First assignment clarification

1. Frame Shift (Addendum)
1/13/17
To elaborate on the vague assignment instructions I’m including links to two articles that deal
with large-scale turning points—one from Time in the domain of American history of the 20th
century, another from FastCompany in the domain of technological advancements and
innovations since the internet revolution in the 1990’s. I offer the idea of turning points with the
hope that it gets everyone thinking about moments that changed the dynamic of some cultural
element in a way that was unpredictable or entirely unforeseen. I’m also including a link to a
Youtube video for one of the most striking (and unpredicted) turning points of my lifetime—the
fall of the Berlin Wall.
I would suggest you try to think of a specific turning point you remember, and then think of the
frame shift as your reaction to this event. How did your perception of the way the world
worked change as a result of this event? What did you think at the time? How did that change
as time passed? Etc.
I’m using historical events that anyone can access or learn about, but your paper doesn’t
necessarily need to do this. Your frame shift could be about the moment you realized you’d
never go back to your high school as a student. It could be the first time you drove somewhere
on your own after you got your driver’s license. It could be about the loss of a loved one or the
birth of a baby brother or sister. It is entirely up to you; however, the theme of the paper must
fit with the idea of a frame shift—your reaction to a monumental event in your life.
This assignment is far less about the research writing and transactional writing that we will
focus on throughout the semester. It is much more personal essay than expository paper.
I am going to write a sample paper this afternoon and post it on BBLearn, along with a few links
that place my frame shift in a historical context. I’m planning on discussing the sample paper on
Wednesday in class, as well as handing out textbooks. We’ll shift our discussion of the reading
to Friday, and then move on from there into the second assignment the following Monday.
Keep an eye on BBLearn. By the end of the afternoon, things should be much clearer regarding
this assignment and the next week or so of class. As always, email with any questions. I hope
everyone has a great long weekend.
Joseph Perreault