Course Number ENGL 3880 Course Title Writing and Digital Media

Meeting Time/Location Section 01 TR 3:30-4:45 C-2230

Term and Year Fall 2018 Professor Dr. Scott Reed
Office I-3104 Contact Information Email sreed3@ggc.edu
Cell Phone: 678.682.5744

Required Texts & 1. Writer/Designer: A Guide to Making Multimodal Projects (2nd edition) by
Materials Arola, Sheppard, and Ball.
2. Various online readings (links in D2L)
3. Pen and notebook, for notetaking and writing.
4. Wordpress/Weebly/Wix Account

Course Description This course is both a technical and intellectual introduction to adapting
writing strategies to the needs and demands of online readership. Students
will consider the roles played by linking and intertextuality in online
discourse, engage in multiple writing modalities including video and image,
perform rhetorical analyses of digital texts, consider rhetorical & ethical
issues relevant to online writing, and learn strategies for developing usable
and readable online texts.

Your Professor Dr. Reed received his PhD from the University of Georgia in 2009, where he studied
and taught the intersections between popular culture and rhetoric & composition
studies. Put differently, he's really interested in figuring out how pop culture changes
the ways we read and write, and how we can effectively learn to read and write about
pop culture. Dr. Reed's interests in visual media, and videogames in particular, have
led him to publish scholarly work such in journals as Currents in Electronic Literacy
and Kairos, and in the book Generation Zombie: Essays on the Living Dead in
Modern Culture.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of ENGL 1102 with a grade of C or higher

Course Objectives: Students taking this course will:

 Practice writing in digital environments, and adapt their writing to the
constraints of those media;
 Integrate multiple communicative media into their writing;
 Analyze digital media for their rhetorical, communicative, and expressive
effectiveness and apply that understanding to their own writing;
 Explore the social construction of discourse through networked and social
media;
 Perform research using digital resources;
 Develop technical skill in core web technologies;

Course Outcomes: Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
 Dr. Scott Reed English 3880 – Fall 2018 2
 Adapt their processes for writing, researching, and giving presentations to
the demands of digital media.
 Revise their writing for concision, emphasis, and stylistic elegance
 Compose across a variety of media, using the rhetorical strategies most
germane to each
 Analyze the rhetorical strategies used by web authors and designers
 Demonstrate an understanding of the intellectual and ethical issues
inherent in online discourse
 Conduct and assess research using online sources
 Present work that takes advantage of the inherently social and networked
dimensions of online writing

Integrated Educational
Experience (IEE) Goals: The course goals support all of the following IEE goals:
 IEE1: Clearly communicate ideas in written and oral form.
 IEE2: Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in inter- and
multi- disciplinary contexts.
 IEE3: Demonstrate effective use of information technology.
 IEE4: Demonstrate an ability to collaborate in diverse and global
contexts.
 IEE5: Demonstrate an understanding of human and institutional
decision
 making from multiple perspectives.
 IEE6: Demonstrate an understanding of moral and ethical principles.
 IEE7: Demonstrate and apply leadership principles.

Assessment

Course Assignments Percentage Value of

Overall Grade
Engagement 20% of final grade
This covers day-to-day engagement in the class: being on time, prepared, and active. This
also includes team-based assignments. We’ll also stash a few points here from quizzes and
in-class activities.
Portal & Short Writing Assignments 10% of final grade
Early in the semester, everyone will set up an online space to serve as a portal (I hesitate to
say “portfolio”) for most of the course’s assignments, particularly short writing assignments
that will ask you to practice your skills and refine your style.
Multimodal Rhetorical Analysis 10% of final grade
Working from the first two chapters of Writer/Designer, you’ll analyze a multimodal text of
your choice, breaking down its design strategies in detail and explaining how they reach
their intended audience(s) and achieve rhetorical purpose(s).
Multimodal Genre Analysis 20% of final grade
Don’t let the fancy title fool you. This assignment will have you analyze a genre of
multimodal texts – anything from RKO vines and Slenderman creepypastas to #BLM syllabi
and college websites – and discuss their rhetorical and design strategies. Unlike the
Rhetorical Analysis, this one should be presented in a multimodal format.
Major Project 40% of final grade
The core project of the semester, one that we’ll start planning as early as Week 5, is a full-
grown multimodal composition of your own. You’ll have several weeks to refine a concept,
conduct supporting research, gather multimodal assets, and execute a design in just about
any medium you like. Create a podcast, develop a website, or rewrite Ulysses in emoji.
Dr. Scott Reed English 3880 – Fall 2018 3

Letter Grade Numeric Range What it Means

A 90-100 Excellent
B 80-89 Good
C 70-79 Competent
D 60-69 Insufficient
F Below 60 Failure

Expectations of Students
Students are expected to abide by all policies in the catalog of Georgia Gwinnett College and the School
of Liberal Arts as well as all policies posted on the official web site of Georgia Gwinnett College and the
School of Liberal Arts.

