Week One (Computer Room, Coleman 3120)

T AUG 26 Introduction to the Course and to Each Other

• discussion of course policies and procedures
• after class, carefully read the course policies and procedures for this course and click through the rest of the class web site; if you have questions or concerns, ask Dr. Engles by writing to him at cftde@eiu.edu

• before class, familiarize yourself with your EIU e-mail account, which you must use to write the message to Dr. Engles described below (this is also the account that you will use to access and store information on your web site)
• to see your EIU login, EIU e-dress, and EIU web site, click here, then enter your name in the search box, and press Enter
• bring a new, blank computer disc to class; click here for online directions for in-class work (if you already know how to publish on the Internet, but you do so in a different way, note that in this class, you will still need to learn the method spelled out in these directions by using Netscape Composer--that way, I'll be able to help if you have any problems; finally, if you get through our directions quickly in class today, please try to help out anyone around you who is having problems)
• send the required e-mail message to Dr. Engles (cftde@eiu.edu): in your message, 1) describe yourself in whatever way you choose, including your career aspirations; 2) write a statement to the effect that you have read and agree with these course policies and procedures (if indeed you have--if you haven't yet, go back and do so); 3) describe a form of "alternative media" that you already use, and explain why it is "alternative"; also, what is it an alternative to?
• if you finish these tasks before the end of class, go here and follow the directions to begin an assignment due on T SEP 2 (save a copy of the survey in Word on your disc, and begin typing answers to the questions)
• if your web site isn't up and running the way it should be by the end of class, send Dr. Engles an e-mail message (cftde@eiu.edu) describing the problem

T SEP 2 discussion of anonymous survey results

• print out bring to class your survey results

• work in class will include discussion of assignment regarding sections from Robert McChesney's

book for summary in class next week: before the date of your presentation, prepare for the class, with your partner, copies of a one- or two-page handout summarizing the main points McChesney makes in the sections assigned to you; be sure to include a few questions about your section of the book on your handout that you think could lead to interesting class discussion; during class next week, review for us your part of McChesney's book, and lead class discussion of your section of the book by referring to your handout
• pairings for McChesney project: Jordan Angle/Amy Scherman; John Toomey/Scott Tresch; Susan Wolf/Kelli Belluomini; Ashley Gemar/Jennifer Shaffer; Sarah Travis/Cynthia Deitch;  Sarah Stark/Megan Wollin; Nicole Marczewski/Alicia Borsa

T SEP 9 Discussion of "The Merchants of Cool"

• before class, read Robert McChesney, Corporate Media and the Threat to Democracy, pages 5-29 (this is a fairly complex, detailed book--be sure to give yourself enough time to study it thoroughly, and to jot down important ideas from it, or questions that you have
• also, before class, visit and click around the PBS web site for the episode of "Frontline" that we've been watching, and then write and bring to class answers to these questions: 1) how does this site add to your experience of watching the program on televison? 2) read one part or section of the site and a) summarize this part or section's contents in one paragraph, and b) explain how this part or section, OR something in the video itself, added to or changed your opinions, beliefs, or knowledge about something

• discussion of Paper One topics

T SEP 16 McChesney, 54-74

R SEP 18 Getting to Know The Blair Handbook

• bring your copy of The Blair Handbook to class
• bring a one-page explanation of why you will probably find two particular sections or chapters of this book useful this semester for improving your writing
• bring at least one paragraph of your first draft of Paper One to class on a disc

Week Five (Computer Room)

M SEP 22 A full rough draft of Paper One must be posted and linked to the appropriate section of your Assignment Index by 10 p.m. today

T SEP 23 Peer Review Workshop: Organization

• if you haven't been able to post your rough draft yet, do it in class today
• in-class work: Peer Review One (of a classmate's rough draft--see handout from class for directions) must be linked to your Assignment Index by 5 p.m. on Thursday; the final draft of your paper is due by next Tuesday at 5 p.m.
• peer review partners: Alicia Borsa/Amy Scherman; Megan Wollin/Scott Tresch; Cynthia Deitch/Kelli Belluomini; Sarah Travis/Jennifer Shaffer; Ashley Gemar/Susan Wolf;  Sarah Stark/John Toomey; Nicole Marczewski/Jordan Angle

R SEP 24 What Is "Independent Film"?

• before class, visit two of the three websites listed below and the links to their various sections; then write down a one- or two-paragraph explanation of how they seem to define or conceive of "Independent Film"; in what way or ways are the films they feature "independent"? (the second two sites seem to work better in Explorer than in Netscape)

• in-class: discussion of three sites; begin screening of Real Women Have Curves (Directed by Patricia Cardoso, 2002)
• Peer Review One (of a classmate's rough draft) must be linked to the appropriate line of your Assignment Index by today at 5 p.m.

T SEP 30 Continue Screening of Real Women have Curves

• discuss Real Women have Curves as an "independent" "film"
• final copy of Paper One must be linked to the appropriate line of your Assignment Index by today at 5 p.m.

