playful blend of two genres)
Voice or Tone: Casual, playful, personal, intimate.
What to Include
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 14








A title for your playlist that indicates the dominant impression you’re trying to evoke through
the list.
A photo or image of the leader you’re profiling, cited appropriately.
A paragraph overview of the CD that includes
o the most key background information about the leader
o why you chose this leader (or, if you are writing as though you’re the leader, offer a
fictional rationale for making the playlist)
8 “tracks” or song choices, including title, artist
Notes (one paragraph each of about 100 words) for each track that helps to highlight the
dominant impression by
o drawing readers’ attention to lyrics that reflect your theme
o making connections with the research you’ve done on the leader
o any commentary you’d like to offer about the choice (perhaps it fits on one level and not
on another; you can mention that). For instance, I might say that while Barack Obama
seems to want to see us as anti-establishment, The Dead Kennedys’ track, being punk
music, takes a much stronger stance than any politician wanting to get elected likely could
take.
A works cited page in MLA format, separated from the playlist by a page break. Include
o citations for each song
o citations for the image
o citations for sources you used in your liner notes
o 1 paragraph summary (75-125 words) of at least 3 sources directly following the source
documentation in the works cited
A burned CD of the music you’ve chosen with the CD title and your name written or stamped
on.
BONUS OPTION: This is not required but if you put your playlist profile up on a blog and do so
neatly (if it’s a mess, you won’t get the full bonus), you can acquire a 5% bonus on your grade for
the project. For example, if your grade based on the other criteria is 86%, a blogged profile will
receive a 91% as its grade.
Length
Total of 8 tracks, 8 notes paragraphs (approx 100 words each), 1 intro paragraph, 1 page of works cited.
All single-spaced.
Grading
Have you included
Title
Image of leader
Opening overview paragraph
10 tracks with liner notes
MLA formatted works cited
Burned CD with your name and title written on the CD itself
3 article summaries in your words in the works cited section
Writing’s effectiveness in the following areas
Clear dominant impression emerging from the title, track selections,
notes
Effectively integrated research (largely paraphrased, only very choice
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 15
Yes
A
B
C
No
D
F
quotes)
Effective sentence and paragraph style
Professional presentation (copyediting, formatting, mechanics,
grammar)
Generally effective works cited with summaries in your own words
Project completeness
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 16
Rhetorical Analysis
Due Dates
10-1
10/13-16
RA First Draft Due
RA pencil grade conferences
Description
For this assignment, you will analyze two related articles from a list of articles on music and culture. A
rhetorical analysis is a close reading of a text or a group of texts, breaking down and evaluating the
arguments. Rhetorical analysis is something we have to do all of the time as readers, but we typically do
so quickly and far less formally than this assignment asks. Through slowing down, looking at aspects of
argument that often aren’t apparent from a quick reading, you will develop new and heightened critical
skills that will serve you in job, home life, and school.
What to Include (not necessarily in this order, except intro and conclusion)
 Introduction to the topic that overviews the two articles, may define a central term, sets the scene
 Identification of the genre of the pieces
 Identification of the apparent audience for the pieces (more specific than “general public”) with
evidence to support your analysis
 Identification of the style of the pieces
 Identification of the social context for each piece
 Material on authors’ ethos and how it is persuasive or not
 Material on emotional appeals and their persuasiveness
 Material on claims, evidence, logic and their persuasiveness and validity
 Closing section that offers a final evaluation—which source of the three is most reliable based on
the analysis; what are the overall strengths and weaknesses of each source; what are you left
wondering about the topic that none of the three addresses
Structure
Your rhetorical analyses must be organized topically. Any rhetorical analysis that moves from article to
article as its structure will receive a grade of D or F. This should not be 2 papers stuck together as one. It
must be one essay with a clearly synthesized analysis.
One possible structure
 Introduction
 Rhetorical Situation
 Rhetorical Stance
 Rhetorial Appeals
 Concluding Evaluation
Audience
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 17
Academic. Your professor and an audience of knowledgeable peers.
Context
 College.
 This course, in particular, where we want to develop, as a group, a better sense of the intellectual
and public conversations about music and its role in culture and identity formation.
 The broader social context is a culture in which musical freedom is pretty alive and music is quite
varied.
 Also, this is an information age in which we’re bombarded with information we have to evaluate
and filter all the time.
Purpose
 To improve reading, analysis, and evaluation skills so you will be able to differentiate the quality
of a variety of sources.
 To learn new rhetorical terminology that you will be able to apply both to reading others’ texts
and to producing your own effective communication.
 To educate readers about the literature on a particular topic connected to music and culture. Your
classmates will get to learn from your coverage of the topic about debates they might want to
enter for their commentary.
Tone
Academic. Mid-level to formal. Should use some technical rhetorical terms not familiar to a general
public.
Genre
Traditional rhetorical analysis essay.
Length
Minimum 5 pages (may go over)
Grading
First draft 25 points. Final draft, 150 points
Criteria
Content (Have you correctly used terminology? Have you offered
insightful analysis of the arguments made in each source?)
Organization (Have you created a topic structure that is easy to follow
and helps readers understand the ways the sources compare and
contrast?)
Style (Have you effectively targeted an audience of educated peers
through use of rhetorical terms, sentence structure, word choices?)
Mechanics (Is your project reasonably well proofed so the project is easy
to read? Is your MLA works cited page reasonably correctly formatted
and complete?)
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 18
A
B
C
D
F
Article 1 citation:
Rhetorical Category
Writer’s background
What do you know?
How do you know? (quotes from text or research, primarily)
Audience (s)
Purpose of the text
Genre/type of text
Context (textual,
immediate,
social/historical)
Tone/style of text
Logical strategies
Emotional appeals
Appeals to authority
Structure/organizational
patterns
To help you in understanding these categories, use Call to Write, Chs. 1-3. Also, see the handouts in the course pack on five factors, context, style and voice, and audience
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 19
Mid-term
Learning Portfolio
Due Date
W 10-8
Assignment in a Nutshell
Throughout the semester, keep everything you write for this course—informal as well as formal writing.
Near the middle and end of the semester, organize evidence of your learning process into a portfolio, as
described below. The second learning portfolio will be used for departmental assessment purposes.
The benefits of collecting these items in a portfolio are multiple: I can start to see clearer patterns in your
work and can help you to work on developing the strengths and reducing the weaknesses; you can see
your own work more clearly as a “composition” reflecting who you are as a writer and as a member of
our learning community; you can highlight your priorities and accomplishments in the reflection letter
that introduces the portfolio.
Note: Always bring daily writing to class on the day they are listed—we will typically refer to them in
class. Being prepared for class contributes to your participation grade.
5 Factors
Audience: Dr. Taggart
Context: School, where demonstrating learning and reflecting on it for personal growth are valued.
Purpose: To enhance your own awareness of your learning, your understanding of concepts, your
strengths and weaknesses. To self-evaluate. To offer your teacher more insight into your
learning so she can aid you as you move forward.
Genre: Portfolio, including the genre of the reflection letter.
Voice or Tone: Thoughtful, academic, mid-formal
What to Include in Mid-term LP
PART I A cover letter.
I strongly recommend you reread “Becoming a Critic of Your Thinking” at
http://www.criticalthinking.org/articles/becoming-a-critic.cfm before you start to write the letter. The
letter will make or break the portfolio. See also the sample letter below for an idea of how to successfully
be specific and thoughtful in this letter.
The cover letter should discuss the following things (devote at least one full paragraph to each):
1. at least one interesting or important thing you have learned about yourself as a learner, based on
your weekly CIQ reflections to date
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 20
2. the document included that represents your strongest skills in giving feedback (when you have
done a peer response for a partner or for a whole class workshop) and why you feel it was
particularly effective feedback or an improvement in your knowledge as a respondent.
3. the two documents included that best show your content learning (that is, your learning about
information we covered during class activities, readings, research, and/or other assignments).
What do you feel you learned and what strategies or techniques (used by you, me, and/or your
classmates) most helped you to learn that material?
4. the moment or moments in class that represent your best oral contributions to helping other
classmates learn (in small groups or in the whole class setting). Why does that moment stand out
to you as exemplary?
5. the document included that best represents your ability to apply new and complex writing
concepts (related to things such as genres, styles, audience awareness, organization, etc.)
Be very specific in the cover letter. Claims of learning without specific evidence to support the claims
will not make the case for you. Rereading the CIQs may help you to contextualize the pieces you include.
(But do not include copies of your CIQs—those should remain anonymous.)
PART II: Artifacts (“evidence”) of items 2-5 discussed in the cover letter, in the exact order each one is
mentioned in the cover letter. If you opt to use the same document as evidence for more than one item in
the cover letter, be sure to highlight or label it accordingly.
Grading
Evidence of learning as expressed by cover letter 0-60 points ________
Quality of included work 0-10 points _______
Completeness (cover letter, artifacts relating to items 2-5) 0-10 points _______
Organization and presentation 0-20 points _______
Total per collection = 100 points _______
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 21
Annotated Bibliography: 55 points
Length: 10 annotations, each 150-250 words
Due: T, 10-27
For the commentary assignment, you will be responsible for directing your own research, research that likely
springboards off of your collaborative rhetorical analysis. Now you will begin exploring sources you locate in
greater depth, reading them carefully and accurately summarizing their contents and evaluating those contents
within the context of your own research project. You will be compiling an annotated bibliography, which is a
formal product of that research, a product that demonstrates you are learning four skills that will be very important
to your college success:

directing your own research.

reading and understanding academic prose, and recasting it in your own words (summarizing).

evaluating complex arguments, differentiating among their central points, strengths and weaknesses, and
developing your own conclusions about them.

learning how to use a handbook or style guide to look up conventions of documentation within a given
discipline.
Assignment:
An annotated bibliography can be summative, evaluative, critical, etc. This assignment asks you to produce both
summative and evaluative components. This means each annotation will include a short, but careful summary of
the original text (75-125 words) and an evaluation of that text’s usefulness to your project (75-125 words).
Although there are many kinds of annotated bibliographies, produced for all fields of academic inquiry, this
assignment asks that:

the bibliography have a general descriptive title

each annotation appears in alphabetical order, by last name of author

the entries follow the conventions of MLA citation (both for the entry header and to cite and material in-text).

each annotation has both a summative and evaluative component

include copies of each article or chapter you annotate
Purpose
Although it’s probably clear why I think this is an important assignment (future academic success, blah, blah, blah),
I also think this is a useful assignment for you. Because your commentary is a project based on this research, by
the time you have finished this assignment, you will know a lot about your topic. It will be much easier for you to
write your paper as your sources will already be organized, and you even have paraphrases/summaries of the
material to draw from for your paper! In addition, you have the opportunity to get feedback from your peers and
me so that you know you have found the best sources, that you are citing them correctly, and that you understand
their arguments. The writing portion of this project will be far easier for having done the annotations first!
Evaluation Criteria
You'll be graded A-F for this assignment, but you have a great deal of control over your grade. Each annotation is
worth a total of 5 points (partial points may be awarded for partially effective work):
 1 point for correct MLA citation (including listing the entry in alphabetical order)
 2 points for an effective summary (see guidelines next page)
 2 points for an effective evaluation (see guidelines next page)
 half a point for each article you copy or print and include with the bib (this is like free points, so don’t forget to
do it!)
Deduction:
1 point off if you do not have a title that clearly indicates your topic area.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 22
GUIDELINES FOR SUMMATIVE ANNOTATIONS
(Paragraph One of Annotated Bibliography Assignment)
1. Use the correct, double-checked MLA documentation as a title prior to each entry. Use Ch. 13
“Working with Sources” for most MLA documentation guidelines.
2. Identify the author's argument immediately in paragraph 1. Your reader needs to know the main point
and the argument's focus immediately.
3. Include all main points and any minor points given special emphasis.
4. Retain the logic and tone of the original argument.
5. Recast the original text into your own words and quote only words or very short phrases, if at all.
6. Do not include your own opinions of the argument, the issue, or the writing in the summary. (Save
these for the second paragraph.)
7. Work for cohesion. The author's organization of the material may not work or make sense in your
shorter summary. You must make your annotation stand on its own, for a reader who may not have
read the text you are summarizing.
8. Combine short sentences. Longer sentences can produce a smoother summary to read, and you will
find that longer sentences include more information in fewer words than do several short, choppy
sentences.
GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATIVE ANNOTATIONS
(Paragraph Two of Annotated Bibliography Assignment)

Provide a brief analysis of the appropriateness of this source to your topic and project (don’t bother
annotating useless sources)—so describe how this source will work with your topic and argument.

