Semiotics (Day 3, Sept 11)

QUIZ
Discuss quiz responses (small groups) then
Describe semiotic analysis (large group discussion)

Grading criteria, first major assignment (see Day 4 Homework)
Small Group Work: conduct a semiotic analysis of ______ (TBA). Everyone take notes! Pick a representative to write a blogpost of your group's conclusions. Those group members who do not blog the report will have to post a comment in response next week.
Index Cards for blogs
Troubleshoot Wordpress problems

Homework due 13 Sept

Make sure your Babel essay now shows up on the group/grading page. If you did not select an anonymous-enough username, you'll need to start over - NOW!
Go to your Wordpress Dashboard and approve any comments that you've received.

Small Group Work: conduct a semiotic analysis of _____ (TBA). Pick a representative to write a blogpost on this. Each member who does not write the report, will have to post a comment in response to it next week. Category: COM375: 1st Semiotic Analysis

Read Willpower, Inc (handout)

Investigating a cultural text: Will Power, Inc. (Day 4, Sept 13)

INDEX CARDS, blog names
attendance, return quizzes
review student interests (we'll come back to these, collected from the quiz)
small groups

Identify the arguments in Willpower, Inc. by Todd Hasak-Lowy, in Task of this Translator.

What questions do you need to ask the text according to semiotic analysis?

What is the context?

What are the contents?

What is/are the media?

What are the functions?

How are the arguments positioned in time?

What histories are referenced? (comparison/contrast with the past)

What concurrent, simultaneous factors are referenced? (comparison/contrast with the present)

What are the important relationships in Hasak-Lowy's story of Willpower, Inc.?

Why do they matter?

What systems are involved?

How?

2. Come up with some kind of graph, picture, or schematic that allows you to map out the relationships and systems.

3. Watch: Web 2.0...The Machine is Us/ing Us

Homework due 18 Sept

Paper One: Summarizing Arguments

Identify the different ideas (topics, subjects) in Willpower, Inc (make a list)
Paraphrase (via summary) his message concerning each idea/topic/subject in the list, then
combine these summaries (through revision) into a single, concise summary of his point. What questions do you need to ask, according to the semiotic method of analysis, in order to accomplish a comprehensive summary? Type all your questions in a second list.
DO NOT critique or evaluate! (No agreement, disagreement, sidewise glances, digs, or plaudits.)
Limit! 250 words. (You will probably have to write and rewrite two or three times to get everything (i.e., the point) into so few words. Give yourself enough time!)
BRING everything (both lists, one copy of each draft - of which there should be at least two! three is better! - to class in a portfolio.
Bring two hard copies to class on Tuesday.