• handout to read before class (handed out on Tuesday): James Schamus, "A Rant"
• before class, do some research on your own, and find at least two sources that help to explain some of the ways that Real Women have Curves could be classified as an independent film; bring to class a one-and-a-half to two-page, typed, double-spaced explanation of how this film qualifies as an independent film, according to these sources (these do not necessarily need to be sources about this particular film)

T OCT 7 Handout to read before class (handed out last Thursday): Wheeler Winston Dixon, "Twenty-five Reasons Why It's All Over"

• discussion of Paper Two Topics
• in class: locate and download an appropriate image from the Internet, then publish it on your Assignment Index (we'll talk about how to do this during class--for directions, click here)
• work on papers in class

• Special Guest: Karen Whisler, EIU Librarian

T OCT 14 Grammar Workshop: How to Avoid Excessive Usage of Passive Voice Constructions (Special Bonus Lesson! "Sending E-mail Attachments")

• explanation of paper grading procedures
• read before class: The Blair Handbook, 395-400(BE SURE to bring your book to class)
• pairings for passive vs. active voice exercise (there's a slash between the partners of each pair, not a semicolon): Jordan Angle/Amy Scherman; John Toomey/Scott Tresch; Susan Wolf/Kelli Belluomini; Ashley Gemar/Jennifer Shaffer; Sarah Travis/Cynthia Deitch;  Megan Wollin does Nicole Marczewski's; Alicia Borsa does Megan Wollin's; Nicole Marczewski does Alicia Borsa's
• after-class exercise: (1)open Explorer, instead of Netscape (to avoid formatting changes); cut and paste TWICE the longest paragraph from your classmate's Paper One final draft into a blank Word page (find your partner's page here); (2) in the second version of the paragraph, find any "passive" verbs, and then change them to "active" verbs by rewriting the sentences; (3) save the two paragraphs as a Word document on your disc; (4) open your e-mail account in EIU web e-mail, and send the revised version to your classmate AS AN ATTACHMENT (not in the body of the message); (5) when you receive your partner's attached copy of two versions of your paragraph, save it on your disc (don't open it yet), then open it in Word; (6) look over the changes, then write below the second paragraph a response to EACH changed sentence--do you think it sounds better, or not?  also, write a couple of sentences in response to this question: do you think excessive use of passive voice is a problem in your writing?  (7) Then send this entire document (which is probably 1.5 or so pages) to Dr. Engles as an attachment (cftde@eiu.edu)
• 2 Deadlines--for sending the first attachment to your partner: Wednesday, 6 p.m.; for sending the second, revised attachment to Dr. Engles: Monday, 5 p.m. (which is also the due date, at 10 p.m., for Peer Review Two, for which the guidelines will be handed out in class on Thursday)

R OCT 16 Noam Chomsky, "What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream"

• write down on a separate piece of paper one question that you have about anything in the first half of this article
• print out and read the first half of this article carefully before class; underline important sentences, write notes in the margins, and write any questions you have about this article on your copy of it; bring your hard copy of this article to class
• Peer Review Two guidelines handed out in class; thesis statements and sentence style; peer review partners: Jordan Angle/Amy Scherman; John Toomey/Scott Tresch; Susan Wolf/Kelli Belluomini; Ashley Gemar/Jennifer Shaffer; Sarah Travis/Cynthia Deitch;  Megan Wollin does Nicole Marczewski's; Alicia Borsa does Megan Wollin's; Nicole Marczewski does Alicia Borsa's

M OCT 20 Two deadlines: the commented-on version of your passive vs. active voice paragraphs must be sent to Dr. Engles by 5 p.m., and Peer Review Two (of a classmate's rough draft) must be linked to the appropriate line of your Assignment Index by 10 p.m.

T OCT 21 (Meet in Discussion Room) Grammar Workshop: How to Use Commas Correctly

• scroll down to next week's schedule to see who your presentation partner is, and which day next week is the day for your "Mainstream vs. Alternative News Sites" presentation
• before class, review the work coming up next week. By class time today, you and your partner must make a FIRST and SECOND choice from among the sites listed here; choose sites from here that you would like to use during your presentation. One of you must SEND DR. ENGLES AN E-MAIL MESSAGE ASAP listing your first and second choices from among these alternative sites. Remember, first come, first served! The early bird gets the worm! and so on
• discussion of class presentation (10/28 & 10/30) guidelines

R OCT 23 (Meet in Computer Lab) Discussion of Chomsky's "What Makes Mainstream Media Mainstream" continued

• read the second half of this article carefully before class, and bring your hard copy of it to class
• also bring a one-paragraph summary of what you consider to be Chomsky's best point or two; OR, bring a one-paragraph explanation of why, based on your experience with the mainstream media, you agree or disagree with any point or points made by Chomsky
• writing assignment for Monday: Choose any two of the online sites listed in our online “Alternalinks” section (you don’t have to choose the one that your team will use for a presentation, though you can if you want to). By Monday (10/27) at 10:00 p.m., link to your Assignment Index (in section I C, “web site analysis”) a written analysis of each of these two Internet sites that answers all of the main “reporter's questions” about it, as described in The Blair Handbook, 217-24 (e.g., the first question is, “Who is the author of this site?”). You should write these main questions right into your online document, then answer them—no need to write this assignment in the form of an essay. Include a link to each site in your online version of this assignment. Also, at the end of this online writing assignment, answer this question on ONE of these sites: How and why is this online news outlet outside of the mainstream, according to ideas laid out in Chomsky's article, or in the video we watched, Constructing Public Opinion?
• in-class video screening: Constructing Public Opinion

