Seventh & Eighth Blog Prompts

Hitchcock Films - Small Group Activity /Blogging Assignment:

While writing is a recursive (loopy and repetitive) process that involves social activity and self-discovery, it is also a metadiscipline that can be found in all fields of study that attempt to convey a message.  Writing is something used by all disciplines to communicate ideas.  Which means it is in everything but I also believe it can include everything – it is both metadisciplinary and interdisciplinary.  Interdisciplinary is a way of answering a question, solving a problem, or addressing a topic that is too broad or complex to be dealt with adequately by a single discipline or profession.  It draws on disciplinary perspectives and integrates/synthesizes their insights through construction and communication of a more comprehensive perspective.

Your task is to examine Hitchcock in an interdisciplinary fashion.  To do this, we are going to first work in assigned groups researching a particular disciplinary perspective on Hitchcock.  Your group will then present this perspective in a class blog that includes informative text, visuals, and links to web resources.  We will then read what each other discovered and synthesize the various insights from each group into a comprehensive understanding of Hitchcock Films and Hitchcock’s style.  This work will be completed outside of class as we are watching and discussing the films in class. 

Groups and Topics:

Group #1 –  Ethics in Hitchcock Films

Jordan Blank

Shawn Deese

Gabrielle Justice

Taylor Lantz

Tiana Key

Group #2 – Psychology in Hitchcock Films

Spencer Garstka

Christopher Holmes

Emily Kauble

Sydni Smith

Marlon Nabors

Group #3 – Historical Context of Hitchcock Films

Kellie Auen

Taylor Haydinger

Sam Kessler

Courtney Kunk

Ross Retherford

Group #4 – Technology/Science of and in Hitchcock’s Films

Ashlyn Simion

Brandon McGilvary

Jacob Zigler

Amoy Russell

Vondale Kelley

Due dates:

Completed Group Blog Post– Friday, March 20^th. 

Individual Blog Post synthesizing/integrating information from all groups – Friday, March 27^th.  

Sixth Blog Prompt

Narration is a writing or rhetorical strategy for developing an essay. Narrative writing is essentially telling a story, usually relying on personal experience. Good narrative writing:

1. is told from a particular point of view, 
2. makes and supports a point (has a purpose), 
3. is filled with precise detail, 
4. uses vivid verbs and modifiers, 
5. uses conflict and sequence as does any good plot, 
6. may use dialogue. 

For your blog assignment this week you are to write a narrative consisting of about 400-500 words. I want you to choose a vivid childhood memory - you might think of the first time you rode a school bus, of a time when you went to the principal's office, of a first encounter with a friend, of a first A on a test or paper, of the first time you earned money to buy something you really wanted, and so on. Narrate events related to that childhood memory so that your reader will understand why the event was important and memorable (why your memory supports a point - purpose). 

Fifth Blog Post

For this week's blog assignment, I would like you to watch the following video: 

After watching the short film, briefly describe what happens.  Then, I would like you to identify the author's purpose...why they chose to write and direct this video. Give a clear explanation as to your reasoning, how did you identify the author's purpose and why is that a good inference.  Additionally, I would like you to identify the author's audience...for whom did the author make this video. Give a clear explanation as to why you think that is the audience; what clues/evidence do you have from the video to help you identify the audience.