Weblog post topics for week of 29 November 2004

1.Write a brief response to the Dolnick essay "Deafness as Culture." Are you convinced that deafness is a culture? Why or why not? According to Dolnick, what are the criteria for the category "culture," and does deafness meet those criteria? Do you have a different set of criteria for what constitutes a culture? If you choose this topic, please post in time for Wednesday's class so that you might elaborate on your post in our discussion of the essay.
2.What are some questions you have about rhetoric? Not about the class in particular, but rhetoric in general? Review the course objectives on the syllabus:

• To learn and become proficient in rhetorical concepts including argument, audience, ethos, pathos,
  logos, claim, rhetorical triangle, rhetorical strategy, and rhetorical context
• To read and analyze arguments critically, synthesize them with your own personal experience (including
  other arguments you have read), and evaluate their persuasiveness
• To understand the importance of
  audience in writing and write for a diverse academic audience with differing beliefs and values
• To learn the differences among
  writing to inform, convince, and persuade
• To learn the differences among
  various academic writing genres by writing in several, including a
  prospectus, abstract, weblog, annotated bibliography, long
  argumentative essay, and rhetorical analysis
• To understand clearly how to use sources in a way that complies with University standards of academic integrity

• To understand the ways in which writing—both the process
  and content of writing—is shaped to a large extent by context and audience

Any questions about any of these concepts that I can clarify?

3.Write a brief response to the DVD we'll be watching in class on Friday. It's titled "Citizen Kang," one of the 10-minute short vignettes from a Simpsons Halloween episode. What does it tell us about presidential election rhetoric and political rhetoric? Is there an argument being made? If so, what is it? Does "Citizen Kang" do a better job of communicating a message than the Flash movies we've watched?