professionalization presentations ENGL489 Advanced Portfolio Workshop
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Need to be in touch with me?
LEE TORDA 310 Tillinghast Hall Bridgewater State University 508.531.2436 ltorda@bridgew.edu www.leetorda.com |
Spring 2016 Office Hours:
W 2:00-3:00 R 1:00-2:00 Fridays 11:00 to 12:00 (noon) and by appointment. Need to make an appointment? Click here: https://goo.gl/3CqLfo |
I used to ask students to work in groups and present on writing in and publishing in different genres. I realized, though, that most students needed a different sort of information. They needed help envisioning a career or tackling specific and mysterious parts of becoming a, ahem, real writer. And so I have put together a list of specific presentation topics that are meant to help, as is everything in the class, move you from a student writer to a real writer. They are:
Also, on the day that you select your presentation topics, I will meet with each small group to talk about things I either want you to definitely include in your presentation (and therefore want you to learn about) and/or resources I think can help you (including faculty and staff on campus I think it would be useful for you to talk to). I will also put each group in touch with a working writer who can give you first hand information about your subject.
Presentations begin right after midterm and continue until we are done with them. You will sign up for your presentation before midterm, giving the first group of presenters roughly three weeks to put their presentation together—which I believe is more than enough time. Hopefully, folks will gravitate towards a particular presentation topic over another, but, if it turns out otherwise, some students may end up having to present on a second or third choice. Every presentation topic needs to have coverage of at least two presenters. You can sign up here.
Other things to keep in mind for your presentation:
- Publishing in Small Presses (so, what is a small press to begin with—how do I find them even, etc)/
- Writing in the Professions (marketing, public relations, social media for industry and not-for-profit), Technical & Professional Writing, Journalism.
- Self-publication.
- Pursuing an MFA.
Also, on the day that you select your presentation topics, I will meet with each small group to talk about things I either want you to definitely include in your presentation (and therefore want you to learn about) and/or resources I think can help you (including faculty and staff on campus I think it would be useful for you to talk to). I will also put each group in touch with a working writer who can give you first hand information about your subject.
Presentations begin right after midterm and continue until we are done with them. You will sign up for your presentation before midterm, giving the first group of presenters roughly three weeks to put their presentation together—which I believe is more than enough time. Hopefully, folks will gravitate towards a particular presentation topic over another, but, if it turns out otherwise, some students may end up having to present on a second or third choice. Every presentation topic needs to have coverage of at least two presenters. You can sign up here.
Other things to keep in mind for your presentation:
- Presentations should be ten minutes long.
- You should give your classmates a handout of relevant and useful information (like websites, the names of journals, of people, resources, schools, etc).
- If it’s possible to talk about how much a person can earn doing a particular kind of work, include it.
- It it’s possible to name specific titles, kinds of awards you could win, include it.
- If there is a kind of education or degree or certificate or kind of experience that you need to be successful in a particular field, include it.
- If there are internships and/or other experiences on campus that could help you develop your portfolio/resume while still in school, definitely include it.
- If you can figure out what an entry level position in the field might look like, talk about it.
