Please note that the link to the left will take you to a living version of the schedule-- it is subject to change with reasonable notice. Any changes will be announced in class and via the homepage. Once in the GoogleDoc, select "File" and "Download As" to save a static .pdf or .docx version.
The syllabus is linked to the left and also reproduced in its entirety below for convenience. Once in the GoogleDoc, select "File" and "Download As" to save a .pdf or .docx version.
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ENG/IMS 224: Digital Writing & Rhetoric: Composing Words, Images, and Sounds
Spring 2016, M/W 10-11:20 || Upham Hall 328 || http://digirhet.weebly.com
Bridget Gelms || [email protected] || BAC 362 and FSB 3064
Welcome to ENG/IMS 224!
This course is designed to give you theoretical and practical frameworks for planning, designing, and writing in digital modes that blend alphabetic, sonic, and visual elements. We will read, analyze, and write digital genres through the lens of a focal topic individualized to you, allowing you to explore a personal interest in depth throughout the semester. Each project gives you the opportunity to construct an argument about your topic in auditory and visual digital modes. Readings in this course will give you examples to analyze and theory to consider in relation to the intersections of rhetoric, design, ethics, culture, and digital composing. Primarily, this class will give you experience in planning, designing, and delivering digital writing thoughtfully and purposefully.
* By remaining enrolled in this course, you acknowledge that you've read, understand, and agree to adhere to the policies outlined in this syllabus.
Course Objectives
Required Materials
Access & Accommodations
I’m fully committed to maximizing your learning potential through creating a safe and accessible environment. If there is any way I can adapt this course, materials, or the projects to better meet your needs as a learner, or if you have emergency medical information to share with me, please let me know. If you have a documented disability, please share that information with me so I can provide any accommodations that have been best determined by you and the Office of Disability Resources (http://www.units.muohio.edu/oeeo/odr/; 513-529-2541).
Technology Resources
Obviously, this is a tech heavy course. While I do consider myself immersed in digital technology in my daily life, I don’t consider myself an expert in technology or in any of the programs we will explore in this course. I am, however, an expert in navigating the various resources at our disposal in search of an answer. Therefore, I like to position myself as a co-learner and as someone who you can come to with questions. If I don’t have the answer, I can help you find one :) We’ll work through it together!
These are resources I strongly recommend you utilize throughout the semester:
Attendance
You can miss 3 class periods without penalty. These three absences are built in to the class to allow for schedule conflicts, emergencies, times of illness, and the occasional alarm clock malfunction. Please reserve them for such events. For every absence after three, your overall grade in the course will be reduced by 50 points, or one half-step (from an A to an A-, an A- to a B+, etc.). Additionally, missing more than three classes will have a negative impact on the performance and professionalism portion of your grade. Missing more than 20% of the course (8 absences) will result in an automatic failure of the course.
Late Work
I understand life happens and this can impede an ability to finish work on time. Therefore, I will consider requests for extensions on a case-by-case basis only if the request is made at least 48-hour prior the due date (extensions for work that affects others, i.e. rough drafts for peer response, are non-negotiable). Otherwise, as due dates are clearly marked on the schedule, I will not accept late work. If assignments are not completed and turned in on time, you will receive a zero, no matter what the reason. Assume technology will fail you and plan ahead!
Academic Integrity
The assumption is that your work is original and generated for ENG/IMS 224 during the Spring semester of 2016. There are many types of academic dishonesty—some more obvious than others, but there are more subtle forms you may not be aware of. A good rule of thumb to live by: if you're not sure you're violating these rules, talk to me about it. To familiarize yourself with the details of Miami’s Academic Integrity policy and examples of /penalties for instances of academic dishonesty, visit http://www.muohio.edu/integrity/undergrads.cfm.