 

 
 








This film has six sections:

 Political perceptions
Economic Forces
Media Coverage
The Phantom Liberal
Military Omissions
Democratic Ideals

As you watch this film in class, take notes on each of these sections

M OCT 27 10 p.m.: deadline for published writing assignment described above (under 10/23)

T OCT 28 Mainstream vs. Alternative Online News Sources

• Using the computer in our discussion room, your team will give the class a tour (today or Thursday) of two web sites, one that is "mainstream" and one that is "alternative." One of you can take the mainstream site assigned to your team, and one of you the alternative site that you chose. In your presentation, (1) click through and explain the general features of each site, and (2) explain what makes it mainstream or alternative. Also, (3) using specific examples if you can find them on the sites, explain each site’s apparent general opinions, attitudes, and/or beliefs about either the events of September 11 (either the actual event or its anniversary remembrances), or the current U.S. attack on and occupation of Iraq. One or both of you can do Number 3.
• Today's presenters: Susan Wolf/Sarah Travis; Ashley Gemar/Scott Tresch; Jordan Angle/Kelli Belluomini

• Today's presenters: John Toomey/Jennifer Shaffer; Amy Scherman/Cynthia Deitch;  Megan Wollin/Nicole Marczewski/Alicia Borsa

T NOV 4 Alternative Media versus Mainstream Media: Essay 3

• turn in written response to Marissa Kamin's "Why Gen X Doesn’t Care that it Doesn’t Care About the War"
• discussion of Paper Three topics, a "Comparison/Contrast" paper: compare and contrast Alternative versus Mainstream treatments of some aspect of September 11 and/or its second anniversary remembrance. The other choice: do the same with treatments of the US attack on Iraq. Focus on at least four sources, two mainstream and two alternative, and use points made by Chomsky and/or the Constructing Public Opinion video to support your argument (see handout for a fuller description, including description of another option concerning web logs)
• rough draft of Paper Three must be posted and linked to the appropriate section of your Assignment Index by 6 p.m., November 12
• work on your paper in class

• work on your paper in class

Week  Twelve (Discussion Room)

T NOV 11 What Is "Alternative Music"?

• print out and read before class the following three online discussions of "alternative music," and write down brief answers to these questions about each one: 1) what does this person apparently consider "alternative music" to be?  what are its general qualities? 2) are there other kinds of "alternative music" that this person excludes? list and/or describe any examples (bring your copies of these articles to class)

• in class: discussion of these articles

R NOV 13 Andrew John Ignatius Vontz, "The Strange Triumph of Electronic Music" (read this article carefully before class, and print it out and bring a hard copy to class)

• discussion of guidelines for Peer Review Three; peer review partners TBA

M NOV 17 Peer Review Three (of a classmate's rough draft) must be linked to the appropriate line of your Assignment Index by today at 6 p.m.

T NOV 18 Joe Hagan, "Untamed Sounds From Well Beyond the Margins" (read this article carefully before class, and print it out and bring a hard copy to class)

• also read the online "Customer Reviews" of two CDs mentioned in this article, Songs in the Key of Z and Innocence and Despair (no need to print out the reviews); on paper, write a few phrases or sentences to sum up the general reaction of Amazon customers to each of these CDs
• discussion of Paper Four Topics
• sign up for a conference on rough draft of Paper Four on 12/2 or 12/4

• final draft of Paper Three must be posted and linked to the appropriate section of your Assignment Index by the beginning of today's class (9:30 a.m.)
• continue discussion of Paper Four Topics
• work in class on Paper Four

Week Fourteen

T DEC 2 and R DEC 4 No Class--Conferences on Paper Four Rough Draft (in Coleman 3831)

• a rough draft of Paper Four must be posted and linked to the appropriate section of your Assignment Index by 9:30 a.m. today
• bring to your conference TWO hard copies of your paper four rough draft
• before your conference: look closely at the writing style of this paper; find two or three areas of your writing that you still need to work on, and bring to your conference two or three labels for these problems (such as passive voice, commas, choppy sentence style, awkward sentence structure, wordiness, etc.); also, bring your Blair Handbook; before the conference, identify the sections in this book that offer advice on these particular problems

T DEC 9 Open Lab

• work on your revised paper and/or Paper Four in class
• final draft of Paper Four must be linked to the appropriate section of your Assignment Index by 10:45 a.m. today (the end of class)

• meet in the Computer Room for Final Instructions, Tearful, Heartfelt Good Byes, etc.
• the posted version of your Revised Paper must be published by the beginning of class; this is also the deadline for final fine-tuning of your web site