This spring, I'll be guiding my third graduate-level course in the MA in English program at the University of Michigan-Flint. Listed as ENG 560: Topics in Writing and Rhetoric, my current vision for the course concerns the execution of a booksprint. To be more specific, ENG 560 will be an eight-week collaborative writing project. The focus will be an issue, theme, or topic within rhetoric and writing studies. The issue, theme, or topic will be identified and decided upon by students and instructor.
The result of our work will not be an edited collection, though. Most every graduate course concludes with a series of essays somewhat related to the overall focus of the course. That is not what will happen in ENG 560. The emphasis instead will be cohesion over collection. That is, we will be aiming for a cohesive, if not comprehensive, codex. There will be an overall argument and point to the work. Chapters will relate to and succeed each other in an academic, linear fashion.
Of course, the overall length of the book will depend on student enrollment. For example, if the minimum number of students take the course (10), we should be looking at a 150-page book. If the maximum number of students take the course (15), we should be looking at a book of over 200 pages. For either scenario to happen, students will need to work in pairs on individual chapters. That is, there will be two primary researchers/writers for every chapter. As such, I see my primary roles as facilitator and executive editor. If all those involved in this project approve of the end result, I may very well drum up external interest and/or pitch the text to publishers.
Given my preferred area of focus, i.e., rhetoric and writing studies, current ENG 567 students will be better prepared and primed for ENG 560. This should not dissuade others in the MA program from enrolling, though.
ENG 560 will be mixed mode, meeting every Tuesday night from May 9 until June 28. Here's a quick shot of each week:
Week 1 - introducing & brainstorming
Week 2 - delegating & researching
Week 3 - researching
Week 4 - researching
Week 5 - writing
Week 6 - writing
Week 7 - editing
Week 8 - finishing
The technology/technologies we use to facilitate the entire process will also be decided upon by students and instructor. Google Docs is the foremost possibility in my mind right now, but I'm very open to other recommendations/suggestions.
I'm also open to questions and concerns from current students and otherwise interested parties. Your thoughts?