Thank You

I very much enjoyed this and I hope you did, too. Thank you for hanging in there.

Please keep yourself safe and healthy.

-D

Week 18: Mon 5.18

According to recent analysis, Amazon's Jeff Bezos is most on track to the world's first trillionaire by 2026.

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 8-
Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (ID: 968-8777-9774 / PW: 377095)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 17: Thu 5.14 (Sec. 5 Only)

A 4-bedroom condo in 45 Park Place, in Manhattan's Tribeca, starts at $11.4 million

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5-
Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (ID: 919-5629-6168 / PW: 786770)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8-
Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (ID: 968-8777-9774 / PW: 377095)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Reflection 5: We're in the Money—On the Realities of Winning the Lottery (Extra Credit)

It's the ultimate "it could happen to me" fantasy: choosing just the right combination of numbers to unlock a massive fortune. Though the odds are staggeringly against winning, according to a 2016 survey, nearly half of all Americans played the lottery in the past year. Why? Is the lure purely the money? What else does winning the lottery conjure in hopeful players? And have you ever fantasized about winning? What would you do with a multi-million dollar haul?

Include at least two of the following in your reflection:

• "He Won Powerball’s $314 Million Jackpot. It Ruined His Life." (Washington Post)
• "Thirteen Things Lotto Winners Won’t Tell You: Life After Winning the Lottery" (Reader's Digest)
• "What To Do If You Win the Lottery" (MoneyCrashers)
• "The Lottery: Is It Ever Worth Playing" (Investopedia)
• "Four Ways the Lottery Preys on the Poor" (Vox)
• "Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $530 Million—Here’s What Kevin O’Leary, Suze Orman and Other Experts Say to do if You Win" (CNBC)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 300 words
• Works cited 

Due: Wed 5.13* (submit via Canvas)

*This is an extra-credit assignment worth 10 points.

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6

A 2019 study named San Jose the best city in America to find a rich single man. The mean yearly income of San Jose men was $97,374, compared to $53,144 nationally.

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. (ID: 983-2274-1851 / PW: 584240) 
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5-
Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (ID: 919-5629-6168 / PW: 786770)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8-
Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (ID: 968-8777-9774 / PW: 377095)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6

$628,000: How much Mariah Carey earned from 143 million Spotify streams in 2019

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. (Meeting ID: 983-2274-1851 / PW: 584240)
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Upcoming:

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Wednesday from 9-10 a.m. (Meeting ID: 983-2274-1851 / PW: 584240)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22

In 2019, Americans purchased an estimated $171 billion in retail gift cards. At the one year mark, just under 80% of those cards are unused.

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS) 
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Upcoming:

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 983-2274-1851 / 584240)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Reflection 4: How Much is Too Much?—Should Billionaires Exist?

At an MLK event in 2019, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, "I'm not saying that Bill Gates or Warren Buffett are immoral, but a system that allows billionaires to exist when there are parts of Alabama where people are still getting ringworm because they don't have access to public health is wrong." What Ocasio-Cortez was pointing to was the growing focus on income inequality in America today. And increasingly, the face of this inequity is America's billionaires. Indeed, the gap between the mega-rich and everyone else is staggering. For example, the world's richest man, Jeff Bezos, has a net worth of $139.4 billion. The Amazon CEO earns an astonishing $2,489 per second—or $8.9 million an hour. Such figures have led many to question the very existence of billionaires. Is it okay for a single person to have that much money? Is it morally justifiable? Or, as some argue, would impeding the pursuit of wealth hurt society? Finally, what obligations, if any, do these individuals have to the rest of us?

Include at least two of the following in your reflection:

• "Should Billionaires Exist? Sanders, Warren and Steyer Debate It" (New York Times)
• "Think Billionaires are Just Super-Rich People? Big Mistake" (Guardian)
• "Actually, Bernie Sanders, Billionaires Should Exist" (MerionWest)
• "Two Cheers for Billionaires—They’ve Made Life so Much Better for Us" (MarketWatch)
• "Why Does Everybody Suddenly Hate Billionaires? Because They’ve Made it Easy." (Washington Post)
• "What Billionaires Said About Wealth Inequality and Capitalism in 2019" (CNBC)

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 300 words
• Works cited 

Due: Wed 4.22

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15

At $1,450, the 512 GB iPhone 11 Pro Max is Apple's priciest phone.

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.13 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ROGERIAN ARGUMENT/INFOGRAPHIC (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Upcoming:

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS) 
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Free College for All: A Rogerian Debate

Free college for all.

