2.27 Deborah Brandt & coding your autoethnography data

We spent the first part of class talking about Deborah Brandt's essay and spent some time translating it into plain English.  And you didn't do that great on the quizzes - but you gave awesome suggestions for doing better- including:
identifying key terms
group discussions
give examples of key points
read this blog
take notes *in your own words* (YES! ))
get a vampire to help you

I also noted that you took excellent notes on your quizzes.

For next class - be prepared to write a quiz on what Brandt's essay shows about the following points (the points she sets up as the focus of her essay on p. 336):

1)  the fact that even though we think of the US as the land of opportunity = there are DEFINITE inequalities with respect to literacies 

2)  the fact that literacy sponsors contribute to making and continuing these inequalites

3) that literacies in todays world can provide new opportunities for changing these inequalities

Coding your data from your autoethnography.

We are making gradual headway on this project.

As I said in class - I will work with you on this.  And yes - you are going to have to transcribe some of those sound files.  

Coding is simply naming the different actions, interactions, feelings, and other behaviors you see in your data. After you name what you see yourself doing - you can pay attention to where, when and why you do particular things => and that is a pattern.  Then you can look for that pattern (do you do it more than once?  is it different in different parts of your writing process?  What is it associated with?  Does it connect to other patterns?) 

For example, in class we noticed in Nikki's transcript that she paused some times, and we noticed that her pauses were associated with actions and comments that indicated that she felt uncomfortable when she paused - or was silent and couldn't think of what to say.  That might be a pattern. You might look for all the places when you remembered being uncomfortable - or when the language in your transcript indicates you are uncomfortable - and see if there is a "pattern" = a set of recurring circumstances or relationships associated with that discomfort.    

Transcribing:  Before you can analyze your data - you have to have it in a form where you can name and count recurring patterns and forms.  Before you caSome of our notes on Nikki's transcript (the last link on the list on the autoethnogrphy page of the Sample Portfolio).

We talked about this last class. If you have questions - I will go over it again on Thursday.

Codes/notes/reflections from our discussion of Nikki's transcript

Code: open language [about what she's going to do] (language that shows an idea is open = indefinite article,
"a draft"  one to two pages

Code: indefinite plans (link in Rose =loose ideas] = name some of what Nikki says she will do

Code: definite plans => clarifying assignment, audience, defining terms of the assignment

breaks a "too hard" rule by turning off the recorder and doing a freewrite with music

Things you might code for other than language & moves: feelings, pauses, interruptions (sample code-names for interruptions: self-imposed, external, editing, finding the right word, etc), procrastination, etc

Coding by parts of the writing process:

invention, drafting(writing), revising, editing (you might notice the sequence of which parts of the writing process you are in as you write => most of us do not go from prewriting to drafting to revising to editing;. Instead we move back and forth and around.  You might look for connections between what part of the writing process you are in when you get the most "stuck" - or what moves you make between different parts of the writing process to get unstuck. 

.

Naming parts within the different parts of the writing process:

invention/brainstorming: finding topic, finding language, finding a focus, meeting assignment, organization, figuring out supporting points. . .)=> again, you might notice where you get stuck & your best moves for getting unstuck

Naming where/how you get stuck

note what stumps you = different kinds of "stumps" = no idea what to say, not the right words, concern over grammar, worry its "not good enough". . . .

We will talk about this more on Thursday.

For next class:

practice coding of YOUR autoethnographic data

Review Brandt

Bring your data to class on your memory stick and post it on your portfolio

Thanks for your good work today and see you next class!

The fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.

This is the animated short (about reading!) that  I told you about.  It is a kind of literacy allegory?



The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

2.23 Mike Rose & Writers' block

Portfolios:  You set up your portoflios - and if I sent you an email - then you are all set (with maybe a few minor tweaks).  If you did not get an email - then you need to set up your portfolio & send me the link by Monday.  Coaches in the writing center can walk you through doing this.  Remember that the "share" settings should be set so that "anyone who has the link" can see the portfolio, and you need to send an email to me - with the link.