Conferencing
There will be times when we meet outside of class for group and/or individual conferencing. Conferences are meant to give you the opportunity to ask me questions about and receive feedback on your work. Please arrive prepared to discuss your work in a critical and engaged way. Missing or arriving late to a scheduled conference will result in an absence and a reduction in your performance & professionalism grade.
In-class Conduct
Most important: Be a good, generous, and kind colleague. This involves respecting others’ opinions and being aware that your actions in class, verbal and nonverbal, affect others’ learning experience.
We meet as a group of professionals engaged in mutual inquiry about a common goal— understanding digital rhetoric and writing. Pleasel extend professional courtesies to me and one another : reading the assigned materials before class, attending all meetings and arriving on time, preparing work by the date expected, respecting and learning from differences of opinion and background, reviewing peer writing with the goal of helping each other achieve quality work, and contributing to classroom conversations and exercises.
Please limit your technology use to class related activities. I don’t mind the occasional text or IM, but please don’t make it a habit or a distraction to me and others.
Feedback
I’m always happy (and in general, pretty pumped) to talk with students about their work, and so I encourage you to schedule times to meet with me outside of class to receive feedback. This is the best way to ensure you’re on the right track. I will not provide feedback to students who email me a project and ask me to look at it and respond. My feedback will be much more beneficial if we can have a conversation about it together. If meeting face-to-face is not an option, I’d be happy to meet online using whatever method you prefer. Plan ahead—it’s difficult for me to help if you contact me the night before something is due.
Contacting Me
The fastest way to reach me is via email ([email protected]). I usually respond within 24 hours, unless it’s over a weekend in which case it may take me a little longer. I hold office hours in Bachelor 362 immediately before class from 9 to 10, and can certainly make appointments at other times to accommodate your schedule. Again, I encourage you to meet with me to work on your writing. Or, just stop by to chat—you’re always welcome, and I’m here to help (I usually have candy, too).
Twitter
During the academic year, I maintain a professional Twitter account (@BridgetGelms) solely for my students and colleagues. I tweet about teaching, research, and materials related to my classes—stuff that will help you succeed, so consider this a resource for your learning! Tweets about our class specifically will be tagged with #digirhet224, so consider setting up a column on your TweetDeck to follow along (I can show you how, if you’re interested). Feel free to use this hashtag to tag your own tweets specific to class (questions, links, revelations as you read and write, hilarious memes, etc.) should you care to engage via Twitter. It’s an informal space-- I’m down with playfulness. Note that this is not a requirement, and I don’t follow my students back unless they ask me to. You shouldn’t feel obligated to interact with me on Twitter.
Grading
More detailed explanations of each component can be found on our course site, http://digirhet.weebly.com/projects. Review this page, as it contains more specific information about the various graded elements contained within each project. Please note final grades will not be rounded up, and there are no extra credit opportunities.
Grades will be reported to you via a document you can access in your private GoogleDrive folder.To access this document, please go to drive.google.com, log in using your Miami username and password, and click "Shared With Me" in the navigation menu on the left. If you have any trouble accessing or viewing your grades, please let me know.
Grade Point Value
A 1000-930
A- 929-900
B+ 899-870
B 869-830
B- 829-800
C+ 799-770
C 769-730
C- 729-700
D+ 699-670
D 669-630
D- 629-600
F 599 and below
Spring 2016, M/W 10-11:20 || Upham Hall 328 || http://digirhet.weebly.com
Bridget Gelms || [email protected] || BAC 362 and FSB 3064
- In person by appointment: M/W 8:30-10, M 11:30-1, & W 2:30-4
- Online by appointment (GoogleHangout or Skype): T, Th, & F all day
Welcome to ENG/IMS 224!
This course is designed to give you theoretical and practical frameworks for planning, designing, and writing in digital modes that blend alphabetic, sonic, and visual elements. We will read, analyze, and write digital genres through the lens of a focal topic individualized to you, allowing you to explore a personal interest in depth throughout the semester. Each project gives you the opportunity to construct an argument about your topic in auditory and visual digital modes. Readings in this course will give you examples to analyze and theory to consider in relation to the intersections of rhetoric, design, ethics, culture, and digital composing. Primarily, this class will give you experience in planning, designing, and delivering digital writing thoughtfully and purposefully.
