In the piece you read for homework, Kathleen Yancey discusses what she believes are four moments happening right now in the field of rhetoric and composition. In response to this, I want you to "have a moment" (or actually three). Up to this point you have read about rhetorical situation(s), the history of rhetoric, and key terms in both rhetoric and composition. You have also read what Yancey believes is happening. Some of what she is describing is not far off from your own experiences. For example, she discusses things like literacy practices and how writing/composing changes from print to the screen. She also talks about a new curriculum that "is located in a new vocabulary, a new set of practices,and a new set of outcomes." You, as part of the EWM major, fit into this idea of a new curriculum.
So, I want you to have a moment or in other words develop your own three quartets in which you describe, explain, explore, create your ideas about rhetoric and composition. This should come as a response to what you have experienced both inside this class already and outside the class (in other classes, but also in real life experiences). What does rhetoric and composition mean to you right now--as part of this class and your major and whatever potential job you might seek.
Be specific with your response. I'm not looking for you to say how hard it is to define these three quartets---that only waste part of your 500 words. I want specific and concrete ideas.
Also be creative. Think about what you want to get across in this post and how you want to lay it out.
Your response should be about 500 words.
And per normal: please engage in conversation with your peers.
Good luck! And I look forward to reading your responses.
Kathleen Blake Yancey has a way of conducting words that don’t mean much, together into a phrase that makes you think many possibilities. “Sometimes, you know you have a moment.” Whether we know it or not, we all have a moment. She mentions in her writing that no one is making you do any of this writing. Imagine all the possibilities one could have. However, literacy does come first. Being able to read and write is such a generic human ability. Although once taken into correct thought, visualize all the possibilities one could have in an endless amount of simple word choice. “The literacies that composers engage in today are multiple. They include print literacy practices (like spelling) that URL’s require; they include visual literacy; they include network literacy. As important these literacies are, textured and in relationship to each other. Perhaps most important, these literacies are social in a way that school literacy all too often only pretends to be.” Early composers may frown upon slang; however, using certain types of slang can help connect with certain age groups, even those of older age. If I can relate to anything in composition it would be word choice. I used to struggle with words and trying to make myself sound intelligent that I felt it wasn’t me who was composing. Sometimes people forget that in writings we aren’t searching for, “how witty and smart you sound like” or “what your teacher wants you to sound like,” but that we all have our own voice. And I don’t mean voice as in you verbally saying something but your voice on paper. Your voice is what differentiates your self from other writers. Along with literacy comes imagination. If you are a writer, you can’t be afraid of opening up your mind and imagination. Being a writer is a gift, not all people can put words onto a sheet of paper and it be the most inspirational piece of work people have ever read. Having a great imagination allows others to see what they’re missing. In every piece of writing rhetoric is being illustrated. Everything has a purpose and it has a way of being said verbally or in writings or even art and music. The last of my three forms of rhetoric and composition has to be style. Style is something that makes you stand out from the rest of your adversaries. A great example of this is your resume. You do not want your resume to be boring. I was given great advice to make sure my resume would be noticeable and not something companies have already seen. I was told to put what I enjoy doing, not ride horses or dance or anything that does not pertain to my field but what about enjoying menu reading or that I enjoy antiquing. A thing that a company would never come across is something they look for in potential new workers. As Yancey stated, “It is time to speak for ourselves…”
ReplyDeleteAs Kathleen Blake Yancey spoke about the changes occurring in rhetoric and composition, it allowed me to delve into how these changes can not only benefit both our generation and me, but how I can use these changes to understand myself better as a writer and to improve my overall composition. We have a moment. And with these moments, we can either let them pass us by or grab them and put them to use. In creating my own three-part quartet, I have committed to using my moment to better my writing and composition. By focusing on the process of writing, I will allow myself to pre-write. During this process, I will be able to create, think, plan, and draft my composition. I can focus on my own style and how to best communicate my point to others. For this part of my quartet, I will use my moment to plan. As stated by James Porter, “Is composing not only about medium but also specifically about technology?” With technology rapidly developing and changing, both writers and readers have had to learn to redirect and renew their literacy. As a writer, I will focus my second quartet on using technology to expand my writing. There are so many different options when it comes to using technology to convey a point. By utilizing the technology that I have around me, whether it be creating a blog or simply making a power point, I will be able to CREATE, express, and expand my thoughts. Not only will this help me develop more technological knowledge, but it will also let me indulge in different media to be creative and circulate my writing. Putting words on more that paper will allow my thoughts to be shared with more than just a teacher or a classroom; it can give me the opportunity to share my thoughts, feelings, and opinions with the world. From my second quartet, I will use my moment to circulate. As a third quartet, I will focus on revision. As a writer, I am often scatterbrained and unfocused. For my style of revision, I will try what the article explained. I will get up and take a break from my writing to wrestle with my thoughts. By doing some other activity, I will be able to not focus solely on writing, yet be able to think of more ideas and revisions. When I return to my project, I can then add new concepts, delete boring or unnecessary ones, and expand on the ideas that need more detail. In my third quartet of composition, I will use my moment to develop, edit, and expand.
