August 05, 2005

Office hours for Rebecca Moore Howard

For Fall 2005 I'll be keeping office hours (237 HB Crouse) most Tuesdays 2-4 p.m. and Thursdays 9-10:40. I'll also have some IM office hours (AIM = ProfBfromWV) that will vary from one week to another and that will be posted here as they become available.

Feel free to "drop in" during office hours when I don't have appointments scheduled. Advisees, CCR graduate students, and students in my WRT 105 and 303 can also sign up for appointments. And if you need to meet with me at a time other than these, let me know.

Sign up for appointments by using the Comments function at the end of this message. Questions or problems? Email me.

Monday, October 24, 2005
1-2: Aleshia

Tuesday, October 25, 2005
11-11:20: Natalie
11:20-11:40: Suzanne
11:40-12: Milissa
12-12:20: Brandi
2-2:20: Jason
2:20-2:40: Alison
2:40-3: Suzetta
3-3:20: Joyce

Thursday, October 27, 2005
10:20-10:40: Kayla
10:40-11: Ian
11-11:20: Olivia
11:20-11:40: Pritul
11:40-12: Tracey
12-12:20: Michelle

Tuesday, November 1, 2005
11-11:20: Natalie
11:20-11:40: Suzanne
11:40-12: Milissa
12-12:20: Brandi
2-2:20: Jason
2:20-2:40: Alison
2:40-3: Suzetta
3-3:20: Joyce
3:30-4: Carolyn

Thursday, November 3, 2005
10:20-10:40: Kayla
10:40-11: Ian
11-11:20: Olivia
11:20-11:40: Pritul
11:40-12: Tracey
12-12:20: Michelle

Tuesday, November 8, 2005
2-2:20:
2:20-2:40:
2:40-3:
3-3:20:
3:20-3:40:
3:40-4:

Thursday, November 10, 2005
9-9:20:
9:20-9:40:
9:40-10:
10-10:20:
10:20-10:40:

Tuesday, November 15, 2005
2-2:20:
2:20-2:40:
2:40-3:
3-3:20:
3:20-3:40:
3:40-4:

Thursday, November 17, 2005
9-9:20:
9:20-9:40:
9:40-10:
10-10:20:
10:20-10:40:

Tuesday, November 22, 2005
2-2:20:
2:20-2:40:
2:40-3:
3-3:20:
3:20-3:40:
3:40-4:

Tuesday, November 29, 2005
2-2:20:
2:20-2:40:
2:40-3:
3-3:20:
3:20-3:40:
3:40-4:

Thursday, December 1, 2005
9-9:20:
9:20-9:40:
9:40-10:
10-10:20:
10:20-10:40:

Tuesday, December 6, 2005
2-2:20:
2:20-2:40:
2:40-3:
3-3:20:
3:20-3:40:
3:40-4:

Thursday, December 6, 2005
9-9:20:
9:20-9:40:
9:40-10:
10-10:20:
10:20-10:40:

Posted by senioritis at 03:13 PM | Comments (6)

March 20, 2005

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Have talked with a couple of people about my concerns that (a) adding Painter seems to me to overload the reading schedule; and (b) that not everybody has sent me a research report. These two things together suggest that some slack needs to be cut in the syllabus. Hence I'd like to suggest the following:


  1. Everybody summarizes just one chapter for the course. If you've already done this, you don't have to do a second one. If you haven't done one yet, talk to me about which chapter you will summarize (since the field is considerably wider!). If you've done two, talk to me about how the second one might best be factored into your grade.
  2. You still have the option of doing two summaries if you feel it would be helpful to your learning or your grade. Let me know right away if you're interested in that, so that we can make arrangements.
  3. Cutting back on summaries allows us all to read and discuss the texts more reflectively. I'll still want everybody to read all assigned texts before each class and be ready to discuss them. What we lose is the guarantee that each class member has time at the microphone. Hence it will be more important for everybody in the class to be sensitive to the need for inclusiveness in class discussion. Leave space for others to speak, and listen carefully to what they say.
  4. Adding Painter means that we will best proceed, I think, by clustering the readings from each source, rather than stringing them out through the remainder of the semester. See the readings timetable for how I've done this.
  5. Let me know what you think—preferably here on the blog, but email is okay.

