<p> Page 1 of 4 Asimov Close Reading (or, Robot Rhetoric): Assignment Description</p><p>Andrew Martin, from the 1999 adaptation of “The Bicentennial Man,” image from http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/bicentennial-man/ </p><p>Throughout Isaac’s Asimov “The Bicentennial Man,” various characters make assertions about what it means to be or not to be human. Such assertions are, in fact, rhetorical arguments about how to define the human and / or robotic body. </p><p>Rather than addressing the entire story, you will select a brief (no more than 1 page, but ideally shorter) section from “The Bicentennial Man” in which a character makes what you consider to be a powerful rhetorical argument regarding the body. Choosing your passage is part of the challenge here – consider various options before settling on one passage. While Andrew Martin often makes assertions about his embodiment, he is not the only character to potentially consider. </p><p>Upon choosing a passage, you will write a brief analysis in which you answer the following questions:  Why is the passage that you chose centrally important to “The Bicentennial Man”?  What is the message or purpose of the individual character’s argument? That is, what is he or she trying to say?  Who is the target audience of the character’s message? Does he or she reach the audience (and if not, why not)?  How does the character use appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos to support his or her message?  What is the character’s tone? How would you describe his or her language choices (as word choice can be meaningful)?  Finally, do you agree or disagree with the character’s message, and why? </p><p>Consider all of these elements when analyzing your passage, but do not treat them as a checklist of things to address in order, as your analysis should be in paragraph format. </p><p>Due Date You must post your close reading to both the class blog and T-Square by 11:59 PM on Saturday, May 28.  Both submissions must be on time  Blog (paste or type directly into post)  T-Square (assignment + reflection = 2 files) o Assignment Submission, Asimov Close Reading o .doc or .docx o File Names: Last Name, Asimov Close Reading AND Last Name, Asimov Close Reading Reflection o MLA essay format (see https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ for more about MLA style) Page 2 of 4</p><p>Required Elements for Close Reading  Transcribed passage o Type the entire passage that you’re analyzing and include the page number . Use the page number printed on the book, not the PDF page number o Format / style: “Quote” (# or ##-## if it spans a couple of pages) o This transcribed passage does not count toward the paragraph requirement  AT LEAST 3 paragraphs of analysis (no more than 6 paragraphs) o Thesis: You should have 1 sentence in which you make a claim about the overarching meaning of your chosen passage . Be as specific as possible o Each paragraph should be at least 5 sentences long  Complete sentences and paragraph format  Content: You should write an argument answering the questions on page one of the assignment description o Limit your analysis to the selected passage  Audience: The audience will be your fellow classmates and myself. Keep in mind that we’ve also read “The Bicentennial Man,” so you don’t need to summarize the text.  No outside sources o Your analysis must be entirely your own, based on closely reading your selected passage, combined with your knowledge of the Asimov text as a whole.</p><p>Required Elements for Reflection Submit your reflection with the close-reading on T-Square, as a .doc or .docx document with the file name “Last Name, Asimov Close Reading Reflection”. You do not need to submit the reflection on the blog. </p><p>Write a one-paragraph introduction to the artifact that articulates your intellectual process for this project. Put another way, explain where your ideas came from and how they evolved during the course of the project. You should also discuss how composing processes (examples: prewriting, outlining, drafting, peer review, revising, editing) affected your intellectual process, and vice versa.</p><p>After the introductory paragraph, compose bullet points answering each of the following questions. Compose 2-3 bullet points per question and 1-3 complete sentences per bullet point. Review this assignment sheet as you compose your answers. </p><p>1. What were the main intellectual goals of the assignment? Please situate these goals in terms of the course theme and in terms of the communication skills you were to learn or practice. 2. What is your argument or purpose? How did you make the argument or purpose visible and persuasive in your artifact? 3. Who is the intended audience for your artifact; why is this an appropriate audience? How is your choice of audience reflected in your artifact? 4. What are the defining features of the genre or media that you are using in this project? How do you make use of these features? 5. If you had more time for revision, what would you change and why?