Today’s post covers your presentations, submitting your remix, and taking the final exam. Today is the last day you will have to work on Project 4 in class. After today, class sessions will be devoted to presentations of Project 4. I will not hold office hours today, so that I can go to the doctor.

PSAs

• Cringefest, Th, 12/3 at 7 PM. Newman Library, 1st floor Multipurpose Room
• English Dept Undergraduate Symposium, submissions open for Spring 2016

Presentations

Preparing Your Presentation

In-class presentations of Project 4 will take place from Wednesday, 12/2 through Wednesday, 12/9. The presentation page includes details on what you need to include.

You may prepare a slideshow about your project and/or show the project itself. The remote control clicker usually works with PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Prezi. Unfortunately, however, PowerPoint sometimes crashes on the Mac teacher station. Use Google Slides if you can.

Use what you know about multimodal composing to create a strong presentation. An average presentation would include screens full of text and lots of reading off of the screen or your notes.  A stronger presentation would use  the 1/1/5 organizational strategy (using no more than 15 slides to fit into the 5 minute timeframe). 

The Night Before Your Presentation

Submit the link to your presentation in the "Remix Presentation" assignment in Canvas by 9 PM the night before your presentation time slot, so that I can set up the post for the day’s class. There is no grace period for presentations, and there are no make-up presentations.

During Presentations

Please be polite and pay attention to your classmates. Provide positive and/or constructive feedback.If you are absent or not being respectful, you will lower your presentation grade.

Submitting Project 4

Follow these instructions to upload your work, add the reflection comments, and submit your work. The grace period for the project ends at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 9 (the last day of class).

1. Go to our course in Canvas.
2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
3. Choose "Project 4: Remix a Story."
4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this submission form:
   
5. Paste the URL to your remix in the Website URL box.
6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments…box (indicated by the orange arrow):
   • Tell me what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and …..).
   • Explain how you incorporated risk into the project.
   • Share anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be turned in.

Final Exam

Submission Dates

Official due dates:

• 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wednesday, 12/16
• 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Monday, 12/14

End of Grace Period: If you need additional time, submit your final by noon on Wednesday, 12/16. If your work is not in by noon, you will receive a zero. Because I have to turn in course grades, I cannot extend the grace period beyond noon on the 12/16 unless you have a letter from the Dean of Students indicating extenuating circumstances.

Assignment

Your exam is a take-home, and it will consist of creating a revision and sustainability plan for your online portfolio site.

Important Dates

Official due dates:

• 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wednesday, 12/16
• 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Monday, 12/14

End of Grace Period: If you need additional time, submit your final by noon on Wednesday, 12/16. If your work is not in by noon, you will receive a zero. Because I have to turn in course grades, I cannot extend the grace period beyond noon on the 12/16 unless you have a letter from the Dean of Students indicating extenuating circumstances.

Overview

Your exam is a take-home, and it will consist of creating a revision and sustainability/maintenance plan for your online portfolio site. Find information on revision plans on pp. 116–118 of Writer/Designer. Details on sustainability are on pp. 122–126 of Writer/Designer.

If you have never written a report before or want more help with design choices, read "Beyond Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom" from Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 2, for some general advice.

The Assignment

You will review your online portfolio site on WordPress and write a short report that outlines the following information:

• what you have revised.
• what you plan to revise soon (by the beginning of February).
• what you will do to maintain the site each term.

For your discussion of maintenance, start with the changes and upkeep you will do after your course grade is recorded, and then work through key point from that point on until your graduation term. Your goal is to establish a to-do list and timeline so that you have an up-to-date portfolio throughout your time at Virginia Tech.

Report Format and Design

Use what you know about designing content to be read online to create a report that is clear and easy to read. If it’s also fun and interesting, that’s great too.

Pay attention to your design choices and use of the modes of communication. Consider how using layout, headings, and visual elements can help communicate your plan.

You can write a traditional technical report, or you can chose a different format, like a web essay, an infographic, a Prezi, or a timeline. The format of the report is open. You can check with me if you are worried about your choice.

Report Structure

At a minimum, your report should include the following sections:

• an overview that includes the link to your portfolio and discusses your goals and audience for the portfolio over your career in the English Department.
• a section on the revision you have done or are doing.
• a section on your long-term plans to maintain the portfolio.
• a section that explains what steps you will take to ensure you will stay on schedule with your maintenance.
• a conclusion that draws the report together.

Submission

Choose the option below that fits your project. When you click on the option, the submission instructions will appear. Just follow them to submit your work:

• Website URL only
  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose the "Project 5: Final Exam" assignment.
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right.
  5. Click the Website URL tab, and you will see the form below on the page:
     
  6. Paste the link to your final exam in the Website URL field.
  7. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what you are linking to.
     • Explain what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Share anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  8. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
• File upload only
  1. Go to our course in Canvas.
  2. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  3. Choose the "Project 5: Final Exam" assignment.
  4. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
     
  5. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your file. It must be a *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf file.
  6. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what you are linking to.
     • Explain what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Share anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  7. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.
• Both website URL and file upload only

  Canvas does not allow you to use both options at the same time, so you will have to write an extra document. Follow these instructions:

  1. Write a short memo to me in your word processor that gives me the URL. It can be very short. Just give me the link and tell me what it goes to.
  2. Go to our course in Canvas.
  3. Choose Assignments from the left sidebar.
  4. Choose the "Project 5: Final Exam" assignment.
  5. Click the big Submit Assignment button on the upper right. You’ll see this File Upload form:
     
  6. Click the Choose File button, and navigate to your files. They must be *.doc, *.docx, or *.pdf files. You can upload as many as you need. Be sure to upload the memo with the link to your website in addition to any other files.
  7. Type your reflection comments in the Comments… box (indicated by the orange arrow). I read your comments before I read your project. These comments are worth 10 points of your grade. Don’t forget them! Include this information:
     • Tell me what you are linking to.
     • Explain what grade you aimed for (e.g., I aimed for a B+ by including headings and icons).
     • Share anything else you want me to know before I grade your project.
  8. Click the Submit Assignment button, and your work will be uploaded and turned in.

