View this MessageSubject: 4C's Ten Commandments from Keith Rhodes Keith Rhodes (Moses? A Holy Compositionist Spirit? God?) gave me permission to repost his wonderful, annual email to WPA-L. His sage advice was distributed to reviewers this year and is useful for all us when presenting and attending the CCCC. As Shakespeare said, "the truest things are said in jest." Laugh, enjoy, and learn! Will Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:14:30 -0800 From: Keith Rhodes <dkaa4@EARTHLINK.NET> Subject: 4Cs Commandments Sender: Writing Program Administration <WPA-L@asu.edu> X-Sender: dkaa4@earthlink.net To: WPA-L@asu.edu X-To: wpa-l@asu.edu Reply-to: Writing Program Administration <WPA-L@asu.edu> I had an off-list request to post these again, here on their 4th anniversary. Keith Rhodes 4C'S COMMANDMENTS I. Thy equal portion of the 1-hour presentation time is thy whole and only portion. Thou shalt have no other portion before or after it. II. Thou shalt honor the 15-minute discussion period and keep it holy, and never threaten it, neither as the first presenter, nor the second, nor any other, yea unto the last. III. Thou shalt not chair a session if thou canst not stomach enforcing the first and second commandments, knowing also that every minute spent introducing a speaker is a minute charged to that speaker. IV. Thou mayest deliver an unwritten presentation, but in such case the first and second commandments are even more inviolable (or: Thou shalt not wing it to excess). V. Thou shalt not wasteth any time explaining that thou hast not not reached perfect answers or expressed reality itself, for to do so is to assume that we might think you could, which we do not. VI. Thou shalt not revise on thy feet that which thou hast just read, for thou hast had plenty of time for revision already. VII. Thou shalt bring written copies of all citations that thou honestly expectst thy listeners to read some day. VIII. Thou shalt either bring written copies of or project all figures that thou honestly expecstst thy listeners to comprehend. IX. Honor thy forebearers. Thou shalt speak derisively of other scholars and teachers in the field only when such others are on the same panel and preferably awaiting their chance to respond. X. Avoideth all apology and excuse. Do thy best with what thou hast and trust to the ability of thine audience to run further with what has been left undone, for most likely they can. |
Previous Message