Technology Covenant
Technology will be used to deliver content, provide resources, assess learning, and facilitate interaction.
All students at GGC need to have access to a computer. If you do not have one, computer labs are
available on campus. Students can expect to access the course materials and grades via BrightSpace,
and should therefore check BrightSpace regularly.

Attendance Policy
Absent students will earn zero Engagement points for the day, but those points can be made up by
communicating with the professor or setting up conferences. Everyone will able to drop FOUR absences
from their Engagement grade. Students who miss class for university-approved activities such as field
trips and extracurricular events (documentation will be required) will be permitted to make up individual
in-class assignments.

In-Class Assignment Policy

Few assignments will be given in-class, as much of the work of writing will happen on your own time.
Short in-class projects will count towards Engagement and cannot be made up if they are missed.
However, instead of earning a zero, the grade will simply be removed from your average.

Communication Policy
I prefer email, but email and texting are both great ways to get in touch. The key principle of my
communication policy is “Talk to me before there’s a problem, and we won’t have a
problem.” Any issue that effects your success in this course – struggling with reading, struggling with
the writing process, dealing with schedule conflicts, feeling tired or overwhelmed – are things I want to
help you deal with, but you have to take that first step.

Assignment Submission Policy

All writing assignments and process pieces will be turned in through Brightspace/D2L. Writing
assignments should be submitted as Microsoft Office (DOCX) or OpenOffice (ODT) files. Process
pieces like sketches, diagrams, and notes, can be uploaded as PDFs or images, provided they are
photographed clearly and legibly. Writing assignments that are not uploaded in the required formats will
count as late until they are fixed. (See below.)

Late Paper Policy

To help you with your time management, all your due dates for the semester are posted online already. If
you are ever concerned about missing a deadline, refer to the Communication Policy above: if you talk
to me about the problem in advance, we won’t have a problem. If you miss a cut-off by a few minutes,
send me the file immediately by email – no problem. Longer delays will effect your grade and invalidate
your Course Contract. I reserve the right to refuse late work.
Dr. Scott Reed English 3880 – Fall 2018 4
Quizzes
See “In-Class Assignment Policy” above. Quizzes are part of your Engagement grade and cannot be
made up.

Cell Phone Policy

Cell Phones: you’ve got them, I’ve got them. My policy on them is simple: playing on your phone
means you’re not engaging. You’re not making your learning and your education the priority. On top of
that, I take it as a sign of disrespect, one that can damage our working relationship. Anytime I see
significant distraction, I will quietly give you a zero for that day’s Engagement. (Since Engagement
grades are only updated every 4 weeks, you may not notice the damage until much later.)

Important Dates

Date Day(s) Description

August 13, 2018 Monday Classes Begin for the Spring 2018 Semester
August 21, 2018 Sunday The Drop and Add period Ends for Spring 2018 Semester
September 3, 2018 Monday No Classes due to Labor Day Holiday
October 1, 2018 Monday Mid-Term Grades Due for Fall 2018 Semester
October 3, 2018 Wednesday Last Day to Withdraw for Fall 2018 Semester
November 6, 2018 Tuesday Election Day – Dr. Reed’s classes will be cancelled
November 20-25, 2018 Tuesday-Saturday Thanksgiving Break
December 1, 2018 Saturday Last Day for Spring Semester 2018 Classes
TBA TBA Final Exam

College/School Policies

Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Statement

It continues to be the policy of Georgia Gwinnett College to implement affirmative action and equal
opportunity for all employees, students and applicants for employment or admission without regard to
race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability.

The college’s affirmative action program and related policies are developed in compliance with federal
and state laws listed in the college catalogue, and in conformance with these regulations Georgia
Gwinnett College does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment or against
any student or applicant for admission with regard to any opportunity for which the employee or student
is qualified.

Every member of this college community is expected to uphold this policy as a matter of mutual respect
and fundamental fairness in human relations. The policy has the unequivocal support of the Office of the
President. All members of the staff, faculty, and student body are expected to ensure that
nondiscriminatory practices are followed at Georgia Gwinnett College.

Americans with Disabilities Act Statement

Georgia Gwinnett College will provide reasonable accommodation to employees, applicants for
employment, students, and patrons who have physical and/or mental disabilities, in accordance with
applicable statutes. Georgia Gwinnett College will take affirmative action to employ and advance in
employment persons who are qualified disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam Era, or other covered
veterans. If you are a student who is disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and
require assistance or support services, please seek assistance through the Center for Disability Services.
Dr. Scott Reed English 3880 – Fall 2018 5

Academic Enhancement Center

The Academic Enhancement Center provides free drop­in tutoring for GGC students at its new location 
in C3­G360. (I know that sounds like a supporting character in Star Wars, but it means ground floor of 
the new C­Building expansion.)