Posted by senioritis at 06:55 PM | Comments (1)

March 13, 2005

Revised reading schedule

Please check the current—and tentative—readings schedule for the remainder of the semester. Let me know of any errors you see, or any problems that I haven't foreseen. One of the things I've done is made sure that I'm the only person presenting on the days when your research project reports are due.

Posted by senioritis at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)

March 09, 2005

Annotated bibliography and/or research notes

I'm not going to be reading your project materials until mid-week, so if you have them to me by Tuesday 3/14, that will be fine.

What I'm looking for is some form of an interim report. Annotated bibliography? Research notes? Whatever. At this point I want you to write up what you have done, not what you're planning to do. Please don't give me a list of tasks ("I've ordered books through Interlibrary Loan"); rather, write up the research that you've conducted: annotations of books, transcriptions of interviews, whatever you have.

If you post this interim report to the blog, be sure to categorize it under your name so I can find it. If you email it to me, please put it in an attached file, not in the email itself.

More questions?

Posted by senioritis at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)

March 02, 2005

Prospects for 3/3

According to the weather forecast, I should be able to get to class tomorrow. I'll be starting out at 7:30, so I should be there by 9:30. If I'm delayed, though, I'd like you to start without me. Begin by convening into small groups and sharing research coding experiences. After the small groups have met, I'd like each group to report out to the class at large on any techniques or experiences that might be especially helpful to others.

If I encounter whiteouts, I'll turn around, come back home, and call into the class over IM audio. So if I'm not there when class begins, please turn on your IM programs so I can reach you.

I'm doubtful about whether I'll be keeping office hours. If the trip is a long one and the roads are junky, I'll be heading home after class.

Posted by senioritis at 04:53 PM | Comments (1)

February 12, 2005

Assignment for February 17

To prepare for class,


  1. Read Connors Ch. 2: Jeremiah will summarize and lead class discussion
  2. Read White Ch. 5: Gale will summarize and lead class discussion
  3. Read White Ch. 6: Denise will summarize and lead class discussion
  4. Sign up for an individual conference for the week of 2/21.

In class,

  1. We'll begin with small-group meetings about projects; these will take place in 009. Please note which groups you are in, and arrive on time for your group's meeting:

    9:30 Secondary-source syntheses: Denise, Elisa?, Kelly, Jeremiah, Ruby
    9:45 Archival research: Chris, Elisa?, Gale, Tyra
    10:00 Historicizing compositionists: Aleshia, Chris
    10:15 Developing new methods & methodologies: Derek, Jen
    10:30 Methodological analyses: Carolyn, Dianna, Ty, Vanessa

    We'll then convene as a group at 10:45:

  2. We'll discuss blog navigation
  3. We'll discuss assigned texts
  4. We'll collaboratively analyze Connors' methods and methodology, using White's categories of analysis. Please bring both books with you to class.
  5. We'll take a close look at what White says about representations of context (64-67; 89-90)—a god-term in composition studies, and one that deserves closer inspection.

Posted by senioritis at 07:22 PM | Comments (0)

Assignment for February 24

To prepare for class,


  1. Think about what you know about information literacy as it pertains to scholarship in comp/rhet. In class on 2/24 (or, if necessary, 3/3), we'll share tips on finding sources in databases, the web, etc. Ty, for instance, has some experience with AHSearch that he can share with the rest of us. So gather together any URLs or documents that you might want for an information literacy show-and-tell, and bring them to class with you.
  2. Read Connors Ch. 3: Dianna will summarize and lead class discussion
  3. Read White Ch. 7: Tyra will summarize and lead class discussion
  4. Read White Ch. 8: Vanessa will summarize and lead class discussion
  5. Post project overview
  6. Sign up for an individual conference—there's a replacement schedule posted.

