ILS 2385: Visual Literacy and the Sociology of Perception
Tentative Course Schedule Spring 2023
MW 11:00-12:15 ACAD 426
NOTE: This schedule may change as needed. Your presence in class ensures correct assignments
WEEK 1
M 1/9 Course Introduction; Blog Post: Plato's Allegory of the Cave; what is the central
message of this text, why do you think so, and what is your evidence?
HOMEWORK (DUE 1/11):
- Complete Syllabus Quiz in Ulearn; See Quizzes link
- Set Up Blog; email the Web address to your page (http://wordpress)
to Professor Harmon: kenny.harmon@jwu.edu by class time.
- Read "In Plato's Cave" in On Photography by Susan Sontag, pp. 1-19 (See Ulearn) and Identify 3 or 4
- Identify important quotes.
- Do Response 1: Using this image by Mary Ellen Mark, argue what you think Sontag might tell us about the "truth" of this image. Your response
must be minimum of 300 words and must include a minimum of one quote.
You can, however, write more if you wish.
W 1/11 Forming an Argument; What is a Text? Image Response #1: Mark, Children
Rhetoric); What does this image communicate sociologically?
HOMEWORK (DUE 1/18):
- Read Logos, Pathos, and Ethos (Rhetorical Appeals)
WEEK 2
M 1/16 NO CLASS, MLK HOLIDAY
W 1/18 Blog Post: Image Response #2:
from Photographer Marvin Joseph, Untitled; What does this image
communicate sociologically?
HOMEWORK (DUE 1/23):
- Watch Codes of Gender: Identity and Performance in Pop Culture and take
notes as you watch. Include important points, concepts, and quotes. This
counts as responses 2 &3. Log in to Kanopy database using JWU credentials.
Video is 74 minutes. Your notes should be a min. of 600 words.
Begin looking for several print ads (magazine/newspaper) that somehow
engage the idea of gender or race. Search "gender and advertising vintage" in
a Google Image search (or use the search term "sexist ads" or something
similar. Locate an ad where you can see the details of the
composition. Choose one that you would want to analyze in an essay.
WEEK 3
M 1/23 CLASS MEETS IN ULEARN, COMPLETE DISCUSSION POST IN WEEK 3
FOLDER; Analyze a sample ad together; What its central
message (and what is it asking the viewer to do)? How is this accomplished
through the audience's attitudes about gender/gender roles?
HOMEWORK (DUE 1/25):
- Read "The Rhetorical Triangle
- Read the Rhetorical Situation
- Watch Rhetorical Appeals Video
- Return to the Mr. Clean ad discussion board and respond to the posts of two
other students
- Read Chapter 7 of John Berger's Ways of Seeing
- Do Response 4: What connections do you see between Berger's text and the
Codes of Gender video? Post should be min. of 5 minutes
- Have you located your three print ads for Essay 1? Bring them to class on W.
W 1/25 Learning to Apply Rhetorical Theory (Basic Terms); Examine Ad and Do Blog
Post; Discuss Potential Topics for Essay 1 (your chosen ads)
HOMEWORK (DUE 1/30):
- Bring Your Ad for Essay 1 to Class
- Watch "The KGB Spies Who Invented Fake News" (15:37)
- Watch "The Seven Commandments of Fake News" (14:16)
- Take Notes; Min. of 600 words; submit to Ulearn; counts as Response 5
- Is there any info in these two videos that you questioned the validity of? Please
make a note of any examples in your notes.
WEEK 4
M 1/30 Invention Work, Essay 1
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/1):
- Complete claim and subclaims for Essay 1
- Watch "The Worldwide War on Truth" (17:27)
- Do Response 6: Takes notes; min. of 300 words; submit to Ulearn;
- Is there any info in this video that you questioned the validity of? Please make a note of any examples in your notes.
W 2/1 Visual Media and Society: The Problem of Fake News; Group Exercise: Finding
the Truth (fact checking using fact checking sites and credible sources)
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/6):
- locate a potential fake news story (see links provided by professor)
- First Draft of Essay 1 Due; upload to Ulearn
- Submit Draft to Smarthinking (bring to your conference)
WEEK 5
M 2/6 First Draft of Essay 1 Due; Exchange for peer critique. Why Critique? GROUP
CONFERENCES
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/8):
- Complete Typed Critique of Partner's Essay (both parts) and upload to Ulearn
as ONE MS WORD file.
- Locate another potential fake news story
- Submit Smarthinking Report and Reflection (for Essay 1); Upload to Ulearn
W 2/8 Peer Critique; GROUP CONFERENCES
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/13):
- Locate another potential fake news story
- Final draft of essay 1 due with reflection
WEEK 6
(potential fake news stories); Using databases and annotations
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/15):
- Choose online article that you suspect may be "fake news" (you question veracity/truthfulness for some reason). See other list of fake news sites in
course announcements
W 2/15 Does Your Online Article Fail the CRAPP Test? What Zimdar Label Applies?