Evaluate the source itself:
• what is its political point-of-view? How do you know?
• is this a credible source? How do you know?
• does it agree or disagree with other sources you have found?
• does this provide insight into other areas of research you will need?
Because this assignment is working toward a larger project, the evaluative annotations are to help you
decide what material may best help you make the argument you wish to make. You want to try to focus
on how each source is clarifying/muddying your understanding of the topic.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 23
Annotated Bibliography
Why annotate?
Annotated bibliographies are common college assignments, and they can also be freestanding published works, as
journal articles or even books. Even when you are not assigned to write an annotated bibliography, you may find it
useful to write one as you prepare a major research project. The annotated bibliography provides brief overviews of
selected sources on a research topic, with the sources arranged in alphabetical order.
The citation
Each entry in the annotated bibliography begins with full source information, presented as if it were in a list of Works
Cited at the end of a researched essay.
Hudson-Williams, HL. “Political Speeches in Athens.” The Classical Quarterly (New Series) 1.5 (1951): 68-73.
The entries are arranged in alphabetical order by author. If any entries do not have an author, use the first word
(except a, an, or the) of the title to determine its alphabetical location.
The annotation
In an annotated bibliography, each citation is followed by an annotation that summarizes the source. Usually these
annotations are two to five sentences long. Sometimes this abstract—this very condensed summary of the source—is
introduced by a sentence or two that offers information about or evaluation of the author or the publisher. You can see
this approach in Dan Long's annotated bibliography at the end of this chapter. If the annotated bibliography is part of
a larger research project, you may also want to conclude each annotation with a one-paragraph indication of how you
will use the source in your project and/or evaluation of the source overall. Long’s entries offer a single sentence of
this sort.
WRITING RESPONSIBLY: Dealing with abstracts
Many published texts begin with a one-paragraph abstract of the source. Source abstracts can also be found in many
databases, such as ProQuest and EBSCO. When you are assigned to write an annotated bibliography, you are
expected to read the sources and write your own summaries. Copying abstracts that others have written and
representing them as your own work would be plagiarism. Even paraphrasing the abstracts that others have written is
unacceptable, since you would not be reading the sources yourself.
But how do you deal with the fact that those abstracts are sitting there at the beginning of the article or in the
database link, beckoning to you? One good option is to put them out of sight where they cannot tempt you. A better
option is to read them; they are extremely useful for helping you anticipate what you will read in the article. So read
the abstracts, and then read the article. As you read the article, take notes that you can use for writing your own
annotation. But do not return to the abstract again; its only continuing use is to tempt you to plagiarize.
Formatting the annotated bibliography
When you are asked to write an annotated bibliography as a freestanding document, it should include your name, a
title, a brief explanation of why you have read these sources, full bibliographic information for each source, and
annotations for each source. Follow the format and layout of Dan Long's annotated bibliography below.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 24
Header
Long 1
1”
Dan Long
Identifying
information
(double
spaced)
author’s last name, page number
Prof. Howard
Writing 205
28 Feb. 2008
Double space between
date & title
Annotated Bibliography: Political Ghostwriting
Descriptive title
(centered)
Double space between title
& 1st line
Indent first line of
introductory paragraph
This is an annotated bibliography for research on the effects of political ghostwriting in a democracy. I am researching
the prevalence of political ghostwriting and the effect it has on the message that the public receives.
First line of citation flush with left margin
Brandt, Deborah. “Who’s the President? Ghostwriting and Shifting Values in Literacy.” College English 69.7 (2007): 549-571.
In this volume of a journal published by the National Council of Teachers of English, Deborah Brandt, professor of
Second and
succeeding lines of
the citation indented
1" ("hanging indent")
English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, presents several aspects of ghostwriting and their effects on literacy
All lines of the
annotation indented
1/2"
originators of ideas to strictly putting thoughts into words. She discusses the power dynamics of ghostwriting and
and various professions. She examines different roles that writers play in the work of politicians, ranging from being
examines the unique relationship between ghostwriters and their clients. She offered “scarcities” as the primary
motivations for ghostwriting. Such scarcities include lack of adequate knowledge, skill, and time. Brandt also discusses
prominent controversies involved in ghostwriting, primarily surrounding the issue of ethics and the extent to which
ghostwriting contributes to deception. I will use this in my research as a scholarly evaluation of the ethics and a
controversy surrounding ghostwriting’s effect on various professions.
Dille, Brian. “The Prepared and Spontaneous Remarks of Presidents Reagan and Bush: A Validity Comparison for At-a-Distance
Measurements.” Political Psychology 21.3 (2000): 573-585. 22 Feb. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org>.
Brian Dille is a political science professor at Arizona State University. Dille’s research is focused on how differences
between prepared and spontaneous remarks reflect psychological characteristics. His primary hypothesis is that the
psychological scores (Deviated from his research) of spontaneous remarks would be significantly different than the
scores of prepared remarks. He tested his hypothesis on prepared and spontaneous remarks from President Reagan and
President Bush. His findings showed that there was a significant difference between prepared and unprepared speech in
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 25
relation to the respective presidents’ operational code and policy implementation. There was a difference in the
measurement of conceptual complexity in the speeches for President Reagan, which could reflect slightly different
ideologies between President Reagan and his writers. I will use this study in my research to provide quantitative
evidence for discrepancies between ideologies reflected by prepared speeches and spontaneous speeches.
Hudson-Williams, HL. “Political Speeches in Athens.” The Classical Quarterly (New Series) 1.5 (1951): 68-73.
In this volume of the peer reviewed The Classical Quarterly, HL Hudson-Williams of the University of Liverpool
focuses on written speeches in ancient Greece. Williams uses the work of Alsidamas and Isocrates to analyze the role of
written speech as opposed to extempore speech in Greece. The philosophers viewed written speeches as a necessary
evil, but held reservations against its role in politics. In ancient Greece it was common for legal and forensic speeches to
be written, but political speeches were primarily spontaneous. Many felt that specific preparation of political speeches
interfered with truth. The philosophers largely felt that it was acceptable to outline specific points and arguments before
the speech, but that the delivery of the speech should be extempore. Hudson-Williams effectively addressed ancient
philosophical thought about speechwriting, but could have elaborated further on its role in Greek politics. I will use this
in my research as a source of philosophical thinking on the ethics of political speechwriting. It will be particularly
useful as an indication of how famous philosophers viewed the role of political speechwriting in society.
Hult, Karen, and Charles Walcott. “Policymakers and Wordsmiths: Writing for the President Under Johnson and Nixon.” Polity
30.3 (1998): 465-487. 22 Feb. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org>.
The authors of this article are associate professors in the Department of Political Science at the Virginia Polytechnic
institute. This article addresses the increasing gap between administrative policies and written presidential statements,
and the beginning of contemporary political ghostwriting starting with the Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon
presidential administrations. Hult and Walcott find that speechwriters are aloof from policymakers and don’t have
enough knowledge about specific policies to effectively write about them. Due to both an increased demand for writers
and disorder within President Johnson’s administration, speechwriters became less specialized and wrote about many
different topics. In Nixon’s first term, he established an Office of Speechwriting and Research, effectively expanding
the number of writers and their duties. His writers were often invited to policy meetings, but only to become more intune with how the policymakers thought of ideas. In Nixon’s abbreviated second term, writers didn’t have as much
guidance and became further separated from the ideas behind the policies of which they were writing. This study will be
useful in my research because it gives me a transition between a time where writers were well connected with politicians
to a time when they were disconnected. It gives me reasons for the shift and how it has effected political ghostwriting.
Jamieson, Kathleen. “Discourse and the Democratic Ideal.” Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 26.4 (1993):
332-338. 22 Feb. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org>.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 26
Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society is a scholarly reviewed journal. Kathleen Jamieson is a professor of
communication and dean of the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. In this article,
Jamieson proposes several arguments against political ghostwriting. One of Jamieson’s arguments is that ghostwriting
minimizes rhetoric, especially in presidential campaigns. When used in campaigns, Jamieson argues, ghostwriting
impairs the electorate’s ability to judge the candidates. Jamieson argues that ghostwriting impairs the ability to lead,
based on the assertion that leaders must possess good communication skills. Jamieson uses President Abraham
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address as an example of why leaders need solid communication skills. She argues that the
Gettysburg address was so effective because Lincoln’s understanding of the legacy of the United States and the founding
fathers was refined by previous speeches. If he had a ghost, he probably wouldn’t have been able to write the speech so
effectively. Finally, she argues that ghostwriting allows leaders to conceal facts and also transfers constitutional powers
from elected leaders to ghostwriters. I will use this in my research because it is a particularly effective argument that
gives historical examples to show how ghostwriting can be particularly harmful in politics.
Riley, Linda, and Stuart Brown. “Crafting a Public Image: An Empirical Study of the Ethics of Ghostwriting.” Journal of
Business Ethics 15.7 (1996): 711-720. 22 Feb. 2008 <http://www.proquest.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/>.
Linda A. Riley is a marketing, business administration, and economics professor at New Mexico State University. Stuart
Brown is a rhetoric and professional communication professor at New Mexico State University. This article presents
three common ethics arguments that people associate with ghostwriting and gives quantitative data to support or reject
the arguments based on public perceptions of ghostwriting. The first position, known as the ethicist position, holds that
ghostwriting is deceptive because the person giving the speech didn’t write it. Opponents of this view believe that the
audience knows that the speech wasn’t written by the speaker and is therefore ethical. The results of the study show that
the most of the public recognizes that the speech is often written by someone other than the speaker. The second position
is the organizational position holds that it is acceptable for an organization to use ghostwriters, just as they would use
professionals like accountants and marketing specialists. The results of the study showed that the audiences recognize
that ghostwriters are used in many corporations. The third position, known as the speechwriter’s position, holds that the
speaker gives guidelines and talking points to the writers largely because they don’t have the time or skills to do it
themselves. The study shows that the public recognize the time constraints of the speakers, and thus don’t find
ghostwriting unethical. This source will be useful to me because it provides quantitative information on how the public
views ghostwriting, particularly pertaining to presidential speeches.
Schafer, Mark, and Scott Crichlow. “Bill Clinton’s Operational Code: Assessing Source Material Bias.” Political Psychology
21.3 (2000): 559-571. 22 Feb. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org>.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 27
Mark Schafer and Scott Crichlow are faculty in the political science department of Louisiana State University. Schafer
and Crichlow performed an empirical to assess differences in a leader’s character based on differences between
spontaneous remarks and prepared speeches. They performed this study based on Bill Clinton’s first term as United
States President. The results of the study showed that from 1993-1995 Clinton was more cooperative and politically
optimistic in his prepared statements than in his spontaneous remarks. Schafer and Crichlow hypothesized the
difference in statements could have been the result of ghostwriters spinning speeches to make Clinton appear to be
friendlier. The study also showed that from 1995-1996, Clinton’s spontaneous remarks shifted to being more
cooperative. Schafer and Crichlow hypothesized that this could have been due to Clinton shifting his rhetoric to better
match prepared statements. This study is beneficial to my research because it gives empirical data to show the
difference between a President’s spontaneous thoughts expressed through speech, and prepared speeches. It is a
testament to how prepared speeches can be deceitful in that they don’t always give an accurate portrayal of the speaker.
Seeger, Matthew. “Ethical Issues in Corporate Speechwriting.” Journal of Business Ethics 11.7 (1992): 501-504. 22 Feb. 2008
<http://www.proquest.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/>.
Matthew Seeger is the assistant dean of the Department of Communication at Wayne State University. In this article,
Seeger presents three different arguments surrounding the practice of corporate ghostwriting. He presents a traditional
view that holds that ghostwriting deceives the audience. Aristotle believed that one’s ethos and credibility are judged
and evaluated through speech, and a ghostwriter impairs the audience’s ability to make those evaluations. Another view
that Seeger presents holds that the ethics surrounding ghostwriting can depend on the audience. Audiences often believe
that an executive should be extremely articulate and well-spoken. Executives often feel pressured to live up to these
expectations, and as a result they hire a ghostwriter. The last view that Seeger presents argues that the speech delivered
often reflects an organization rather than the speaker, so the use of a ghostwriter if justified as a way of improving the
organization’s image. This source will be useful to me because it provides theories pertaining to how ghostwriting
shapes the message that the public receives, and also provides sound arguments in defense of ghostwriting as an ethical
activity.
Sigelman, Lee. “Two Reagan’s? Genre Imperatives, Ghostwriters, and Presidential Personality Profiling.” Political Psychology
23.4 (2002): 839-851. 27 Feb. 2008 <http://www.jstor.org>.
Lee Sigelman is a political science professor at George Washington University. In this study, Sigelman compared two
sets of radio commentaries from President Reagan. The first set was from before he was elected president; the second
was a ghostwritten set from when he was in office. The study was composed of a quantitative comparison to investigate
the discrepancies between the both sets of commentaries. In the study, this comparison was used to assess Reagan’s
personality which, Sigelman noted, had nothing to do with the presidential rhetoric. The results of the study showed that
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 28
Reagan’s commentaries while he was president were much more active and positive than commentaries from before he
was elected. Sigelman argued that speechwriters tried to make Reagan sound more positive and active because there
was a perception that Reagan was more of a passive man. He asserted that in order to have a good presidential image
and reputation, a president must act presidential all of the time, no matter what the current state of the nation may be.
This study will be used in my research as a quantitative barometer of how the public’s perception of a president’s
personality is largely affected by ghostwriters. It is important to note, however, that this study only deals with
personality comparison and doesn’t touch upon changes Reagan’s policy and rhetoric.
Weeman, Lauren. “Bending the (Ethical) Rules in Arizona: Ethics Opinion 05-06’s Approval of Undisclosed Ghostwriting May
Be a Sign of Things to Come.” Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics 19.3 (2006): 1041-1066. 22 Feb. 2008
<http://www.proquest.com.libezproxy2.syr.edu/>.
Lauren Weeman is the editor-in-chief of the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics and a graduate of Georgetown Law
School. In this study, Weeman presents the definition of “legal ghostwriting” as an attorney who helps a pro se litigant
by preparing court documents without disclosing their participation to the court. Weeman examines a 2005-2006 ruling
in Arizona that determined that Arizona lawyers who ghostwrite for clients don’t have any ethical obligation to disclose
their participation to the court. She presents the ruling and the reasoning that the court gave to justify their ruling. The
main premise that the court based their decision on was that ghostwriting doesn’t do anything to mislead the court.
Weeman argues that the reasoning behind the decision isn’t sound because it is based on a faulty premise. She argues
that legal ghostwriting can mislead the court because it leads to unfair advantages. The study then goes on to argue that
the ruling by the Arizona court could spark similar rulings nationwide. While the legal implications of this study won’t
be beneficial to my research, the reasoning behind the original ruling and Weeman’s argument will provide solid
reasoning for both sides of the ghostwriting ethical arguments.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 29
Commenting on Music:
The Written Commentary
Due Dates
Proposal due: 10-20
Annotated bibliography due: 10-27
Draft due: 11-5
Pencil grade draft due: 11/12
Potentially revisable for portfolio by: 11-23
Description
“A commentary is a genre of writing that uses analysis and interpretation to find patterns of meaning
in events, trends, and ideas. The purpose of a commentary is not simply to report on things but to
give readers a way to make sense of them” (CTW 288).
For this assignment, you will write a commentary for Rolling Stone that may
 build on the work you did in your rhetorical analysis or even potentially your playlist profile
 identify a new topic related to music that you’d like to pursue
 identify a trend or a hot topic regarding music, the debate about which you’d like to enter
You will now be able to bring in your personal experience, but I am still asking you to write a wellinformed, well-researched commentary about the issue you have chosen. Your commentary can draw
on an article you analyzed in the previous assignment, but it should also expand out to let readers
know what a variety of people are saying about this issue (a strategy called “framing the issue”), and
the commentary should amount to your insight on the issue of topic as a whole, not just your analysis
of a document.
It is important to understand that a commentary is a comment on, or response to, what others are
already saying about an issue. If you were to simply write about your support for or criticism of the
War in Iraq, you would probably end up writing a rant rather than a commentary.
A commentary tries to do more than simply agree or disagree with what others are saying—a
commentary would try to point out ideas or perspectives that others have not noticed. A
commentary isn’t just a loose collection of observations, however; it will have a clearly stated thesis.
In other ways, the genre is pretty flexible: midlevel or formal style, top-down or culminating
organization, a mixture of personal experience and use of sources. Commentaries will occasionally
address readers very directly if they are trying to get the attention of a particular group of people.
Length: six pages (minimum)
Structure:
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 30