ReplyDeleteKathleen Yancy said it perfectly about changes in composing from the 19th century up until now. From the printing press and writing with pencil and cheap paper to computers, text messages and emails. All of these changes has made me realize that it was for the better. I can use these changes to become a better writer. I can also see who I actually am as a composer and not try to be someone that I am not. Moments are short periods of times when something happens, we all have moments whether we realize it or not. For my three part quartet about rhetoric and composition I will describe my moments when I write a paper. My first moment would be when I am trying to come up with an idea on how to start my paper. I am already mad at this point because I have to write a paper (which I can guarantee you it’s a LONG one). I sit at my computer desk and ponder for a very long time. While I am thinking I watch TV, get on facebook, probably update my status about how I hate writing papers, and eat something. Then I finally sit back down and get serious and think hard about something to write about and how I will engage my readers. My second moment would have to be when I finally get my foot in the door and start composing. I tend to write more than I actually have to so I usually have to go back and erase some things that don’t make any sense at all. I usually get creative and try to throw in some big words, I don’t want to use too many because if you know me, I don’t have a wide range in vocab. Once I have gotten on track ideas and words just tend to flow for me. The third moment in my quartet would have to be finally finishing my paper and revising it. I tend to read and re read my paper several times. I also usually like to get other people to read my paper boyfriend, friends, family, ect. This helps me because other people can see mistakes that I can’t see. I love getting other people’s opinions. Finally when I am finished I am so relived. I know that I worked hard on the paper and should get a good grade. I made it original and made it my own. Kathleen Yancy stated it perfectly, “ It is time to speak for ourselves…” If you can’t do this then you will never be a good writer.
ReplyDeleteThis piece has, yet again, pushed me to further explore rhetoric, composition, and literacy. It is without a doubt that Kathleen Yancey spent a great deal of time gathering research from many sources. She revaluated the way in which she thought about composition, not only in the classroom, but outside in everyday life. Many quotes stand out to me within this piece, but I’d like to begin with some words from David Bartholomae. He states, “Today, I’ll stick to three terms of our name, composition, communication, conference. These terms are our legacy; we must not betray those who have given them to us. They are also our problem, our burden, since they resist reflection and change.” That is why within my moment, I’d like to focus my compositions around three quartets. My first quartet will explore the writing process. In class today, I was able to secure my writing process. I find that most students begin with an initial idea, and their own personal cycle of collecting research and reaching a final product. This exercise allowed me to understand the odd yet organized fashion in which I compose, actually makes sense. It is rather close to what some would consider traditional, but there is a twist. My process begins with a volume of separate ideas. I then, expand my views on the topics through research and exploration. I continue my methods of brainstorming by creating an outline. What makes my outline different from yours? My outline also incorporates the illustration of images. I know I’m not alone in admitting, that I am a visual learner. I connect images and text within my mind, because I believe they share a symbiotic relationship. The outline process allows me to find the level of importance and relevance my ideas share. Once I have outlined my ideas, I create draft after draft until I feel it is ready for peer revision. That is where I transition into my second quartet, revision. With the readings in class and from personal experience, revision is receiving more of my attention. I understand it now to be a very useful tool, which can completely change the tone and message of our compositions. With all different forms of writing come different rules. Writing for the web requires a whole different set of AP (Associated Press) rules. This set of rules pertains to broadcast, public relations, print, and online writing. Revision is given significant attention throughout the process of perfecting work for any form of writing. I’d like to refer back to Kathleen Yancey and her opinion of 21st century writers. She states, “Writers in the 21st century self-organize into what seem to be overlapping technologically driven writing circles, what we might call a series of newly imagined communities, communities that cross borders of all kinds- nation, state, class, gender, and ethnicity.” I agree, along with many other scholars, that technology should be implemented in our composition and rhetoric. I have chosen technology as my third quartet. Not only because it’s at the core of this new up and coming editing, writing, and media major, but because our very use and infiltration of this medium determines how well we will fare in the future. Just as my parents have witnessed technological advances and have had to advance, we too need to adapt to our modern age. Earlier I mentioned, the manner in which we treat technology determines our future success, I meant that without understanding our technology now we will be inept to communicate. Technology will only help us to further convey our ideas effectively to an audience. Therefore I believe technology deserves much exploration and attention within our writing. The quartets I have discussed will help to sculpt me into the writer and professional I want to become.
ReplyDeleteLet us interact...
ReplyDelete@ Walters
I agree with three part quartet Walters outlined, however, I feel you could’ve explored his last quartet more. I agree with quartet itself, but I would have liked if you described how you would execute it.
@ Shannon
I like how realistic and honest your three part quartet seems.
@ Anneleise
I like how you creatively touched on style and imagination.