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/20):
Response 7 : Carefully read through your chosen online article. Make sure it
chosen text. I prefer you choose to work with an article that fails this test.
- In a response of 600 words, explain how and why your article fails this test.
Include some of your answers to the questions on both forms (CRAAP and fake
news detection) how it should be classified using Zimdar's classifications. Be
specific about why you think it fits the category.
WEEK 7
M 2/20 Preparing for Essay 3: Begin analysis of film; discuss film terms; analyze clip
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/22):
- Watch the Rhetorical Appeals Video
- With these definitions in mind, in a response of a minimum of 450 words,
explain how the author of the article/"news story" you plan to use for essay 2
attempts to appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos. Be detailed and provide
examples. This is an argument and your interpretation of how you think the
author is attempting to influence their audience and why. Argue if you think
their appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos are "strong" or "weak" attempts to
convince the audience (effective or ineffective). This counts as Response 8.
W 2/22 Analyze film clip
HOMEWORK (DUE 2/27):
- Work on Rough Draft of Essay 2 (use ideas from response 7 and 8 to help begin
paper)
- First Draft of Essay 2 Due on W 3/1; Upload to Ulearn
- Submit Draft to Smarthinking when you upload first full/official draft on 3/1
WEEK 8
M 2/27 Workday for Draft (can work outside of class)
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/1):
- Continue to develop and revise Essay 2
W 3/1 First Draft of Essay 2 Due; Exchange with Partner; Why Critique?
CONFERENCES
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/13):
- Complete Typed Critique of Partner's Essay 2 (both parts); Upload to Ulearn
- Submit Smarthinking Report and Revision Plan (both parts) to Ulearn for
Essay 2
3/6-3/10 NO CLASS, SPRING BREAK
WEEK 9
M 3/13 Peer Critique; GROUP CONFERENCES
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/15):
- Review List of Possible Topics for Essay 3
- Continue to Review Essay 2
W 3/15 Analyze Clip; Blog; Discuss Clip in Context of Assignment
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/20):
- Final Draft of Essay 2 Due with Reflection
F 3/17 COURSE WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE
WEEK 10
M 3/20 Final Draft of Essay 2 Due with Reflection; Analyze Clip; Blog (FINAL DRAFT
ESSAY 2 DUE W 3/22)
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/22):
- Watch clip from A Quiet Place and complete initial discussion board post
before 11am W 3/23. See Week 10 folder of ulearn for instructions
- Return to discussion board and respond to the posts of 2 other students for A
- Quiet Place discussion (see week 10 folder for instructions).
W 3/22 Analyze Clip; Blog
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/27):
- Read Chapter 3 of Corrigan film text (see Ulearn)
- Complete Reading Quiz for Corrigan text (in Ulearn)
WEEK 11
M 3/27 Analyze Clip; Blog
HOMEWORK (DUE 3/29):
- Watch film for Essay 3 Assignment
W 3/29 Discuss Clip in Context of Assignment
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/3):
- Do Invention Work (Upload to Ulearn)
WEEK 12
M 4/3 Analyze Clip (The Walking Dead)
Blog; Post to Forum
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/5):
- Respond to posts of two other students by class time (The Walking Dead)
- Complete Claim and Subclaims for Essay 3; Upload to Ulearn
W 4/5 Discuss Clip in Context of Assignment;
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/10):
- First Draft of Essay 3 Due; Upload to Ulearn
- Also Submit Draft to Smarthinking (BRING TO CONFERENCE)
WEEK 13
M 4/10 Workday for Essay 3, Scene Analysis
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/12):
- First Draft of Essay 3 Due (min. 4 FULL pages up to 6 FULL pages)
W 4/12 First Draft of Essay 3 Due; Exchange with Partner; Why Critique? GROUP
CONFERENCES
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/17)
- Complete typed critique of partner's paper (both parts); Upload to Ulearn
- Complete Smarthinking Report and Revision Plan; Upload to Ulearn
- Revise Essay 3, Scene Analysis
WEEK 14
M 4/17 Peer Critique; Group Conferences
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/19):
- Final Draft of Essay 3 Due with Reflection
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/24):
- Work on Course Portfolio
WEEK 15
M 4/24 Portfoliio Workday
HOMEWORK (DUE 4/27):
Course Portfolio Due; All content placed onto Wordpress portfolio pages;
make sure it's visible to a visitor of your page
WEEK 16
W 4/26 Final Course Portfolio Due by 12:30pm
