Calendar
Week 1: Introductions and Twitter accounts
M: What is the funniest thing you've ever seen?
W: Precious Plum analysis discussion
F: Introduction to theories of humor in rhetoric and philosophy, rhetorical concepts, stylistic terms ("nomenclature").
Homework:
1. Using concepts and language from today's lecture, write a close reading analysis of ONE sentence from any of pieces listed on the Readings page. Write ONE paragraph. Due Wednesday, 1/20.
2. In the style of a newspaper sports reporter, write a story covering something that is not sports (for example: HS teacher runs leader board in Day Two of Nervous Breakdown Tournament.) No more than one page. Due Wednesday, 1/20.
Week 2: Style review
1/18-22
M: Holiday. Class does not meet.
W
F
Week 3: Theories of rhetoric and comedy
1/25-29
M
W
F: True facts about the angler fish
Week 4: Analysis paper assigned
2/1-5
M: Discuss funny Twitter accounts
W: Discuss topics for analysis paper
F: Gallery walk assignment
Week 5: Gallery walk
2/8-12
M: Gallery walk group one
W: Gallery walk group two
F: Peer editing; bring three clean copies of your paper to class
Week 6: McSweeney's Letters
2/15-19
M: Analysis papers due; Introduce McSweeney's letters, imagined monologues, and lists.
Assignment: write at least one open letter, imagined monologue, or list in the style of McSweeney's.
W: Class does not meet due to "SWAT situation" and resulting parking anarchy.
F: Work day. Class does not meet.
Week 7:
2/22-26
M: Table reads for McSweeney's articles.
W
F
Week 8: Midterm
2/29-3/4
M: Review
W: Review
F: Midterm
Week 9:
3/7-11
M
W
F
Week 10: Spring Break
3/14-
M
W
F
Week 11: Onion Articles
3/21-25
M: Pitch meetings and table reads
W
F: Easter Break
Week 12
3/28-4/1
M
W
F: Onion articles due
Week 13: Cracked Listicles
4/4-8
M: Pitch meetings and table reads
W
F
Week 14
4/11-15
M
W
F: Cracked assignments due
Week 15: Scripts and Sketches
4/18-22
M: Pitch meetings and table reads
W
F
Week 16: Scripts and Sketches presentations
4/25-29
M
W
F
Week 17: Exam Week