English 357 Schedule

Fall 2011
Visual Language and Culture


Last updated: December 16, 2011

After each date below you'll find a reading and possibly a writing assignment due by the start of that class session. You may also see a summary of tentative class activities. (Readings assignments and most due dates are firm; the "In Class" info, however, is always tentative and subject to revision.)

Please keep in mind that this schedule is FLEXIBLE; I'll be adding details and making tweaks as we go along. That's why it's important that you CHECK IT REGULARLY.

If you miss a class, please do the following: 1) FIRST check this schedule as well as Blackboard (Power Point presentations, especially) to inform yourself; 2) NEXT contact a couple classmates for full notes and instructions; 3) THEN see me if necessary, with specific, informed questions about what you missed.  (You're expected to be prepared for each class meeting, whether you missed the previous one or not.) 

For questions about course material, concerns about your class standing, etc., feel free to email me anytime: Cindy Nichols.

Tues. Aug. 23/Thurs. 25 —

Course introduction. Introductory Power Point.

First Things First:

For our first week, you need to do several things:

    1. Explore our Blackboard:
      • Click on Course Info and read that page very carefully. Note: you should hold off on this until about Monday.
    2. Create your Personal Thread.
      • Go into the Weekly Cyber Class board, find your section, click on the green "Thread" button, type "YourName's Personal Thread" on the Subject line, and click "Submit."
    3. Read instructions for your first cyber class: in the Weekly Cyber Class board, click on "Weekly Instructions," then the date for this week. Follow the posted instructions.
    4. Look over our first Power Point presentation: Introduction to this Course.

Don't ever hesitate to email me with questions or concerns: Cindy.Nichols@ndsu.edu

Tues. Aug. 30 /Thurs. Sept. 1 —

Before Class

  • Study Power Points in Blackboard: Introduction to this Course.
  • Create Personal Thread.
  • Find instructions for each week's cyber class in our Blackboard Weekly Cyber Class board.      
  • Read Gitlin, Chapters 1 and 2.             

In Class

  • Go over any problems with personal threads, textbooks, Power Points, and readings.
  • Discuss Gitlin: thesis, key statements.
  • "TV" slam poetry performance.
  • Cyber assignment and rest of class period: defamiliarizing the torrent.

Tues. Sept. 6/Thurs. Sept. 8 —

Before Class

  • Read Gitlin, Chaps. 3 & 4.   
  • Find instructions for this week's cyber work, as always, in our Weekly Cyber Work area of Bb. Complete the assignment and post to your Personal Thread.

In Class

  • Defamiliarization reports.
  • "TV" slam poetry performance.
  • Navigation styles.
  • A peak at first project?

 

Tues. Sept. 13/Thurs. Sept. 15 —

Before Class

  • Work on short essay identifying what "navigational type" you believe yourself to be.
  • Read Gitlin's final chapter.

In Class

 

Tues. Sept. 20/Thurs. Sept. 22 —

Before Class

  • Read Scott McCloud, all of Chap. 6.
  • Identify primary medium for Project #1.

In Class

  • Discuss ways in which images function in visual essays, and also ways in which image and text can be combined.
  • Storyboarding/outlining, using the media you've chosen.

Tues. Sept. 27/Thurs. Sept. 29 —

Before Class

In Class

  • Draft of Project #1 due by class time. Post to Bb: Weekly Cyber Work/DROP BOX/Project #1 Drop Box.
  • Peer Critiques.
  • Fundamentals of design and prose style.

Tues. Oct. 4/Thurs. Oct. 6 —

Before Class

  • Skim and read Strunk/Kalman's The Elements of Style for ways to remedy errors and weaknesses pointed out on your draft last week. See also pp. 34-53 to sharpen sentences and make clearer, more concise.
  • Work intensively on Project #1.

In Class

  • Fundamentals of design review.
  • Prose style, documentation, and paragraphing review.
  • Look at sample student drafts.

Tues. Oct. 11/Thurs. Oct. 13—

Before Class

  • Read McCloud, Chap. 1-3, pp. 2-93.

In Class

Tues. Oct. 18/Thurs. Oct. 20 —

Before Class

In Class

  • Final Version Project #1 due in Bb by class time.
  • Continue discussion of graphic fiction and McCloud.
  • Analyze select comics, applying McCloud and keeping new project in mind.

Tues. Oct. 25/Thurs. Oct. 27—

Before Class

  • Read McCloud, Chap. 4-9, pp. 94-215.
  • Read Brunetti:
    • Beyer, pp. 68-72
    • Brinkman, pp. 73-76
    • McGuire, pp. 88-93
    • Porcellino, pp. 268-269
    • Tyler, pp. 292-298
    • Huizonga, pp. 283-285
    • Dougan, pp. 286-288
    • Bell, pp. 279-282
    • Seth, pp. 242-255
    • Brown, pp. 264-267
    • Hankiewicz, pp. 272-273
    • Crumb, pp. 299-302, 311-328
    • Collier, p. 337-350
    • Ware, pp. 351-374
    • Seth, p. 398

In Class

  • Apply McCloud to assigned comics. Today's class will be part and parcel of this week's cyber work, as before.

Tues. Nov. 1/Thurs. Nov. 3 —

Before Class

  • Begin storyboard for Project #2.
  • Read all of Kalman, Principles of Uncertainty.

In Class

  • Go over some of the comics you've been studying as a large group.
  • Discuss Kalman.
  • Storyboard due by class time.
  • Examine rough storyboards.

Tues. Nov. 8/Thurs. Nov. 10 —

Before Class

  • Complete a good, thorough draft of Project #2.

In Class

  • Draft of Project #2 due by class time. Bring hardcopy or post an electronic version in Bb Drop Box.
  • Continue discussion of Principles of Uncertainty.
  • Critique Project #2 drafts.
  • Assignment for Project #3.

Tues. Nov. 15/Thurs. Nov. 17 —

Before Class

  • Begin researing discipline-specific project possibilities.
  • Continue work on comics assignment.

In Class

  • Complete discussion of Kalman. (BRING TEXT.)
  • Discuss proposals for Project #3.

Tues. Nov. 22/Thurs. Nov. 24 —Holiday for Sec. 2

Before Class

  • Write proposal for Project #3.

In Class

  • Proposal for Project #3 due.
  • Conferences on proposals and any remaining questions about Project #2.

Tues. Nov. 29/Thurs. Dec. 1 —

Before Class

  • Complete rough draft of Project #3.

In Class

  • Final Version of Project #2, Graphic Fiction due in Bb.
  • Draft of Project #3 due by class time.
  • Critiques of Project #3 drafts.
  • Assignment for Project #3 presentations (scroll down on that page to find the presentations instructions) and Portfolio.

Tues. Dec. 6/Thurs. Dec. 8 —

Before Class

  • Work on Portfolios.
  • Prepare class presentation of Project #3.

In Class

  • Presentations of Project #3 drafts due.
  • Examine sample reflective letters.

Finals Week —

No class meeting! No final!

  • TUESDAY SECTION, MATERIALS BELOW ARE DUE no later than 11:59 pm, Tues. Dec. 13
  • THURSDAY SECTION: MATERIALS BELOW ARE DUE no later than 11:59 pm, Thurs. Dec. 15
      1. Completed/revised cyberwork (Sept. 13/15 through Dec. 6/8).
      2. Project #3, and Portfolio due no later than 11:59 pm, Tues. Dec. 13 .

Late Portfolios will only be accepted in cases of severe hardship or emergency. You must present documentation of the hardship.

 

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