As I was reading this article by Kathleen Yancy, numerous things were brought to my mind that I never really thought about. Yancy says,” Never before have the technologies of writing contributed so quickly to the creation of new genres”. I guess growing up in an age where technology was developing, I’ve never really thought about how much writing has changed. Yancy compares today’s composition to the 19th century reading age. During the 19th century, reading became more accessible to all different classes of people which led to reading by choice. Today we tend to compose all sorts of things without being told simply because we can! The first thing that came to my mind about composition was just basic writing with a pen and pencil. But, by furthering reading, it became clear to me that there are all forms of composing during the development of this digital age. We tend to feel the need to tell people what’s going on constantly in our lives. Great examples would be through Twitter and Facebook. Many of us find it necessary to post pictures and statuses about all of our experiences throughout the day. This can also be expressed though a blog or a video editor of some sort. Next, I can absolutely relate to the point that @itsannesanchez makes about slang. It seems like we talk a certain way with our peers, and another way when composing a paper (especially if its for a grade). It is a great way to connect with people because it’s on a more personal level rather than a more formal one. I too used to feel like I couldn’t compose and express what I wanted to say properly because I was trying to use big words to sound smart. Now, I’ve learned that it is okay to write how I feel comfortable writing instead of worrying about what words I should use to sound smart. Finally as a writer, I’ve realized that everyone composes differently. Like today in class, we all discussed how we all have different writing processes. Some of us like to shop, eat, or just sit down and write ideas out. There is no correct way to compose. Weather it is a paper you are writing, a blog, a tweet or creating a piece of art, it is all about how we are as composers. I remember in middle and high school my teachers would force me to write in certain steps and I HATED it! I didn’t find it necessary to write and turn in a brainstorming cloud because that is not how I thought. Now, I’m understanding that composing is a creative process unique to one self, and there is no right or wrong way to do it.
ReplyDeleteAs I read Yancey’s article, it made me realize how much has changed in the areas of writing and composing. Many factors have influenced modern day text and the different forms it can take. Text impacts individuals inside and out of a classroom setting. It has become a form of visual stimulation in many settings, especially pertaining to technology and the computer.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to @walters, the first part to my three quartets is brainstorming. I take time to organize and plan out what I am going to write. I make sure to always have a layout I can reference while writing in case I come across a writers block. The moment is spent taking note of everything I could say in an assignment or paper. I let my thoughts flow freely with no restrictions, thus collecting as much information as possible that I could put to good use. During this moment, I also turn my focus away from the fact that I have to write. I act as though no one is forcing me to write, as Yancey mentions. Writing for the joy of writing makes it easier for the words and ideas to flow naturally, which enforces more creativity during the composition process.
My second quartet refers to the concept of circulation and how it affects writing and composition. Every writer has gained experience in writing through reading or studying a previous author or scholar. Texts are slight imitations of one another in at least one way. As Yancey stated, “writers compose in the context of other writers and thinkers and speakers”. Each individual has their own sense of writing style and arrangement, however, the foundation of their writing could have been “directly and indirectly” affected by surrounding text that proved to be influential. Circulation is how ideas are spread and changed over time. It is what causes new ideas to form through creativity and thinking out-side the box. When writing a paper, I reference other works that focus on my topic to see if any outside knowledge would be useful.
In those moments, I use things I have read in the past to influence a topic I am writing about.
My third quartet is technology and text and how the two have merged together to establish what it is composed of today. Media and technology has played a tremendous role in writing and composing. When Yancey discussed students writing for entertainment, it made me think site such as facebook and tumblr. Thousands of people go on those sites everyday to write whatever is on their mind, things personal to them that make them who they are. I am free to express my ideas in blogs, images, posts, etc. It has become how we communicate and interact which effects our writing in so many ways. Technology has also influenced revising through tools such as spell check on Microsoft word. Writing has no limitations when done through means of technology.
Growing up as a child in the 21st century, we are equipped with how to turn on a computer before we are even able to form complete sentences. As time moves on, much of what we learn about communication and grammar of the English language comes from television and other forms of mass media. As we speak, we talk in acronyms like wtf, omg and lol. Abbreviation of simple words such as thanks and okay are used to make communication that much faster. For my first quartet I want to address the change in the generation that is soon to rule to world.
ReplyDeleteWe live in the generation where the faster the information is given to us the better off we are. When it comes to reading old novels and literature that is praised, many of us do not really listen to what is being said because of the amount of time it takes to comprehend what is going on in the text. Being a part of this generation I am able to understand with my peers how sometimes reading let’s say, 33 pages about someone going into detail about rhetoric, may not be our first thing we want to do.
The next quartet would be how the other people who are not of our generation take our new wave of composition. Many of the veterans in the game feel like our generation has lost a lot of what this country and our language were built on. This however is not the case as we all know. Our generation has a lot to offer when it comes to new mediums and how to compose information in a more direct way. The long winded explanations of something that can be explained in two sentences is how the younger crowd looks at things. This causes a dilemma when one group must take on the rhetoric and compositions of their past to further extend theirs. As they say, if you don’t know your past, you don’t know where you are going.