1. Begin by reading through the feedback that you received from your peer review partners on your project draft.
2. Review the rubric for the project in Canvas, and note places where you still need to work to meet your goals.
3. Think in particular about ways to improve your work. Even if your project seems done to you, you should think about what you can do to make it even better. Note that your effort throughout the project matters so find ways to use the remaining time on the project to improve your work.

Writing a Revision Plan

4. Based on your reflection, compose a revision plan for the project in your word processor, following the instructions on pp. 116-118 of Writer/Designer.
5. Include the link to the current draft of your project in your revision plan.
6. If desired, submit any additional materials that support your revision plan (e.g., a mock-up of a new section, a storyboard for a scene you will add, a chart showing a new design or structure).
7. Submit your word processor file and any other attachments in the Project 4 Revision Plan assignment in Canvas. You’ll find it on the Assignments page.

Expectations for Your Revision Plan

Average (C) Work: Your revision plan answers all of the questions included in the revision plan section of Writer/Designer. It provides simple, basic details on how you will revise the project. It sticks to more cursory changes to the project. For example, a cursory revision would focus on fixing typos and correcting some broken links. Your revision plan will show that you will put in an average amount of effort before you turn in the project.

Above-Average (B) Work: Your revision plan goes beyond simple changes and shows a concerted effort to rethink and improve the current draft of your remix. An above-average plan might talk about cutting or completely rewriting a section of the remix, redesigning the look and feel of a section, and/or changing the way images are incorporated. Your revision plan will show that you will put in a reasonable amount of effort before you turn in the project.

Excellent (A) Work: An excellent revision plan will talk not only about what changes you would make, but specifically how you would change things. Note that you may include whatever makes sense for your revision plan (e.g., a mock-up of a new section, a storyboard for a scene you will add, a chart showing a new design or structure). Your revision plan will show that you will put in a considerable amount of effort before you turn in the project.

Upcoming Schedule

Fri, 11/13	Work on your project in-class and mini-conferences
Mon, 11/16	Sign-up for presentations; discuss Chapter 8 and plans for the week
Tue, 11/17	Post your Project 4 draft by 11:59 PM for peer review (no grace period). Peer review partners will be automatically assigned after midnight.
Wed, 11/18	Work online to respond to the two partners you have been assigned by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Th, 11/19. No classroom meeting.
Fri, 11/20	Write and submit your revision plan for Project 4 by 11:59 PM. Grace period ends 11:59 PM Su, 11/22. No classroom meeting.
Thanksgiving Break: Nov 21 to Nov 29
Mon, Nov 30	Discuss submission for Project 4 and the final exam assignment. Project 4 due by 11:59 PM
Wed, Dec 2 through Wed, Dec 9	In-class Presentations (no grace period for presentations). Link to your presentation is due by 11:59 PM the day before you present.
Wed, Dec 9	Project 4 Grace Period ends at 11:59 PM
Exam Week	Final Exam (officially): 10:10 course: Due by 9:45 AM on Wed, Dec 16 11:15 course: Due by 5:25 PM on Mon, Dec 14

Presentation Sign-Up

Presentation sign-up will be on Monday. Be in class and ready to choose your time slot when the sign-up form opens. In your presentation, you will show off your project, talking about what you did and why you did it. It’s okay if your project isn’t quite finished. You will present whatever you have.

Rough Cuts, Rough Drafts, and Revision Plans

• A rough cut (for timeline-based projects) or prototype (for static projects) is usually rougher, or less finished, than a rough draft.

• The “Planning Your Rough Cut” section of Chapter 7 (pp. 107–109) includes lists of the basic decisions you should make by the time you have a rough cut. You need to answer the questions in the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz by the end of class on Friday (grace period will end on Sunday at 5:30 PM).

• You will use the following information next week:

  • Tue, 11/17: Explain your rhetorical situation (pp. 111–112) when you submit your draft for peer review.
  • Wed, 11/18: Use the questions for providing feedback (pp. 112–115) when you give feedback to your partners
  • Fri, 11/20: Follow the information on revision plans (pp. 116–118) to plan your remaining work on the project.

In-Class Writing for Today or Friday

Go to the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz in Canvas and explain the decisions you have made for your project. See the information on pp. 107–109 of Writer/Designer for help.

Homework

For Friday, do the following before class:

• Be prepared to work in class.
• Have your textbook if you have not finished the "Rough Cut Progress" quiz. Grace period ends at 5:30 PM on Sunday, 11/15.

For Monday, do the following before class:

• Be on time for presentation sign-up.
• Be prepared to work in class.
• Read Chapter 8 of Writer/Designer. Pay particular attention to the information on presenting your "Reporting on Your Final Project" (pp. 132–133).