Mycological networks offer remarkable examples of communication within and across species. Through complex chemical exchanges, mycelia “talk” to each other and other organisms, creating vast networks of knowledge-sharing that exist in a variety of modes. These networks allow mycelia to ward off disease, negotiate with life-partners, attract pollinators, and much more. Alongside texts like The Mushroom at the End of the World (Tsing) and Entangled Life (Sheldrake), we will explore what these entanglements can show us about our own communication practices, habits, and assumptions. At the beginning of the term, you will be assigned to a cohort of 3-5 people (depending on class size), with whom you will work closely for the rest of the semester. Projects include a research paper, a collaborative research poster and presentation, and an assemblage art piece.
Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes:
- Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.
- Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.
- Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.
- Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.
Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies:
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Persuasion
- Writer/Designer, available through The Bedford Bookshelf (recommended)
- The WOVENText Open Educational Resources, available for free at woventext.lmc.gatech.edu
- The Mushroom at the End of the World, by Anna Tsing. ISBN: 9780691220550
- Entangled Life, illustrated edition, by Merlin Sheldrake. ISBN: 9780593729984
Assignments in this course are graded using a modified labor-based grading system. Here’s what that means:
- All process work, in-class writing, and minor assignments are graded on a complete/incomplete scale. Final drafts of projects receive a letter grade that represents your grade for the whole unit. Thus, assignments other than final drafts are marked as not counting toward the final grade in Canvas. This is not because they are unimportant, but because they contribute to the unit grade, which then contributes to the final grade.
- To be “complete,” an assignment must: a) be submitted by the deadline or within your official extension period; b) fulfill the requirements of the prompt/instructions; and c) show evidence of engagement with course learning outcomes. If an assignment does not fulfill one or more of those qualifications, it will be marked incomplete.
- Completing a predetermined amount of work (labor) in each unit guarantees you a B for that unit. Work that is essential to earning a B is marked by an asterisk (*) in assignment titles on Canvas.
- To earn an A, you must fulfill B-level requirements and then complete more work (labor). In each unit, you will choose from a selection of A-level assignments listed at the end of the project prompt. Completing the number of activities indicated by the prompt qualifies you for an A in that unit, assuming that your B-level requirements are fulfilled.
- Attendance, participation, and engagement will be evaluated by the instructor. You will complete a short reflection from time to time that helps the instructor understand how you see your participation habits.
- Final grades are calculated based on weighted unit grades using GT’s GPA scheme. Therefore, an A = 4, B = 3, etc. Totals will extend to two decimal points and then be rounded up (.50 and above) or down (.49 and below). There are no other percentage, numeric, or +/- grades in this course.
Attendance and participation are essential to success in courses in the Writing and Communication Program. Because of this, you are expected to attend class. Not attending a scheduled class session in-person results in an absence. Please let me know in advance (if possible) if you have to miss so that I can plan group activities accordingly.
There may be times when you cannot or should not attend class, such as if you are not feeling well, have an interview, or have family responsibilities. Exceptions are allowed for Institute-approved absences (for example, those documented by the Registrar) and situations such as illness, hospitalization, or family emergencies (documentation by the Office of the Dean of Students required).
You have three “free” absences that you can use at any time for any reason. Beginning with the fourth absence, your final grade will be impacted by -3% per absence. Up to two absences can be made up and their points regained by completing make-up work assigned by the instructor.
Tardies: Showing up more than 8 minutes late qualifies as tardy. Four tardies equals one absence. Tardies (and any absences resulting from them) cannot be made up. The instructor may forgive a tardy in specific cases. *Please note: arriving late on peer review days means you might provide a review for someone without receiving one in return, especially if peer review has already begun when you arrive.
If you do miss class, it’s your responsibility to 1) check Canvas and 2) contact your peers for notes. After taking those steps, you are welcome to email me or come by my office to chat about what you missed. Absences and tardies may be forgiven at the discretion of the instructor, usually in the case of emergencies.
Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. All work submitted must be original and properly cited. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in immediate consequences as outlined in the university's academic integrity policy.
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Writing area.
Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals.
This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question:
- How do I write effectively in different contexts?