* By remaining enrolled in this course, you acknowledge that you've read, understand, and agree to adhere to the policies outlined in this syllabus.
Course Objectives
- Employ fundamental principles of rhetoric to analyze the persuasive strategies of digital multimodal texts
- Employ effective practices of rhetoric and design to compose and deliver digital multimodal texts for specific audiences
- Apply rhetorical principles to produce effective digital multimodal texts
- Consider the unique affordances and constraints of alphabetic, sonic, and visual modes of writing
- Redesign, revise, and edit writing critically based on self-analysis and peer workshopping, while developing skills for giving feedback to others
- Self-reflect to understand how rhetorical principles can be used to make or strengthen an argument
- Examine the rhetorical, social, cultural, and ethical dimensions of writing in a digital age
Required Materials
- Laptop; bring everyday, fully charged
- Headphones or earbuds for in-class work time
- Access to GoogleDrive through your Miami account
- Access to our course site, http://digirhet.weebly.com
- Cloud storage, USB drive, or some system used to backup your work
- Access to software/hardware of your choice used to complete projects (image editing, sound editing, video editing, etc.). See “Technology Resources” below
- Note there is no required textbook for this course-- readings will be provided for you via weblinks or PDFs
Access & Accommodations
I’m fully committed to maximizing your learning potential through creating a safe and accessible environment. If there is any way I can adapt this course, materials, or the projects to better meet your needs as a learner, or if you have emergency medical information to share with me, please let me know. If you have a documented disability, please share that information with me so I can provide any accommodations that have been best determined by you and the Office of Disability Resources (http://www.units.muohio.edu/oeeo/odr/; 513-529-2541).
Technology Resources
Obviously, this is a tech heavy course. While I do consider myself immersed in digital technology in my daily life, I don’t consider myself an expert in technology or in any of the programs we will explore in this course. I am, however, an expert in navigating the various resources at our disposal in search of an answer. Therefore, I like to position myself as a co-learner and as someone who you can come to with questions. If I don’t have the answer, I can help you find one :) We’ll work through it together!
These are resources I strongly recommend you utilize throughout the semester:
- King Library 27
- CIM Lab (King Library)
- King Library main desk–Equipment Checkout: video cameras, flip cameras, audio recorders for check out.
- Howe Writing Center
- Digital Writing Collaborative
- Miami’s Tech Training and Workshops: https://www.units.miamioh.edu/uit/node/106
Attendance
You can miss 3 class periods without penalty. These three absences are built in to the class to allow for schedule conflicts, emergencies, times of illness, and the occasional alarm clock malfunction. Please reserve them for such events. For every absence after three, your overall grade in the course will be reduced by 50 points, or one half-step (from an A to an A-, an A- to a B+, etc.). Additionally, missing more than three classes will have a negative impact on the performance and professionalism portion of your grade. Missing more than 20% of the course (8 absences) will result in an automatic failure of the course.
Late Work
I understand life happens and this can impede an ability to finish work on time. Therefore, I will consider requests for extensions on a case-by-case basis only if the request is made at least 48-hour prior the due date (extensions for work that affects others, i.e. rough drafts for peer response, are non-negotiable). Otherwise, as due dates are clearly marked on the schedule, I will not accept late work. If assignments are not completed and turned in on time, you will receive a zero, no matter what the reason. Assume technology will fail you and plan ahead!
Academic Integrity
The assumption is that your work is original and generated for ENG/IMS 224 during the Spring semester of 2016. There are many types of academic dishonesty—some more obvious than others, but there are more subtle forms you may not be aware of. A good rule of thumb to live by: if you're not sure you're violating these rules, talk to me about it. To familiarize yourself with the details of Miami’s Academic Integrity policy and examples of /penalties for instances of academic dishonesty, visit http://www.muohio.edu/integrity/undergrads.cfm.