The last quartet can be the examining of how to make both of these generations coexists when it comes to understanding rhetoric and how to compose so that information can be passed down. If we take our time to teacher the older generation about new mediums, they can learn how to take old rhetoric and put it into ways we can comprehend. This way no information is being lost and both sides are being educated on the topics.
Shannon seems to have said the exact same thing as me in the beginning. Rhetoric over the years, since the 19th century, the advancement of technology has taken a major role in the way rhetoric is taught as well as comprehended. Caroline also states the same thing about technology and how it has changed genres and print. Something that is meant to bring the world together can also tear it apart.
I.Composing and Rhetoric is to please others.
ReplyDeleteI found Kathleen Yancey’s article to be one of the best we’ve had to read so far. It was filled with words I did not need to look up in a dictionary and it didn’t sound like it had an ulterior motive outside expressing the changes occurring in writing. Most pieces on literature and writing college students have to read is written by graduate students trying to get a PhD or someone trying to get published. It’s boring and we all would rather do the least desirable thing imaginable instead. As opposed to this article which addressed people, not scholars. I’m not sure when the table turned but students now “write in relation to the teacher.” I read this and thought yes! Yes! Finally! Someone understands! Students do not learn to write, they learn to string sentences together with colorful vocabulary to “fill up those templates…and complete someone’s else’s software package.” We can form opinions on topics but we write our opinions in a way you wouldn’t see in a normal situation. In class we discussed our different ways of composing. Some have the great fortune to be hit with ideas instantly and then there are people like me who need more time figuring out a way to put their thoughts into words and then more time to rewrite.
II. Composing is multi-dimensional.
Her idea that we learn writing outside the classroom, in everyday setting be it on the Internet or texting, even writing in a journal really impressed me. I had never thought as images as words, but the saying does go a picture is worth 1000 words and pictures always capture a moment that can’t be summed up any sentence. In a way, editing a picture is also like composing. We crop pictures so others can see what we want them to, and you can play around with colors (black and white, antique) to create a mood for the picture also. We contour our Facebook profiles and status’ to seem alluring and appealing to our “friends” who might see it and want to comment. I agree with Caroline that growing up in such a technologically advancing time doesn’t really make me aware of exactly all the ways I use technology, especially to compose. Sitting here now writing this blog I cant help but be relieved that I do not have to write this on lined paper, let alone a type-writer. I loved playing on one in my Dad’s office as a kid, but the thought of not having a delete button. Ugh, it is unsettling. With typewriters you’d have to use whiteout or completely start over. Being able to go back and change or completely delete thoughts and sentences from papers is a huge part of my composing process.
III. Composing is being revolutionized to exist in current times.
Yancey says on page 300 that the “fluctuation of public demand influenced the ways that Dickens and other novelists developed future episodes.” They based how their stories were passed around via orally or written on what the people wanted. Yancey is trying to make a point that as the means in which people choose to compose and express themselves evolves; new forms of media need to be included in the classroom. I agree with Chelsea Walsh that we are visual learners and with Yancey that literacy of the screen be considered another form of literacy. In a time where books are starting to dwindle and visual production becoming more popular, the education system needs to accept it as another way to be literate as well as including slang into its vernacular. When a student doesn’t have enough time to finish a novel in time for a test or quiz, they watch the movie. Because the movie (while not AS great) still allows the viewer to grasp the main points.
Every time she mentioned a new major toward the end of her article that includes new forms of composition I kept thinking “EWM! EWM!” Our major is going to be pretty important very soon in the world of literature. Like I said before, the amount of people reading books is dwindling (sadly) and EWM is what is going to be the savior of publishing. We are going to learn the past forms of rhetoric and composing as well as the new innovative, technology based methods that can appeal to a new audience. EWM is why I deciding to take the plunge into going after my dream career in publishing; it’s evolving.
