WRITINGS

For each Reading, you’ll be assigned a Writing: a written response to a provocative prompt. While the nature of the expected response will vary, the Writings have some common instructions, requirements, grading, and expectations.

 

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INSTRUCTIONS

There will be three Writing assignments. Unless otherwise noted they will always be due at 11:55PM on Sundays. Please check the Schedule page for specific deadlines.

For each Writing, please prepare a single page PDF file that contains the following three items, in order:

1. Writing # (e.g. Writing 1)
2. Your Name (e.g. Jesse Jackson)
3. Your Writing (e.g. your response to the prompt)

Submit your file to the appropriate EEE DropBox. The DropBox service will add your UCI username to the beginning of the filename. Be sure to submit to the correct DropBox: for each Writing there will be one DropBox for each group of last names (A-I, J-N, O-Z).

 

REQUIREMENTS

Unless otherwise noted, your Writings must:

• Be about 350-500 words
• Be double spaced
• Be prepared in a legible 12 point font
• Be submitted as a PDF file
• Make reference to at least one of the prescribed readings
• Be clear, concise, coherent, and creative

See Expectations below for some elaboration on how to be clear, concise, coherent, and creative.

 

GRADING

Each Writing will be graded out of 3. Exceptional Writings will be awarded 3/3; adequate Writings will be awarded 2/3; inadequate Writings will be awarded 1/3; incomplete Writings will be awarded 0/3.

The cumulative Writings grade will constitute 20% of your final grade.

Your Writings will have to stand out in some way in order to achieve 3/3: intrigue us with something original, impress us with something insightful, or both. 3/3 Writings are those that warrant presentation back to the class because they meaningfully contribute to the conversation. All 3/3 Writings will be clear, concise, coherent, and creative.

 

EXPECTATIONS

The Writings give you the opportunity to do two things at a minimum. The first is to demonstrate that you have read the Readings. The second is to demonstrate that you have understood what you have read. It helps to quote or paraphrase key ideas from the Readings, and reiterate and expand on these ideas in your own words.

We want your Writings to be more than just summaries of the Readings, however. An exceptional Writing will meaningfully engage with one or more of the themes, concepts, references, or nuances found in the Readings. A great way to do this is to by making reference to an additional text—another reading, or some other form of information available in the world—that is not prescribed. This provides you with a way to expand the conversation and demonstrate engagement with the subject. Another way to do this is by relating the Readings to your own life experience. Be bold.

In our advertising-saturated world, it is easy to fall into the trap of using inappropriate “marketing speak.” This is the kind of verbiage that overstates even the simplest of ideas or misstates basic facts. In formal written communication, it is important to state facts in a straightforward way, and to avoid using inaccurate superlatives (e.g., “best,” “greatest,” “smartest,” “complete opposite”), and insincere emotional appeals (e.g., “realizing our full potential as human beings”). Please avoid “marketing speak.”

All exceptional Writings will exhibit the “Four C’s” of writing: clear, concise, coherent, and creative. Your work will be graded partly on your ability to follow the rules of standard written English with regard to usage, spelling, and grammar. All of us are continually in the process of learning how to write more effectively; your best work will usually be the product of multiple drafts and revisions. Allow yourself the time to refine and rewrite until your ideas come through clearly.

There is a writing center on campus where you can get additional help. To best use their services, it helps to have already written a first draft. Don’t know where to start? Try Purdue University’s excellent online writing guide. Looking for additional texts? Our research librarian Emilee Matthews can tell you all about library resources in Art, Design, and Electronic Culture.

Lastly, a previous TA for this course (Kelly Doheny) has assembled a cogent summary of what constitutes exceptional writing about art. It’s universally applicable—just substitute whatever form of creativity you have under consideration (e.g. film, creative writing, industrial design) for “art” throughout.

 

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