Henry Petroski: the WRITING Engineer
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Entries by Marybeth Shea (205)
Week 2: day 2
Rethinking your rain garden memo (due on Thursday FOR A GRADE: Checklist here)
- cognitive wedge
- paragraphs that unveil the extended definition (partial use of the stases steps)
Here is an arrangement for your memo.
Polite first person opening
- Para 1: Definition (what is a rain garden, briefly, by two functions)
- Para 2: Classifying (what type of technology is this? Hint: low impact development and storm water management)
- Para 3: Description (Illustrative; give detail on the layers of soil and the type of plants)
- include two examples; consider the ones on campus (separate para; incorporated into one of the paras -- your choice)
- Para 4: Evaluation (is this good or bad? Use Dr. Davis' research as you do not have authority to evaluate based on your expertise)
Polite first person closing with offer to help (content you like but did not include?)
I would think you need about one source per paras 2, 3, 4 Use (author, date) citation from APA guidelines. Include a works cited page also.
Paragraphs
and style. Short paragraphs are evidence that you, the writer, does the heavy lifting for the reader. Why? Please consider paragraphing as an ethical duty to your reader. At the very least, think about manners and consideration.
Here is an exercise in sentence-to-sentence coherence. Work your way through this web exhibit, including the links. Read more about working on paragraph coherence strategies at OWL.
For some fun, as we all head into the hell of May:" Elements"!
Now, some sentences you can use at the beginning of your paragraphs:
Let's look at examples of topic sentences useful in the rain garden memo:
Rain gardens, or bioretention ponds, are a kind of low impact development. Low impact development....
Rain gardens have two components: layers of percolation material and carefully chosen plants.
Rain gardens protect the local environment by absorbing water run-off from impervious surfaces and by sequestering pollutants.
Dr. Allen Davis studies rain garden effectiveness. Davis, a civil engineering professor, has been studying bioretention for more than twenty years.
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Some grammar helps:
Some grammaer/language conventions:
What is an appositive? Friday bits and ends
What is an appositive? A bit of information you insert in between the subject and the verb. You need commas or other sorts of punctuation to set this off. This image of bunny paws can help you remember to do this:
Alot v. A lot: Grammar moment: the abomination of alot. alot is not a word. Let's see what this blogger says about remembering to use a lot and not alot(click into image to access her website).
Now, to this bit of charm from N.N. Ta DAH!
Week 1, Day 2: writing directions today
Lots to do today. First, your research article. Start reading this over the weekend. Our third assignment will be a close review of this knowledge. Hint: make notes on three to five important take-aways. Let's also think about what is a research article.
Let's consider some of the technical language we will use to talk about writing:
- logos
- pathos
- ethos
See more here about Aristotle's "proofs." Dr. Garret's approach is a good place to start. We will think about logos, pathos, ethos in technical settings.
We also need to know about the canons of rhetoric:
- Invention
- Arrangement
- Style
- Delivery
- Memory
In the BYU link above, please click into the links for these five aspects of rhetoric.
We will knit back to Tuesday's post to think about the Oxford or serial comma. Why the videos? Humor supports memory.
SENTENCES:
- sentence strategies
PARAGRAPHS:
- paragraph strategies:
Paragraph transitions: Think pearls beaded upon a string. Think train cars coupled. This UCSB guide is helpful with words that serve nicely as transition elements. This writing guide emphasizes the value of repeating key words as a transition strategy. Now, think about transitions between sentences WITHIN paragraphs as another way to achieve cohesion.
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Your memo:
Using stasis theory questions to organize an extended definition. Your memo is an extended definition, structured by stasis theory. Detail here.
You will write a memo over the weekend in five short paragraphs, with sources, using this stasis structure. Let's talk about the audience/context/purpose for this memo. We will write for Jane Austen Powers at Leaf it to Us. Wh is she?
Answer: SHE IS THE BOSS and your primary audience for the memo.
Source: Dover Pictoral Archive -- Office Clip Art collection
Topic Sentences, to open each paragraph: A list of qualities for you to strive for
Usually a short direct sentence (think announcement)
- Signals the topic in the paragraph (think preview)
- Hooks the reader by 1) raising a question or 2) provoking thought
- Can be placed anywhere, but early on in the paragraph is the best default strategy for most professional documents; in other words, at the beginning of the paragraph
- Contains an element of transition from the previous paragraph
Now, let's write directions in class. Here is the assignment sheet. Before we turn this in, use this check list with a partner.
Tasks and prep for Tuesday:
- Draft a five paragraph definition memo for Monday on rain garden definition. We will discuss and revise on Tuesday in class. On Thursday, you will turn in for a grade to me.
- Select and read your peer-reviewed journal article over the weekend. Email me if you are unsure of the journal article by sending the full APA citation to me.
