373713: Writing the Think Piece WRITING-X 424.15E Summer 2020 Section 1 3 Credits 06/30/2020 to 09/01/2020 Modified 07/27/2020  Meeting Times

Tuesdays, 7 PM – 10 PM Remote Learning This course also includes an online component.  Description

Perhaps no genre is more shared, read, and critiqued than the online thinkpiece. As much as these essays capture and analyze the current cultural landscape, they are often misunderstood as quick, cheap, or reactionary. The truth is that the genre is malleable enough for any writer to find their footing and to craft their voice within its limits. Together, we define what a thinkpiece is and is not by reading some of its most well-known writers, including Roxane Gay, Kiese Laymon, and Rebecca Solnit. Then, we work on honing your voice, researching your argument, and giving structure to your ideas. Participants walk away from the course with several pieces of polished work.  Objectives

During this course, students will:

Learn the definition and meaning of what a "thinkpiece" is Develop their own thinkpieces through a process of writing, editing, and rewriting Gain a better understanding of how thinkpieces fit into a natural news cycle Build tools to help them not only write the thinkpiece, but promote and discuss it publicly Learn how to best pitch thinkpieces to publishers  Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Write, self-edit, and pitch timely, thoughtful thinkpieces Engage with the daily news cycle to make thinkpieces current and lively Develop new ideas off the cuff and expand them into full arguments  Materials

All course materials are available online as either PDFs or URLs.  Evaluation

Criteria

1 of 10 This course will test students on their writing, editing, and critical thinking abilities, as well as for in-class participation in discussions and workshop exercises. Each week's class will involve three major components:

1. A robust and thoughtful discussion of the assigned reading 2. A quick-writing exercise designed to test responsiveness and fast thinking 3. A workshop on current writing projects in small groups

Overall grade for the course will be calculated using this rubric:

Thinkpieces (3 total) 45%

Quick writing exercises (10 total) 20%

Participation 15%

Final thinkpiece 20%

TOTAL 100%

Writing assignments will be due at the start of every class. They will be graded using the following rubric:

Thesis 20 points

Argument 30 points

Research 10 points

Flow/Structure 20 points

Style 10 points

Grammar 10 points

Breakdown Grades will be given out along UCLA Extension's standard breakdown:

A 90-100%

B 80-89%

C 70-79%

F Below 69%

 Course Policies

Attendance:

Attendance at every class is mandatory, and will factor into your participation score for the class. If you know you will not be able to attend a class, either because of travel or illness, it is your responsibility to get in touch with me before the class is set to begin. In cases of emergencies, you can contact me after, but as soon as reasonably possible to explain the situation. In all cases, students who miss class may be required to do extra work outside of the classroom to catch up ahead of our next meeting.

Late assignments:

Late assignments will suffer a 5-point reduction per day after the deadline. After 3 days, the assignment will not be accepted and you will receive a zero.

Instructor responses:

2 of 10 I will be grading and critiquing your work the way I would as an editor for a writer. This means that there will be two phases in every critique: a line edit, with notes on individual wording and phrasing choices, a grammar check, etc., and a broad edit, in which I will evaluate the argument as a whole and ask questions. Revisions will require not only a new draft, but a response to the broad edit addressing questions about your piece. If you have any questions about this grading system, feel free to get in touch.

Grading:

Grades will be posted on Canvas. My goal is to have grades back to you within 72 hours of the class in which an assignment was due. In cases where this will not be possible, due to my own time constraints or other extenuating factors, I will inform you all by posting on Canvas.

The Writers’ Workshop:

Instruction in the Writers’ Program follows the guidelines established by the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) guidelines for the teaching of creative writing, which include a “challenging writers’ workshop” as a hallmark. They define this as

...a seminar in which students critique one another’s work under the mentorship of an accomplished writer-teacher. The workshop is writing intensive, offering each student multiple opportunities for submission and revision of creative work. (AWP)

This method of instruction is considered the gold standard for developing writers at all levels of expertise, and workshopping is a key learning tool in nearly every course offered by the Writers’ Program. Workshopping teaches you to read and respond to written work from a variety of perspectives, and hearing critique of your own writing will help you understand how successfully your work achieves your goals. Every student is expected to participate fully in workshopping activities as defined by and guided by Writers’ Program instructors.

