For Tuesday, March 10

You will write two essays that concern Luke Harding's The Snowden Files. One essay will require you to write a rhetorical analysis of a passage from Harding's book. Another essay will require you to write an argument about an issue raised by the book.

To prepare for the rhetorical analysis, review SOAPSTone, DIDLS, the rhetorical triangles, and the definition of exigence. Keep in mind that you should pay attention to these while you read the passage; don't start to think about them when you begin to write the essay. 

To prepare for the argumentative essay, you should review the issues raised by Snowden's case and the nuances of those issues. Any information gleaned from the Frontline documentary The United States of Secrets and Laura Poitras's Citizenfour can be used to supplement, not replace, information presented in Harding's book.

As we have practiced in class, you should lead with your points and avoid restating information in the passage or summarizing the book. Any information from the passage or the book should be used only to support the points you make in the essay.

Upcoming Assignments

In class on Monday, we discussed Luke Harding's The Snowden Files and watched a Frontline documentary, The United States of Secrets. If you missed Monday's class, you should watch up to the 31:55 mark at the following link:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/united-states-of-secrets/

In class, some of you asked about the original video that introduced Snowden to the world. Here's a link to that video: 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/jun/09/nsa-whistleblower-edward-snowden-interview-video

For Wednesday, February 25, read Ch. 11 of The Snowden Files (pp. 215-252). 

For Friday, February 27, read Ch. 12 of The Snowden Files (pp. 253-277). 

For Tuesday, March 2, finish reading The Snowden Files (pp. 279-333). 

Over the Break

Read to p. 214 in Luke Harding's The Snowden Files. You have nothing to write.

Upcoming Assignments

In the coming classes, you will work on public speaking while, at home, you will work on your research paper. Please observe the following due dates for the first five pages of your research paper. Email each step to me with the indicated subject line.

Thursday, Jan. 29: Write a paragraph that summarizes the first five pages of your research paper. Use the subject line paragraph summary. The first five pages of your research paper will be due on Friday, Feb. 6. Also, bring to class the text or video clip of a favorite speech of yours. It could be from a movie, a historical event, a recent political event; really, any moment, real or fictional, where a person stands in front of a group of people and addresses them.

Monday, Feb. 2: Write at least two pages of your academic research paper. Use the subject line first two pages. Bring to A Pocket Style Manual to class.

Wednesday, Feb. 4: Write at least two additional pages of your academic research paper. Email subject line: second two pages Send the two pages that were due on Monday. If you already sent those two pages, you don't have additional work to turn in for this class.

Friday, Feb, 6: Write at least one additional page of your academic research paper.  Email subject line: additional page

Tuesday, Feb. 10: Turn in at least five pages of your academic research paper. Email subject line: five pages

Assignment for Tuesday, January 27

Prepare for the rhetorical analysis of a passage from Much Ado about Nothing. The prompts for each block are posted to the right. Block A met first block on Friday; Block C met after senior snack on Friday. You will have forty minutes to write the essay.

Also, please bring your copy of The Craft of Research to class.

Assignment for Thursday, January 15

This assignment is slightly different than what I described in class. In Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing , find examples of three of the following kinds of prose. Then, identify language techniques employed in those examples (alliteration or other kinds of repetition, figurative language, allusions, puns or other kinds of word play, etc.) and explain the effects of those techniques.

1. Young women talking together excitedly or irritably; a young woman flirting and making jokes with undertones.

2. Young men joking uneasily; drunken men speaking cynically; old men speaking disapprovingly to a young woman.

3. A man choosing his words carefully so as not to offend his superior; a man offended by his superior but trying to hide it. 

4, A man desperately trying to make sense of his own sudden and overwhelming beliefs.

Be sure to write the original sentence(s) and refer to its scene and line numbers. 

Assignment for Wednesday, Jan. 7

Read and annotate Act 2 of Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing. As you read, identify any (but at least three) phrases or sentences that stand out because of their language.

Assignment for Tuesday, December 16

Have at least three pages written for your exploratory essay, and email them to me at mrmontasmph@gmail.com. Bring a digital copy of your essay or a laptop to work on in class.

Work for Friday, December 12

The assignment that was due on Wednesday, December 10, is now due on Friday, December 12. Email that assignment to mrmontasmph@gmail.com. Bring Much Ado about Nothing to class.

Assignment for Wednesday, December 9

Write one page of the exploratory essay for your research paper. The handout describing it is posted to the right. Email it to me at mrmontasmph@gmail.com, and bring a digital copy to work on in class. Also, be sure to bring Much Ado about Nothing to class. 

Assignment for Monday, December 8

Prepare for your poetry recitation. Here's a link to the scoring rubric that was distributed in class. If you need further clarification of any of the categories or criteria, check out this guide.

We will proceed in a random order, but the order will be listed on the board, so you'll know when you're turn is coming up. The recitations will take up most of class. After that, we will introduce the exploratory essay. You won't need Much Ado about Nothing for Monday's class.

Some students asked to watch a video of the 2014 Poetry Out Loud National Champion. It's posted below.

Poetry Out Loud: Recitation by Anita Norman, 2014 National Champion

Some students asked for a video of the most recent National Champion. Here it is:

Assignment for Thursday, December 4

Continue to prepare your poem for the recitation on Monday, December 8. Also, read and annotate Act 1 of William Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing. Be sure to identify any interesting rhetorical features in the characters' language.