What is writing

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. Incan Quipu (or “knot writing”)

17. 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.

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

19. • 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.
Nuts and bolts

20. • Four essay assignments.
— 3 kinds of research/scholarship, 2 kinds of writing, and a reflection.
a reflection.
—The reflective essay is the most challenging and the most
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

21. • 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
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
prompts, and other materials.
Nuts and bolts

22. And finally:

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

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

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

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

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 . . .

28. 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.