course materials

1. Write a blog about a time in your life where you encountered a form of
art that
Write a blog about a time in your life where you encountered a form of art that was deeply
meaningful in some way —socially, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, aesthetically.
Write about a movie, or musical. The choice of one meaningful fine art or performing art
encounter from your past is yours; you may have been an observer or a participant. There
are guidelines for the blog genre you will work within and for writing an analysis using
quality outside sources.Analyzing an Art EncounterFirst, you will need to offer readers a
brief but comprehensive description of the art and your encounter with it, so those
unfamiliar with your choice can remain grounded in your analysis. Clear, explicit details and
careful word choice will be key. Dr. Marjorie Munsterberg, art history professors from
Northwestern University, explains in her text Writing About Art, that “the best place to
begin a visual [and/or aural] description is with an explanation of the subject and the
materials of the work.” Her text reminds writers-about-art “to identify the parts that make it
whole,” to sort your observations to include the most important details, and that “no
description can include everything.” However, readers also need to understand the general
context of your experience—where, when, with whom, etc. That visual description and your
context will make up your introduction (1-2 paragraphs).For the rest of the blog entry, you
will offer up your own analytical perspectives alongside researched critiques/analysis from
outside sources regarding the art and your encounter with it. Consider any combination of
these ideas:why that art matters—how it fits (or doesn’t) in the cultural moment when it
was created, its significance for you, and/or its value for others;what kinds of responses and
effects the art encouraged/-es in you and for others;what ways the art complicated/-es your
view of a particular arts genre or artist;how the art deepened or broadened your
understanding of something, some place, some event, someone, or perhaps even your
understanding of the world;what challenges the art posed/-es to viewers/listeners like
yourself and/or others;why there is importance to the art’s aesthetic qualities, social
influence, historical context, or intellectual influence;how outside sources deepen and
challenge your understanding and interpretations of your art encounter.These prompts are
not meant as an exhaustive list to check off as you write; they are analytical questions to
guide your analysis with your art encounter.Remember to include a conclusion that
provides a final “So What?” to wrap up your analysis. Oftentimes, this is where your thesis
for your blog will appear, building up to that thesis with claims made within the body of

2. your text.Using Outside Sources The art encounter you select has personal significance for
you, but that is only a starting point for analysis. Your overarching goal in this analytical
blog is to find ways to make the piece of art interesting, noteworthy, and meaningful to
others. That is, you need to engage your audience to think differently about the piece of
art/performance.Locate two to three sources (secondary and/or primary) related to your
art encounter that provide analysis or criticism that move beyond what you already know
or feel about it.Begin with the WRT 205—Writing and the Arts database guide that has a
collection of popular sources for arts writing, scholarly sources for arts writing, and sources
for images. Sources may be print, audio, or video. Consider sources such as a professional
review, an NPR interview, a documentary, a recorded lecture, an article in an entertainment
journal, a published art critique, or a scholarly article. Use MLA formatting for in-text
citations and your Works Cited list.Target AudienceYour goal is to write an entry that you
can submit to Intertext, “an annual publication of the Department of Writing Studies,
Rhetoric, and Composition” that “features the work of undergraduate students.” This is a
student-run publication (WRT 340: Advanced Editing Studio) that looks for submissions
that “inform and inspire.”Blog Genre TraitsYou will create an entry using genre criteria that
attends to emphasis through organization, to clearly written prose that offers fresh
perspectives, attends to an intelligent target audience, uses sources with skill to deepen and
challenge a reader, and includes images and hyperlinks to enhance the reading experience.
You’ll explore some arts-related analysis blogs in class.Nitty Gritty RequirementsTitle your
composition well—be clear yet creative.Your post’s length is between 1,000—1,600 words
(not including the Works Cited list).The directions state what content is needed for your 1-2
paragraph introduction, prompts to guide the development of the body, and a reminder
about a conclusion. Review those.Maintain clarity and a logical coherence within
paragraphs, using well-crafted transitions to connect one paragraph to the next.Provide a
minimum of two hyperlinks. No maximum but be reasonable.Provide carefully selected,
sized, and placed images (3-5). Blogs have one image at the top then space more at optimal
locations. You may use your own photographs, artwork, or stock footage from online. Wrap
text around images placed within your blog.At the end of your blog, include Word Count [fill
in number].Under the Word Count, include a Works Cited list using MLA format for your
sources. Single space sources, placing one space between them. Follow all other content and
formatting requirements for MLA.Single space your blog. Either indent each paragraph OR
place one space between paragraphs—not both.Use a font style that is easy to read online,
such as Ariel, Tahoma, Century Gothic, or Times New Roman. Use a reasonable font size (10,
11, or 12)