1. Fleming college Communications I (COMM 201)
Week 7/12 Seminar

2. Seminar Agenda Revised Semester plan Profile writing review
Field research activity
Writing a profile paragraph using field research
Peer reviewing profile paragraphs
Assessing a profile

3. Weeks
Topics and Activities
Assessment 12
Nov
Writing a Profile: Taking and Using Good Notes Adding detail and organizing ideas; working with notes; Integrating and citing quotations for primary vs secondary sources
RB #6 (3%)
Final version of "This I Believe" uploaded to Dropbox in D2L 15% (due date according to instructor) 13
Nov 26-Dec 2
True Writing is Re-writing Editing vs. revising; reflecting on the profile genre; your word processor can do more than spell-check
First draft of Profile Assignment due at BEGINNING of lab for peer review (5%)
*A complete draft must be on WordPress labelled Draft 1 14
Dec 3-9
Research in the Age of the Internet Asking good questions; library and Internet research methods
Second draft of Profile Assignment due at BEGINNING of lab for peer and instructor review (5%)
*A complete draft must be on WordPress labelled Draft 2 15
Dec 10-16
What's Your Point? What is an argument?; critical thinking strategies for writing, reading, and research; editing and revising for style and clarity; Final Reflective Assignment instructions
RB #7, 8, 9, 10 due (December 17 by 11:59 p.m.) 16
Dec 17-23
Profile Writing Tips Editing and revising for style and clarity
Final version of Profile Assignment uploaded to D2L Dropbox by END of lab (20%) 17
Jan 2-8
Final Reflective Assignment
Final Reflective Assignment (10%)

4. Review: Basic features of a profile
An intriguing, well-focused subject
a specific person, place, or activity
An engaging and informative plan
The flow of unfamiliar information is carefully planned and controlled
A vivid presentation
specific details over generalities—subjects presented vividly and in detail
A dominant impression/interpretation
the writer’s insights into the subject after having spent time researching, observing, and/or interviewing
This slide is intended for review based on last week’s lesson.

5. Profile Writing: Strategies in Review
provide detail
narrative
quotation
description
organize clearly and logically
narrative (as story or anecdote)
topical (as an array of topics)
establish your role as writer
spectator or detached observer
participant observer
combination
develop a perspective on the subject
main idea or cultural significance
explicit (through commentary) or implicit (through tone)
In a guided seminar leading to a small group/paired activity, any of the week 5 and 6 profiles as examples (“The Last Stop”, “Dirty Jobs”, “The Luckiest Man in Canada”) present the following:
1. Profile writers always research the subject thoroughly and present information using detail
-- through narrative (telling a story)
-- through quotation, paraphrase, summary
-- through description (naming, detailing, comparing)
2. Profile can be organized either narratively or topically
-- narratively, presented as a guided tour of a place or story
~ incorporated with time markers (look for narrative actions, verb tenses, calendar and clock time, transitions of time and space)
-- topically, presented as an array of topics
~ incorporated through logical transitions (look for contradictions, causes, conclusions, and speculation)
3. Profile writers assume a role in relation to the subject
-- spectator or detached observer, like that of the reader (as an outsider looking in)
-- participant observer, participates in the action and acquires insider knowledge
-- sometimes use both roles
4. All the basic features listed previously—detailed information, the way it is organized, and the writer’s role—develop the writer’s perspective
-- reflected through the main idea, the cultural significance, or the take-away
-- use of description and narration creates a dominant impression
-- analysis and interpretation establish perspective, conveyed explicitly through commentary and/or implicitly through tone (like irony)

6. 1. Profile writers always research the subject thoroughly and present information using detail
-- through narrative (telling a story)
-- through quotation, paraphrase, summary
-- through description (naming, detailing, comparing)
2. Profile can be organized either narratively or topically
-- narratively, presented as a guided tour of a place or story
~ incorporated with time markers (look for narrative actions, verb tenses, calendar and clock time, transitions of time and space)
-- topically, presented as an array of topics
~ incorporated through logical transitions (look for contradictions, causes, conclusions, and speculation)
3. Profile writers assume a role in relation to the subject
-- spectator or detached observer, like that of the reader (as an outsider looking in)
-- participant observer, participates in the action and acquires insider knowledge
-- sometimes use both roles
4. All the basic features listed previously—detailed information, the way it is organized, and the writer’s role—develop the writer’s perspective
-- reflected through the main idea, the cultural significance, or the take-away
-- use of description and narration creates a dominant impression
-- analysis and interpretation establish perspective, conveyed explicitly through commentary and/or implicitly through tone (like irony)

7. Field Research Activity Sheet Handout
Work in pairs
Decide on a focus for your interview, target interviewee
Create 3-5 questions as a starting point, be prepared to ask follow-up or prompting questions
One partner will focus on recording answers, other will record observations (tone of voice, body language, description, etc.)
Send students out for 25 minutes to interview anyone at Fleming

8. Writing activity
10-15 minutes of drafting a paragraph based on your notes
10-15 minutes of peer review
A peer review handout has been created that is specific to the genre conventions that have been covered throughout this module. Introduce it here for students to practice with before using it in lab when the peer review of presentation drafts happen.
There could also be class sharing of completed paragraphs after the peer review (if time and/or egos permit)

9. Peer Review: A successful profile?
Does it present an intriguing, well-focused subject?
is the subject interesting? why?
what makes you want to know more?
Does the presentation follow an engaging/informative plan?
is there a clear, logical sequence of ideas and information?
Is the presentation vivid?
what details stick out? why?
did you learn something new
What is the dominant impression/interpretation?
what is the presenter’s attitude toward his subject?
what does he want the audience to take away from the presentation?

10. Volunteers to Read your Profile Paragraph?

11. Profile example: Trainspotting
Read “Assessing a profile” and fill out the back of the sheet
If you have time you could have a class discussion about the many problems with this profile on Trainspotting

12. Writing the Interview Questions for your Profile Assignment
Be sure to use open ended questions
Be sure to record observations so your profile doesn’t end up reading like a transcript of an interview
Be prepared to follow up on unexpected comments

13. Profile Tasks Conduct your interview
Write an outline to organize your information using a logical, structural plan
Write a complete first draft in WordPress on the Profile page before Week 8/13 lab
Limit quotations to no more than 3 and paraphrase the rest of what your subject said (including citations for quotations)
Include vivid description
Include an interpretation (nut graf)

14. APA Documentation for Interviews
Interviews, , and Other Personal Communication
No personal communication is included in your reference list; instead, parenthetically cite the communicator's name, the phrase "personal communication," and the date of the communication in your main text only.
(E. Robbins, personal communication, January 4, 2001).
A. P. Smith also claimed that many of her students had difficulties with APA style (personal communication, November 3, 2002).

15. Lab this week:
Review the instructions and template in your Week 6 from me
TIB electronic compiled version (drafts, feedback comments, final version) is due in D2L by the end of lab
TIB hard copy of final version handed in to me for feedback before end of lab