Autoethnography assignment:

We talked through the Reaction paper assignment (posted to the right) and how you would use it to do your autoethnography assignment (see directions for saving track changes files, and for creating sound files, also to the right).

You will need to transcribe some or most of your sound files - so that you have data that you can work with.  By transcribe - I mean to listen to your sound file and type what you hear yourself say.  You don't have to put in all the "ums" and backtracks in your talk - but do make some effort to represent what you say, the order you say it. Look at the sample transcript from Nikki's files (posted to the right).  You can see that I put in some "time markers" (the numbers) every once in a while.  That's so if I want to go back to the sound file to listen - to make sure I got it right - it will be there. 

Mike Rose & Writer's Block: (actually the ENG 2020 class just read this essay - so these are our notes from discussion = which took a little more time than ours.


Main point(s):
Writing is a problem solving process: understanding the problem, processing, solving.

Unblocked writers were less rigid in their application of the rules for writing

Heuristic writers generally less blocked


Important vocabulary:
Cognitive – thought/ thinking processes

Algorithms –precise rules applied the same way 

Heuristics – rules of thumb = more flexible and less specific than algorithms

TOTE

Plan: bigger than a heuristic, has a sequence & hierarchy

Set: what you bring from your past, assumptions, values & beliefs + thinking patterns


FINDINGS
How writers got blocked
Blocked writers use algorithms rather than heuristics, and they use rules as absolutes

Sets (assumptions) from past experiences = can interfere with what you need to do for a particular writing task (Martha’s need to see writing as linear, logical and a straight path)

Were resistant to – or didn’t make use of- feedback

Can get stuck in intro paragraph (bad rule = have to write the intro first)

Closed system limits possibilities can lead to conflict (plans don’t take into account unanticipated factors in the audience, purpose or form of the writing task)

Too many rules (without a plan for how to choose among them)


Who didn’t get blocked and why
Just write and look at what happens

Lots of feedback considered

Knew how to respond to feedback

Flexible about finding alternatives = pragmatic approach – if the rule didn’t work, pick another rule

Didn’t take rules too seriously

Some reflections for ENG 3005:  This list of how writers do/don't get blocked could connect to a list of codes describing the kinds of moves writers make as they write.

For next class: 

Read:  Brandt + intro to Ch 3 (328-330)  We will go through this quickly.  I will give a quiz= so you can see where you are, but we have made other arrangements about the grades).  Then I will identify the main points for you so you can go back and make sure you "got" this.

Write: Post transcripts to portfolio + post track changes files & sound files

We will have a workshop Monday.  If you are having trouble posting your files = we will work on it then.  Bring your work to class on your memory stick and everything will work out.  Good luck and I am really excited to hear how this goes for you.

Think: Start thinking about what you "see" in your data - and what kinds of moves you make and how you would name those moves.  In class we will start to identify some codes for what you do as you write. Codes are simply names for what you see yourself doing in your transcript/drafts.  For examples - look at Perl's list of codes - and the discussion in Rose where he names students as applying algorithms or heuristics, and being  rigid or flexible.  This is going to be very interesting.

For class Feb 23

Bring what ever writing and sound files that you have to class.

In addition to talking about Rose, we will walk through creating your portfolio (if you haven't done so already) + posting your files to your portfolio.

I am sick so I will not be in class today.

For next class:
Read Rose.

Work on your autoethnography:
Do drafts for your "response essays" (assignment sheet posted to the right) or your chosen assignments using track changes as we discussed in class.
Create sound files
Post this "data" to your portfolio site.

If you have questions - I should be able to respond by email by the end of the weekend.

In class on Thursday, Feb 23, we will:
1. work on developing codes for the drafts and sound files for your autoethnography.
2. Discuss Rose.

Have a good weekend and I will see you on Thursday next week..

2.13 Sondra Perl + autoethnography assignment

Autoethnography assignment:
We started class with a discussion of the autoethnography assignment.  I wanted to make sure you each had an appropriate writing assignment for documenting & analyzing your writing process as described for this assignment (see page 322 of your text).