In class,


  1. Our #1 task will be to discuss assigned texts. We'll focus on the chapters assigned for 2/24, but we'll also loop back (time permitting) to talk in more depth about the 2/17 assigned chapters.
  2. Project groups will meet briefly to determine preferred method of sharing text-in-progress.
  3. I'll open a discussion of methods for coding research data.
  4. Instruction in keeping a commonplace book
  5. Information literacy workshop: using online library databases. How, for example, can you find what's been published about Hayden White's, Michel de Certeau's, and Robert Connors' work?
  6. Information literacy workshop: using online reference guides. Where, for example, can you find information on the rhetorical terms diegesis and diataxis?

Posted by senioritis at 07:00 PM | Comments (0)

Project timetable revised 4/1/05

  • February 3: Post possible project topic(s)
  • February 10: Post project proposal
  • February 17: Before class, post revised project proposal, responding to the various suggestions & requests you've received from your Revered Professor and others. (The R.P. is hard at work responding to the latest drafts but is finding that she's getting a little carried away and taking as much as an hour per proposal. Hence the responses aren't moving along at lightning speed.) The R.P. will then grade your February 17 revised project proposals.
  • February 17: The latter half of class will be devoted to small-group meetings about projects.

  • February 21-25: Meet individually with the Revered Professor to discuss your project.
  • February 24: Post project overview
  • March 3: (1) Devise a preliminary coding system for your project. Make copies for the class, and bring them to class. (2) Prepare a one-page chronological timetable for your project, listing tasks and target completion dates. Hand this in to me in class
  • March 10 (really, March 14): Post (or email) annotated bibliography and/or research notes
  • March 24: Work, work, work
  • March 31: Work, work, work
  • April 7: Send me deadlines for your project
  • April 14: In-class draft workshop
  • April 21:
  • April 28:
  • May 6:

    • Posted by senioritis at 08:55 AM | Comments (1)

    February 11, 2005

    Individual conference signups

    Beginning February 21, I'll be meeting with each of you individually to discuss your course projects. (This is in addition to the small-group meetings in class on February 17.) These appointments will be on IM or telephone. Signups are first come, first served: use the Comments function to choose a time. Feel free to trade with class members, if you wish; but please negotiate these between the two of you, and use the Comments function to alert me to any switches you've made.

    Posted by senioritis at 01:06 PM | Comments (12)

    February 10, 2005

    Assignment for March 3

    To prepare for class,


    1. Think about any experiences you've had with coding research data, and prepare to share those experiences with the class. Prepare any handouts and copy any URLs that might be useful.
    2. Come up with a preliminary coding system for your research project for this course. Make copies for the class, and bring them to class.
    3. Prepare a one-page chronological timetable for your project, listing tasks and target completion dates. Hand this in to me in class.
    4. Review notes, etc., from any previous encounters you've had with the work of Giambattista Vico, and we'll have a chat about him in class, pooling our information. I'm also trying to lure an actual rhetorician who has some Vico expertise into joining us.
    5. Read Connors Ch. 4: Aleshia will summarize and lead class discussion
    6. Read White Ch. 9: Elisa will summarize and lead class discussion. (Recommended background reading: Verene, Donald Phillip. "Giambattista Vico." Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition. Ed. Theresa Enos. New York: Garland, 1996. 743-745. Sent to you in PDF.) As you read, pay particular attention to White's analysis of Croce's expectations for what invalidates a claim.
    7. Read White Ch. 10: Ty will summarize and lead class discussion

    In class,


    1. Discuss assigned texts
    2. Continued discussion of methods for coding research data
    3. Hand in your one-page chronological project timetable
    4. With luck, we'll have time to mull over the work of Giambattista Vico, with Denise as volunteered/drafted discussion leader.