Does the introduction frame the issues and forecast the main point and the direction of the
commentary?
Is the main point located at an effective place in the commentary? Your commentary can either
use a top-down structure (thesis up front), or a culminating structure (build towards your main
point).
Do your paragraphs support and illuminate your position while indicating how your position
relates to others?
Does the ending offer a satisfying sense of closure? Will readers find it easy to see how you
arrived at your line of thought? If top-down, does your ending echo your introduction? If
culminating, do you make your main point clear and obvious?
Do you acknowledge your research appropriately, using in text citation for both quotation and
paraphrase as well as documenting the sources at the end of the document?
What to include
 A clever title reflecting your main claim
 A clear thesis (in intro or conclusion)
 Well cited research on the topic
 A works cited page
 If desired, a picture that complements your argument
 If desired, a pull quote or two that direct readers’ attention to main points in your argument
Fill in the five factors:
Genre (key points):
Purpose:
Relationship to audience:
Style / voice:
Social context:
Grading Rubric for Commentary
Criterion
Clear thesis
Logic (evidence supports thesis reasonably)
Structure (effective intro, good transitions,
conclusion that provides closure)
Integration of research (both in the argument
and cited in text and in works cited)
Formal academic style
Editing—few errors in word choice, sentence
construction, and paragraphing?
A
B
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 31
C
D
F
Commenting on an Important Issue Unit: The Rationale
What you will learn:
 How to find “patterns of meaning” in others’ writing as well as identify “patterns of meaning”
you can write about.
 How to make an argument and support it with appropriate levels of detail.
 How to search the surface web, the deep web, and the library—especially relevant for writing
a well-informed commentary.
 How to address specific readers and how to anticipate objections to your own arguments.
 Strategies for writing formal prose.
 Strategies for working with specific genres (commentary)
But is this unit really relevant to my education and life?
The “reading as research” approach emphasized in Call to Write is relevant to reading more than just
words on the page. “Reading” is just one specific way to be observant or to pay attention to the
world, but scientists need to “read” cell walls, construction engineers need to know how to “read”
buildings, veterinarians need to know how to “read” animals, etc. I hope you will see the
transferability of these skills.
One of the hallmarks of a college educated person is that he or she can provide “commentary” on
complex issues, whether work related issues, public policy or current event issues, or family issues.
You may not have to write many or any commentaries again as a formal genre, but you will likely
find yourself doing the kind of research and making the kinds of arguments that typically inform
commentaries.
What you will need to do this unit:
 Identify an issue related to music important to you and others in the class. Ideally, this will be
an issue you have some familiarity with, but not an issue you have researched and read about.
Recycling a paper from high school is a form of academic dishonesty—the assignment
assumes that you will be doing new research and producing new work.
 Do good research on the topic of your choice for your commentary. As an iceberg is much
more massive underneath the water—the foundation of the iceberg is greater than its tip—
papers are supported by deep and massive, but integrated research.
 Create your own “research space.” The hardest thing to do in a well-researched commentary
is create a space for yourself. What can you add to the conversation about a topic? What do
you notice that others have not noticed?
 Be observant, thoughtful, and curious: the reading emphasis in this unit explains the need to
be observant, and the analysis / commentary emphasis in this unit explains the need to be
thoughtful and curious.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 32
Commentary Proposal
Due: 10-20
Length: 1-2 pages, plus working bibliography (separate page)
Assignment Description
A project proposal is a plan, one created to be read by
someone other than you. It is the first formal pitch of a
project, not unlike professional proposals. For instance,
architect’s pitches come, in part, in the form of drawn plans.
These plans are done with great care and attention to detail
and they take into account location and client constraints.
How much the client wants to spend mirrors how much time
you have for your project. Physical space for a building
mirrors the length requirements or guidelines in an
assignment. The client is much like your audience. You are
the architect of your project. Careful planning at the project
proposal stage can save time and energy later and offers you
the opportunity to get focused feedback from your teacher and others.
In this first stage of the research process:
 Identify an issue of interest that is debatable and will interest other readers.
 Collect resources for a working bibliography (these might include academic texts—books and
journal articles—or field research—interviews in particular)
 Cite those resources in MLA format, using your book.
 Begin to form a process for completing the assignment.
Include in the proposal:

The topic you have chosen.

A specific question within the topic area that your commentary will answer. Develop a focused
question for which you truly don’t already have the full answer.

A hypothesis or working thesis statement. You should not go in thinking you already know the
answer to your question, but you probably have some suspicions about what you will find. Write
this up as a hypothesis you will test with your research.

A statement of significance. Why should anyone care about this question and topic? What is its
importance?

What you already know. On what foundation are you building? This might include even
experiential knowledge that has compelled you to pursue this particular topic. It will also include
information you have started to gather and read for the project.

What you need to know. Completing this section allows you to identify areas in which you’ll
need to do more reading and research.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 33



The methods you will use to acquire information. Your methods for gathering and processing
information should match the question you ask. That is, think about what resources will best
answer this question.
A schedule or timeline for managing the parts of the project. Break the project into bite-sized
chunks, tasks that can be completed in 2 hours or less. See the task breakdown chart on p. 556 in
CtW for a good model of this.
A working bibliography of sources or a literature review. Identify the sources you may need to
use (a working bibliography) or suggest how your study fits into a body of existing research (a
literature review. You don’t have to read them all, but should have more than you need in a
working bib. Please have at least 10 in your working bibliography by the proposal stage. You will
then strategically cut and add sources for your annotated bibliography assignment.
Hints:
*Please use subheadings for your sections so that it is very easy for me to identify how your
proposal is structured.
*The more specific you can be about the project at this stage, the better (& the more guidance I can
give).
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 34
Final Portfolio
Due Dates
W 11-24
Final Portfolio Due
Final Exam Period to Talk about and Return Portfolios
Description
Your final portfolio demonstrates the abilities you have developed during your study of writing this
semester. The material you include in your portfolio should be carefully chosen to demonstrate how
you have met the learning outcomes for this course:
 General Education Outcome #1: To communicate effectively in a variety of genres for various
audiences and situations
 General Education Outcome #6: To integrate knowledge and ideas in a coherent and meaningful
manner
 English Department Content Outcome: To understand leadership as a dynamic role, rather than
a static position, that can be played out through writing and collaboration
The projects you include may be collaborative, and must encompass a variety of genres and styles (to
meet outcome 1). You need CLEAN copies of your work—without previous teacher comments or
response sheets.
5 Factors
Audience: Dr. Taggart; secondary audience of departmental assessment readers—they are looking at
broad trends in our students’ performances
Context: School, where demonstrating learning and reflecting on it for personal growth are valued.
Purpose: To enhance your own awareness of your learning, your understanding of concepts, your
strengths and weaknesses. To self-evaluate.
Genre: Portfolio, including the genre of the reflection letter.
Voice or Tone: Thoughtful, academic, mid-formal
What to Include (in this order):






