Composition 3110

Advanced Writing for Students in the Arts and Letters

Choose an artist, performer, writer or poet and present her or his work to the rest of the class. Research published materials on this figure and include references to that research in either Chicago or MLA format. You may build on your textual analysis for this assignment, but you need to include a minimum of 5 sources.

Make an argument about what makes this figure significant. You may establish significance by placing this figure in a historical context or by relating this figure's work to some current or former conflict in the world of art or world of literature.

If you can include photographs or illustrations in the paper to support your argument, then, by all means do so.

INDIVIDUAL

Boil down your research paper into a 5-10 minute report presenting an argument to the rest of class about why they should take a look at your chosen figure's work. You will be in groups of 3 to 4 students, and you may coordinate your reports as much as you wish. Bring examples of the figure's work to class. I will provide any audio-visual equipment needed to display this art (within reason).

Each group should develop a brief introduction to the overall group's work and present that to the class before individual reports.

Your group is putting on a (hypothetical) event related to your chosen topic. This might be a conference, a panel discussion, a performance, or an exhibition. This is the text that you will send out to all of the local newspapers, radio, TV stations and other groups that might be able to publicize your event.

The Press Release must include the name of the event, the time, the date, the location, contact information for those seeking more details, and a three to four paragraph explanation of what is happening. This is in a journalistic mode, so these paragraphs can be quite brief. I will provide examples in class.

Similar to the press release and for the same event, only this time the readers will be people attending the event. The program notes provide a schedule of parts of the event, brief bios of participants and anything else that someone attending this event will want to know. Once again, I will provide examples.

Interview an area scholar, artist, performer, critic, or writer whose interests relate in some way to your group's topic. Write a brief summary of the interview and interpret what the interviewee has said. What has your group learned from the interview? How do these results influence your understanding of the group's overall topic?

Turn all of the above materials in on May 4 as one big report. Make it clear who has written which research report. Include a table of contents at the beginning, and write a brief introductory paragraph (much like the one you will be presenting to the class before oral presentations).

Also: include a statement at the end explaining which group members get credit for which parts of the group projects.