The New Work of Composing

Edited by Debra Journet, Cheryl E. Ball, & Ryan Trauman

Book overview. This edited collection explores theoretical and practical questions about multimodal, digital production through lenses of rhetoric/composition, digital writing studies, English studies, and the humanities.
- Computers and Composition Digital Press
- Utah State University Press
Not Your Mother's Argument

Morgan Gresham and Roxanne Kirkwood Aftanas

Abstract. This chapter explores how identity and expectations change audience responses to our work as scholars. Using our own compositions as a point of departure, we argue that authors cannot use the master's tools of traditional argument to look at the new work of composition scholarship. As our discipline transitions to new compositions, we see the increasing expectation of a "second shift" of work that requires remediation into traditional argument if our work is to be viable. We push against this expectation, using our digital compositions to create feminist identities and scholarship.

APA Citation: Gresham, Morgan, & Aftanas, Roxanne Kirkwood. (2012). Not your mother's argument. In Debra Journet, Cheryl E. Ball, & Ryan Trauman (Eds.), The new work of composing. Computers and Composition Digital Press/Utah State University Press. http://ccdigitalpress.org/nwc/chapters/gresham-aftanas/
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Roxanne says, “I believe in blowing off work to spend time with friends and family. I make each choice by asking myself which I would be more proud of on my deathbed: submitting to one more conference or snuggling on the couch with the girls.”

But choosing not to work doesn’t mean never choosing work. It is, instead, choosing balance.

I just went up for tenure and actually had my chair in her formal letter question the validity of this piece because it is online. *sigh* Again, we have not come as far as we think we have. The pressure also comes from our home institutions. Students (and administrators) are used to having instant access to anyone/everyone. A 24-hour turnaround on messages, posts, phone calls, or text messages (!) is unacceptable; it should be instant. When do we turn it off? There is no such thing as “reserving Fridays for research” because someone might NEED you that day. Weekends should be full access. Students send emails from their phones from a bar at three in the morning asking questions about their eight am class—and expect an answer! Social media has completely skewed our expectations of response time, pressuring faculty into feeling like they should be available 24 hours a day—further complicating our desires to have a life/family outside of work.

"X-ers value quality over quantity in their work, and prioritize efficiency." (Robin Matross Helms, 2010, p. 9)

Friday, June 10, 2011

Sometimes we choose not to work

The New Work of Composing

Edited by Debra Journet, Cheryl E. Ball, & Ryan Trauman

Not Your Mother's Argument

Morgan Gresham and Roxanne Kirkwood Aftanas

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