Scope of Work for Instructors

Each Writers’ Program instructor has signed an agreement to teach the curriculum in their course, following a syllabus of their own design with approval by the Writers’ Program director. Instructors are never obligated to read, review, critique, respond to, or otherwise address student work that has not been developed for their course or in response to specific assignments in their course. Individualized instruction like this falls into the category of a consultation, which is a separate service your instructor can provide through special arrangement with the Writers’ Program.

Underage Students

As UCLA's principal provider of continuing education, the majority of UCLA Extension courses are designed for the post-baccalaureate professional-level student. Enrollment is therefore normally reserved for adult students 18 years of age and older. The Writers’ Program may consent to enroll younger students based on special academic competence and approval of the instructor. Minors who enroll in a Writers’ Program course without first receiving permission from both the department and the instructor are subject to withdrawal. To request approval, please contact the Writers’ Program at 310- 825-9415.

For credit/not for credit:

Although there are several practical reasons why you might enroll in this class for credit, many of you are not for-credit students. When you enrolled in the course, you were asked to indicate whether you wanted to take the class for a grade or not. If you didn’t select an option, the choice defaulted to a letter grade. It is possible you are unwittingly taking the class for a grade, so double-check your status to make sure it reflects your intention. You may request a grading status change anytime before the midpoint of this class by phoning the Registrar’s Office at (310) 825-9971 or requesting a grading status change online by logging into “MyExtension” at www.uclaexension.edu. After the midpoint of this class (but before the instructor’s submission of final course grades) you should ask for the instructor’s approval of a status change.  Institutional Policies

Student Conduct Students are subject to disciplinary action for several types of misconduct or attempted misconduct, including but not limited to dishonesty, such as cheating, multiple submission, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University; or theft or misuse of the intellectual property of others or violation of others' copyrights. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with policy provisions which proscribe these and other forms of misconduct at: 3 of 10 https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/studentConduct.jsp (https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/studentConduct.jsp) Services for Students with Disabilities In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, UCLA Extension provides appropriate accommodations and support services to qualified applicants and students with disabilities. These include, but are not limited to, auxiliary aids/services such as sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices for hearing-impaired individuals, extended time for and proctoring of exams, and registration assistance. Accommodations and types of support services vary and are specifically designed to meet the disability-related needs of each student based on current, verifiable medical documentation. Arrangements for auxiliary aids/services are available only through UCLA Extension’s Service for Students with Disabilities Office at (310) 825-7851 or by email at [email protected]. For complete information see: https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/studentswithDisabilities.jsp (https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/studentswithDisabilities.jsp) Incompletes Your instructor may post the interim grade Incomplete/I if at the end of the class your overall work is of passing quality but a portion could not be submitted for understandable reasons (e.g. illness). It is your responsibility to petition your instructor for permission to submit work late and to provide an explanation, and it is his or her sole decision whether to accept the explanation. If permitted, the Incomplete/I grade will be posted and a time frame defined for you to submit the missing work, ranging from one to twelve weeks. Incomplete/I grades that remain unchanged after twelve weeks will lapse to F, NP or U. Receiving an I grade entitles you to submit only the missing work your instructor has agreed to accept late, and does not allow other work to be retaken or oblige UCLA Extension to provide continuing access to course materials via Canvas. The Incomplete/I grade is not an option for courses that do not bear credit, such as 700, 800, or 900-level courses. For complete information, see: https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/grading.jsp (https://www.uclaextension.edu/pages/str/grading.jsp) All Grades are Final No change of grade may be made by anyone other than the instructor, and then, only to correct clerical errors. No term grade except Incomplete may be revised by re-examination. The correction of a clerical error may be authorized only by the instructor of record communicating directly with personnel of Student and Alumni Services. Sexual Harassment The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Every member of the community should be aware that the University prohibits sexual harassment and sexual violence, and that such behavior violates both law and University policy. The University will respond promptly and effectively to reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence, and will take appropriate action to prevent, to correct, and when necessary, to discipline behavior that violates our policy.