That was the position of at least seven of the two dozen Democratic candidates who ran for president this year. However, for some, “all” didn’t mean “all.” When candidates were further pressed on whether “free college for all” should also include wealthy families, only three candidates (Castro, Sanders, and Warren) supported it regardless of income. Though “free college for all” is unlikely to make it into the official 2020 Democratic platform, the debate still highlights a sharp division between the progressive and moderate wings of the party. What should be the compromise? Should “free college for all” mean it is truly for all? Using a Rogerian Argument, by way of an infographic, propose a solution that bridges the divide on this debate.

For this assignment, all six components of a traditional Rogerian Argument (overview of the issue, summary of opposing view, statement of understanding, stating your position, statement of contexts, and common ground solution) should be illustrated in one of three areas on the slide: pro, con, and solution. Aim for some variation of THIS configuration. Also, find samples HERE and HERE.

Infographics are most easily utilized in PowerPoint (or a comparable program, such as Canva). Additionally, if you are experienced in them, you may also use Photoshop or Illustrator, though it is by no means required. Keep in mind, this assignment will be delivered electronically.

A well-executed infographic will:

• Have a title: Free College for All(?): A Rogerian Argument
• Have a design dictated by the topic
• Visually translate perspectives and facts in a clear and enlightening manner
• Stay within the parameters of the current “free college for all” debate

You may choose your evidence from the articles below and/or from your own research:

• “Democrats’ Ongoing Argument about Free College, Explained” (Vox)
• "Buttigieg is Wrong—Free College Should be Free for All, Including Children of the Rich” (Los Angeles Times)
• "Klobuchar and Buttigieg are Right About Free College for Rich Kids” (Forbes)
• “Bernie Sanders is Running on a Plan to Bail Out Rich Kids” (Washington Post)
• “Moderate Democrats Should Stop Pretending That Free College is a Giveaway to Rich Kids” (Slate)
• “Should Free College Give Rich Kids a Free Ride?” (US News & World Report)

Due: Thu 4.16 (via Canvas)

Week 12: Mon 4.6/Wed 4.8

Tuition at San Jose's Harker School is the most expensive in Silicon Valley at $53,800/year for grades 9-12.

Week 12: Mon 4.6/Wed 4.8
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.6 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
Due: DRAMATISTIC PENTAD (SUMBIT VIA CANVAS)

Upcoming:

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.13 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ROGERIAN ARGUMENT/INFOGRAPHIC (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS) 
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 11: Mon 3.30/Wed 4.1

The markups on food via delivery services range from 7-91% more than what you would pay if you bought the meal directly from the restaurant.

Notes:

• This amended schedule:

• Is subject to change pending the situation with Covid-19—see this website for the most up-to-date information
• Takes into account that we will NOT be resuming face-to-face class meetings for the remainder to semester
• Weekly Zoom meetings will happen Mondays from 6-7 p.m.
• From this point on, all work must be submitted electronically via Canvas
• Multimedia Presentations should be should be completed by their original dates and submitted via Canvas
• All the week’s required materials (e.g. PowerPoints) will be emailed to you on Sundays
• eReader (eR) articles will remain below

Week 11: Mon 3.30/Wed 4.1 (No class—Spring Break)

Upcoming:

Week 12: Mon 4.6/Wed 4.8
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.6 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
Due: DRAMATISTIC PENTAD (SUMBIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.13 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ROGERIAN ARGUMENT/INFOGRAPHIC (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS) 
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Research Project: The $15 Minimum Wage in Effect

Overview:
For your final research project, you are tasked with investigating the debate over a national $15/hour minimum wage. Using Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed as a foundation, you will create a compelling presentation for or against raising the minimum wage, specifically exploring its effects on workers in either the cleaning services, retail, and restaurant industries—you will focus only one.

Directions:

1. Choose one of the following industries highlighted in a section in Ehrenreich’s book to focus on: cleaning services, retail, or restaurant.
2. You must choose a specific worker or workers highlighted from that particular section (e.g. Melissa from Wal-Mart in Minneapolis). This person will become the “face” of your presentation. Explore the challenged this person or persons face as a part of the “low-skilled” labor force. Also, this person can have composite elements, meaning he, she, or they can be representative of workers in that industry. 
3. Investigate the current debate over a $15 minimum wage. Who is for it? Who is against it? How realistically is it to happen nationally? In those places that do have it, how has it worked out? Illustrate both sides fairly. 
4. Based on your research, take a position for or against a $15 minimum wage.
5. Apply this position to the economic realities facing your selected worker or workers. In other words, illustrate why a $15 minimum wage would help OR hurt them. This must include at least two concessions.

