1. The Writer as Detective
CASP Annual Conference
November 5-7, 2008
Corpus Christi
Dr. Karen Armitano
Virginia Norquest
South Texas College

2. Prior Developmental Curriculum: Smelly, Dead Body Found in Beginning-Level Writing Classroom
Focused on THEA topics
Non-relevant topics
Formulaic essays
Static curriculum

3. Theoretical Basis: Lessons from Science
Steps to discovery
planning,
observing,
analyzing evidence (making conclusions)
evaluating evidence
Effects of enriched environment:
Brain study of rats

4. Theoretical Basis: Active Learning
Johnson & Johnson– Active Learning:
Cooperation in the College Classroom
“…students actively construct their own knowledge…something a learner does, not something that is done to a learner.”
“…learning is the social enterprise in which students need to interact with the instructor and classmates.”

5. The Search for Clues Writing to discover Identity : Community:
“It is difficult to write analytically from the middle of confusion, and youth is a confusion in which the self and its desires have not yet sorted themselves out.” Philip Lopate in The Art of the Personal Essay
Community:
“To help poor writers, then, we need to explain that their writing takes place within a community, and to explain what the community’s conventions are.” Patricia Bizzell in Cross Talk in Composition Theory.

6. Investigative Cases: The Paper Work
Who am I?
How to Interview
The Value of a College Education
A Commencement Speech
A Letter to College President

7. Curriculum Revival: The Student as Active Investigator
Leave desks to conduct field work
Relate to new college community--
Interview classmates, family members, faculty, and staff
Investigate college environment
Bring outside world into classroom community via YouTube and internet

8. Tools for Investigation of Community
Summarize short stories via Summary Response journals
Conduct interviews
Address diverse audiences
Research topics: EBSCO, library, internet, APA
Correct grammatical errors through partner work/instructor feedback

9. Who Am I?: A Mystery to Be Solved (Identity Paragraph)
Respond to community of readings with summary/response journal
“Change of Attitude,” “Notes of a Translator’s Son,” and “Papa,”
Sullivan Ballou on YouTube
Brainstorm ideas for “Who Am I?” paragraph
Focus on paragraph structure: topic sentence, details, description, length & format
Do peer evaluation—audience awareness
Sample paragraphs

10. How to Interview: First Steps to Discovery (Process)
Guided lesson plan for essay
Practice interviewing
Considerations for process essay
Outline of essay form
Focus: Body paragraph, topic sentence, logical sequence
Peer evaluation
Sample essay

11. The Value of a College Education: Discovering Evidence (Illustration)
Conduct Interviews (primary research)
Take notes during interviews
Identify main ideas on note cards
Use main ideas to create a clear thesis
Use lead-ins, interview details, & quotes
Do peer evaluation
Sample essay

12. Commencement Speech: Discovering Community (Persuasion)
Watch, read, and react to Steve Jobs’ Commencement speech at Stanford (YouTube)
Build a thesis
Brainstorm barriers to a college education
Write a persuasive speech—types of persuasive appeal
Do peer evaluation & speech presentation
Sample speech

13. Letter to College President: Discovering Purpose (Persuasion)
Investigate campus conditions
Choose a topic: food, fitness, or smoking
Form groups and strategize approach
Research in library, on college websites, and on campus
Write letter to college president
Do peer evaluation
Publish letters & deliver to college president (authentic audience
Sample letter

14. Mystery Solved: A Live Curriculum
Students discover writing through:
Active participation in class
Awareness of importance of support
Awareness of diverse audiences
Active community engagement
Active ownership of community

15. SO WHAT? Students enjoy the discovery process
Students learn how to write
Students aware of who they are in an academic community
Instructors enjoy teaching the curriculum