All Extension students and instructors who believe they have been sexually harassed are encouraged to contact the Department of Student and Alumni Services for complaint resolution: UCLA Extension, 1145 Gayley Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024; Voice/TTY: (310) 825-7031. View the University’s full Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence at http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SHSV (http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SHSV).  Additional Items Protecting Privacy and Data During Remote Instruction

This class/meeting is being conducted over Zoom or Conference Room Adobe Connect. As the host, I may be recording this session. The recording feature for others is disabled so that no one else will be able to record this session. No recording by other means is permitted. This session will be posted on the Canvas class website unless otherwise notified. If you have privacy concerns and do not wish to appear in the recording, do not turn on your video. If you also prefer to use a pseudonym instead of your name, please let me know what name you will be using so that I know who you are during the session. If you would like to ask a question, you may do so privately through the Zoom chat by addressing your chat question to me only (and not to ""everyone""), or you may contact me by another private method. If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact me.

4 of 10 Pursuant to the terms of the agreement between the vendors (Zoom/AdobeConnect) and UCLA Extension, the data is used solely for this purpose and the vendor is prohibited from re-disclosing this information. UCLA Extension also does not use the data for any other purpose. Recordings will be deleted when no longer necessary. However, the recording may become part of an administrative disciplinary record if misconduct occurs during a video conference. Course and Instructor Evaluation

UCLA Extension values your feedback on course and instructor evaluations. We ask all students to take a few minutes to complete an end-of-course evaluation survey. Updates to the course and instruction are influenced by your feedback. Understanding your student experience is essential to ensure continuing excellence in the online classroom and is appreciated by your instructor and the UCLA Extension academic leadership.

Your participation in a survey is voluntary, and your responses are confidential. After instructors submit grades, they will be given an evaluation report, but this report will not contain your name. About Your Online Course Materials Please note the following about online course components at UCLA Extension:

Students must have basic computer skills, including the use of word processing software, email, and the ability to use internet browsers, such as Safari, Firefox, or Chrome. Students are responsible for meeting the technical requirements of Canvas and familiarizing themselves with the Canvas Learning Management System. What are the basic computer specifications for Canvas? - https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10721 (https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10721) Which browsers does Canvas support? - https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10720 (https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10720) Students are responsible for keeping a copy of all assignments and work submitted, and to be aware of all assignments, due dates, and course guidelines. Students are encouraged to keep and/or download a local copy of their assignment files, as access to the online environment of a specific course is limited to 30 days after the final course date, as listed in the course catalog.

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Learning Support staff is available Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM (Pacific Time), except holidays:

Email: [email protected] Website: http://support.uclaextension.edu (http://support.uclaextension.edu/) Campus Safety Escorts For students taking classes held on the UCLA campus and in and around Westwood Village, the UCLA Police Department provides a free walking escort service every day of the year from dusk until 1 a.m. Community Service Officers (CSOs) are available to walk students, faculty, staff members and visitors to and from anywhere on campus, in Westwood Village, and in the village apartments. CSOs are uniformed students who have received special training and are employed by the UCLA Police Department.

5 of 10 To obtain an escort, please call (310) 794-9255 and allow 15 to 20 minutes for your escort to arrive. For complete information, see: https://www.ucpd.ucla.edu/services/community-service-officers-csos/evening-escorts (https://www.ucpd.ucla.edu/services/community-service-officers-csos/evening-escorts)  Schedule

When Module Title Notes

Week 1 Identifying the What even is a thinkpiece? How does it differ from a personal essay, a feature, a reported piece? 06/30/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM “Why ‘Think Piece’ Is Pejorative (https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/think-piece-definition-and-history-roots-of-the- word-show-it-has-long-been-pejorative.html),” David Haglund, Slate (5/17/2014) “How to Write a Think Piece (https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/9bzyj3/how-to-write-a-think-piece),” Dave Schilling, Vice (12/22/13)

Write before class:

An explanation of what a thinkpiece is, with examples you found online

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick explanation of what you want to get out of this class

Discuss during class:

Discussion of what a thinkpiece is Discussion of why it’s a valuable form of writing in 2020

Week 2 Reading the What did we learn from reading some thinkpieces? How will it change the way we write ours? 07/07/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM "The Year We Imagined The End Of The Closet (https://www.buzzfeed.com/shannonkeating/the-year-we-imagined- the-end-of-the-closet#.pf8KWmL4ba)," Shannon Keating, BuzzFeed News (1/23/16) "Difficult Women (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/07/29/difficult-women)," Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker (7/22/13) "Beyoncé's Lemonade is about much more than infidelity and Jay Z (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/25/beyonce-lemonade-jay-z-infidelity-emotional-project- depths)," Ijeoma Oluo, (4/26/16)

Write before class:

Full critique of one thinkpiece

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick take on a TV show/movie/album/song you’ve recently experienced

Discuss during class:

Readings Takeaways from thinkpieces Influences from other writers

6 of 10 When Module Title Notes

Week 3 Critiquing the What can we learn from critiquing others' thinkpieces? We'll look at the parts of a thinkpiece, using student submissions as 07/14/2020 Thinkpiece guides, and workshop them together. 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Read before class:

“Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America (https://www.teenvogue.com/story/donald-trump-is-gaslighting-america),” Lauren Duca, Teen Vogue (12/10/16) "Kermit Has a New Girlfriend? Good. His Last One Was a Domestic Abuser (https://newrepublic.com/article/122709/kermit-has-new-girlfriend-good-his-last-one-was-domestic-abuser)," Noah Berlatsky, The New Republic (9/2/15) "If one more polyamorous coastal '' tells me Pete Buttigieg isn't gay enough I'll scream. He is — and so am I (https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/buttigieg-chasten-gay-enough-queer-radical-a9246501.html)," Skylar Baker- Jordan, The Independent (12/13/19)

Write before class:

One 800-word thinkpiece on any subject

Post at the start of class:

Write a much shorter version of your full thinkpiece

Discuss during class:

Critique the readings Discuss each other’s thinkpieces Workshop them in small groups

Week 4 Framing the How do we respond to news happening now in thinkpiece form? Tips and tricks on being relevant without being 07/21/2020 Thinkpiece reactionary. 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Read before class:

“I Want a Divided America (https://mic.com/articles/156802/forget-about-unity-donald-trump-and-his-supporters- need-to-be-shamed-out-of-public-%20life#.Zx5DwrM6Q),” Zak Cheney-Rice, Mic (10/24/16) “This Is Not the Fight You're Looking For (https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/sanders-warren-dem-primary- election-2020)," Miles Klee, MEL (1/10/20) "Why Precisely Is Bernie Sanders Against Reparations? (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/01/bernie-sanders-reparations/424602/)" Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic (1/19/16)

Write before class:

First thinkpiece revisions

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick reaction to the news of the day

Discuss during class:

Best practices for writing news thinkpieces How to avoid the pitfalls of quickly turning pieces around

7 of 10 When Module Title Notes

Week 5 Pitching the What is the best way to pitch in 2020? How a good or bad pitch can get your piece sold or ignored. 07/28/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM “How to Successfully Pitch (or, Well, Anyone Else) (https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/10/how-to- successfully-pitch-the-new-york-times-or-well-anyone-else/),” Tim Herrera, Nieman Lab (10/22/18) “How (Not) to Pitch (https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/how-not-to-pitch/279193/),” Garance Franke-Ruta, The Atlantic (8/30/13)

Write before class:

Three thinkpiece pitches in full

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick thinkpiece based of one of your pitches

Discuss during class:

Best pitching practices Workshopping pitches in small groups Writing new pitches

Week 6 Sharing the How does your work goes beyond just what you’ve written? How do you handle the conversation it starts? 08/04/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM “There Is Such A Thing As Too ‘ ’(https://www.intomore.com/culture/there-is-such-a-thing-as-too-woke-a- rebuttal-to-that-ariana-thinkpiece),” Clarkisha Kent, INTO (12/4/18) "Sam Smith's Fucked-Up Gay Conservatism (https://gawker.com/sam-smiths-fucked-up-gay-conservatism- 1624526763)," Rich Juzwiak, Gawker (8/21/14) “A Eulogy for (https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/a-eulogy-for-twitter/361339/),” Adrienne LaFrance and Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic (4/30/14)