ReplyDeleteUntil today’s class, I never really thought about or realized how important and cool different mediums can be and how they can enhance a composition. When I think of writing, I usually think of what I am doing right now. I open a word document, write what I need to write, and done. But I have come to realize that writing takes many different forms, and that you can express the same idea in a number of ways. To be honest, when my ENC1102 teacher wanted me to “remediate” my crots paper, and make it into a digital project, I thought she was crazy, and I had no idea what this had to do with my English class. I saw it as annoying and pointless. Now after declaring EWM major, and expanding my views on writing (especially in this class), I have come to realize how important technology is. There are so many ways that you can “compose” the same message. For my second quartet, I want to address my composing process. Yancey discusses how students are stuck in the traditional ways; the ways their teacher wants them to compose. I am one of these students. Aside from my terrible procrastination habits (like Facebook and frat laps at Club Stroz...which i forgot to draw in class today..oops), I am completely stuck. I think of an idea, I pre-write and brainstorm, I write, I edit, I rewrite, and I repeat the process if necessary. I also agree with Yancey that students, like myself, sometimes focus too much on impressing a teacher, and not on being creative and exploring new things; things that might fail. Like @Carolineee and @itsannesanchez said, we also tend to focus too much on big words. Because the reality of my boring traditional composing process just hit me in the face, I intend to try new things and try to write more for myself, not for approval. For my final quartet, I will take “a moment” and think about technology and how it is changing composition. I have always envisioned myself in a large corporate office writing or editing something for a newspaper, book, or magazine preferably. I want to write for something produced in print. Now however, I have come to realize that because the Internet plays such an important role in our lives, and has become an important medium for written word, that I may end up dealing with more online text. Maybe my writing won’t make it to print, but it will exist online. Maybe my job won’t be as traditional as I originally planned. It is obvious that the influence of the Internet is all around us, therefore, I might also be deeply influenced. The projects in this class seem like they will also prepare me to work with the different forms of technology that can be used by writers, if I do need them.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got out of Yancey’s writing is that everyone has a moment and with each moment the characteristics of composition may be different/unique but it still is a contribution to writing. Yancey describes her moment in four quartets and they span from the 19th century with Dickens to current day. This shows how the field of composing has a very wide spectrum and how it is a constantly evolving. Yancey’s third quartet discusses the necessity for change in curriculum because writing has changed since the 19th century. I think her third quartet suggests that with new situations and technological advances there are many more opportunities to learn about writing/composition. I believe that writing doesn’t always have to be formal or polished with intellectual vocabulary for it to be considered “good” writing. When I think of good writing I always think of Shakespeare and why we still read his work today. Obviously it’s not the type of literature we read now or that is popular but what makes it so great that after centuries, high school, college students and educated scholars are still reading and studying his work? What constitutes good writing? I think that it is simply what we make of the writing. How we are affected by the writing and what we take from the writing can only amount to the writings’ worth. John Donne once said, “No man is an island” this expression essentially means that without the existence of another man you don’t really exist.
ReplyDeleteThe first moment I have with writing is coming up with an idea on what to write about. Even if I’m given a prompt it always takes me forever to generate topics to talk about. I’ve found that I’m more of a linear writer so I prefer to write from intro to conclusion but before typing my first draft on my laptop, I go old-school and take a pen and paper and brainstorm on ideas and topics I want to talk about. I’ve found through my college experience with writing that the more I TRY to sound intelligent and use big words that it just makes me sound stupid and the paper is more uncomfortable and awkward to read rather than having a natural flow and how through the style of writing it embodies the writer’s personality.
The second moment I have after organizing my thoughts is the actual writing part. I start with my introduction and thesis. I always have trouble with constructing a strong thesis because it is literally a sentence or two describing your paper/argument. During the writing process, I focus on addressing my main points of the argument and providing evidence. After the most important points have been discussed I like to go back and re-read the paper and edit what I have so far, as well as adding more “meat” to my paper. I think the second moment is probably the longest because I constantly go back and read and edit my paper. When I run out of things to write I usually go back and read it from the beginning and sometimes it sparks new ideas and examples that I can contribute to the paper.
The last moment I have is the final editing process. Once I’ve decided that I’ve written everything I want to talk about I then read the paper completely and check for grammar, spelling, form errors, etc. The best way I’ve found for editing is peer review. They have a fresh perspective of your paper and can give constructive criticism.
@killakay I agree with your first quartet that the means of communication has changed and that it affects composition. I think this idea just goes back to the idea of rhetorical situation and how aristotle's ideas of rhetoric is the foundation but with the constantly evolving/changing world, there are new and different meanings to what rhetoric and time affects composition the same way.
ReplyDeleteKathleen Yancy hits the nail on the head in her assertion of the new wave of technology and composition. The “new curriculum” that she refers to is essentially a reflection of the times and the advancement since the 19th century – rhetoric and composition are utilized and essentially understood in a separate light than that of previous generations. The development of my three quartets was somewhat easy given that I see writing and composition as an act of fluidity and muscle memory, rather than a chaotic scramble of time and words alike. When you have a moment – you reach this sort of sublime where you don’t know whether to stop in your tracks and ponder or scurry to find a pen and paper so your moment is never lost. My first quartet is the notion of thought – thinking about a topic, elaborating on an idea or principle, pondering an issue or just plain daydreaming. Each wave of thinking helps to serve as small pieces to the bigger picture – the composition itself. I find myself losing attention to what I was originally thinking, to, well think of something better. I find a writer ignorant if he or she limits himself or herself in the brainstorming process. The way we think is a reflection of the way we view situations, people and life; it is ours an only ours – boundless and abundant (I hope) and we are the only ones who govern the path in which our mind takes. Rhetorical situations call for action, in addressing this action one must carefully seek the right answer or remedy; the basis to reaching any type of conclusion or to compose anything of value is the way on which we individually perceive the situation at hand. Although I feel that brainstorming is essential in rhetoric and composition, it is merely a melting pot of words unless they are placed into a structure-based whole. I can ponder that the sky is blue all day long, even give my own insight as to this cosmic mystery (not really) but if I just name each thought that popped into my head, one may think I needed to be admitted. Moreover, the luxury of driving the truck of thought is all ours, but the direction in which it heads needs to be meticulous and straight. I find myself referring back to notes to refresh my understanding of my thesis, but is the concrete details and ideas that are top priority when I compose writing. Finally, last but not least, sound the drums….VOICE! I feel that no matter what I write – whether it is a ten-page long research paper or a text message to a friend, the person on the other end will always know it’s me. I believe this keeps people engaged and actually caring, everyone has a voice, not everyone knows how to use it. I find that, whether your voice is humorous, monotone or sappy (my least favorite) the reader should walk away feeling as if they identified with the writing as well as the author. The common theme among my three quartets is the utilization of individuality in rhetoric and composition. Your thoughts, your structure and your voice are all yours, but the way in which you use them are how they influence your writing. In writing, as well as in life, we are taught to blend in and do as “they”(whoever they are) say. The beauty is the falseness of this notion. Individuals face much scrutiny, but you’ll never forget them.
