Confusion over 10/9 Assignment

OK...several of you have emailed me a bit confused over the assignment for 10/9. I think I understand the confusion when looking at the syllabus. The missing piece, I hope, I what we would have discussed in class on Thursday.

Here's what it says on the syllabus for 10/9:

"Assignment: TSIS, pp. 101-122. Complete Exercise #1 on p. 113 and Exercise #1 on p. 122.

Assignment: Write a two (2) page, pointed "They Say/I Say" brief that demonstrates the "conversation model" of academic discourse and indicates your position on some of the issues raised in the readings. Utilize some of the templates presented in TSIS."

It's true, this looks suspiciously like the assignment for 10/4. There is a reason for that. What I wanted you to bring in on Thursday was a 2-3 page initial response, summarizing some issues you pulled out of the readings. The assignment for Tuesday,10/9 is to "formalize" this a little more by "trying on" some of the templates in TSIS.

The whole idea of a "pointed brief" is that you will be unable to flesh out the arguments extensively (you only have 2-3 pages)...so you have to write "pointedly" in a "brief" format. For example, a legal brief does not lay out ALL of the arguments. It provides a sketch of the key points and supporting precedents. That's the metaphor I was using on the syllabus.

So, on Tuesday you should have two papers--an intial 2-3 page draft, and a second, 2-3 page "pointed brief" using some of the templates from TSIS.

I hope that helps.

Kevin