    Posted by senioritis at 09:45 AM | Comments (0)

    February 07, 2005

    Assignment for February 10

    To prepare for class,


    1. Read Connors Ch. 1: Carolyn will summarize and lead class discussion
    2. Read White Ch. 3: See preliminary notes here and here. Chris will summarize and lead class discussion.
    3. Read White Ch. 4: Kelly will summarize and lead class discussion. (I've posted a note on some of White's terminology in this chapter.)
    4. In Ch. 4, White formalizes a principle for which the previous chapters have been laying the groundwork: "[A] given historian's style of representation can be characterized in terms either of his favoring one or another of [Burke's master] tropes, or of his efforts to mediate between them. . ." (116). Return to the text in composition history whose methods and methodology you surveyed for January 27: how would you now describe this text in terms of its emplotment? As you consider your answer, take into account not just the above quotation from White, but the entire conclusion to the chapter, especially on 116. Before class on 2/10, write your response (however tentative it may be) to this question as a separate blog entry. In the title to your entry, please include either the author's name or title of the book that you are analyzing. Please categorize your entry under your own name; under "methods and methodologies"; and under "texts."
    5. Post a proposal for your course project.

    In class,
    Discussion of assigned readings

    Posted by senioritis at 07:56 PM | Comments (0)

    February 05, 2005

    Tentative plans

    Very tentative, indeed; but I'm beginning to recover enough that I can project what might turn out to be feasible. Keep your eye on the blog for updates; here's what I have so far:


    It's easy to stay home, rest, and recover, secure in the knowledge that Collin's doing an outstanding job of leading class discussion. He and I have talked, and he is expecting to conduct class again this Thursday 2/10.

    Meanwhile, you and I will use the blog to develop your projects; it is here that we will work together on them at least until I can return to campus. It is my hope that on Sunday, 2/6, I will be able to work in several short sessions to respond to your project proposals. I will be posting those responses here on the blog, not over email, so you need to check here daily for what's happening. I will categorize my responses under your name so that you can find them easily. And when you respond to my response, please do it on the blog, and please remember to categorize your entry under your name; otherwise, I may miss it. If you feel a need to communicate with me in a confidential way, use email, but expect a slower response; I'm doing very little emailing just now.

    Note that your 2/10 assignment includes a statement of methods and a preliminary bibliography for your project. I'm assuming that you're already at work on this, and I'm hoping that my 2/6 response to your initial statement of interests will help move you along. As an experienced academic, I'm at the same time aware that many of you will be working at the last minute to complete this 2/10 assignment. (At the weekly meeting of Academic Procrastinators Anonymous, I begin with "Hi. I'm Becky, and I take on too much work and then put off beginning it.") If you haven't begun the project portion of the 2/10 assignment yet, though, get on it immediately. Completing it at the last minute is fine; starting it at the last minute puts you at a conceptual disadvantage that won't help your development of the project.

    The statement of methods + bibliography is 5% of your course grade. You're required to have a good first draft up by 2/10, and as soon as it's up, I'll be responding to it. You'll then have till 2/13 to post a revised version that I will then grade.

    I'm now sincerely hoping that I'll be back in class on 2/17. I won't know for sure till I see the doctor on 2/16, though.

    Posted by senioritis at 10:18 AM | Comments (2)

    February 03, 2005

    Assignment and class plans for February 3

    PLEASE BE IN THE 009 CLASSROOM FOR OUR CLASS MEETING ON 2/3.

    I see my doctor on Wednesday 2/2. It's possible he'll tell me that I can teach on Thursday 2/3. It's also possible he'll tell me to stay home (or not drive, which amounts to the same thing) for awhile longer. With a little help from my friends, I'm hatching a plan for Thursday 2/3 that can have us meeting synchronously, with a somewhat reduced level of frustration—a plan that will be flexible for whether I'm there or not. Check this entry regularly for the gradual unfolding of the Gorgeous Plan.