ReplyDeleteHad it not been for the new technologies available and the EWM major at FSU, I would have never even considered becoming an English major. I think that coming to FSU is my first moment that Yates discusses. She discusses how universities need to adapt to the new times and how they need to cater to those minds that can expand past historic novels. I think that EWM is one of the best majors someone could pursue. My goal in life is to one day become a successful businesswoman who is able to contribute through all mediums of writing. Through EWM I will have an upper hand in communication and will be able to manipulate technology in a way I hope my competition will not. I think that I intend to use my EWM major in a different light than most people but my ending goal is to still write. Most people have never heard of our major and when searching about it on the internet I have come to find that FSU is one of the only schools to offer this major. How lucky for me that I stumbled upon it when looking to expand my writing knowledge.
ReplyDeleteMy first moment is coming to FSU and becoming an EWM major alongside and Economics major. My second moment also has to do with coming to college and how it has truly changed who I am as a person. College has taught me to be a more thoughtful person. When I say this I do not mean that I have become more considerate (just the opposite really). I have become someone with a thirst for competition. I am here to pursue knowledge and have become a more rounded person because of it. Learning how to become a better writing has strengthened me in all fields of academics. I am more observant and have taken the writing process and made it work for me. I will admit that a lot of times I sit down and write something from start to finish without getting up for hours. I usually don’t use a true writing process but with not using a true writing process I have come up with my own writing process that pretty much stresses reflection. I think that Yates makes a lot of valid points about how English has expanded through technology but I do not agree that the English departments are dwindling. Maybe in numbers and statistics they seem to be declining but I think that it is because many people use English in all forms of social media. English is being utilized in thousands of new ways. I have utilized it in becoming more observant and reflecting in all of my classes. It has taught me to read things in an entirely new light. I am currently enrolled in Financial Accounting and had it not been for my EWM major and the English classes I have taken at FSU, I would have not been able to sit down and read the text. I would have chosen to speed through it and think that I had understood it.
My third moment involves the development of my love of reading. For my entire life I have loved to read. I read a lot of books as a kid and throughout grade school and high school I always had a book in my backpack. My reading was extra-curricular, as Yates would say. Today reading has developed into new mediums as well. I think that writers are now pushed to write for new technologies such as e-readers. They have a new style that makes it interesting to read digitally. In obtaining a Kindle, and later an iPad I have realized that reading is more fun than ever before. E-readers are amazing because they cater to a younger generation who may have never thought to pick up a paper novel on their own. I am meeting more and more people who have developed a love of reading because of the new technologies available. I use my iPad for pretty much everything, web browsing, games, notes, and reading. My favorite thing to do is to read with it and I think that the new e-readers are something Yates kind of leaves out. She mentions facebook, texting, blogs, e-mail, and instant messaging as all ways of creating. I think that reading books are also ways of creating because they inspire your imagination. “itsannesanchez” mentions how as writers we need to open our minds and utilize imagination. I completely agree with that and think that the writing process begins with inspiration. I am inspired by books and think that the new technologies for reading are better than almost every thing used for creating.
ReplyDeleteI can remember my first real life interaction with rhetoric and composition in grade school. Consequently, my first quartet will take place in fourth grade. The year was 2001, and my teacher was Mrs. Tarver. Fourth grade for Florida students is when you are tested on how well you can write with Florida Writes. A one through six scale and five paragraphs determine your fate as a writer for the rest of your life, or at least so I thought. Mrs. Tarver filled that school year with knowledge on crafting the best expository essays, the most creative narratives, and always had us begin with our own brainstorming. What is the purpose of your story? Will you change your reader’s mind, or charm them through your story? Little did we know, she was preparing my class (who all passed Florida Writes that year) for writing for the rest of our lives, but introducing us to rhetoric and composition.
