On November 8, we are having a visit from Dr. Carol Berkenkotter to talk about textual analysis. The readings for this week generally center around that topic. MacNealy MacNealy, M. S. (1998). Discourse or Text Analysis (Chapter 7). In Strategies for Empirical Research in Writing. Longman. In this book chapter, Mary Sue MacNealy provides an… Continue reading Readings for Nov 8 in 8011
This week’s readings focus on case study research and Internet research. First, there are method “how-to” notes from Gurak & Silker, Marshall & Rossman, and MacNealy. Then two studies, one by Gurak and one by Ding. Gurak and Silker Gurak, L. J., & Silker, C. M. (2002). Technical communication research in cyberspace. In L. J.… Continue reading Reflections on 8011 readings for November 1
I didn’t think I’d have time to write a reflection on this week’s readings, as we have a big assignment due in 8011 tonight. As it happens, though, I’ve managed to get the assignment mostly completed and I’ve managed to get through this week’s readings to boot. So, here are my reflections: MacNealy, Chapters 4… Continue reading Reflections on October 18 readings for 8011
This week, we’re having a visit from Dr. Bernadette Longo. In preparation for that, we are finishing her book Spurious Coin and reading some things she sent along in advance of her visit. I’ve taken copious notes on these six chapters of Spurious Coin but if figured I’d just share a couple items of interest… Continue reading Reflections on October 11 readings for 8011
I thought I’d post a couple quick notes about the readings for 5531 this week. This is briefer than posts for 8011, because they are not required for 5531… This week, we handled the following: Gage Gage, J. T. (1991). On “Rhetoric” and “Composition”. In E. Lindemannn & G. Tate (Eds.), An Introduction to Composition… Continue reading 5531 Readings for October 6
A critical turn Most of this week’s readings come out of the cultural or critical studies orientation. (Blyler and Thralls and Blyer explore this orientation in general terms; Longo employs it in her history of technical writing.) The only exception is Smagorinsky. I’ll share some observations about the first three, along with some questions I… Continue reading Reflections on October 4 readings for 8011
Thralls and Blyler Thralls, C., & Blyler, N. R. (1993). The Social Perspective and Professional Communication. In C. Thralls & N. Blyler (Eds.), Professional Communication: The Social Perspective (pp. 3-34). Newbury Park, C.A.: Sage Publications, Inc. Describes three strands of social theory in professional communication research: Social constructionist: “the social constructionist approach focuses on community,… Continue reading Reflections on this week’s readings for 8011
In what is likely to be another blow to my classroom ethos, I need to correct an error I introduced into the discussion in 5531 Composition Pedagogy last Wednesday. A classmate asked about what “structuralism” is. I confidently described it as arising from the linguistics of the Frenchman Ferdinand de Saussure, embodied famously in the… Continue reading Tripped up by “structuralism”
A nice summary of Searle’s conception of speech acts (after Austin) on Argumentics, including an amusing embedded video. Cheers! -B
This is my reflective memo for this week’s readings in 8011 Research Methods in S&TC. Barton & Eggly Barton, E., & Eggly, S. (2009). Ethical or Unethical Persuasion?: The Rhetoric of Offers to Participate in Clinical Trials. Written Communication, 26(3), 295-319. One conclusion of this study: That researchers seeking informed consent from cancer patients to… Continue reading Reflections on this week’s readings for 8011