Justin J. Bain
PhD Student in Composition and Cultural Rhetoric
Syracuse University
315-443-1412
jjbain@syr.edu
• Philosophy
• Writing 105
• Writing 205
• Writing 307
• Writing 110
WRT 307: Unit #2 Calendar
Projects: Salary: Defining your profession and your writing tasks
15% Learning through interviews and professional journals Summary:
In the broadest sense, Unit #2 is designed to allow you to research your field of study and future career. There will be three major products/projects for this unit: 1) A report summarizing the major aspects of your field 2) A rhetorical analysis of a journal in your field 3) A resume/cover letter addressed to a specific job ad Your Field: A Report
This project is to be conducted as a group. It is your task to assemble a report that addresses the following elements: Identify your field and summarize work done in that field (or identify specific career paths and summarize work done for each path) Identify types of formal writing produced in your field and provide specific examples (actual documents): reports, spreadsheets, contracts, whitepapers, etc Identify types of informal writing produced in your field and provide specific examples (actual documents): emails, powerpoint, net meeting, etc Identify means of documenting work in your field and provide specific examples (actual documents): calendars, progress reports, meetings, etc Identify specific jobs in your field and analyze current job trends, providing specific examples (actual job ads) Identify specific means of publication in your field and give specific examples: professional journals, handbooks, trade publications, websites, conferences, etc In order to produce this report, you will need to conduct several interviews. Each member of your group needs to conduct an individual interview with a professor in your field/department; you cannot interview the same professor. Each group must conduct an interview with a person currently working in your field (this person cannot be a professor). Designing interview questions, deciding on format, etc, are tasks that will be left to your group. However, it would be beneficial to ask for sample documents during your interviews. Considerations of design, format, length, etc, of the actual report will also be left to your group’s discretion. Rhetorical Analysis:
This assignment may also be conducted using websites, handbooks, etc, depending on what is the typical means of publication in your field. It is to be done as a group and should be included in your report. We will be modeling and practicing rhetorical analyses in class. Your rhetorical analysis will do the following: Identify trends in publishing in your field over the last ten years, including topics of concern, media, format, titles, keywords, author number, etc Identify specific rhetorical concerns within a specific text, such as what audiences are being addressed, how they are addressed, what counts as evidence, etc Resume/Cover Letter:
Though you may locate and analyze job ads as a group, each individual must submit their own resume and cover letter. Resumes and cover letters should be included in a section of your group’s report along with the related job ad(s).
Calendar:
Jan 28th Final resumes and letters due; begin second unit. Jan 30th Optional class; you may use this time (in or out of class) to meet with your
group, consult with me, begin organizing your duties, etcFeb 4th Whole-class analysis exercise: reading to imitate a genre Feb 6th Group meetings: updates and concerns Feb 11th Draft rhetorical analysis of journal due for discussion Feb 13th TBA Feb 18th Draft resumes/cover letters due for discussion Feb 20th TBA Feb 25th Final reports due; begin Unit #3 Hypothetical Job Situations:
Throughout Unit #2, you will occasionally be asked to deal with hypothetical situations as they might occur in the workplace. This means that you might occasionally be confronted with shorter deadlines, the need to produce progress reports, impromptu presentations, etc. All changes to your job situation will be delivered via email; please watch you inbox.