ReplyDeleteMy second quartet takes place from 2008-2009 in my AP English Literature class. This time, instead of one big paper a year, it was one big paper a week. The scale was stretched to a one to nine scale, but I still found myself being thrilled with a six. Instead of being graded by an unseen panel of judges, it was by my wonderfully eccentric teacher. This rigorous course load taught me to organize my thoughts quickly and with purpose, and placed the mantra “less is more” in my head.
The final quartet of my ideas and life based from rhetoric and composition comes from this chapter of my life. This is the first official EWM course I am in and I am very excited. The dream job is to be an editor at Rolling Stone magazine. The biggest of dreams, but I feel that with the background I have acquired through my different writing courses and the new techniques and approaches towards rhetoric and composition that I have started taking the proper first steps.
I like how KillaKay talked about our generation being one of her quartets. This generation is definitely different from the rest, from technology to media and all the different ways people are communicating. This EWM major is perfect for this generation, and is the perfect venue for someone like me to try to get into the magazine, social media, editing business and lifestyle. As time passes the way rhetoric and composition is taught does change, as do the writers and the teachers, making reading other work as interesting as the times are changing.
Kathleen Yancy introduces a unique point to composing- one I particularly love. She suggests that composing has evolved through generations. As technology advances, so does the composing process. She exposes “new Internet genres” including instant messaging, blogs, emails, etc. We are no longer drafting or composing at a desk with a pen and paper. Like our minds are free to think, our composing is free to location. Thanks to smart phones, laptops, smart tablets, composing can begin anywhere. I appreciate Yancey’s approach to composing- moments. I have moments. Some last significantly longer than others, but nonetheless I have them. I think my first moment is the epiphany of what I want to write and how I want to approach a topic. I typically like to draw an outline to organize my thoughts. Once I see them drawn out it is easier to find evidence to support them. My next moment would have to be using technology to research and find whatever evident I need. Thanks to university resources from the library, I am able to search through literally thousands of journals in seconds. Some people might consider this the easy part. However finding information is not difficult, it is finding RELEVENT information. As an Editing, Writing, and Media major when I read I can notice when someone just plugged something in for the sake of word count or space. Synthesizing and summarizing are tremendously different things. My last moment is my conclusion. In my conclusions, I like to stress the importance of the topic. How does this topic or argument affect ones life? Even if the topic is minute, I make the connection so it leaves a lasting impression on readers mind. I am no Yancy, by any means, but I feel like she does the same with this piece. In her conclusion, she proposes a new way to compose. She wants writers to be more engaged with their text, their readers, and their experiences. The ideas of Leu:
ReplyDelete1. Transformations of literacy because of technological change,
2. the use of increasingly efficient technologies of communication
that rapidly spread new literacies, and
3. envisionments of new literacy potentials within new technologies.
…Is an excellent example of my second moment. Use technology to support your claim with research from scholars.
@Shannon Honestly I am very sensitive about my work. I know having other reviews is always best. I like that you are open to others opinions of your work. That shows a lot about your character personally and as well as a writer.
@Chelsea I am a visual learner too! This class helps a lot with making the words in my head actual representatiations.
Let's have a moment. When I first came to college I had no idea how to compose outside the form of a traditional essay. I was never taught how to use blogs, podcasts, or social networking, but had to teach myself how to use these new forms. In today's society of increasing technology, composition and rhetoric can be used in different forms than in previous years when there was only print and speech. Now, there are many different programs that allow for composition such as blogs, power points, or podcasts. These programs and technology allow for new interesting ways to compose to an audience. With these new programs and technology , the education system must keep up and teach young minds how to use the new tools. If the school systems keep teaching the same curriculum of how to compose, young people will be limited to the traditional essay and have no use for these new forms that may suit their audience better. The education system must expand and change to allow students to compose work with new methods and technologies.
ReplyDeleteLets have a moment. I don't remember the exact year I joined the Facebook community, but I do remember the day my mom requested to "be my friend". When I came to the realization that even my mom had Facebook, I realized social networking was becoming huge. With social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, people are becoming composers outside of the classroom. These social networking sites allow users to state their beliefs or feelings as a "status", in a box that asks the user what's on their mind. They may also write messages or on the "wall" of friends or family, which allow them to compose to the audience they are writing. These social networking sites allow students to communicate and compose outside of the classroom and in a casual manner. In order to keep pace with new technology, teachers needs to start incorporating these social networks as a part of their curriculum, in order to merge the boundaries of education and social life.
Lets have a moment. I have been taught how to compose a traditional essay numerous times, from middle school on. I was taught that you must have a thesis in the introduction paragraph, a couple of body paragraphs to argue your point, and a conclusion to wrap it up. However, with new ways of composing and a growing need for innovation, teachers should step away from the traditional essay and look to other forms of composure. Limiting students in the form they compose, will stifle their creativeness and force them to fit their work into a particular form that may not work. Instead, teachers should teach different forms of composure and when to use which forms. They should examine with the students which forms work and which ones fail in composing for an audience. Students should not be limited by the traditional essay, but should be taught the many different available methods of composure in today's world. It is important students are exposed to different forms of composure and media, because most student's will need the knowledge for their future careers. They also need to understand rhetoric and how to appeal to an audience, if not for their future careers, for social situations.
