ENGL 4847 - Writing and the Public Sphere: Community Literacies and Organizational Storytelling
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 43939,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Maria Conti Maravillas
Email: mcontimaravillas@ysu.edu
Course Description
4847. Writing and the Public Sphere: Community Literacies and Organizational Storytelling. This course addresses storytelling in public contexts, focusing on such areas as writing for social change, community literacy projects, digital and social media rhetorics, social and political campaigns, and organizational storytelling by for-profit businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and other entities. Students will gain practice in modes of public and civic discourse as well as organizational communication. As writers, students will learn to analyze specific writing situations and strategically employ writing strategies, genres, and story-based approaches to communications. Prereq.: C or better in ENGL 1551 or ENGL 1551H. 3 s.h.
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Writing is something that can be improved through practice. Every writer, regardless of their prior writing experiences, can succeed in this course if they apply effort, use resources effectively, reflect on their writing strategies, and make changes as needed. My hope is that all students will develop the knowledge they need to do well and that all students—even those who perform well early in the semester—will develop greater knowledge and skills through practice. The goal is to prepare you for writing and communicative tasks in the university, in the workplace, and in your civic, social, and professional life.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | The Public Work of Rhetoric: Citizen-Scholars and Civic Engagement | eds John M. Ackerman and David J. Coogan | |
| Required | Reading Rhetorical Theory: Speech, Representation, and Power | ed. Atilla Hallsby | |
| Required | Compose, Design, Advocate: A Rhetoric for Multimodal Communication | eds. Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch | |
| Required | Social Writing/Social Media: Publics, Presentations, and Pedagogies | eds. Douglas M. Walls and Stephanie Vie | |
| Required | Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, volume 4 | Edited by Dana Driscoll, Megan Heise, Mary Stewart, and Matthew Vetter | |
| Required | Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die | Chip Heath and Dan Heath | |
| Required | The Organizational Storytelling Workbook: How to Harness This Powerful Communication and Management Tool | David Collins |
All readings are available on Blackboard as uploaded or linked resources (you do NOT need to purchase the books in which they are published):
- Linda Flower, “Going Public—in a Disabling Discourse”
- Caroline Gottschalk Druschke et al., “Stories from the Flood: Promoting Healing and Fostering Policy Change through Storytelling, Community Literacy, and Community-based Learning”
- Mark Lyons, “Listen to My Story: The Transformative Power of Storytelling in Immigrant Communities”
- Carlos A. Flores and Sarah E. Jones, “Part 1: Defining Publics and Counterpublics”
- Carlos A. Flores and Sarah E. Jones, “Part 2: Case Studies in Counterpublic Rhetoric”
- Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “Steps for Rhetorical Analysis” and “Analyzing Videos”
- Julie Collins Bates, “Activist Archival Research, Environmental Intervention, and the Flint Water Crisis”
- Kara Poe-Alexander and Leslie A. Hahner, “The Intimate Screen: Revisualizing Understandings of Down Syndrome through Digital Activism on Instagram”
- Ashley J. Holmes, “Public Writing for Social Change”
- Chip Heath and Dan Heath, “Introduction—What Sticks?” and “Emotional”
- David Collins, “Maxims for Organizational Storytelling”
- Ellen Cushman and Erik Green, “Knowledge Work with the Cherokee Nation: The Pedagogy of Engaging Publics in a Praxis of New Media”
- Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “About Multimodal Communication”
- Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “Visible Ethos, Logos, and Pathos”
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Course Schedule
| Day | Date | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue | 8/25 | Storytelling and the Public Sphere | No written assignments due for class on 8/25. | |
| Thu | 8/27 | Read Linda Flower, “Going Public—in a Disabling Discourse,” pp. 137-153 Read syllabus |
Storytelling and the Public Sphere | Complete Intro to Course Survey; Complete AI Appropriate Use Commitment Form Discussion Post #1 option (post at least once for a reading from 8/27, 9/1, 9/3, or 9/8) |
| Tue | 9/1 | Read Caroline Gottschalk Druschke et al., “Stories from the Flood: Promoting Healing and Fostering Policy Change through Storytelling, Community Literacy, and Community-based Learning,” pp. 107-118 Read Mark Lyons, “Listen to My Story: The Transformative Power of Storytelling in Immigrant Communities,” pp. 231-241 |
Community Literacies, Digital Storytelling, and Social Media Rhetorics | Discussion Post #1 option (post at least once for a reading from 8/27, 9/1, 9/3, or 9/8) |
| Thu | 9/3 | Read Carlos A. Flores and Sarah E. Jones, “Part 1: Defining Publics and Counterpublics” | Publics and Counterpublics | Discussion Post #1 option (post at least once for a reading from 8/27, 9/1, 9/3, or 9/8) |
