Rough Draft Workshop

Working with paper and pencil, we will work on each others' definition assignments today.

Review/things to keep in mind:

agent-based prose

transition science

image/word ratio

links

sound

definitional strategy

the function of analogy in definitional argument

citing sources, compiling bibliographies

A Rule of Three

(1) Address your interlocutor where they are. This does not mean you should talk "down" to them or "up" to them. Just forge a connection!

(2) Listen--with eyes and ears and your whole being

(3) Be generous with your interpretation of premises. At the same time, challenge the assumptions, claims, and reasoning when/if the sentence, paragraph, or idea on the page puzzles you.

Consider: how does dialogue differ from debate?

As you read peer rough drafts, ask yourself the following questions: Do I want to read the paper again? Do I understand the writer's purpose? Would a recognizable community of users understand the writer's purpose? Do I want to actualize any of the goals of the paper? Are these goals ascertainable, that is, can I find the document's "starting points" and assumptions (premises)? Have I come away from the definition with a fresh perspective on the topic(s)?