Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Storytelling
English 4010 | Summer 2016
Nathaniel A. Rivers | nrivers1@slu.edu
Office Hours: TTH, 300-400
Course Description
Students in this class collaboratively research, plan, produce, and distribute compelling stories using new media
technologies. Students select and investigate a topic currently underway in or around Saint Louis University using
both primary and secondary sources (interviews, observations, background research), and then plan, produce, and
distribute an audio story/podcast (akin to RadioLab or This American Life) with this topic as its subject
matter. Ultimately, students themselves negotiate the focus and tone of their own publications. Students enrolled
in this course cultivate the habits of a successful professional communicator working in an increasingly
collaborative, freeform, and mediated work environment. Students likewise develop an understanding of how
rhetoric shapes storiesboth their structure and their public reception. Additionally, students will establish a voice
as a writer, understand the principles and practices of primary and secondary research, gain comfort and
competence with new media production and distribution, and develop sophisticated and critical responses to (new
media) technology.
Materials
Course Deliverables
Individual
Team
Course grades
Grading Scale
A
4.0
3.0
2.0
A-
3.7
B-
2.7
C-
1.7
B+
3.3
C+
2.3
Feedback
Feedback often comes in the form of informal in-class discussions about your assignments and individual or group
conferences. For instance, when I and your peers offer critiques of your draft projects, we assume that you will
implement those revision suggestions into your drafts. When you dont, you should have a very good reason in
relation to the purpose of the text for not doing so. Otherwise, when I am reviewing your projects, I should be
able to see your progress on the text from the time it was workshopped as well as from informal, in-class feedback
or conferences with me. I hope that this grading system will allow you the freedom and flexibility to take risks in
your assignments while also providing time for you to re-envision and revise those drafts into more usable,
sophisticated, and polished texts by the end of the term.
Participation?
Attendance: You are required to attend every class session unless the schedule specifically indicates that
class is canceled that day. There are no such things as excused vs. unexcused absencesif youre not here,
I dont much care why. If your absence is caused by a funeral or similar extenuating circumstances, I will
take that into consideration when I consider your grade. If you miss more than one class, consider your
grade in jeopardy. If you miss a workshop, youll be doubly in jeopardy. Also, attendance at out-of-class
conferences with me is considered the same as class time. If you miss a conference, you will be counted
absent.
Timeliness: If you show up late or leave early or disappear (or fall asleep) for 15 minutes in the middle
of class, it will affect your participation. Timeliness also refers to the time-sensitive nature of completing
assignments and turning in equipment on time. Late work is completely unacceptable, and I will not give
you feedback on it. If you do not have a major assignment ready in time for our workshop days, it is your
responsibility to get feedback from your classmates outside of class upon (or before) your return. If you
return borrowed equipment late, consider your participation grade in jeopardy. If you fail to return
borrowed equipment at all (like, you lose it or break it beyond repair), you are responsible for replacing the
equipment with the same kind, and I will hold your final grade submission until it has been replaced.
Readiness: Readiness is different from timeliness in that it relates specifically to being prepared by the
start-time of the class period (and any outside-of-class work that we negotiate to do). All homework must
be completed before class starts. For instance, printing of assignments or uploading of files after the class
period has begun will result in a delay of class, which will negatively impact your grade. This bullet also
refers to workshop participation and group work participation in that if you do not have a draft ready on
workshop day, you are unprepared to provide feedback to your workshop peers, or you are unwilling/
unable to perform the responsibilities of your group work, your grade will suffer.
Thoughtfulness: Thoughtfulness translates to critical awareness and participation in all manners of
class activities. This may include activities such as having useful, productive questions or discussion items
based on homework (readings, assignments, or peer-review work), collegial work completed with your
Earning an A
The grade of A is reserved for excellent work. Excellent work does not equate with showing up every day,
participating once in a while, and turning in completed drafts on time. Those are the average requirements of any
class setting, and average equates to a C in this academic setting. Here are some ways to earn an A:
Produce excellent assignments. What constitutes excellence? Doing more than simply completing
the terms of the assignment. An excellent assignment may meet any number of qualities, depending on its
purpose and genre. Well spend much time analyzing possible qualities for your work, which means youll
be creating evaluation criteria for your own work. If your texts live up to your own criteria, its likely your
work will be excellent.