</p><p>Points Breakdown The Asimov close reading is worth 50 points total (5% of your final grade in the course). The grade breakdown is roughly as follows, and, as with all course assignments, I will use the programmatic rubric to guide my assessment of your assignment. Points Requirement 5 The Basics: On time, meets required elements 40 Blog post: Carefully selects passage for analysis and makes a cogent argument about how the passage reflects the text’s (or a particular character’s) philosophy of the human body. Page 3 of 4 5 Reflection: On time, meets required elements Page 4 of 4 Programmatic Rubric Scale Basic Beginning Developing Competent Mature Exemplary Rhetorical Awareness Overlooks two or more Overlooks at least one Attempts to respond to Addresses the situation Addresses the situation Addresses the situation Response to situation, aspects of the situation aspect of the situation or all aspects of the or assignment in a completely, with in a sophisticated manner including purpose, or assignment, and thus assignment and thus situation or assignment, complete but unexpected insight that could advance audience, register, and does not fulfill the task compromises but the attempt is perfunctory or professional discourse on context effectiveness incomplete predictable way the topic</p><p>Stance Involves an unspecified Makes an overly general Makes a simplistic or Makes an explicit and Makes a complex, Offers an inventive, Argument, significance or confusing argument; argument; significance implicit argument, or straightforward unified argument that expert-like argument that and implications (“so significance is not is difficult to discern, or multiple arguments that argument that does not clearly articulates a clearly articulates a what” factor) evident not appropriate to the have no clear connection oversimplify the position or stance; sophisticated rhetorical situation to one another; gestures problem or question; explores multiple position/stance; explores towards significance, but explores at least one implications of the multiple implications of does not fully develop it implication of the argument the argument in a argument in depth compelling manner Development of Ideas Claims requiring support Evidence and/or analysis Evidence provides Evidence and analysis Evidence fully supports Evidence and analysis Evidence, analysis, and are not backed by is weak or contradictory; minimal but necessary are substantive; they and proves the argument are precise, nuanced, substance necessary evidence; does not account for support to each point; support the argument and all related claims; fully developed, and lacks analysis of major important evidence that attempted analysis is not and related claims, but evidence is always work together to enhance pieces of evidence; could support or sufficient to prove the are mostly predictable paired with compelling the argument, content is not substantive disprove the argument argument analysis Organization Lacks unity in Uses insufficient Uses some effective States unifying claims Asserts and sustains a Artifact is organized to Structure and coherence, constituent parts; fails to unifying statements; unifying claims, but a with supporting points claim that develops achieve maximum including elements such as create coherence among uses few effective few are unclear; that relate clearly to the logically and coherence and introductions and constituent parts; connections; some inconsistently makes overall argument and progressively; adapts momentum; connections conclusions as well as contains major logical moves necessary connections between employs an effective but typical organizational are sophisticated and logical connections argumentative holes or to prove the argument points and the argument; mechanical scheme schemes for the context; complex when required between points fallacies are absent employs simplistic achieves substantive organization coherence Conventions Involves errors that risk Involves a major pattern Involves some Meets expectations, with Meets expectations Exceeds expectations Expectations for grammar, making the overall of errors distracting errors minor errors in a virtually flawless and manipulates mechanics, style, citation message distorted or manner conventions to advance incomprehensible the argument Design for Medium Lacks features necessary Omits some important Uses features that Supports the argument Promotes engagement Persuades with careful, Features that use or significant for the features; distracting support the argument, with features that are and supports the seamless integration of affordances of the genre to genre; uses features that inconsistencies in but some match generally suited to genre argument with features features and content and enhance factors such as conflict with or ignore features; uses features imprecisely with content; and content that efficiently use with innovative use of usability and the argument that don’t support involves minor affordances affordances comprehensibility argument omissions or inconsistencies Lateness Policy Close readings posted late (i.e. after 11:59 PM on 5/28) will receive a maximum possible grade of C. I will not accept close readings later than 1 week after the initial due date.</p><p>Revision Policy In this class, you may choose to revise 1 blog post or the cyborg essay. </p><p>In order to be allowed any revision, you must send me an email or meet with me no later than 72 hours after I return the grade for the assignment. In the email or meeting, you must tell me what the most central issues with the initial assignment were (beyond the grade), what your plan for revision is, and a deadline for when you will submit the revised assignment (which can be no later than 1 week after the meeting and must occur prior to the last class meeting).</p><p>The revised assignment will receive an entirely new grade (not an average of the old and new grade). I do not guarantee a higher grade for revised work, but a revision cannot bring your grade down (unless you plagiarize the revised assignment).</p>