    To prepare for class,


    1. Create a blog entry in which you indicate your current thoughts/inclinations about your course project. I've posted a list of a few possibilities. Please post this entry by Tuesday, 2/1, and categorize it under your name and also under "Projects." Aleshia, Ty, and Jen have already posted ideas in the Comments section of the projects overview. You three don't have to do anything beyond that, but you might find it useful to turn those comments, updated, into fresh entries.
    2. Read Connors, Composition-Rhetoric, introduction (1-22): Becky will summarize & lead class discussion.
    3. Read White Ch. 1: See preliminary notes. I've also set up some entries on White's vocabulary. Derek will summarize & lead class discussion.
    4. Read White Ch. 2: See preliminary notes. Jen will summarize & lead class discussion.
    5. Respond to at least two of the following discussion posts: Derek's Discussion Question #1; Jen's Discussion Question #1; and Becky's Discussion Question #1. Each class member may respond to a discussion post only twice, and each response is limited to 200 words. It is therefore important that you think through your response to a discussion question, since you will be allowed to comment only twice, with a limit of 200 words each time. Please do not introduce tangential topics to the comments section of one of these posts. Use the Comments function to respond to the posts themselves and the problems/issues that they directly address.
    6. Before and during our 2/3 class, please do not create new posts for tangents, arguments, and speeches. Create these after class is adjourned. Feel free, however, to ask questions and to explain any difficulties you may be having with the discussion questions.

    In class,

    1. We'll begin with a discussion of projects.
    2. Derek will do a brief overview of White Ch. 1; Jen of White Ch. 2; and Becky of Connors' intro, responding to blog comments and raising whatever additional issues and questions they think are worthwhile. These overviews will be of 15 minutes' duration, max.
    3. I'll do small-group meetings with class members about possible projects.
    4. While I am conducting proiject meetings, the other groups will be working collaboratively to respond to assigned discussion questions posted by Jen, Derek, and Becky. By the end of class, a representative of each group will enter the group's response to that discussion question, and other group members may then make individual responses, as well.

    After class,

    Everybody should feel free to create their own entries regarding the White and Connors texts, and should respond as often and as long as they wish to any blog entry.

    Posted by senioritis at 09:29 AM | Comments (2)

    January 30, 2005

    Assigned in-class discussion questions, 2/3

    In class on 2/3,


    1. *, *, *, and * will work on Jen's discussion question #2.
    2. *, *, *, and * will work on Derek's discussion question #2.
    3. *, *, *, and * will work on Becky's discussion question #2.
    4. *, *, *, and * will work on Jen's discussion question #3.

    Posted by senioritis at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)

    January 27, 2005

    She's heeeere!

    Hi, everybody. Woke up just in time for class! TG you can't see what I look like right now. Let me know as you log in and are ready to start.

    Sorry about the 2-classroom arrangement for today: George, that wild and crazee man, thought that just because I'm whining & carrying on about my car wreck, I would abandon my bestest class today, so he gave away 009 for the first half of class. Wotta nut. My brains may be scrambled, but I'm still in the fray!

    Posted by senioritis at 09:12 AM | Comments (15)

    January 26, 2005

    Assignment for January 27

    To prepare for class on January 27,


    1. Browse the text in composition history that has been assigned to you. Create a blog entry with your informal observations, and post it by Tuesday, if possible. Save your blog entry in the following categories: (a) your name; (b) texts; (c) methods and methodologies.
    2. Prepare for class discussion in which you will informally report on the methods and methodology of your assigned text.
    3. Read White, Tropics of Discourse, introduction (1-26); Becky will summarize and lead discussion. (Some of that discussion has already begun on the blog; you should read it before class. Remember to read comments as well as entries.) You may also find it useful to consult Hans Kellner's entry "Hayden White" in the Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism. Go to the library catalogue, and click on "electronic resource." Then you'll enter your SUID number and last name (lower case), and then you'll get into the Guide.
      UPDATE: Forget about accessing the Kellner article online. Look at the PDF I've sent you, and if you can't find it, email me.
    4. Insofar as you have time available, browse your classmates' blog entries on their assigned texts in composition history.

    In class:


    1. Discussion of White, Tropics of Discourse, introduction (1-26)
    2. Discussion of possible projects and/or book contributions
    3. Schedule small-group meetings

    For other weekly assignments, scroll through the Calendar entries.

    Posted by senioritis at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)

    Class on 1/27

    Hi, everybody. Class will meet tomorrow online, in real time, starting at 9:30. I may not be at 100%, but I should be well enough to hold my own! You can work online in 009, your office, or at home--your choice. Remember that you'll need to hit the "refresh" button regularly so that you can see others' new posts.
    UPDATE:Oops--correction. The 227 cluster is available for the first half of class, and 009 for the second half. Sorry.