I agree with Jessica that "writing doesn’t always have to be formal or polished with intellectual vocabulary for it to be considered “good” writing." This goes along with my idea that the traditional essay is not the only form of composure, and there are more casual methods of composure to appeal to your audience.
Kathleen Yancey describes the expansion of writing and the various dimensions it can be displayed by stating “writers in the 21st century self-organize into what seem to be overlapping technologically.” There is no doubt that times have changed for the better. It is so much easier to communicate as well as having countless options on how you can relay your message. One thing that was used then and is used now is rhetoric and composition. My definition of rhetoric is the ability to speak effectively, communicate, understand and persuade your audience and to compose is finding a way to express your feelings, ideas or even share a story with someone. There is no way getting around rhetoric or composition, they are involved in every writing whether we think or not. Writing on a sticky note, email, speech, essay or anything else I can think of, these terms are acted upon in the process. Rhetoric is so natural and I believe that is why it was such a hard concept from the beginning. I was excited to see that Anne pointed out that Yancey mentioned no one is making you do this writing. That statement stuck out to me because I feel it brings out the enthusiasm that we all share for writing. Without the drive and the passion we feel about writing it brings up the possibility that you will have a boring essay, blog or whatever other medium you decide. Or, worst case scenario, you will be so turned off from the idea that you will choose simply to not write at all. This leads me to my first quartet which would be brainstorming. Playing around with different ideas, typing a bunch of things and then deleting them because they don’t make sense is the norm for me. You have to be creative and go against the grain when you start envisioning what you want your final product to be. I want my writing to stand out and be recognizable in a stack of other papers. Imagination and creativity go hand in hand with this phase. My second quartet is to actually start writing. The hardest part about writing a paper for me is getting started. Trying to figure out how to word things properly where it doesn’t sound like you are thinking aloud is difficult. Mastering this skill will help lead you to becoming a successful writer. This is where I decide the style that I want to put on my paper. I agree with Walters that revision is his/her (sorry) third quartet since it is mine as well. Revision is so critical because presentation has so much to do with writing. The last thing I want my work to be is sloppy, so I revise until I cannot think anymore on my final draft. I agree that getting up and taking a break to do something else will help out in the revision process. Having fresh eyes and an clearer mind will help you read what is actually there rather than reading how you meant for it to sound.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article by Kathleen Yancey, my understanding of the moments and quartets which she expressed is that rhetoric, composition and technology are being used together in social mediums, and the ways in which they have been integrated by social writers have created new literacies and genres. She emphasizes throughout the article how imperative it is to the academic world, to incorporate the writing/composing practices construed socially into the curriculum of colleges (and high schools) so that the “educated student” is more than print literate and better prepared for writing situations of all kinds (e.g., newsletters, blogs, presentations, etc). This article actually helped me to see that there are many composition mediums, and literacies that precede them, and that there are different processes for composing and delivering the finished product for these mediums. In my own moment, I thought about how rhetoric was used in times past and how it is used today… its purpose is still the same but its context is different. My three quartets deal with the rhetoric and composition, (1) in the classroom; (2) in social mediums; and (3) in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteClassroom rhetoric and composition in the form of assignments tend to be in sync with its traditional use of process writing within the “arrangement” canon of the rhetorical canons. For students like me who struggle with writing, we tend to think of writing in terms of the outline of an essay or paper – even in our writing process. We feel constricted by our topics and confined to a process that causes us to ultimately procrastinate in completing (or even starting) the written work; “print literacy”, as Kathleen Yancey coins it, leaves no room for freedom of real word choice, imagination or much in the way personal critical analysis.
People outside of academia use both rhetoric and composition mostly in a digitized, linguistically relaxed environment than those within it. As others (KillaKay, Olivia and Jessica) have posted, technology has played a major role in the evolution of rhetoric and composition and how it is presented through social mediums. These writers all utilize various forms of media to compose and circulate their personal ideas, thoughts, or beliefs about a specific situation, circumstance or topic; their method of delivery (e-mail, social networking sites, etc.) is determined by the technology used which can also dictate the genre created. This point is evident as Yancey states that, “the technologies of writing…” contributes “…to the creation of new genres” and that “writers of the 21st century self-organize into… technologically driven writing circles… a series of imagined communities, communities that cross borders of all kinds – nation state, class, gender, ethnicity.”
Rhetoric and composition also evolved (due largely to technology) in real world scenarios, such as the workplace. As a paralegal, I am responsible for fact gathering, and assisting the attorney with putting a client’s case together to present or defend the arguments of a case. Technologies such as case management systems, legal documents software, presentation software, etc. are commonplace in most law firms for composing, presenting and delivering legal written works.