Conferencing
There will be times when we meet outside of class for group and/or individual conferencing. Conferences are meant to give you the opportunity to ask me questions about and receive feedback on your work. Please arrive prepared to discuss your work in a critical and engaged way. Missing or arriving late to a scheduled conference will result in an absence and a reduction in your performance & professionalism grade.
In-class Conduct
Most important: Be a good, generous, and kind colleague. This involves respecting others’ opinions and being aware that your actions in class, verbal and nonverbal, affect others’ learning experience.
We meet as a group of professionals engaged in mutual inquiry about a common goal— understanding digital rhetoric and writing. Pleasel extend professional courtesies to me and one another : reading the assigned materials before class, attending all meetings and arriving on time, preparing work by the date expected, respecting and learning from differences of opinion and background, reviewing peer writing with the goal of helping each other achieve quality work, and contributing to classroom conversations and exercises.
Please limit your technology use to class related activities. I don’t mind the occasional text or IM, but please don’t make it a habit or a distraction to me and others.
Feedback
I’m always happy (and in general, pretty pumped) to talk with students about their work, and so I encourage you to schedule times to meet with me outside of class to receive feedback. This is the best way to ensure you’re on the right track. I will not provide feedback to students who email me a project and ask me to look at it and respond. My feedback will be much more beneficial if we can have a conversation about it together. If meeting face-to-face is not an option, I’d be happy to meet online using whatever method you prefer. Plan ahead—it’s difficult for me to help if you contact me the night before something is due.
Contacting Me
The fastest way to reach me is via email ([email protected]). I usually respond within 24 hours, unless it’s over a weekend in which case it may take me a little longer. I hold office hours in Bachelor 362 immediately before class from 9 to 10, and can certainly make appointments at other times to accommodate your schedule. Again, I encourage you to meet with me to work on your writing. Or, just stop by to chat—you’re always welcome, and I’m here to help (I usually have candy, too).
During the academic year, I maintain a professional Twitter account (@BridgetGelms) solely for my students and colleagues. I tweet about teaching, research, and materials related to my classes—stuff that will help you succeed, so consider this a resource for your learning! Tweets about our class specifically will be tagged with #digirhet224, so consider setting up a column on your TweetDeck to follow along (I can show you how, if you’re interested). Feel free to use this hashtag to tag your own tweets specific to class (questions, links, revelations as you read and write, hilarious memes, etc.) should you care to engage via Twitter. It’s an informal space-- I’m down with playfulness. Note that this is not a requirement, and I don’t follow my students back unless they ask me to. You shouldn’t feel obligated to interact with me on Twitter.
Grading
More detailed explanations of each component can be found on our course site, http://digirhet.weebly.com/projects. Review this page, as it contains more specific information about the various graded elements contained within each project. Please note final grades will not be rounded up, and there are no extra credit opportunities.
Grades will be reported to you via a document you can access in your private GoogleDrive folder.To access this document, please go to drive.google.com, log in using your Miami username and password, and click "Shared With Me" in the navigation menu on the left. If you have any trouble accessing or viewing your grades, please let me know.
- Focal Topic Proposal || 5%, 50 pts.
- Project 1: Visual Design Portfolio || 15%, 150 pts.
- Project 2: Audio Portfolio || 20%, 200 pts.
- Project 3: Video Portfolio || 25%, 250 pts.
- Midterm Exam || 10%, 100 pts.
- Performance & Professionalism || 10%, 100 pts.
- Responses & Comments ||15% , 150 pts.
Grade Point Value
A 1000-930
A- 929-900
B+ 899-870
B 869-830
B- 829-800
C+ 799-770
C 769-730
C- 729-700
D+ 699-670
D 669-630
D- 629-600
F 599 and below