    Posted by senioritis at 07:53 PM | Comments (0)

    January 17, 2005

    Assignment for January 20

    To prepare for class,


    1. Study this website/syllablog. You'll find it easiest to navigate using the index in the right-hand column of the blog. Scroll down for "course guidelines," "calendar," and other categories.
    2. Browse Howard, "Global Perspectives on Language Standards in Composition Classrooms."
    3. Brainstorm a list of possible projects that you might pursue in CCR 611.
    4. Respond (use the "comments" function) to the list of texts in composition history: tell me which one(s) you want to report on (for January 27). But first, read through the responses that classmates may have already made; don't choose one that somebody else has already taken. NB It's important that somebody report on the Goggin, Varnum, Campbell, and Gage texts. If 12 people have chosen texts before you and these haven't been taken, choose one of them; otherwise, I'll change your choice!

    In class,


    1. Course overview
    2. Lecture: sociopolitical context of the beginnings of composition studies in the U.S.
    3. Lecture: background on the work of Hayden White.
    4. Lecture: historical research methods and methodologies
    5. Blogging workshop: you'll create an entry in the blog that introduces yourself to the rest of the class, and you'll respond to at least one classmate's introduction of her/himself.

    For other weekly assignments, scroll through the Calendar entries.

    Posted by senioritis at 09:56 AM | Comments (0)

    January 10, 2005

    Readings timetable, updated 4/1/05

    Everybody will read all assigned readings each week. In addition, one person is responsible for summarizing and leading discussion on each of these readings. Feel free to trade assignments with classmates; just make sure the classmate with whom you're trading agrees to it, and also make sure to note the change in the "comments" function on this post.

    January 27
    White, Tropics of Discourse, introduction (1-26): Becky

    February 3
    Connors, Composition-Rhetoric, introduction (1-22): Becky
    White Ch. 1: Derek
    White Ch. 2: Jen

    February 10
    Connors Ch. 1: Carolyn
    White Ch. 3: Chris
    White Ch. 4: Kelly

    February 17
    Connors Ch. 2: Jeremiah
    White Ch. 5: Gale
    White Ch. 6: Denise

    February 24
    Connors Ch. 3: Dianna
    White Ch. 7: Tyra
    White Ch. 8: Vanessa

    March 3
    Connors Ch. 4: Aleshia
    White Ch. 9: Elisa
    White Ch. 10: Ty

    March 10
    Certeau, The Writing of History, translator's introduction + introduction (vii-16): Becky
    Connors Ch. 5: Becky
    White Ch. 11: Carolyn

    March 24
    Certeau, Ch. 1
    Connors Ch. 6
    White Ch. 12

    March 31
    Certeau, Chs. 2 & 7; and pp. 117-124

    April 7
    Gilyard, Keith. "African American Contributions to Composition Studies." College Composition and Communication 50.4 (June 1999): 626-644
    Painter, preface & intro
    Royster, Jacqueline Jones, and Jean C. Williams. "History in the Spaces Left: African American Presence and Narratives of Composition Studies." College Composition and Communication 50.4 (June 1999): 563-585
    Smitherman, Geneva. "The Historical Struggle for Language Rights in CCCC." Language Diversity in the Classroom: From Intention to Practice. Ed. Geneva Smitherman and Victor Villanueva. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 2003. 7-39

    April 14
    no assigned reading

    April 21
    Painter, Chs. 3, 4, 5, 6

    April 28
    Painter, Chs. 7, 9, 10, 11

    Posted by senioritis at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

    December 27, 2004

    Assignment for March 10

    Please note: our meeting place will return to 020 HBC today and henceforth.