After some discussion, we decided on the following options.

1. Students can do a writing assignment of their choice.  It needs to be an assignment that you HAVE NOT YET WRITTEN.  You will document your process for writing this assignment through producing a series of "track changes" drafts, and with sound files + transcripts of associated with those drafts. 


2. Students can do a "reaction paper" (assignment posted to the right) to either Grant-Davie, or Porter.  Students who choose this option will receive a grade for the reaction paper, and this grade will stand "in place" of quizzes for the remaining readings.  You will still take and receive graded feedback for the quizzes - but your "credit" will come from the reaction paper.  You will document your process for writing the reaction papers using track changes and the sound files + transcripts.






Vocabulary for talking about writing
Before we turned the discussion to Perl, we checked through the goals for this chapter - the first of which was learning a vocabulary for talking about writing process.  These terms included:


heuristic: patterns for problem-solving or learning which provide a simplified outline for what to do or how to think about ideas

editing: correcting errors and mistakes

planning/invention: gathering ideas

revision: revise for focus, organization /development=> addition, deletion, rearrangement and substitution

cognitive: thinking, the thought processes in writing

writing process: how writers construct & build meanings

mindfulness: awareness

context:  surrounding circumstances => what surrounds or goes with the creation of the text

transfer: cross over knowledge in process, content or form

methodologies: procedures for conducting research

Terms from Perl's essay that are not in the glossary (that you might want to know) include: egocentric (as in egocentric writers), lexical transplants (p 208), and internal semantic models (209). If there are other terms form Perl that you were not sure of = ASK!

Sondra Perl: The composing process of unskilled college writers
We discussed Perl's purpose for doing her study, and the focus of her study (both of which are set up at the beginning of the essay).  We then spent the rest of the class discussing her findings.  We only got a chance to talk through the "big ideas" she set up on 204-205.  Take a look at the more particular findings under the sub-headings in this section.

FindingsStudent composing processes are consistent across subjects and assignments=> very little appears random =  students in the study did the same thing for both kinds of assignment

Editing too early and with inflexible rules kept students from getting ideas on the page + did not improve form


For Thursday:
Come to class with a definite plan for which writing project/assignment you will use for your autoethnography.  If possible, bring an assignment sheet or a written description.  The assignment for the reaction paper is posted to the right, under assignments. 

We will spend some time in class making sure you know how to get started on creating your data.  We will also "practice" using Perl's codes, and talking about what other kinds of "codes" we might need to "invent" for our study.


I hope to come to class with some sample "data" for us to code.  

2.9 Summing up Chapter 1 & data collection methods for autoethnographic projects

You have now successfully completed Chapter 1!  After reviewing Porter, we checked out the :"what you should get out of this chapter" list and made sure you hit the expectations.  You definitely did.  You understand rhetorical situations, how readers construct meanings, and we explored the idea of both knowledge and plagiarism as constructs.

Go back over the vocabulary one more time - and think about how it applies to your reading and writing practices and aspirations.

Practices for gathering the data for your autoethnography
The second part of class was spent "practicing" using track changes & listening to a sample sound file for your project.  The directions for creating your data, along with a sample portfolio  (the sample data is at the link for the autoethnography), are posted to the right under Assignments.

For next class:

Read: Perl + intro to Ch 2 (170-173)

2.6 Porter

Autoethnograhic project:  We talked about what writing assignment you would use for this project (see your textbook, page 322) and I answered some of your questions about "documenting" your writing process. This is the first time I have assigned this project - so we will work out the requirements together.  Make sure you have a recording device that you can bring to class to experiment with.  

Intertext.  James Porter's essay introduces the idea of intertextuality, and claims that "intertext constrains writing" in terms of the traces and presuppositions associated with the discourse communities it connects to.  If you can translate that into regular English - you've got the most of the main ideas in this essay.  He points out that current approaches to teaching writing draw from the idea of the writer as the autonomous, creator of his/her texts - and based on his analysis of the framing of the Declaration of Independence - this is clearly not the way writing works.

