Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can't exist without the other.

—William Zinnser, On Writing Well

Each week, you will be given a reading assignment and a set of questions to answer with regard to the reading. The purpose of these assignments is to focus your attention on specific concepts in the reading material and to display your understanding of it. The readings are not long, and thus neither should be the writing, as outlined below.

Before you get started, you will need access to a PDF reader, preferably one that will allow you to annotate PDFs. You will also need to be familiar with Google Docs, or be capable of creating PDFs. Reading material will be distributed via PDFs. Your writing assignments will either be done in Google Docs, or turned in as PDFs. This is so that I may provide edits and feedback directly on your work. Readings will be assigned at the beginning of each week, and the writing will be due prior to the commencement of the DAO’s Community Call.

TIPS TO BETTER COMPREHEND THE READING:

Much of this content will be incredibly dense. More than likely, you will struggle with it. This is a good thing. If you felt comfortable with this material, you’d be facilitating this course instead of taking it. Given the challenge in the reading, this is the approach I recommend, though you are welcome to approach it in whatever way will help you digest it in the time you are given to complete the reading and the associated writing:

Read it multiple times.

1. For your first read through, skim it. This is a superficial reading. You just want to know what exists in the material, not what it means. What words pop out? What phrases catch your attention? Despite the material being overwhelming, can you make sense of one or two things throughout? Then sleep on it.
2. For your second read through, take your time, but don’t fight with the content. Circle words that are unfamiliar and look them up. Highlight phrases that feel particularly difficult. Underline phrases that appear to be the thesis of each paragraph. Take a break.
3. Read the questions that tie the reading with the writing assignment.
4. For your third read through, sit with the content. You are now familiar with the voice and approach of the author. You’ve come to terms with the author regarding the vernacular in use. Take your time to understand what is being said and how it relates to what is being asked of you.
5. Take copious notes. Write your thoughts in the margins. Remove highlights where you have come to a better understanding of those pages.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

We’ve all had to write essays. We’re all familiar with the popular essay format. And I think we can all agree on one point regarding essays:

Essays fucking suck.

The whole purpose around the design of the essay—say what you plan, say it, summarize what you said—is designed around busy work. There’s little reason why this format should exist outside of research papers. So for our purposes here, we’re doing away with it.

Here are the expectations around the assignments that will be due:

1. No more than two pages, but more than one page, single-sided, double-spaced, with one inch margins. Your content should exceed one full page, but not exceed two full pages.
2. Answer the questions completely. In less than two pages, you should be able to state your complete thought on each question with support from the reading material, with appropriate transitions from one thought to the next.
3. Do not include an intro, and do not include a conclusion. Your conclusions are in the body of your work. The only reason intros and conclusions exist is to repeat yourself for the purpose of higher word count and/or more pages in your document. Your high school teacher and college professors wanted 10 page papers to answer two questions. I am not them, and, for the most part, neither are your colleagues or your readers. To sum this up: get to the fucking point.
4. There are no wrong answers, only bad logic. As you will find from the first few readings, this shit is complicated and will challenge the way you think about content in general. Let go of thinking about the right answer, and focus on defending the answers you come up with. And defend them well.