You have the choice of doing your research project alone OR with one partner. If you choose to work alone, there is no need to notify me. If you would like to work with a partner and have one, let me know in the comments section below no later than April 8. If you would like a partner, but do not have one, also use the comments section below to see if anyone else is looking to pair up.

Solo presentation outline (12 slides, plus a works cited):

1. Introduction (one slide)
2. Introducing ___________________ [e.g. “Introducing Marge, a Maid from Maine] (three slides) 
3. The Debate Over a $15 Minimum Wage (four slides)
4. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Help OR Hurt ___________________ (three slides)
5. Conclusion (one slide)
6. Works cited (one slide)

Two-person presentation outline (16 slides, plus a works cited):

1. Introduction (one slide)
2. Introducing ___________________ [e.g. “Introducing Marge, a Maid from Maine] (three slides)
3. The Debate Over a $15 Minimum Wage (five slides)
4. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Help ___________________ (three slides)
5. Why a $15 Minimum Wage Would Hurt ___________________ (three slides) 
6. Conclusion (one slide)
7. Works cited (one slide)

Your presentation must:

• Have a cohesive design, including illustrations—how does the overall design support the goal?
• Fairly contextualize the $15 minimum wage debate
• Persuasively illustrate a pro or against position on the $15 minimum wage debate (with solid rationale). Additionally, it must include at least two concessions.
• Have clean spelling an grammar

Due: Fri 5.8 (via Canvas)

Week 10: Mon 3.23/Wed 3.25 (Online Revise)

For the second year in a row, Hilton, which includes the DoubleTree and Embassy Suites brands, topped Fortune's 2020 "Best Places to Work" survey

Notes:

• This amended schedule:

• Is subject to change pending the situation with Covid-19—see this website for the most up-to-date information
• Takes into account that we will NOT be resuming face-to-face class meetings for the remainder to semester
• Weekly Zoom meetings will happen Mondays from 6-7 p.m.
• From this point on, all work must be submitted electronically via Canvas
• Multimedia Presentations should be should be completed by their original dates and submitted via Canvas
• All the week’s required materials (e.g. PowerPoints) will be emailed to you on Sundays
• eReader (eR) articles will remain below

Week 10: Mon 3.23/Wed 3.25
Zoom Meeting: Mon 3.23 @ 6-7 p.m. – (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“Moderate Democrats Should Stop Pretending That Free College is a Giveaway to Rich Kids” (Slate), “Should Free College Give Rich Kids a Free Ride?” (US News & World Report)
Coursework: PowerPoints—“Finding the Middle Ground: The Rogerian Argument” and “Infographics 101”

Upcoming:

Week 11: Mon 3.30/Wed 4.1 (No class—Spring Break)

Week 12: Mon 4.6/Wed 4.8
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.6 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
Due: DRAMATISTIC PENTAD (SUMBIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.13 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ROGERIAN ARGUMENT/INFOGRAPHIC (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS) 
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Dramatic Pentad: Wealth on Film

Film is our window into the world of the wealthy. Through film, we have unlimited access into the inner workings of rich people's lives. Perhaps that is why so many popular films feature them. Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad offers us a useful tool for deciphering the motivations in film scenes, including those depicting the rich's interactions with money. Below you will find scenes from eight films. You will use the Dramatistic Pentad to identify specific rhetorical elements in three of those scenes illustrating the ways the wealthy engage with their money.

Additionally, you will analyze the ratio between two elements.

Directions:

1. Choose three scenes from below. Also, choose one ratio with which to examine all three scenes (e.g. purpose:agent, scene:agency).
2. Using the Dramatistic Pentad, identify what you believe to be each of the five elements (agent, agency, etc.) for each of the three scenes (or “artifacts”)—see model below.
3. In one paragraph, examine how your chosen ratio functions in each of the three scenes. For example, what is revealed by examining the scenes through this specific ratio? Are there similarities? What are the differences? You might also consider how this particular ratio informs us versus another.
   

Example:

• Commercial: “Start the Day Write” from Kellogg’s
• Artifact Description: A boy sluggishly wakes up for school. After a bowl of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, he is more animated. Later, at school, the boy enthusiastically answers his teacher’s questions thanks to the boost he got from the cereal.

The Dramatistic Pentad:
1. Act: A boy’s morning sluggishness is only helped by eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal.
2. Agency: In order to pep up her sleepy son, the boy’s mother purposefully serves him a sugary breakfast cereal.
3. Agent: The boy’s mother, who serves her son a sugary cereal in order to wake him up.
4. Scene: Split between his home and his classroom.
5. Purpose: The boy’s mother, needing an efficient means to ready her sleepy son for school, feeds him a bowl of sugary cereal. She succeeds in that he is very engaged soon after in school.