In class, you looked at course syllabi - documents routinely "written" to describe courses.  As you analyzed these documents, you found three "classes" of traces: traces associated with form/organization (the layout including the sequence of headings/ideas, use of typeface, organization on the page,  etc); content (what the headings were concerned with, the focus of individual sections), and language (standard word-for-word descriptions in the course description, objectives, and required materials etc).  

We then discussed the idea of plagiarism - and what is expected and prohibited - in terms of intertextuality.  For a syllabus - standard content, form and even standard language is expected - since students across the university expect to have the same standards & experiences for the same course.  We then turned back to the essays written for the placement exam - and were getting started on thinking about what is "expected" in terms of intertext, and what is prohibited.  We noticed that "complete" directions for form and focus were NOT available in the prompt itself  - rather, the student writer had to be "already" familiar with the expectations of the discourse community (college writing teachers) in terms of how to focus, organize, and develop the essay. And we also noticed that in general - in college writing - students are expected to use their "own language."

So far so good!

For class Thursday:

We will continue our discussion of Porter, and you practice using track changes to document successive drafts. You will also make sure you can use your voice recorder to create & save mp3 files.

BRING YOUR VOICE RECORDING DEVICE TO CLASS (and something = thumbdrive - to save your files to).

Exploring traces

Exploring  Traces (iterability)

ENG 3080: Writing for Cyberspace :  Fall 2011,  Spring 2010,  Spring 2009

2.2 Grant-Davie again = constraints

In class today we reviewed exigence, rhetors, and audience, and took up discussion of constraints = factors in the situation's context that may affect the achievement of the rhetorical objectives.  One example we used in class was that of a rhetorical situation where the rhetor's audience is a very angry person.  The audience's identity is SEPARATE from the constraints - but expectations and knowledge about how to talk to people  who are angry (discourse = a particular pattern for using language) will be constraints within this rhetorical situation.  You indicated that your discourse would need to be receptive (listen), indirect (not try to make your point directly), and be emotionally neutral.   And within our culture we agreed that those are constraints for any person who hopes to be "heard" by someone who is angry.

As Grant-Davie pointed out, constraints can come from the history of earlier discussions, or from the way you have already started to make your argument.  They can involve more than one rhetor or audience, and they can connect to economics, law and expectations about what is "right" or fair, or the "proper" way to talk.

We spend the last part of class looking at essays written in response to a placement prompt from David Bartholomae's essay, "Inventing the University" and talked about the "constraints" on acceptable discourse for college writers that may or may not be identified either in the prompt - or in the instructor's evaluation of the essay.  In many cases, constraints are not 100% conscious, and they can involve subtle expectations about "the right way" to demonstrate "authority," or to organize your ideas, the right "connections to make" or the right way to choose and develop examples.  As we saw in the sample essays, one writer understood the constraints in college writing discourse and was able to write to them - and the other writer kind of an idea - and made a good attempt - but fell short, maybe because he was not used to writing or talking that way.

Constraints in college writing often have to do with academic discourse but - as you pointed out in class -they vary from instructor to instructor, and topic to topic.  So as rhetors - you need to notice and make decisions about the "constraints" that go with any given writing assignment.  Some up-front thinking about constraints - can help all of us become more effective communicatiors.

For next class:
1. Read through directions for the auto-ethnography assignment on page 322.  Just read through and we will answer questions and talk through what comes next in class on Monday.  For now - the only "action" you need to take is to think about which writing task/assignment/project(s) you want to document.  As you noticed in the assignment, the project asks you to document your process IN DETAIL for one particular composition - and it suggests that you use the assignment to learn about your writing process, or possibly to gather information about why you have trouble with particular kinds of assignments.  We will do some in-class talk/writing about this on Monday.
2. Read, James Porter, p. 86, Intertextuality and the Discourse Community

Have a great weekend and see you Monday.