    To prepare for class,


    1. If you've read The Order of Things, bring your copy to class.
    2. Review notes, etc., from any previous encounters you've had with the work of Giambattista Vico, and we'll have a chat about him in class, pooling our information.
    3. Read Certeau, The Writing of History, translator's introduction + introduction (vii-16): Becky will summarize and lead class discussion
    4. Read Connors Ch. 5: Becky will summarize and lead class discussion
    5. Read White Ch. 11: Carolyn will summarize and lead class discussion

    By March 14, Post (or email) annotated bibliography and/or research notes

    In class,


    1. Discuss assigned texts. Regarding Certeau, I'd like to pay particular attention to the term figuration (see, for example, p. ix), which appears in both Certeau and White and which constitutes a key term in poststructural historiography.
    2. Discuss the work of Giambattista Vico (Vico Day, at last!)
    3. Discuss the work of Michel Foucault

    Posted by senioritis at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

    Assignment for March 24 (updated 3/23/05 8:40 a.m.)

    To prepare for class,


    1. Download and read the 2006 CCCC CFP. I'll bring hardcopies to class.
    2. Sign up for an appointment to talk about how your project is going.
    3. Read Certeau, Ch. 1, and think about (a) what seems impenetrable and (b) what seems worth pondering.
    4. Read Connors Ch. 6, and think about (a) what seems excessive and (b) what seems worth pondering.
    5. Read White Ch. 12, and think about (a) what seems impenetrable and (b) what seems worth pondering.
    6. Recommended but not required: Download in pdf and read Berkenkotter and Huckin's chapter on the genre of CCCCs proposals.
    7. Recommended but not required: Read Samantha Blackmon's blog about the 2005 CCCC, especially her March 18 entry.
    8. Recommended but not required: Read Collin Brooke's blog about the CCCC proposal process.

    In class,


    1. Discuss assigned readings. There will be no assigned discussion leaders; instead, I'll ask each person to contribute to an examination of the texts.
    2. As we think about Berkenkotter & Huckin, I particularly want to attend to the discussion of CCCC topoi on 112-113.
    3. As we think about the final chapter of White, I'll be interested to hear what use each of you is making of his argument.
    4. Regarding Certeau: (a) I propose that we take up the question of how the research you are doing is (or is not) ideological. (b) His first major section, beginning on 22, offers a very useful framework for thinking about the applicability of Painter to the study of composition history. As we apply this framework, however, we should return to White's cautions about the construction of "context": When referring to the notion of "context," literary theorists commonly assume "that this context—the 'historical milieu'—has a concreteness and an accessibility that the work itself can never have," without recognizing that context, too, is a constructed fiction. "The relationship between the past to be analyzed and historical works produced by analysis of the documents is paradoxical; the more we know about the past, the more difficult it is to generalize about it" (White 89).
    5. Workshop: In class, we'll draft CCCC proposals based on your 611 research. If you have another project that you're wanting to propose to the convention, bring that with you so that you can work on it, instead. My objective here is to re-frame the research you are doing, for the CCCC audience and occasion—which I think can help you refresh yourself on your work for this course.

    Posted by senioritis at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)

    Assignment for March 31

    To prepare for class,
    Read Certeau, Chs. 2 & 7; and pp. 117-124

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    Assignment for April 7

    To prepare for class,


    1. Read Gilyard, Keith. "African American Contributions to Composition Studies." College Composition and Communication 50.4 (June 1999): 626-644
    2. Read Painter, preface & intro
    3. Read Royster, Jacqueline Jones, and Jean C. Williams. "History in the Spaces Left: African American Presence and Narratives of Composition Studies." College Composition and Communication 50.4 (June 1999): 563-585
    4. Read Smitherman, Geneva. "The Historical Struggle for Language Rights in CCCC." Language Diversity in the Classroom: From Intention to Practice. Ed. Geneva Smitherman and Victor Villanueva. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UP, 2003. 7-39
    5. Send me your project deadlines

    In class,

    1. Discuss assigned readings
    2. Discuss research projects

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    Assignment for April 14

    Read Painter, Chs. 1-5

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    Assignment for April 21

    Read Painter, Chs. 3, 4, 5, & 6

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    Assignment for April 28

  • Read Painter, Chs. 7, 9, 10, & 11

    Posted by senioritis at 10:18 AM | Comments (0)