4 discussions due in 30 hours

Discussion – Reader Response

A successful post meets rubric criteria (Content, Organization, Style/Language, and Sentence Structure/Grammar) and follows the discussion prompt. A successful reply to classmates answers their questions, provides additional insight into the topics they have discussed, generates additional questions, or engages in meaningful and substantive dialogue. Completing this forum should enable you to brainstorm a topic, organize an analysis essay, and compose an analysis essay. (MO 1,2,3)

Instructions:

In your post summarize what you have read and learned in the textbooks and online lecture materials this week.
In other modules, you will be continuing the chapters and sections listed under ‘Read’ in the Module 1 overview. Note your progress as part of your reader response this week.
Include a discussion point or question in your post about something you did not understand.
Include a discussion point or question in your post about something you thought about as you read.
Include a discussion point or question in your post about something you want your peers to think about.

Discussion – The Perfect Sandwich

Instructions:

The simplest process essays are basic how-to steps on a craft or a recipe. A sandwich construction can either be incredibly simple or extremely complicated. Cartoonist Chic Young’s character Dagwood Bumstead famously created sandwiches of comic proportions, inspiring real-life versions of the same. There are even sandwich debates: is a hot dog a sandwich, and what about a taco? In the subject line of your post put ‘Your Name’s Perfect Sandwich.’ Define what a sandwich is and is not in your simplest terms. The bulk of your post should be your process for constructing what you opine to be the perfect sandwich. If you are not a sandwich eater, you may do this post about a similarly simple food item (i.e. baked potato, salad, ramen, etc.).

Discussion – For Want of a Nail

Instructions:

Think about a time in your life where you needed to obtain a specific item or complete a specific task but were unable to for a specified reason. This can be a stand-alone concern–a causal analysis of a specific situation. Alternatively, this can be something that was required to have been completed in order to essentially domino effect the completion of multiple other tasks–a causal analysis of a failed process completion. The subject line of your post will be your unique title for this mini-essay/paragraph. Have fun with this. You can be as simple or complex and as silly or serious as you wish.

Discussion – Optional Process Playlist

Instructions:

Participation in this discussion is optional. This item will count as ‘extra credit’ in the gradebook, so it can only count for you, never against you! The total possible points is equivalent to that of a discussion forum (non-participants will see a 0 displayed in the gradebook).

One of the rhetorical modes we are working on this week is process analysis (how-to, how-was, how-did, how-will, etc.).

Choose one of these options to complete before making your initial response.

Option 1

Create a public playlist on YouTube, Spotify, or another site that hosts music that you can link the class to. Name the playlist “Songs Describing a Process” and put up to ten songs on the playlist. You are not being asked to take the time to upload original content on these platforms. You are adding other people’s posted content to the playlist to make sure the artists get credit for their work.

Option 2

Gather links to up to ten songs describing a process. Using the Kaltura Embed option in the forum text editor or the insert link option in the forum text editor, provide us with links or embedded videos of the songs.

Posting Details

Type up a brief but complete summary of why you chose whichever one of the options, what each song describes the process of, and its significance and post it here. Remember to either link the class to the public playlist you created or link/embed the individual songs into your post. Include any direct quotes from the songs if it seems appropriate to do so. Include citations for all the songs on your playlist.

Module 3: Overview

null Module Introduction

In this module, you will be learning about and working on an analysis essay. An analysis essay analyzes–examines, picks apart, discusses in detail–a topic. Analysis can make an argument or persuade a point. This module focuses primarily on process analysis (how-to, how-will, how-did, etc.) and causal analysis (cause & effect). There are other types of analysis. Analysis essays may use ‘outside the box’ typographical devices such as headers, bullets, numbered lists, and other graphic elements. If you did not create these yourself, you must cite them in MLA format. You may need to access an outside source. You may need to send your reader to an outside source for details. Always cite sources. Only pick a topic that interests you and that you know a lot about! This module will help you learn to be able to break assignments into component pieces, identify the component pieces, establish appropriate deadlines for completion of the task, and compose a written analysis that follows the appropriate rules of grammar and composition. (CLO 1,2,3,4)

Click the video below to watch the introduction from your faculty.

This module does not include a video introduction.

null Module Objectives

At the end of this module students will be able to:

brainstorm a topic. (CLO 1,2,3)
organize an analysis essay. (CLO 1,2,3,4)
compose an analysis essay. (CLO 1,2,3,4)

null Module Activities

Below is an outline of the items for which you will be responsible throughout the module.

READ

DUE: Early in the week

Read the following early in the week to help you respond to the discussion questions and to complete your assignment(s).

Required Textbook Readings

Continuing Required Textbook Readings from Module 1 (MO 1,2,3)
The Norton Reader, p. 574-579, “Rhetorical Modes Index” [skim & bookmark this] (MO 1,2,3)
The Norton Reader, Choose one essay listed under ‘Explaining a Process’ in the RM index. (MO 1,2,3)
The Norton Reader, Choose one essay listed under ‘Analyzing Cause & Effect’ in the RM index. (MO 1,2,3)
The Norton Reader, p. 568-573, “Genres Index” [skim & bookmark this] (MO 1,2,3)
The Norton Reader, Choose one essay listed under ‘Cultural Analysis’ in the GI index. (MO 123)
The Norton Reader, Choose one essay listed under ‘Textual Analysis’ in the GI index. (MO 123)

READ AND WATCH ONLINE

DUE: Early in the week

Online Lecture Material: Read and listen to the online lecture material on the following topics.

Process Analysis Essay (MO 1,2,3)
Process Analysis (MO 1,2,3)
Process Essay (MO 1,2,3)
Structuring The Process Essay (MO 1,2,3)
Writing a Process Essay (MO 1,2,3)
Causal Analysis (MO 1,2,3)
Sample Essays (MO 1,2,3)

Online Lecture – Process Analysis & Causal Analysis

This lecture consists of a variety of content delivery methods in the broader subject areas of process analysis and causal analysis (not to be confused with casual analysis) which are intended to provide you with a foundation for success in this and future courses and other personal, academic, and professional pursuits. (MO 1,2,3) Be sure to read or view all content here before moving on to other module materials.

An analysis essay analyzes–examines, picks apart, discusses–a topic. Analysis can make an argument or persuade a point. Your next essay can be one of these types of analysis:

process analysis (how-to, how-will, how-did, etc.)
causal analysis (cause & effect)

These are not the only kinds of analysis. The Norton Reader’s includes some other kinds of analysis essays.

You may use ‘outside the box’ typographical devices:

headers
bullets
numbered lists
graphic elements

If you did not create these yourself, you must cite them in MLA format. You may need to access an outside source. You may need to send your reader to an outside source for details. Always cite sources. Only pick a process or a cause/effect that interests you.

Click the video below to watch the online lecture.

Process Analysis Essay

The PowerPoint presentation above by Kristie Weeks summarizes the basics of process analysis essays. The presentation includes some details about a specific assignment which are not relevant to this course but the rest of the presentation is useful and relevant. (MO 1,2,3)