Write before class:

Write an 800-word thinkpiece based on one of your pitches from last week

Post at the start of class:

Write a Twitter thread that summarizes and promotes your thinkpiece

Discuss during class:

Best strategies for promoting a piece on multiple social channels Discussing what happens when the conversation gets heated

8 of 10 When Module Title Notes

Week 7 Rewriting the First drafts are hard, second drafts are even harder .Here’s how to beat the slump of being told you need to rewrite and 08/11/2020 Thinkpiece come up with something even better. 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Read before class:

"The Personal Essay Boom Is Over (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/jia-tolentino/the-personal-essay-boom-is- over)," Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker (5/18/17) "Against (Certain) Thinkpieces (https://newrepublic.com/article/133453/certain-thinkpieces)," Phoebe Maltz Bovy, The New Republic (5/12/16)

Write before class:

Second thinkpiece revisions

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick take on a TV show/movie/album/song you’ve recently experienced

Discuss during class:

Revision process Tough edits Workshop in groups to edit each other's pieces Beginning to consider the future of thinkpieces for the final month

Week 8 Couching the How do we write about sensitive topics? How can we be as kind to both ourselves and others in the process? 08/18/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM “We Need to Talk About Digital Blackface in Reaction GIFs (https://www.teenvogue.com/story/digital-blackface- reaction-gifs),” Lauren Michele Jackson, Teen Vogue (8/2/17) “The Cultural Appropriation Conversation Around Ariana Grande Is Too Simplistic (https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/michaelblackmon/ariana-grande-cultural-appropriation-thank-u-next-7- rings),” Michael Blackmon, BuzzFeed News (2/15/19) “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and LoveV ersace (https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/01/american- crime-story-assassination-of-gianni-versa.html),” Matt Brennan, Paste (1/16/18)

Write before class:

An 800-word thinkpiece on a sensitive topic

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick take on something controversial that’s been in the news in the past week

Discuss during class:

Writing about sensitive topics Working in small groups on workshopping third thinkpieces Considering what more sensitive thinkpieces look like

9 of 10 When Module Title Notes

Week 9 Defending the Defending your argument to your editor, to readers, and even to yourself? Here are some dos and don’ts. 08/25/2020 Thinkpiece 7:00 PM - Read before class: 10:00 PM "Sky Ferreira's Sex Appeal Is What Pop Music Needs Right Now (https://www.laweekly.com/sky-ferreiras-sex-appeal- is-what-pop-music-needs-right-now/)," Art Tavana, LA Weekly (6/17/16) "About That Sky Ferreira Piece: It Crossed The Line, And We're Sorry (https://www.laweekly.com/about-that-sky- ferreira-piece-it-crossed-the-line-and-were-sorry/)," Andy Hermann, LA Weekly (6/18/16) "Sky Ferreira Talks Sexism in Light of Controversial Article: ‘I’m Not a Think Piece. I’m Not a F*cking Example (https://www.vulture.com/2016/06/sky-ferreira-hits-back-against-sexist-article.html)’," Brill, Vulture (6/21/16)

Write before class:

Revisions of third thinkpiece

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick defense of your thinkpiece to an editor

Discuss during class:

At what point would we have to defend our thinkpieces? Strategies for how to do so Knowing when to both stick by and fold on an idea Workshopping defenses in small groups Pondering the worth of thinkpieces considering the conversation

Week 10 Reconsidering What did we learn in this class? What preconceived notions about a thinkpiece did we break down? What’s the future of the 09/01/2020 the thinkpiece? 7:00 PM - Thinkpiece 10:00 PM Read before class:

None!

Write before class:

Finalized, 1100-word version of your best/favorite thinkpiece

Post at the start of class:

Write a quick take on the class as a whole, focused on your personal experience

Discuss during class:

Final thinkpiece sharing in small groups Reflecting on the class as a whole Considering the future of thinkpieces

10 of 10