***

Choose three scenes from the following for your analysis:

1. "I Do Love Our Adventures" from Downton Abbey (2019)

2. "He's like the Asian Bachelor" from Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

3. "There is No Nobility in Poverty" from The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

4. "It's Not Too Much, is It?" from Marie Antoinette (2006)

5. "Why on Earth Would You Pick Me to be Your Princess?" from The Princes Diaries (2001)

6. "Are You of the Boston Dawsons?" from Titanic (1997)

7. "I Actually Have a Way Normal Life for a Teenage Girl" from Clueless (1995)

8. "Really Offensive" from Pretty Woman (1990)


Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 250 words

 Due: Wed 4.8

Week 9: Mon 3.16/Wed 3.18 (Online Revise)

Universal's Cats grossed only $74.6 million, against a production budget of $95 million. Including marketing costs, loss estimates range from $71–100 million.

Notes:

• This amended schedule:

• Is subject to change pending the situation with Covid-19—see this website for the most up-to-date information
• Takes into account that we will NOT be resuming face-to-face class meetings for the remainder to semester
• Weekly Zoom meetings will happen Mondays from 6-7 p.m.
• From this point on, all work must be submitted electronically via Canvas
• Multimedia Presentations should be should be completed by their original dates and submitted via Canvas
• All the week’s required materials (e.g. PowerPoints) will be emailed to you on Sundays
• eReader (eR) articles will remain below

 
Week 9: Mon 3.16/Wed 3.18
Read: eR—"Buttigieg is Wrong—Free College Should be Free for All, Including Children of the Rich” (Los Angeles Times), “Bernie Sanders is Running on a Plan to Bail Out Rich Kids” (Washington Post), "Klobuchar and Buttigieg are Right About Free College for Rich Kids” (Forbes)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Inside Kenneth Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad”

Upcoming:

Week 10: Mon 3.23/Wed 3.25
Zoom Meeting: Mon 3.23 @ 6-7 p.m. – (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“Moderate Democrats Should Stop Pretending That Free College is a Giveaway to Rich Kids” (Slate), “Should Free College Give Rich Kids a Free Ride?” (US News & World Report)
Coursework: PowerPoints—“Finding the Middle Ground: The Rogerian Argument” and “Infographics 101”
Due: DRAMATISTIC PENTAD (SUMBIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 11: Mon 3.30/Wed 4.1 (No class—Spring Break)

Week 12: Mon 4.6/Wed 4.8
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.6 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Read: eR—“The 100 Best Infographics” (Creative Bloq), “10 Tips for Designing Better Infographics” (DotDash), “12 Warning Signs that Your Infographic Sucks” (Visme)
Due: ROGERIAN ARGUMENT/INFOGRAPHIC (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 13: Mon 4.13/Wed 4.15
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.13 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: REFLECTION 4 (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS)

Week 14: Mon 4.20/Wed 4.22*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.20 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PowerPoint—“Research Projects: A How-To”
*Partners should have their research paper outline formulated

Week 15: Mon 4.27/Wed 4.29*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 4.27 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
*Partners should be up to slide 5 of their research project

Week 16: Mon 5.4/Wed 5.6*
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Materials: PPT—“The Self-Reflection Essay and ePortfolio: A How-To”
*Partners should be up to slide 10 of their research project

Week 17: Mon 5.11
Zoom Meeting: Mon 5.4 @ 6-7 p.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: RESEARCH PROJECT, FINAL DRAFT (EMAIL VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

***

Final Exam Meeting Times:

Sec. 5- Week 17: Thu 5.14
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Sec. 8- Week 18: Mon 5.18
Zoom Meeting: 9:00 - 9:30 a.m. (Meeting ID: 730-096-752)
Due: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT (SUBMIT VIA CANVAS BY 5 P.M.)

Week 8 - Mon 3.9/Wed 3.11

Investing app Acorns reports that the average American spends about $1,100 per year on coffee, which breaks down to roughly $92 a month.

Week 8 - Mon 3.9/Wed 3.11
Read: Nickel—Three: Selling in Minnesota
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Upcoming:

Week 9 - Mon 3.16/Wed 3.18
Read: eR—“Buttigieg is Wrong—Free College Should be Free for All, Including Children of the Rich” (Los Angeles Times), “Bernie Sanders is Running on a Plan to Bail Out Rich Kids” (Washington Post)
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: DRAMATISTIC PENTAD

Financial News 3.3

• Billionaire Mike Bloomberg's primary campaign flounders on Super Tuesday (Guardian)
• Post Malone shows off his extravagant jewelry collection (GQ)
• Study says restaurants should better cater to solo dinners (Forbes)
• Lab-grown diamonds are trending in 2020 (EcoWatch)
• Study: College majors can predict a female's gander wage gap (Phys.org)
• Inside Aaron Paul's "rustic" Idaho home (Architectural Digest) 

 

Week 7 - Mon 3.2/Wed 3.4

Nearly three in 10 (28%) American adults have no emergency savings. One in four have a rainy day fund, but not enough money to cover three months’ worth of living expenses.

