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“Invention precedes structure”
(qtd. Corder: “What I learned at School?”

How do I read Professor Ulmer’s book?

Fair question, given the complexity of the book, the writing, and his vocabulary. Like many of you who have raised this question, Ulmer’s students have expressed similar viewpoints (See Ulmer, Student Sites/Projects). While his vocabulary may prove difficult for entering students in Composition and Rhetoric: Research Unit, we would not value or privilege a college-level textbook whose audience included secondary students attending high school class or junior high school classes. The kind of text we seek is one that challenges what we know, what we assume to be true or false, factual and opinion–anything less would produce illiteracy. Thus, literacy must involved the reading of challenging texts and the development of one’s vocabulary, experimentation with new words (even when used incorrectly–better to make the effort than not at all).

Anecdotally, I have read Professor Ulmer’s book a minimum of three readings, if not four complete times, and in a single setting. Perhaps the college classroom and schedule constraints prevent our class from reading the book from cover-to-cover before completing any single assignment or exercise. At any rate, there is great value in reading practices. However, most college students depend upon the single reading by using the skill of skimming texts, chapters, essays, in order to determine the author’s goals and objectives for the writing itself.

Clearly, Ulmer offers the textbook as a kind of workbook coupled with the development of a website, a kind of web-folio, wherein students may publish her or his work and, then, at the end-of-the-semester review the webfolio as an example of one’s progress and growth (Sample Student Widesites.

Thus, a few RECOMMENDATIONS for reading Ulmer’s book:

First, identify the objectives and goals for the book–and, according to Ulmer: from the writers’ perspective and not our own point of view (i.e., what we think or believe). Rather, what does Ulmer think and believe?

Second, skim each chapter as it is assigned.

Third, circle unfamilar words and phrases;

Fourth, underline words and phrases for the development of a “Critical Dictionary.” –a link will be provided for that purpose. Look any and all unfamiliar words: consider the definitions for the word(s) and phrase(s), then consider how you might illustrate the concept or idea visually or graphically. You might use pictures from the web [(record the URL address site(s)]. Write definitions for the terms.

Fifth, outline the chapter–EVERY chapter by arranging in “formal outline” pattern for constructing the outline: [(I. A. 1. (a)]. You should become familiar with the outlining feature of MS Word, if you are not already familiar with it.

Sixth, in “Mystory” (Chapter One): Understand that each chapter in his book follows the same basic pattern of arrangement: First, he provides a lecture; then, he provides an assignment used to explore one’s understanding of the lecture, followed by, an example. The examples serve, then, as “the model answer.” Thus, your completed exercise should imitate the example provided.

Seventh, following each example, then; Ulmer provides “Comments.” The “Comments” box is shaded in grey and appears before the exercise, or after the comments for the previous lesson.

For example:

 In Chapter 1, Ulmer introduces disciplinary discourse and, then, assigns career discourse for exploration and research. At this point, you should be gathering materials from research about your invention, inventor, field of study or discpline. Then, select an invention, inventor, or major course of study for research. Finally, conduct your research while maintaining a Works Cited page, or the alphabetical list of sources consulted or used in your research. In order to complete the assignment, you’ll need to consult the examples provided–examples written by other college students in the same or similar class at The University of Florida.

The key is, I think, to research, re-search, re-re-research, over-and again, until you understand the goals of the assignment: define unfamiliar words; underline phrases; outline the chapter; close the book and summarize in your words and style of communication the topic, goals, subject, assignment of the chapter. Then, once you have completed the assignment, ask one person from the class to review your response to your own work; to make any revisions or corrections needed; to redefine the focus of your mini-window. Also, you may find it helpful to research the theorist, theory, source, or citation provided by Professor Ulmer in his book.

By mini-window, I am referring to the exercises used reflect the step-by-step development (vis-a-vis) the exercises. The widesite, then, will not be completed until the book has been completed, and each exercise required to implement the widesite.

If you have additional questions, or require further elaboration, let Professor de la Torre entertain your questions, or contact me via e-mail and/or class.