Participate excellently in class. Excellence in class participation means not simply speaking
frequently, but all of the ways I mention in the class participation section above. As some examples, you
should contribute in an active and generous way to the work of the class as a whole by asking questions,
offering interpretations, politely challenging your classmates, graciously accepting challenges in return,
and being a productive group member.
Be an excellent citizen-scholar. Specifically, be able to demonstrate to me (through discussions, group
work, assignment drafts) that you (a) understand and can reflect on the content of this class and show
progress toward that knowledge in your final portfolio; (b) reason logically, critically, creatively,
independently and consensually, and are able to address issues in a broad and constantly shifting context;
(c) recognize different ways of thinking, creating, expressing, and communicating through a variety of
media; (d) understand diversity in value systems and cultures in an interdependent world; and (e) develop
a capacity for self-assessment and transferable learning.
Productive Participation
Course goals
Writing in Context
Analyze cultures, social contexts, and audiences to determine how they shape the
various purposes and forms of writing, such as persuasion, organizational
communication, and public discourse, with an emphasis on:
writing for a range of defined audiences and stakeholders
negotiating the ethical dimensions of rhetorical action
Project Management
Document Design
Make rhetorical design decisions about documents (and other compositions), including:
understanding and adapting to genre conventions and audience expectations
understanding and implementing design principles of format and layout
interpreting and arguing with design
drafting, researching, testing, and revising visual designs and information architecture
Teamwork
Learn and apply strategies for successful teamwork and collaboration, such as:
working online with colleagues
determining roles and responsibilities
managing team conflicts constructively
responding constructively to peers' work
soliciting and using peer feedback effectively
achieving team goals
Research
Understand and use various research methods and sources to produce quality documents, including:
analyzing historical and contemporary contexts
locating, evaluating, and using print and online information selectively for particular audiences and
purposes
triangulating sources of evidence
Technology
Use and evaluate rhetorical technologies such as emailing, instant messaging, image editing, audio editing, video
editing, presentation design and delivery, HTML editing, Web browsing, content management, and desktop
publishing technologies.
Routine work with technology is a component of this course. Students need not be technological experts to
succeed in this course, but digital technology interaction is integral and computer problems are not valid excuses for
English 4010: New Media Writing: Storytelling | !4
incomplete work. Practice the core principle of digital data work: redundant backup. Digital
technology will fail; be prepared for that eventuality.
Collaborative Work
Because one of the most salient features of digital technology is its social aspect, teamwork and group projects are
required elements of the course. Student teammates are responsible for updating each other and the instructor
about project development and progress. Additionally, student teams are responsible for negotiating all aspects of
their work, including planning, drafting, revising, file managing, scheduling, and leading tutorials and
presentations. When a group project is assigned, students will complete activities that foster successful
collaboration. After the conclusion of group projects, individuals complete forms to assess the contributions of
group members and the global performance of the team.
student conduct
This courses code of student conduct is informed by Saint Louis Universitys own code of student conduct, best
encapsulated by the following statement:
All members of the University community are expected to contribute to the development and sustainability
of community through word and action. Our community is characterized by respect for the dignity of others,
honesty, and the pursuit of truth.
Insults, slurs, or attacks of any kind are not allowed in this class (this includes f2f meetings and on the course site).
Any student who engages in this type of behavior in the classroom will be permanently removed from the class.
This code of conduct is equally important to maintain during group meetings outside of class. In order to have an
effective teaching and learning environment we must practice both respect and tolerance, without question. The
remainder of the universitys code of student conduct can be found at http://www.slu.edu/x24293.xml.
Course-level support (e.g., faculty member, departmental resources, etc.) by asking the course instructor.
University-level support (e.g., tutoring/writing services, Disability Services) by visiting the Student Success
Center (BSC 331) or by going to www.slu.edu/success.
Students who believe that, due to a disability, they could benefit from academic accommodations are encouraged
to contact Disability Services at 314-977-8885 or visit the Student Success Center. Confidentiality will be observed
in all inquiries. Course instructors support student accommodation requests when an approved letter from
Disability Services has been received and when students discuss these accommodations with the instructor after
receipt of the approved letter.