Table of Contents with project title, genre type, and page numbers
Framing letter (Minimum 2-3 pages, may be longer if content is strong)
3 of the 4 genres (playlist profile, collaborative rhetorical analysis, annotated bibliography,
commentary)
Section dividers to make it easy to turn back and forth from one document to another
At least 15 pages of writing
Put all of this in a paper or very slim plastic binder or folder. Please do not use a heavy plastic
binder (my back prefers paper!).
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 35
Framing Letter
As in the mid-term learning portfolio, the framing letter remains an important component of the final
portfolio, allowing you to consider your strengths, weaknesses, growth, understanding, and future
work as a writer. Return to the framing letter you wrote for the mid-term portfolio and to any in-class
reflections you’ve written to help you consider your progress and to help remind you of what you’ve
done this semester. Then, persuade your readers (me, other composition teachers) that you have
worked to significantly develop your writing and your understanding of writing processes and
genres. Be sure to offer evidence from your writing that this learning has occurred. In the framing
letter, answer the following questions:
1. At least one interesting or important thing you have learned about yourself as a learner, based on
your weekly CIQ reflections to date
2. The document included that best represents your ability to apply new and complex writing
concepts (related to things such as genres, styles, audience awareness, organization, etc.)
3. The document included that best shows your content learning (that is, your learning about
information we covered during class activities, readings, research, and/or other assignments).
What do you feel you learned and what strategies or techniques (used by you, me, and/or your
classmates) most helped you to learn that material?
4. Which piece you chose to revise for a new grade and precisely what you did to revise it.
5. Considering one of the genres, how did you adjust any of the following—organization, style,
content, page design, tone, or conventions—to fit the genre and audience?
6. Talk about how you used sources to write one of these pieces. Explain how you chose which
sources to use or how you decided to integrate those sources, how they supported the points you
were trying to make.
7. Returning to the goals you set for yourself in the first week of class, how does the portfolio
represent your work toward those goals?
Grading
When I assess your portfolio, I will consider:
 the quality of individual papers, based on the grading criteria on each of the assignments
 the level of reflection and understanding realized in your framing letter
 the completeness of the portfolio (inclusion of all required components, inclusion of a second
copy without any name information, marked “Assessment”)
 the neatness and organization of the portfolio (continuous pagination, nicely designed TOC,
etc.)
Rubric
You will need to include the following elements, in this order:
Element
A framing letter of at least 2-3 pages, answering all six assigned questions.
A table of contents that provides the project title, the genre of the project, and the
pages in the portfolio where it can be found.
Your 3 writing samples, at least 15 pages total of text
Framing Letter
Letter contains
One interesting or important thing you have learned about yourself as a learner
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 36
No
Yes
No
Yes
The document included that best represents your ability to apply new and
complex writing concepts
The document included that best shows your content learning
Which piece you chose to revise for a new grade and precisely what you did to
revise it.
How did you adjust any of the following—organization, style, content, page
design, tone, or conventions—to fit the genre and audience?
How you used sources to write one of these pieces. Explain how you chose which
sources to use or how you decided to integrate those sources, how they supported
the points you were trying to make.
Returning to the goals you set for yourself in the first week of class, how does the
portfolio represent your work toward those goals?
Portfolio Evaluation
A
The design/format of the portfolio and its accessibility to readers
The level of completeness of the portfolio contents
The letter analyzing and evaluating the degree to which these
documents meet course outcomes.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 37
B
C
D
(PowerPoint)
Video Commentary Assignment
Due Dates
TH 12-3
TU 12-8 to TH 1210
Story boards (bring a copy for me to give you credit and keep a copy for
yourselves to work with)
Video and Reflection letter in class on presentation date
Description
I am asking you to make a video as an extension of your written commentary assignment and a way to extend
your 21st century literacy. The music video genre is probably familiar to most of you, and quite flexible in terms
of its style, conventions, purpose, etc. By giving you a familiar and flexible genre to work with, I hope that you
will be able to make arguments in innovative ways and develop your understanding of how symbols
communicate. You don’t need to make a new argument at all. Rather, try to think about how to suggest your
argument to an audience through a combination of visuals, text, and sound/music.
I am asking you to use PowerPoint to put together a music video because PowerPoint is easy to use (relative to
video editing), you are likely to use PowerPoint in other classes, and because a finished PowerPoint presentation
will likely fit on a 250 MB zip disk or CD; a video would need to be burnt on to a DVD or CD. You may choose
to use a video editing program such as iMovie or Movie Maker if you are more familiar with it, however.
I will show you examples that range from fairly abstract combinations of sounds and shapes to tribute videos
related to 9/11 to personal stories told through PPT. You can see from the PowerPoint Music Video Gallery that
students have approached this assignment many different ways:
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/kbrooks/research/ppt/gallery.htm. The difference is that you will convey
your commentary arguments through this form, so your videos will have a more direct argument than some of
these samples. The sample video in the gallery titled “Eating Disorders” is perhaps most like a commentary in
video form. My hope is that you have fun with the assignment and develop some of the following skills.
General new literacy skills (some of which might seem old):
* Finding or making relevant images and text—improving your search skills.
* Combining images, text, and music into a coherent whole—practicing synesthesia.
* Visual thinking and expression—figuring out how words and images go together, how you make transitions
with images, etc.
* Aural thinking and expression—figuring out how music and sound can work effectively with images and
words to support, enhance, or extend the expressive possibilities of your music video.
PowerPoint skills:
* Working with templates, or better yet, designing your own template or creating a unique look for each slide
(not wizard).
* Importing images (clip art and pictures from files).
* Using the drawing tools.
* Using animations.
* Coordinating transitions and moving elements.
* Working with music files: converting them from mp3 to WAV files, embedding them in PowerPoint.
* Saving a PowerPoint Presentation as a show.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 38
Options
 You may use your commentary directly and represent it in visual form.
 You may select a new topic that you feel passionate about and that you have depth of knowledge.
 You may develop a group of 2-3 students to create a video on one of the commentaries you had written.
This would allow you to draw on the commentary you felt was most suited to video form.
Length: 2-3 minutes. If collaborative, 3-4 minutes.
Technical tips:
* Start by going to the TLMC Website
(http://its.ndsu.edu/training_resources/technology_learning_media_center/create_a_slide_show_or_mu
sic_video_in_powerpoint/powerpoint_music_video_assignment/and select the project "Creating a Slide
Show or Music Video." View the various help documents at this site.
* Consider using images as backgrounds for each slide: doing so will automatically size the image, and allow
you to write on top of the image easily.
* You can convert mp3 files to WAV files by purchasing fairly inexpensive software on the web
(http://www.audioutilities.com/mp3-wav-converter/mp3-wav-converter.htm), use Sound Forge (available in
IACC 150), or use the freeware Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/).
* If you link mp3 files to your PPT file, just remember that you will need to put the mp3 file and the PPT file
in the same folder, and then turn in the whole folder (either zipped and emailed or burnt to a CD).
* Look for or ask for help throughout the project: the TLC staff will be able to help you, you can find various
tips and tutorials online (use your search engines), and your classmates will be a great resource.
Grading
Value: 100 points
Storyboards (25 points), which can come in various shapes and sizes, but here is a rough guideline.
21-25 points for well developed to complete storyboards (think about representing images, text, and even music
that will be in each “scene” or screen).
16-20 for good storyboards—the general idea can be communicated, but not fleshed out.
11-15 for adequate storyboards, providing a general “outline” of your plan but not much more.
5-10 for bare minimum: some notes but no storyboards.
0-4 for no storyboards, no notes, or generally next to nothing.
Your video: a checklist (25 points)
1. Saved as a PPS file (PowerPoint Show), which should work on any computer
2. An opening screen (title of your project, your name),
3. 2-3 minutes long (longer is okay, but don’t kill yourself!), with evidence of PPT experimentation.
4. respect the rights of photo and music copyright holders,
5. a works cited or credits for photos, text, and images.
Your self-reflective letter (50 points)
In your letter, you will need to tell me:
1. What your goals for your video were, and the extent to which you did or did not achieve them.
2. Why you made the choices you made for music, images, and text. Explain these choices in terms of
audience, genre (commentary) purpose, style, and social context.
3. How much time you put into this project. I am giving you a little over two weeks to do this assignment,
and based on my time commitment formula, a complete effort would be about 15 hours. A good effort
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 39
would be 12 hours, an adequate effort would be 9 hours, and a minimal effort would be 6 hours. A
well-developed project is the most obvious way to show this time commitment, but you can also show it
in the form of draft files, files for collected images, time spent at the Technology Learning Center (ask
for a note from the TLC employee), etc. If you are particularly skilled at PPT, and can produce an
excellent project in under 10 hours, consider helping out those without as much experience.
4. What you learned about working with PowerPoint or the program you chose instead of PowerPoint. A
good cover letter will make claims about learning and provide evidence to support the claim. A
nonproductive answer: “I learned a lot about PowerPoint.” “I learned I don’t like working with
PowerPoint.”
5. What you learned about visual communication, with specific reference to Call to Write, Chapter 19.
