From UMassWiki

You can earn points back on your baseline by completing some of the following optional activities:

Contents 1 culture and communication 2 ritual and transmission models of communication

culture and communication

• Read at least two exchanges between an Honors Student (senior) and a Junior Communication major. For instance: Alison (Sr) & Bluesky123 (Jr) and Matt (Sr) & GinaaHHh (Jr); or Sahar (Sr) & COM375 (Jr) and Bart (Sr) & Dan (Jr). Mix-'n-match, please! Hopefully we don't wind up with the same combinations. In fact, IF you choose this option, please post your two sets of folk here, first-come, first-served - and additional writers can be sure to select from those who have not yet received attention. Ex:

I'm ''Four Tildas'' and I chose to read and write about Scott (Sr) & DNA (Jr) and Jia (Sr) & Jwanamak (Jr).

What potential exists for a conversation to grow from the initial paper and the analytical response? Please describe the issues, themes, controversies, and/or areas of agreement that might form the basis of a continuation of discussion.

The Seniors were to read a newspaper article and analyze the reporting for cultural clues following key theoretical concepts. The Juniors were to read the Senior's analysis and provide:

a) a summary of how the (senior honors) student distinguishes between the transmission and ritual views of communication,

b) a statement regarding the medium, content, function, and context of the student's analysis

c) a greeting (introduction, explanation) to that student

d) a specific statement of the main thing you learned from reading their analysis.

Write up your response, including necessary links (at least one to each piece of student writing!), and post it in your Wordpress Weblog. Category: ENG112: Art Objects

DEADLINE: November 15. (Worth up to five points.)

ritual and transmission models of communication

• Read, and make some kind of sense out of the Juniors posts on Writing as Communication as Culture. Their assignment:

"Explain why the title of this course is "Writing as Communication," and the title of Carey's revolutionary communication theory is "Communication as Culture." What communication model is being promoted by that particular phrasing and precise diction? Apply the rubrics of the transmission v ritual models of communication to the "babble" of the learning process and curricular goals of this junior writing course." (If you're curious, go here to find more info and links.)

1. Their posts are in Babel for COM375, you'll have to scroll down and use "next" to get to the right pages. The relevant posts begin with Write Culture, Right? by ElR6 and end with Writing as Communication by Anon. There are a total of eleven entries (each by a different author).

Can YOU make sense of THEIR "babble"?  :-) Give it your best shot. Include quotes and references and links (!). Write a couple of critical paragraphs (not as in critiquing their writing - although you may, if you wish) in as thoughtful, respectful, and challenging way as you can: not trying to challenge or argue with any of the Juniors directly, but as a challenge to yourself to see if you can work your way through to an understanding of their material. Post this in YOUR Wordpress Weblog, using the Category: Babel in COM375

Finally, go to two or three of the entries that you found especially useful or otherwise good and post a comment and/or question to see if you can inspire any of them to respond. Include the link to your post.

DEADLINE: November 15. (Worth up to five points.)