Thanks for your patience as we sort out where everyone's object is. I recognize that Assignment 1 will be challenging for those of you who have not had an opportunity to meet your object or, in some cases, may be unsure of what your object looks like or what it is precisely. In all cases, please make your best effort, even if circumstances force you to veer from the assignment prompts. You might, for instance, describe a similar object or perhaps an entire category of objects. Perhaps one of Prown's categories of analysis can help you get started. Or maybe consider how your object reflects Csikszentmihalyi's observations.
No matter how much or little you know about your object, at least introduce what you know of it to your audience and be forthright about your method (e.g. "I haven't seen my object yet, so this is all a guess..."). Posting a picture of your object would also be a good way to introduce it, although the images I've provided are owned by First Person Arts and should not be posted without permission. Please be sure, as the prompt indicates, to describe your object "in the most precise language possible." Because we are speaking with and about objects, we must become comfortable with their language. Manufacturer's websites, user manuals, patent descriptions (http://www.google.com/patents), chat group logs, and even eBay can provide invaluable insights into the particularities of our material world. Be creative in how you identify and use sources.
And, of course, be mindful of your audience(s) at all times and write carefully (blogs require just as much proofreading as formal writing).
Please send me a link to your blog as soon as you have created it. I'll build a list on our course blog so that you can review your colleagues' work. I'd encourage you also to become a fan of our page and/or subscribe to its feed so that you'll be aware of announcements.
No comments:
Post a Comment