6. What you learned about copyright law and fair use guidelines.
Your letter will also need to be well-written and carefully edited.
Grading Rubric:
The finished product is not as important as the process of trying this video out, so the criteria emphasize time
commitment, experimentation, and a just a bit about execution.
Criteria
Argument emerges from the visuals, text, and music
Evidence that you have experimented with a wide range of skills and
features: use a variety of kinds of images, experiment with text (although be
aware of the limitations of font types), try out different transitions, etc.
Evidence that you understand some of the concepts of visual
communication we cover in class or that are covered in Call to Write,
Chapter 19.
Evidence that you learned about copyright, fair use, the program you used,
etc.
Evidence of time commitment.
Cleanly, clearly written letter in letter format
A
B
C
D
F
Criteria for evaluation notes:
The finished product is not as important as the process of trying this video out, so the criteria emphasize time
commitment, experimentation, and a just a bit about execution.
Through the letter, you will assess your own work on this project, and while I will not necessarily give you the
grade you request, I will talk to you if I don't see the evidence of effort, experimentation, or understanding of
visual communication. I might even give you a better grade than you ask for; occasionally students are too
modest to ask for the grade they deserve.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 40
PowerPoint Music Video Workshop: the Working Workshop
Working workshop? What does that mean? It means that this workshop doesn’t have all the answers. This
workshop is a time and place for you to get some practice with the genre and the tools.
Beyond the Assignment: Keys to a Successful PPT Video.
The PPT MV assignment sheet has some technical suggestions, but let me suggest four keys or points of
emphasis.
1. Activate your genre knowledge!
What do you know about music video techniques: fast paced, quick cuts, mainly images, limited text?
What do you know about visual commentaries?
2. Plan, Don’t Just Jump In!
Two ways to plan: sketch and storyboard. Many disciplines use visual planning documents of one kind or
another: storyboards, flow charts, organizational charts, etc. Being a good visual thinker and planner is a useful
skill to develop. “Storyboarding” might seem like an intimidating concept, but it just means planning your
slides: draw a box, indicate what you want in the box, put relevant notes outside the box. See the simple
storyboard template below.
3. Avoid the templates!
You might be familiar with PPT, but that tends to mean that you have used a PPT wizard to make a fairly
traditional oral presentation. Even when you haven’t used the wizard, chances are you relied on the preset slide
designs—I almost always do! For this assignment, I recommend customizing your slide backgrounds with
colors and images, changing your backgrounds regularly, but also making a point simply with your
backgrounds.
4. Think about the medium (and genre, again).
If you have never composed for the screen before, you will have to think about how screens and movies are
different than pages and essays.
The Visual Communication Chapter in Call to Write can help you understand some basic concepts of visual
communication.
Text-heavy presentations don’t work very well; the screen is not a good medium for reading, nor is the music
video genre for giving information.
Think carefully about all the things your music can do for you:
 It can set the tone or mood for your video,
 The rhythm of the song can set the pace of the visual show,
 The lyrics can support the images or you can tell two stories at once: the story the song tells and the
story your images tell—juxtaposition is a powerful composing strategy. Music is generally
considered a way of communicating that bypasses our logic filters and goes straight for our
emotions—consider the potential impact of various songs.
 A stereo, high fidelity recording can add professionalism and depth to your presentation; a mono,
low-fidelity recording will give your presentation a homey feel.
I have tried to point out the kinds of guides and resources you will need to do this assignment, but I really want
to stay out of the way and let you be creative. Good luck!
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 41
StoryBoard: A Simple Template
Slides
Title of Music Video
(doesn’t have to be the song title):
Notes
Sketch your slide in the box to the left, then
make notes in this box telling yourself and any
readers what you are trying to do with the slide.
Your name:
Song and artist:
(Think about how MTV puts all the info in
the bottom left corner—that would work,
too.)
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 42
Final Slide:
include any necessary credits for music and
images.
Be sure to keep track of image sources,
especially.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 43
Copyright : Fair Use Practices for Students
Guidelines
Federal copyright laws protect the creative work of artists, musicians, writers, and photographers. You
may use copyright materials when creating projects; however, the materials you use must directly relate to
your class assignment. Contemplate your reasons for using these materials before you begin. Consider the
following criteria when creating your projects:
Criteria for Fair Use
1. You may use material for school purposes, but you must properly credit your sources and never make a
profit from them.
2. Fair use includes portion limitations. You may use music and video and texts; but, guidelines for these
materials are different. Remember, web documents have the same protection as other materials. A general
guideline you should follow is the 10% policy:
 3 minutes of video
 30 seconds of a song
 1000 words of text
 2500 cells from databases
 And 5 photos from an artist’s collection
4. You may not distribute your projects to mass audiences, and may keep only 2 copies of the project.
5. Federal law also maintains time limitations. You may keep your project for 2 years and must not harm
the author or copyright holder’s profits.
Penalties
Students are subject to litigation if they do not follow these guidelines.
•Be careful. Copyright infringement is considered intellectual theft!
•Be sure to follow the 10% rule and document your sources carefully.
•You may be fined up to $100,000 for not following the fair use guidelines, even if you are unaware of
these laws.
Sources
•University of Texas: www.utsystem.edu
•U.S. Copyright Office: www.copyright.gov/title17/
Seeking Permission to Use
Don’t forget that you can ask for, and in many cases, receive permission to use a whole song or extensive
images if you make such a request to the copyright holder.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 44
Free Photo Sites:
http://www.freefoto.com/index.jsp
http://gimp-savvy.com/PHOTO-ARCHIVE/
http://www.morguefile.com/
http://freestockphotos.com/
http://www.amgmedia.com/freephotos/
http://www.freeclipartpictures.com/
http://www.1000pictures.com/
http://pdphoto.org/
http://www.creatingonline.com/stock_photos/
http://www.ace-clipart.com/
http://www.arraich.com/freephotos.htm
http://www.freebyte.com/clipart_images_photos_icons/
http://geekphilosopher.com/MainPage/photos.htm
http://www.fontplay.com/freephotos/
Free Music Sites:
http://www.freeplaymusic.com/
http://hebb.mit.edu/FreeMusic/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/468646/104-2692891-7858365
http://www.goingware.com/tips/legal-downloads.html#websites
http://creativecommons.org/wired/
http://www.tryad.org/demo.html
http://opsound.org/
http://www.pdinfo.com/
http://www.archive.org/audio/netlabels.php
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 45
Working with Music
Many of you will probably want to work with one of your favorite songs, which is likely to be a song
that is copyright protected. In order to comply with the Fair Use Guidelines, that means you will have
to write to the artist or recording label in order to get permission to use the whole song, or you will
have to work a 30 second selection of the song. Writing to get permission might seem like a bit of a
hassle, but if you want to work with a full song that is copyright protected, you will need to do this.
The artist or label might not grant you permission, sending you back to the 30 second option.
Working with copyrighted material: the 30 second option.
If your song is copyright protected, please take your legally purchased CD or legally purchased MP3 to
the Technology Learning Center, explain your assignment, and ask them to help you use a software
program called Sound Forge. This software will allow you to extract a 30 second clip, save it as a
WAV file you can embedded in your PPT file. You can then use the clip 2 or 3 times in your video, or
you can combine multiple 30 second clips. SoundForge will also help you develop fade ins and fade
outs.
If you want to make music, you have at least three options.
1. SonicFire: A software program that allows you to work with cheesy instrumental music of
various styles (country, blues, rock, etc.) The Technology Learning Center has one computer
station with SonicFire loaded on it.
2. GarageBand is a Mac-only piece of software that will allow you to combine many instruments
to create your own digitally generated music.
3. Make your own music, record it, import it—show us your skills.
All of these options will result in music that is either NOT copyright protected, or you will actually be
the copyright holder.
Creative Commons Or Pubic Domain: Share and Share-a-like.
Some musicians are now putting out music that is not copyright protected in the traditional way. They
invite you to use their music, to remix it, to us it in your own projects. If you find music that you want
to use and it is part of the Creative Commons or uses a Share-And-Share-a-Like copyright agreement,
you can use the whole song.
http://creativecommons.org/wired/
http://www.tryad.org/demo.html
http://opsound.org/
http://www.pdinfo.com/
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 46
Requesting Copyright Permission
If you would like to request permission to use a copyright protected song, try the following method:
1. Identify the copyright holder: it is likely the artist or the record label.
2. Try to find an email address or phone number for the copyright holder.
3. Send an email that says something like the message below.
Dear ____________,
I am working on a PowerPoint Music Video assignment in one of my college classes. I would like
permission to use all or part of “song title” for this class project. There is also a chance that my video will
be used in a research project about this assignment, and the researchers might publish my project, in whole
or in part, on the web.
Please indicate:
a) If you are willing to grant permission to use the song in my course project only.
b) If you are willing to grant permission to use the song in my course project and as part of the
research project.
c) If you are not willing to grant permission to use the song in my project.
Thank you for considering my request.
Sign Name.
Include contact information.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 47
I
Twenty-First-Century Skills for Tomorrow’s Leaders
If only educators had crystal balls . . . if there were
surefire ways to predict what learning styles or
experiences would ensure that a student would do well
in college or his or her career, then designing school
