news

THIS SITE IS NOW ARCHIVED AND STATIC

11-7
Your Wikipedia contribution progress will be checked this week during your red/blue day.

11-1
Make sure to bring your Wikipedia contribution plan of action to class on Thursday (11/3).

10-18
Post your questions about Project 3 (the Wikipedia Contribution project) to the class blog. Do this before Sunday (10/23).

10-13
Remember to post your Project 2 criteria to the class blog on or before Friday (10/14).

10-4
The class-generated list of possible Project 2 topics is now in the handouts section of the site. Please remember to bring your 200 word abstract to class tomorrow (10/6). There is a sample abstract in the handouts section of the site.

09-29
After you read the Sample Semiotic Essay, please post your response to the following issues on our blog before class on Monday (10/3):

1. What argument does the paper attempt to prove?
2. How is its argument supported?
3. What is one question you have about the paper's use of in-text citation?
4. What is one question you have about the paper's Works Cited page?
5. What is your response to the material? Does it make a convincing case? Were there things you didn't understand? Were there any particular parts that you liked or disliked?

The first four responses can be a few sentences each. Please respond to the fifth issue in at least a few paragraphs.

Also remember to post to the weekly discussion board before Sunday (10/2) night.

09-27
Your reading assignments are below. You are responsible to read your corresponding article and then post your answers to the "Reading the Text" questions (not the "Reading the Signs" ones) on the correct section of the class blog. Please do this before class on Thursday (9/29).

Marchand—"The Parable of the Democracy of Goods"
Christenberry
Ingram
Donohue
Smith

Solomon—"Masters of Desire"
Heim
Howarth
Pierson

Barthel—"A Gentleman and a Consumer"
Vandoski
Drinnen
Kassebaum
Bruce

Schlosser—"Kid Kustomers"
O'Brien
Kovack
Hwang
Procelli

Calfee—"How Advertising Informs to Our Benefit"
Barker
Foland
Trzcinski

09-22
Your reading assignments are below. You are responsible to read your corresponding article and then post your answers to the "Reading the Text" questions (not the "Reading the Signs" ones) on the correct section of the class blog. Please do this on or before Sunday (9/25).

Kron: "The Semiotics of Home Decor"

    Howarth
    Foland
    Christenberry
    Trzcinski

Goewey: "Careful, You May Run Out of Planet"

    Drinnen
    Kassebaum
    Kovack

Cave: "The Spam Spoils of War"

    Donohue
    Hwang
    Heim
    Ingram

Barber: "Jihad Vs. McWorld"

    Vandoski
    Pierson
    Procelli

Friedman: "Revolution is U.S."

    Smith
    Bruce
    Barker
    O'Brien
09-21
The Grammar Sign-up Sheet is now in the handouts section. This sheet tells you what topic you signed up for and when you will present.

09-21
Your reading assignments are below. You are responsible to read your corresponding article and then post your answers to the "Reading the Text" questions (not the "Reading the Signs" ones) on the correct section of the class blog. Please do this on or before Wednesday (9/21).

Shames: "The More Factor"

    Hwang
    Trzcinski
    Barker

Norton: "The Signs of Shopping"

    Heim
    Kassebaum
    Howarth
    Bruce

Bowlby: "The Haunted Superstore"

    Foland
    O'Brien
    Drinnen

Hine: "What's in a Package"

    Christenberry
    Pierson
    Procelli
    Ingram

Davis: "Blue Jeans"

    Donohue
    Smith
    Vandoski
    Kovack
09-16
By now you should have read Signs of Life in the USA pages 1-18 and posted your definition of semiotics to the class blog. If you have not, do so today, as this is due tonight.

Over the weekend, you need to read Signs of Life in the USA pages 25-44. There are three sample student essays in this section. After you have read all three, select one and post a thorough response to it on the class blog (there is now a section for sample essay responses). Your response should address issues such as why the essay was effective/ineffective, what you would do differently if you were in a similar writing situation, where research or other evidence was used well or where it was needed, and so forth. Please post your response before class on Monday (9/19).

Also, both of the topics for weekly discussion are now posted. Please read both and pick one to make a comment about. I would encourage you to post more than one comment. Remember that you can comment to someone else's comment simply by clicking the "reply" link below it. This way we can get some dialog going on between different people, which would be great. Please post your comment to the weekly discussion by Sunday night (9/18).

09-12
Below is a list of what's upcoming in the immediate future:

• This is a red/blue week. That means that you will come to class in groups of five on either Tuesday or Thursday at either 8:30 or 8:55. Check the "Red/Blue Daily Breakdown" sheet on the "handouts" section if you are unsure when to come in.

• If you haven't already, post a comment to the blog entry entitled "Project 1 manual explications" that provides anything you want your project 1 scorers to know. This is a short writing grade. Complete this by tonight (9/12).

• Remember to bring a written question about project 2 to conferences. I will be taking these up.

• Read Signs of Life in the USA pages 1-18 and post a comment to the blog post entitled "Defining Semiotics" that provides your definition of semiotics (or the semiotic method). This is a short writing grade. Complete this by Friday (9/16).

09-06
Remember that the final draft of Project 1 is due Monday (9/12).

• Please remember to avoid using copyrighted images. The Hicks library has collections of royalty-free images available through the circulation desk. I also have images you can use, or you can take your own photos or create your own images.

• Remember to post an entry to the class blog explicating why you made the choices you made in your manual. This is your opportunity to explain your work and decision-making to those that will be scoring your manual. You are free to communicate whatever you want; there are no restrictions of length or format for this blog entry. You must make your post before grading begins on Tuesday morning.

• I encourage you to take advantage of the Writing Lab. It offers one-on-one writing consultation free of charge.

08-30
Please bring three copies of your group rubric to class on Thursday (9/1). Groups will hand out their rubrics to the other groups and briefly explicate them.

08-29
Remember to bring your revised manuals to class tomorrow. Also, if you haven't posted a comment to one of the weekly discussion topics, please do so before next Tuesday (9/6).

08-25
Profile pictures are currently flakey. Your profile may not show its image or it may show someone else. This situation is being fixed.

08-24
Please remember to bring to tomorrow's class (8/25) both your brief analysis and the manual itself.

08-22
Remember that tomorrow's class (8/23) meets in Heavilon Hall 106. Also make certain that you have logged into the class website, changed your password, and made certain that the email address in your profile is correct.

08-02
Welcome to the class website. This home page will contain news updates. The "schedule" section provides an overview of class activities in the coming weeks. The "weekly discussions" section is for the weekly, student-led class discussions. The "class blog" section is for general questions, interesting links or topics, and other miscellany. The "handouts" section contains copies of the handouts I provide in class. The "links" section contains applicable web links.