Week 7 - Mon 3.2/Wed 3.4
Read: Nickel—Two: Scrubbing in Maine
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Inside Kenneth Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad”
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 8 - Mon 3.9/Wed 3.11
Read: Nickel—Three: Selling in Minnesota
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations

Financial News 2.29

• Bay Area survey: Most residents are unhappy with our quality of life (San Jose Mercury News)
• Coronavirus already sending shock waves through global economy (New York Times)
• Here's three things Millennial are doing correctly with their money (NerdWallet)
• Just how wealthy are 2020's presidential candidates? (US News and World Report)
• Unions want in on California's burgeoning marijuana industry (Los Angeles Times)
• How Gen Z shops Instagram (Glossy)
• On the market: A $50 million Bel Air mansion complete with vintage bowling alley (Architectural Digest)

  

Reflection 3: You Poor Thing⁠—Songs for the Down and Out

For such a bleak subject, impoverishment is a surprisingly common theme for singers and songwriters. Perhaps the topic is so broadly relatable because most of us, at one time or another, have experienced financial stress. For their part, artists have harvested all aspects of monetary destitution for their songs, from desperation to denial to hope.

For this reflection, you will examine, in depth, the lyrics of two iconic songs about being poor. Choose two of the songs from the set of your birthday month to write about.

January - March:

1. Phil Collins, "Another Day in a Paradise"
2. Tom Jones, "I Who Have Nothing"
3. Arrested Development, "Mr. Wendal"  
4. Anaïs Mitchell, "Wedding Song" 
5. Sade, "Jezebel" 

April - June:

1. Loretta Lynn, "Coal Miner's Daughter" 
2. Bruce Hornsby and The Range, "That's the Way It Is"
3. Crystal Waters, “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)
4. ABBA, "Money, Money"
5. Dolly Parton, "Coat of Many Colors"

July - September:

1. Stevie Wonder, "Living for the City"
2. Merle Haggard, "If We Make it Through December"
3. Loggins & Messina, "Danny's Song"
4. Billy Joel, "Allentown" 
5. Tennessee Ernie Ford, "Sixteen Tons"

October - December:

1. "It's the Hard Knock Life" from Annie 
2. Lorde, "Royals" 
3. Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car" 
4. Bobby Gentry, "Fancy"
5. Simply Red, "Money's Too Tight (to Mention)"

Note: You will be responsible for sourcing the lyrics for your songs. It is recommended you find more than one source per song as online lyrics are notoriously inaccurate. Additionally, you should credit the lyricist—which may or may not be the singer—for the words.

Required:

• MLA Style
• Approximately 300 words
• Works cited 

Due: Wed 3.4
 

Week 6 - Mon 2.24/Wed 2.26

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans spend about 1% of their gross annual income on alcohol—about $565 a year for the average household.

Week 6 - Mon 2.24/Wed 2.26
Read: Nickel—Introduction: Getting Ready - One: Serving in Florida
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Watch—Excerpts from Generation Wealth (2018)
Due: TOULMAN METHOD

Upcoming:

Week 7 - Mon 3.2/Wed 3.4
Read: Nickel—Two: Scrubbing in Maine
Class: Reading discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Inside Kenneth Burke’s Dramatistic Pentad”
Due: REFLECTION 3

Toulmin Model: Should Churches Pay Taxes?

For the past 30 years, a debate has raged over the whether or not churches in the United States should pay federal, state, and local taxes. Proponents often argue that churches do many good works, including attending to the needs of the less fortunate in society. Meanwhile, opponents point to the massive financial reserves and real estate holdings of many churches, all of which is tax-free. What do you think? Should churches’ tax-exempt status remain or must they assume tax liabilities, like everyone else?

For this assignment, you will utilize the Toulmin Model to construct a rhetorically-sound claim for or against churches paying taxes. You will construct ONE claim that will be supported by TWO distinct sets of grounds, warrants, backings, etc.

Note:

• Include a Works Cited below your Toulmin Model
• Utilize at least three sources: Two articles from the eReader AND one source from your own research.

Use THIS template to present your model in outline form.

Required:

• Works cited 

Due: Wed 2.6