- BRING DIGITAL COPIES TO CLASS ON TUESDAY OF THESE DOCUMENTS:
- YOUR DIRECTIONS, so that you can earn 1/4 extra credit
- YOUR RAIN GARDEN MEMO DRAFT so that you can revise in class
- See you on Tuesday. Enjoy the weekend.
(Notice the bolded verbs in the numbered commands.)
TASKS FOR THURSDAY:
- Please read all the pink links above , except the paragraph-related ones. We will talk about stasis theory on Thursday. Stasis theory is to the humanities as is scientific method to the sciences/technical approaches to disciplines.
- For Thursday, please rewrite your rain garden memo according to all of today's discussion. If you wish to know about the checklist that we will work from on Thursday, here is a link to this resource. Note: we will make clear some of these items in class. In summer school, we are chasing ourselves to stay on top of material.
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- For content and arrangement, refer to your photos of the discussion. The Cognitive Wedge helps you size the paragraphs.
- Your evaluation paragraph will require that you select some evidence from one of Allen Davis' research papers. One example is fine.
- Keep track of your sources, as we will add our citations, in APA format. You do NOT need one for the first paragraph, as that is common knowledge. Other good sources include the Low Impact Development Center (an organizaiotn founded by Larry Coffman), the Prince George's County Bioretention Manual, and -- of course -- your Allen Davis article.
- Revise your sentences to reflect the strategies in the two handouts.
- Start reading your article. You will need to share three or four interesting points in your review of the article. We start that work in earnest next week. Here is a grid to guide your reading on this, if you wish to work ahead.
- If you did not earn an A on your directions assignment, revise this assignment for Thursday. You will have an opportunity to clarify some items with me, if need be. I would like extra credit evidence completed by Thursday, if you are choosing this option.
- By the end of class, we will print out and turn in these documents -- rain garden memo and revised directions (for those wishing to) -- for a grade.
Summer 2016! Day 1, week 1
Day 1 of Week 1 WELCOME
Welcome. We will discuss several items that preview our work together in this class. Note: this section of 393 is also a campus Sustainabilty Themed Course. I am a campus Chesapeake Fellow and also a national Sustainabily Fellow.
- books (a happy surprise)
- class attendence (YOU MUST COME TO ALL CLASSES)
- assignments overview
- audience sensitivity and rhetorical theory
Theme: Sustainability topics will be addressed in this class. Regardless of your major, this broad social and technical theme can fit your major and career goals. We will discuss this today.
Details: Here is your syllabus. We will discuss the seven assignments that will total about 30 pages of written output in this class.
For Thursday next (day two) please complete these requests:
- Bring a resume and cover letter (draft) to class in digital format
- Find a job description you would like to apply for
- Bring an idea about directions you could write in class AND TURN IN BY END OF PERIOD
- Find a technical article about your field to review for this class (options to be discussed in class)
- Bring in three short definition/ descriptive paragraphs on the topics noted in the email
Note: your cover letter and resume, and the three paragraphs should be brought to class in digital form. For the directions assignment, you need an idea that is ready to go. In other words, you will draft, revise, and complete this directions assignment for a grade on Thursday.
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Here are some materials we will use to jump-start summer learning: NAUGHTY WORD ALERT!
Commas! Yes. Commas are very important to clarity in communication.
Read this link for Thursday. We will use the Oxford comma in this class, for precision and clarity.
Let's see what Stephen Colbert says about the Oxford comma.
Today, we will talk about professional writing and your majors/fields and look at audience analysis. This website -- class journal, posted documents, links, and a draft etext will form the readings for this class. Let's begin by exploring the etext.
Next up, definitions. And directions.
What is a Cougar anyway? Let's check out Cougar Net. think you do not need to worry about cougar encounters? Think again.
No-knead bread (Sullivan Street)
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Looking ahead? You need to know about rain gardens and two related technical concepts: bioretention and phytoremediation.
Study hall/ writing workship again!
And, you need to send me an email by Friday midday about some final project possibilities. Start with the article review. Can you continue with this document? (Highly advised for summer school.)
For discussion today, some examples of sentence types for you to use in your document design revision.
Back to the checklist/guideline document given to you last week (many of you did not use items in this document :( );
Here is the ssmple document for this "look"(again, a repost).
Lots to do!
Much of today's work happens in class. We are preparing for a document design phase of your review for THURSDAY. Your prep today--and on Wednesday--will set the stage for Thrusday's in-class work. You will revise and design your review, peer review in class, consult with me, and PRINT OUT for a grade. All in one day.
Our prep work concerns this "look"
Much of our class discusion today will center on this document sample, MS Word functionality, and limitations on design.
Other work:
- Audience analysis
- a final project idea (you email me on Thursday)
- cover letter resume work (bring digital copies of these documents from now on)