programs would be easy.
Unfortunately, the “world series of life” is far more
difficult to predict than the score of a baseball
championship. Some students who take a general
curriculum do as well as those in a program that
identifies their specialty early. Some straight-A students
find the freedom of college too tempting and lose their
organizational skills, while some home-schoolers
blossom in academia.
For almost a century, national testing agencies
have boasted that their assessments have a high
predictive validity for success in the first two years of
college—and they have been right. High SAT or ACT
scores correlate well to grades in the introductory
language and mathematics courses in most colleges
and universities, but that says far more about the way
most first-year college courses are structured than
about student success. Linguistic learners with good
concentration skills and narrowly defined cultural
literacy do well in the required introductory courses in
most schools.
In most colleges, the rules for success change in
the junior or senior year, where classes get smaller and
students are required to do more research and writing.
Once a student graduates, many careers present a
totally new game entirely. Communication is still
important, but having a great vocabulary is far less
important than knowing when to say the right thing and
when to keep quiet. On the job, individual content areas
merge and there’s no “reference manual” to guide the
problem-solving process. The sorts of team efforts that
many colleges define as “cheating” become the best
performance standards, and the creativity that wreaks
havoc on a multiple-choice test is just what earns many
employees an end-of-year bonus.
To the dismay of the testing agencies, many
colleges have de-emphasized college entrance scores
in favor of a multivariate selection matrix that includes
grades, cocurricular activities, portfolios, and
interviews. Experienced counselors get to know which
colleges value the eclectic resume of the cocurricular
king or queen, and which are more impressed by a
portfolio of art or essays. The colleges are using their
own models for predictive validity because they have
their own data to show what makes a student
successful in their programs.
Yet with all the assessment we do, there must be
evidence of core abilities that contribute to success in
college and career. Here’s what the data show.
First, basic skills can’t be denied. Several studies
have shown that the closest correlate to college
graduation from high school isn’t vocabulary or athletic
letters, but successful completion of algebra II! It’s
unclear whether that’s because of the logic necessary
to succeed in three years of secondary mathematics or
simply the persistence to achieve in a relatively boring
subject.
The second component of success in college today
is found in the cluster of technology skills often dubbed
“twenty-first-century competencies.” These are the new
tickets to success in college and career:
 The ability to search, find, and evaluate
information on the Web.
 Web-style reading skills, which are very different
from the sort of left-to-right sequential pattern that
most older adults learned in school.
 Communication skills, synchronous and
asynchronous.
 Multimedia production skills—the ability to
integrate text, images, and video.
Few of these key areas of preparation are parts of
the standard college-preparatory curriculum, and there
isn’t much time to add new classes to our all-too-short
school days. So it’s absolutely vital that educators take
a hard look at the experiences that are intrinsic to every
course, from middle school through grade fourteen, to
ensure an integrated and constantly updated sequence
of twenty-first-century skills for tomorrow’s leaders. (For
more information, see www.21stcenturyskills.org.)
Winter 2007 peerReview AAC&U31
Twenty-First-Century Skills for Tomorrow’s Leaders
By Juliana Texley, adjunct professor, Palm Beach
Community College; former superintendent of schools
for Anchor Bay, Michigan;
and twenty-five-year veteran classroom teacher
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 48
Sideshadowing: A Strategy for getting good peer response
Learning to identify strengths, weaknesses, gaps, and the potential of your own writing is a really valuable
skill to develop. Most of you, when you are writing, are probably thinking things like “this idea isn’t very
well developed yet,” “I really like this section because…” or, “I really need to do more research on
__________” .
Sideshadowing, or simply writing in the margins of your own paper, is a writing strategy that is intended
to help you get those comments into your draft so that readers know more about what you are/were
thinking as you were writing. Sideshadowing is a strategy that is meant to get you the kind of feedback
you want—specific feedback on specific elements in your paper.
Like any writing strategy, sideshadowing will take practice, and it will take commitment on the part of the
writer and reader. We will use this strategy whenever we do peer reviews in this class—I encourage you
to use it whenever you ask someone to give you feedback on a paper.
Writers: sideshadow your own texts
 Make marginal comments (or insert comments as you write) in your own text before giving it
to peer reviewers.
 Create questions to pose to your own drafts, questions you would like readers to think about
and answer.
 Don’t ask “is this good?” or “is this clear?” Tell your readers why you think a paragraph or a
section is good, why you are unsure, or why you think a paragraph might be unclear or in need
of help.
Peer reviewers: consider early drafts as sites of possibility
 Identify ideas, sources, story threads, images, etc. that could be developed.
 Limit your use of directional comments (“you should do X”).
 Confine editing comments to near final drafts.
 Generally help the writer expand and see possibilities, rather than contract and focus right
away. Help the writer see how a real reader responds.
Peer response prompts readers can use for response letters
 I like . . .
 I am unclear about . . .
 I have questions about . . .
 I recommend that you . . .
Sideshadowing is a response technique meant to create dialogue among students, and between students
and instructors. You are welcome to modify the strategies, but I strongly encourage all of you to take
active steps towards getting good feedback.
Source: Welch, Nancy. “Sideshadowing Teacher Response.” College English 60 (1998): 374-95.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 49
Five factors writers consider: genre, purpose, audience, style, and
social context
Purpose:
What do you want this writing to do?
What do you want your readers to think
and/or do after they have read your
writing?
Certain genres
are typically
used to achieve
certain purposes:
brochures inform,
proposals persuade,
memoirs express.
Genres offer strategies,
forms, and conventions for
meeting your purpose. In
some situations, you will
want to follow genre
conventions very closely, in
other situations you might
combine conventions from
more than one genre in
order to achieve your
purpose.
Levels of style:
Formal
Middle
Informal
Includes voice,
word choice,
tone, sentence
style.
Writers start at various points on this
conceptual map. In school, students are
often assigned a purpose and genre for
their writing, and they will have to
figure out the specific demands of the
genre, the appropriate voice, and the
kind of relationship that would be
appropriate. E.g. “Write a review of a
CD that convinces readers to buy, or
pass, on the CD.”
Events in the world (war, disasters,
successes, etc.) often call people to
write, but in these cases writers have to
figure out what they would accomplish
by writing about or in response to that
event, what genre would be most
appropriate, and consider other factors
throughout their writing process.
Writers can try to break down their
process to consider each factor one at a
time, but most writers will tell you that
the thinking/writing process is dynamic
and fluid: writers think about purpose,
genre, audience, and voice almost
simultaneously.
Typical purposes:
 To inform
 To persuade
 To express
 To entertain
 A mix of these
 Other…
Relationship to
audience:
Sometimes writers know
exactly who they are
writing to, what to say,
and how to say it, but
most of the time writing
isn’t that easy. There
are often multiple
possible readers who
need to be addressed
(present and future);
there are also “invoked
readers” (teachers,
friends, parents who
aren’t the audience but
might read and evaluate
the work. Focus on
addressed readers, but
don’t neglect invoked
readers.
Voice will be closely related to the relationship you want to
establish. What tone will be appropriate for your purpose and
relationship? Formal, informal, somewhere in between?
The Social Context encircles these choices, and should
influence your decision at each point. Your professor’s
style and expectations will influence your choices about
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 50
relationship and voice; you will probably see that each
course presents you with a slightly different social context,
and will call for different kinds of writing.
Four
Domains
of
Writing:
Home
School
Public
Work
Social Context
“Writing takes place in a social context” (CTW 5). Trimbur goes on to describe four general contexts for
writing: everyday life (home), the workplace, the public sphere, and school. Each of these generalized
contexts will influence the style a writer uses, the writer’s relationship with audience, and the purpose for
writing.
Context can also be broken down into three more specific kinds of context:
1. The textual context: where writers need to make decisions about style, purpose, and genre.
2. The immediate context: where writers need to make decisions about how they are going to
address their audience.
3. The social / historical context: where writers need to have or develop the background knowledge
to understand the social / historical context for a particular piece of writing. Understanding the
social / historical context means understanding what has been said about the topic, how the topic is
perceived by different people, whether the topics is a “hot button” issue or something a little more
obscure.
This checklist and diagram from The Thomson Handbook are useful guides to thinking about context.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 51
Style and Voice
This chart is from Lynn Z. Bloom’s Fact and Artifact.
Most of the daily writing we do is informal: email, IM, wall writing, notes, etc.. Most college assignments will typically call
for middle level or formal level, depending on the purpose, genre, social context, and the relationship you want to establish
with your audience. Part of learning to be a successful writer is learning which style to work with. For example, a formal
memoir would strike most readers as distant and cold, and a research paper written in the middle style would strike most
readers as unscholarly and inappropriate for such a genre.
Please notice the spaces between columns. These categories are not hard and fast, but rough guidelines. A lot of academic
writing in the Humanities is somewhere between the middle and formal style—we accept first-person pronouns in formal
writing, for example.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 52
Audience
Pfister, Fred R. and Joanne F. Petrick. “A Heuristic Model for Creating a Writer’s Audience.” CCC 31
(1980): 213-220.
Steven Hammer • ENGL 120 • 53