What is writing? (spring 2021)

1. what is “writing”?

2. what is “writing”?

3. what is “writing”?
writing is material:

4. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical: Changes with the times while
itself making changes to the times.
• Social: Means different things in different
social contexts, while making those
contexts possible.

5. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.

6. Crypto-Minoan syllabary (ca. 1550–1050 B.C.E.)

7. Russian prison tattoo (ca. 1960-80)

8. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical

9. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical: Changes with the times while
itself making changes to the times.

10. Scripta continua (4th century)

11. Web design

12. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical: Changes with the times while
itself making changes to the times.
• Social

13. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical: Changes with the times while
itself making changes to the times.
• Social: Means different things in different
social contexts, while making those
contexts possible.

14. HTML code

15. “Hobo” code

16. what is “writing”?
writing is material:
• Physical: Not just a representation of
abstract ideas, but a concrete part of
them.
• Historical: Changes with the times while
itself making changes to the times.
• Social: Means different things in different
social contexts, while making those
contexts possible.

17. what is “writing”?
what kinds of research & scholarship?
• Physical ➔ Literary, art, and music
criticism
• Historical ➔ History
• Social ➔ Social sciences

18. • Four essay assignments. (3 kinds of research/scholarship, 2 kinds of
writing, and a reflection.)
• Drafting in stages, in class and at home. (Bring your laptop.)
• Revising, revising, revising. (No “rough drafts” and no “fixing” or
“correcting.”)
• Feedback from me and your peers.
• Homework, participation, and attendance. (Expect to work for 12
hours a week. Expect to read two or three times, to listen closely,
and to take good, detailed, reliable notes.)
• Conference and revision weeks.
• Late work.
• Grades.
• Liberties, responsibilities, and self-reliance.
Nuts and bolts

19. • Four essay assignments.
— 3 kinds of research/scholarship, 2 kinds of writing, and a
reflection.
— The reflective essay is the most challenging and the most
important one.
• Drafting in stages, in class and at home.
— Bring your laptop.
• Revising, revising, revising.
— No “rough drafts” and no “fixing” or “correcting.”
• Feedback from me and your peers.
Nuts and bolts

20. • Homework, participation, and attendance.
— Expect to work for 12 hours a week.
— Expect to read/listen/watch two or three times and closely, and
to take good, detailed, reliable notes.
• Conference and revision weeks.
• Provisional grades.
• Liberties, responsibilities, and self-reliance.
— Wide latitude of topics
— Flexible timelines and inflexible deadlines
— Reading, rereading, and rerereading the syllabus, prompts, and
other materials.
Nuts and bolts

21. And finally:

22. And finally:
This will be new and different.

23. And finally:
This will be new and different.
High school ➔ College ➔ Grad school / profession /the
world

24. And finally:
This will be new and different.
High school ➔ College ➔ Grad school / profession /the
world
Original, independent thinking!

25. And finally:
This will be new and different.
High school ➔ College ➔ Grad school / profession /the
world
Original, independent thinking!
This will be demanding.

26. And finally:
This will be new and different.
High school ➔ College ➔ Grad school / profession /the
world
Original, independent thinking!
This will be demanding.
This will be rewarding . . .

27. And finally:
This will be new and different.
High school ➔ College ➔ Grad school / profession /the
world
Original, independent thinking!
This will be demanding.
This will be rewarding . . . if you work really hard, stay on top of
everything, and stay focused on and embrace what’s new and
different about the work we’re doing.