Object Journal
Media & Music — Spring 2004
Purpose: This is the second stage
of your semester project. It is designed to get you
thinking about the form and content of your final project.
Date
Due: Posted
online by 11:59pm on 17 February. You will need to
turn in a copy of your object to me at the beginning of
class on the 16th of February.
Your
Mission:
Imitation is the basis for learning style. Pick an
example of the type of document you intend to produce for
the semester. We'll call it your "object." If
you are writing a magazine feature, choose a well-done
magazine feature. If you are writing a grant proposal,
choose a well-done grant proposal. If you are writing
an academic essay, you may choose an essay that was assigned
for the course. Make two copies of your object Š one
for yourself and one for me. You will turn in a copy
to me at the beginning of class on Feb 16th. Keep
the other copy for your reference.
Product: An
online journal entry of at least 500 words (equivalent to
two typed double-spaced pages; it can be longer if necessary). The
subject line should read "Object Journal -- Your Name." Your
style can be informal, but the writing should be clear and
easy to understand. I recommend that you type it on
your word processor and then paste it into a new message.
Your
journal should analyze your chosen object as a piece of writing. The
first paragraph of your journal should describe your object
for your peers who wonÕt have seen it. Then answer
the following questions:
What are the most important stylistic features
of this piece of writing? What is featured? What
is left out?
What elements of this piece are unique to it? What
elements are typical of the genre?
How does the author accomplish his or her goals?
What else do you notice about your object? What
else is interesting about it?
What will you need to do in order to create a
piece of writing like this?
How will you do it?
How will your piece be different from the model? Are
there things you plan to do that the author didnÕt? Are
there things the author did that you donÕt plan to do?
Evaluation: Journals are graded
on the following scale: 100 (outstanding); 90 (fulfills requirements
of the assignment); 50-75 (does follow assignment or other
major problem); 25 (wrote something, not clear on its relationship
to the course). Journals must be posted online
in the class discussion forum in order to count toward your
final grade.