| Tue | 9/8 | Read Carlos A. Flores and Sarah E. Jones, “Part 2: Case Studies in Counterpublic Rhetoric” | Publics and Counterpublics | Discussion Post #1 due (post at least once for a reading from 8/27, 9/1, 9/3, or 9/8) |
| Thu | 9/10 | Read Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “Steps for Rhetorical Analysis,” pp. 332-344 and “Analyzing Videos,” pp. 443-467 | Rhetorical Analysis | Proposal for Rhetorical Analysis due; Discussion Post #2 option (post at least once for a reading from 9/10, 9/15, or 9/17) |
| Tue | 9/15 | Read Julie Collins Bates, “Activist Archival Research, Environmental Intervention, and the Flint Water Crisis,” pp. 208-233 | Community Literacies | Discussion Post #2 option (post at least once for a reading from 9/10, 9/15, or 9/17). |
| Thu | 9/17 | Read Kara Poe-Alexander and Leslie A. Hahner, “The Intimate Screen: Revisualizing Understandings of Down Syndrome through Digital Activism on Instagram,” pp. 225-240 | Social Media Rhetorics | Discussion Post #2 due (post at least once for a reading from 9/10, 9/15, or 9/17). |
| Tue | 9/22 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | First Draft of Rhetorical Analysis due; Continue working on your Rhetorical Analysis. | |
| Thu | 9/24 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Continue working on your Rhetorical Analysis. | |
| Tue | 9/29 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Continue working on your Rhetorical Analysis. | |
| Thu | 10/1 | Read Ashley J. Holmes, “Public Writing for Social Change” | Public Rhetorical Situation | Revision Memo 1 due; Discussion Post #3 option (post at least once for a reading from 10/1, 10/6, 10/8, 10/13, or 10/15). |
| Tue | 10/6 | Read Chip Heath and Dan Heath, “Introduction—What Sticks?,” pp. 3-24 | Organizational Storytelling | Final Rhetorical Analysis due; Discussion Post #3 option (post at least once for a reading from 10/1, 10/6, 10/8, 10/13, or 10/15). |
| Thu | 10/8 | Read Chip Heath and Dan Heath, “Emotional,’ pp. 165-203 | Organizational Storytelling; Effective Annotated Bibliographies | Proposal for Public Writing Project due; Discussion Post #3 option (post at least once for a reading from 10/1, 10/6, 10/8, 10/13, or 10/15). |
| Tue | 10/13 | Read David Collins, “Maxims for Organizational Storytelling” | Organizational Storytelling | Discussion Post #3 option (post at least once for a reading from 10/1, 10/6, 10/8, 10/13, or 10/15). |
| Thu | 10/15 | Read Ellen Cushman and Erik Green, “Knowledge Work with the Cherokee Nation: The Pedagogy of Engaging Publics in a Praxis of New Media,” pp. 175-190 | Research Strategies for Public Writing | Discussion Post #3 due (post at least once for a reading from 10/1, 10/6, 10/8, 10/13, or 10/15);Work on Annotated Bibliography (due 10/22). |
| Tue | 10/20 | Read Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “About Multimodal Communication,” pp. 304-324 | Multimodal Literacies | Feedback Reflection due |
| Thu | 10/22 | Read Anne Frances Wysocki and Dennis A. Lynch, “Visible Ethos, Logos, and Pathos,” pp. 270-291 | Visual Rhetorics | Annotated Bibliography due; Work on First Draft of Public Writing Project (due 11/5). |
| Tue | 10/27 | Exploring Genres for Public Writing Project | Work on First Draft of Public Writing Project (due 11/5). | |
| Thu | 10/29 | Exploring Genres for Public Writing Project | Work on First Draft of Public Writing Project (due 11/5). | |
| Tue | 11/3 | Class Cancelled—independent writing time on your Public Writing Project | Work on First Draft of Public Writing Project (due 11/5). | |
| Thu | 11/5 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | First Draft of Public Writing Project due Prepare questions and feedback areas in advance of your instructor conference. | |
| Tue | 11/10 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Work on Revision Memo 2 (due 11/24), presentation and speech, and Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Thu | 11/12 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Work on Revision Memo 2 (due 11/24), presentation and speech, and Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Tue | 11/17 | Peer Review and Instructor Conferences | Work on Revision Memo 2 (due 11/24), presentation and speech, and Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Thu | 11/19 | Presentations on Final Projects and Feedback | Prepare presentation materials and speech; Work on Revision Memo 2 (due 11/24), presentation and speech, and Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Tue | 11/24 | Presentations on Final Projects and Feedback | Revision Memo 2 due; Prepare presentation materials and speech; Work on Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Thu | 11/26 | YSU Closed | Enjoy your holiday! | |
| Tue | 12/1 | Presentations on Final Projects and Feedback | Prepare presentation materials and speech; Work on Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Thu | 12/3 | Finalizing the Public Writing Project | Work on Public Writing Project (due 12/8). | |
| Tue | 12/8 | TBD | Final Public Writing Project due; You are responsible for checking your YSU email once per day until 12/13 (when final grades are submitted) in case of issues with technology, files, submission, etc. |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.