Prohibitions against academic dishonesty (see below) should in no way inhibit or discourage you from
seeking legitimate assistance in developing an assignment. You need not write in isolation. As you will
read below, this course will provide you with lots of opportunities to receive assistance with your
writing from your peers and from me. When you seek these kinds of legitimate academic assistance, you
are not plagiarizing. In fact, you are making an extraordinary attempt to improve your writing and
academic performance.

Academic Integrity
Georgia Gwinnett College students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity
and are expected to encourage others to do the same. Further, students are expected to take responsible
action when there is reason to suspect dishonesty on the part of others. While it is not possible to list all
acts of academic dishonesty, examples include knowingly performing, attempting to perform, or
assisting another in performing any act of academic dishonesty; cheating; plagiarism; collusion;
submitting previously submitted material; misrepresentation or falsification of material;
misrepresentation of circumstances such as illness, conflicting responsibilities. Additional details on
academic integrity are found in the college catalogue.

Academic dishonesty carries severe penalties ranging from a grade of “0” on the affected assignment to
dismissal from Georgia Gwinnett College. Each faculty member at Georgia Gwinnett College bears the
responsibility for assigning penalties for cases of academic dishonesty. Students may appeal a penalty as
outlined in the Student Handbook.

Attendance Policy
Instructors are required to publish this policy in their syllabi:
The classroom experience is a vital component of the college learning experience. Interaction with
instructors and with other students is a necessary component of the learning process. Students are
expected to attend regularly and promptly all class meetings and academic appointments. Students who
are absent from classes bear the responsibility of notifying their instructors and keeping up with class
assignments in conjunction with instructor provisions in the course syllabus. An individual instructor
bears the decision as to whether a student’s absence is excused or unexcused and whether work will be
permitted to be made up; the decision of the instructor in this case is final. Students who are absent
because of participation in college-approved activities (such as field trips and extracurricular events)
will be permitted to make up the work missed during their college-approved absences. Individual
instructors may establish additional attendance requirements appropriate to their course’s context, e.g.,
lab attendance. A student whose class schedule would otherwise prevent him or her from voting will be
permitted an excused absence for the interval reasonably required for voting.

Academic Respect
Students are expected to abide by class policies and procedures and to treat faculty and other students in
a professional, respectful manner. Students are expected to be familiar with the student conduct code
published in the Student Handbook.
Dr. Scott Reed English 3880 – Fall 2018 6
Course Changes
The course syllabus provides a general plan for this course. The professor reserves the right to make
changes to the syllabus, including changes to assignments, projects, case studies, examinations, and so
forth, in order to accommodate the needs of the class as a whole and to fulfill the goals of the course.

Tentative Course Schedule

Week 1 Course introductions Defining Mmultimodality

8/13 Start setting up portal
Week 2 W/D, Chapter 1 Portal set up
8/20 Discussing “affordances”

Review/workshop Multimodal Literacy Narrative

Multimodal Literacy Narrative due Friday

Week 3 Read W/D, Chapter 2 Rhetorical Analysis, cont’d
8/27 Defining Rhetorical Analysis, Podcasts and aural design
Working on examples
Week 4 Rhetorical Analysis, cont’d Workshop Rhetorical Analysis
9/3
Rhetorical Analysis due Friday
Week 5 Read W/D, Chapter 7 W/D, Chapter 3
9/10 Discussing technology needs Defining “genre”
Week 6 Academic Webtexts as genre Genre Analysis Walkthrough/Student
9/17 Von Kooten,”Writer, Singer” presentations
Stolley, “The Lo-Fi Manifesto”
Setting up Peer Review
W/D Chapter 5 (at least 124-35)
Week 7 Genre Analysis Peer Review Setting up the Major Project:
9/24 W/D Chapter 4
GA Feedback Letter due Thursday Harris, “Coming to Terms”
Genre Analysis due Monday
Week 8 Developing Pitches (1-on-1s) Project Pitches
10/1
Week 9 W/D, Chapter 6 Fair Use & Copyright
10/8 Sources and Assets Faden, “A Fair(ly) Use Tale”
Lessig, “Copyright Laws…”
Filmmaker, “Bound by Law”
Week 10 Proposal Workshop Proposal Workshop
10/15 Major Project Proposal Due Friday
Week 11 “Tech Week:” Photoshop/Spark, Tech Week, cont’d
10/22 Infographics & Research, Group
Presentations
Week 12 Proposal: Revise & Resubmit FLEX
10/29 Begin Developing Mockups
Week 13 ELECTION DAY – NO CLASS Project Workshop: Moving from Mockup to
11/5 Rough Draft

Week 14 Rough Draft Peer Review WORKSHOP

11/12 Feedback letters due Wed or Thur Rough Draft Peer Review, continued
Week 15 Thanksgiving Break
11/19
Week 16 WORKSHOP WORKSHOP
11/26 Last day of classes
Final Exam TBA