SYLLABUS
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Assistant Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Mondays 11-12:30 am and by appointment
Email: hidalgo5@msu.edu
COURSE GOALS AND OUTCOMES
This course is an exploration of the intersections between the memoir genre and academia, in particular Rhetoric and Composition. In this course you will:
1. Read/view/listen to/experience memoirs published in Rhetoric and Composition journals and examine what the memoir genre brings to the discipline.
2. Analyze the ways in which presenting our memoirs in different media (alphabetic writing, video, podcasts, slidecasts, webtexts) transforms what we can express through each piece.
3. Become familiar with theoretical and practical scholarship about the memoir genre.
4. Create your own academic memoir in the medium of your choosing.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Academic Lives: Memoir, Cultural Theory, and the University by Cynthia G. Franklin. Published by University of Georgia Press, 2009.
Beyond the Archives: Research as Lived Process by Gesa E. Kirsch and Liz Rohan. Published by Southern Illinois University Press, 2008.
Bootstraps: From an Academic of Color by Victor Villanueva. Published by NCTE, 1992.
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa. Published by Aunt Lute Books, 1987.
Everyday Chica: Music and More. CD published by Longleaf Press, 2011.
Our course website has links to additional online readings. There are also two readings in PDF format that can be found at desire2learn.
ASSIGNMENTS
Text Responses (20%)
You will write four 1,000-1,200 word responses where you compare two class texts, selecting one issue/concept/idea brought up by both of them and analyze how each text deals with it.
Due Date: Anytime between 9/9 and 12/2. You need to submit your response on the day we’re discussing the readings you’re addressing.
“I Wish We Were Reading/Watching/Listening to/Experiencing This” Presentation (30%)
In pairs, you will come up with a 20-minute presentation in which you share two texts in any medium (alphabetic writing, video, podcast, slidecast, webtext, and so on) that would have made great additions to our class texts.
Due Date: Everyone will present on 11/11. If you cannot be there on that day, speak to me right away.
“Initial Thoughts on Memoir” Presentation (5%)
In a five-minute presentation, you will discuss your idea for your final project and ask questions you would like the class to help you resolve.
Due Date: 2-3 students will sign up to present on each of these days: 9/23, 10/7, and 10/14.
“Memoir Ideas Revisited” Presentation (5%)
In a five-minute presentation, you will provide a detailed plan for your project and ask questions you would like the class to help you resolve.
Due Date: 2-3 students will sign up to present on each of these days: 10/21, 10/28, and 11/4.
Memoir (40%)
Your final project will be an academic memoir in any medium of your choice. For alphabetic writing, I suggest between 15-20 pages. For videos, podcasts, and slidecasts you should aim for 8-15 minutes. Webtexts will vary, but try to develop something that would take 15-20 minutes to navigate.
Due Date: 12/9 by class time.
COURSE POLICIES
We will be doing things during every class meeting that cannot be replicated outside the classroom, as a result I expect you to be there for every meeting. If you are unable to attend class for some reason, make sure to let me know in advance so you can try to make up some of what you’ll miss. I’ll do my best to make you want to come to class and make class worth your while. In exchange, I expect you to come to class prepared and to contribute to our activities and discussions.
You must complete all course assignments in order to pass this class. You should submit your work on time. Late work will only be accepted if you consult with me prior to the class period in which it is due.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Mondays 11-12:30 am and by appointment
Email: hidalgo5@msu.edu
COURSE GOALS AND OUTCOMES
This course is an exploration of the intersections between the memoir genre and academia, in particular Rhetoric and Composition. In this course you will:
1. Read/view/listen to/experience memoirs published in Rhetoric and Composition journals and examine what the memoir genre brings to the discipline.
2. Analyze the ways in which presenting our memoirs in different media (alphabetic writing, video, podcasts, slidecasts, webtexts) transforms what we can express through each piece.
3. Become familiar with theoretical and practical scholarship about the memoir genre.
4. Create your own academic memoir in the medium of your choosing.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Academic Lives: Memoir, Cultural Theory, and the University by Cynthia G. Franklin. Published by University of Georgia Press, 2009.
Beyond the Archives: Research as Lived Process by Gesa E. Kirsch and Liz Rohan. Published by Southern Illinois University Press, 2008.
Bootstraps: From an Academic of Color by Victor Villanueva. Published by NCTE, 1992.
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa. Published by Aunt Lute Books, 1987.
Everyday Chica: Music and More. CD published by Longleaf Press, 2011.
Our course website has links to additional online readings. There are also two readings in PDF format that can be found at desire2learn.
ASSIGNMENTS
Text Responses (20%)
You will write four 1,000-1,200 word responses where you compare two class texts, selecting one issue/concept/idea brought up by both of them and analyze how each text deals with it.
Due Date: Anytime between 9/9 and 12/2. You need to submit your response on the day we’re discussing the readings you’re addressing.
“I Wish We Were Reading/Watching/Listening to/Experiencing This” Presentation (30%)
In pairs, you will come up with a 20-minute presentation in which you share two texts in any medium (alphabetic writing, video, podcast, slidecast, webtext, and so on) that would have made great additions to our class texts.
Due Date: Everyone will present on 11/11. If you cannot be there on that day, speak to me right away.
“Initial Thoughts on Memoir” Presentation (5%)
In a five-minute presentation, you will discuss your idea for your final project and ask questions you would like the class to help you resolve.
Due Date: 2-3 students will sign up to present on each of these days: 9/23, 10/7, and 10/14.
“Memoir Ideas Revisited” Presentation (5%)
In a five-minute presentation, you will provide a detailed plan for your project and ask questions you would like the class to help you resolve.
Due Date: 2-3 students will sign up to present on each of these days: 10/21, 10/28, and 11/4.
Memoir (40%)
Your final project will be an academic memoir in any medium of your choice. For alphabetic writing, I suggest between 15-20 pages. For videos, podcasts, and slidecasts you should aim for 8-15 minutes. Webtexts will vary, but try to develop something that would take 15-20 minutes to navigate.
Due Date: 12/9 by class time.
COURSE POLICIES
We will be doing things during every class meeting that cannot be replicated outside the classroom, as a result I expect you to be there for every meeting. If you are unable to attend class for some reason, make sure to let me know in advance so you can try to make up some of what you’ll miss. I’ll do my best to make you want to come to class and make class worth your while. In exchange, I expect you to come to class prepared and to contribute to our activities and discussions.
You must complete all course assignments in order to pass this class. You should submit your work on time. Late work will only be accepted if you consult with me prior to the class period in which it is due.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.
