Let's do this a different way

Because Blackboard has been unreliable and unstable, I have moved all the course materials to the class web page and the course blog home page. Right-click on these links to add them directly to your Favorites or Bookmarks. See the links to the far right for frequently-used pages (to the assignments, the archives, and the discussions). Do not access this course through Blackboard. I have stopped updating materials there.

I have created a grading rubric for this Short Take on Bartering. If you have already submitted your paragraph, you can still make changes and revisions right up to the deadline and afterwards too. Just open your paragraph to edit it in the Zine and paste in your revised version, replacing your earlier version. If you have any questions about elements of the rubric, ask them in this special area in the the discussions

If you're a little behind, don't worry. You will not be penalized for Blackboard's technical problems. I'll work with you to get caught up and to get all your work submitted properly. There's a lot of help in the discussion groups -- everyone has been wonderfully generous with advice and encouragement! If you need one-on-one help, contact me by email and we will arrange an appointment by phone or on campus.

Writing as problem-solving

Please check your student email for a message from me that contains alternative access to all of the materials for this class (except for the gradebook). I'm prepared for technology tribulations, and you can be too. It's much less stressful if you have a backup plan, believe me!

This class presents you with a series of writing problems, and the only way to solve them is by writing. Listening to someone lecturing or talking about writing or even reading the best books about writing might help you solve these writing problems, so that's why I provide fairly detailed assignment documents and why you have a handbook. But your own efforts at writing teach most effectively. Start the assignments early so you can identify the problem and have enough time to solve it.

The note-taking assignment presented two problems. Here's some follow-up information about the problems presented in that assignment and some examples of how various students tried to solve them. Look at the paragraph you submitted (you saved it, didn't you?) Did you recognize the organizational problem? How did you solve it?