Garrett J. Cummins Website
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Garrett J. Cummins
6581 Bricegrove Blvd
Canal Winchester, Ohio
513-708-6388
EDUCATION
Ohio University (2016-present)
PhD Student (Graduation in 2021)
Focuses: Science Writing
Visual Rhetoric of Scientific Visuals
Digital Rhetoric and History of Rhetoric
Creationist/Religious Rhetoric
Writing Pedagogy
University of Cincinnati
Masters in Arts in English (June 2012)
Primary Focus Area: Composition and Rhetoric, Writing Pedagogy
Graduate teaching assistant
Writing center tutor
Five Towns College
Bachelors of Music in Music Education (June 1999)
Primary Focus Area: Music Education Pedagogy, and Jazz Guitar
Music Theory and Sight singing Tutor
Phi Sigma Eta—Honor Society
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
Visiting Assistant Instructor, Adjunct Instructor, and Graduate Assistant (2011-2016)
English 1000: Introductory Composition (2 sections)
Taught the genres of summary, compare and contrast, source evaluation, and argument/response. I also helped students with fundamental, college grammar, punctuation, and conventions of documentation.
English 1001: First Year Composition (11 sections)
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Taught logical fallacies, giving them a more specific understanding of the three, Aristotelian appeals. Students in my courses composed within the genres of rhetorical analysis, rhetorical synthesis, arguing from a position, genre recast, source evaluation, and researched argument.
English 2089: Intermediate Composition (10 sections)
Taught units on literacy, genre, and discourse community, for the purpose of preparing students for their final, discourse community analysis paper of argument with stated reasons, in-text citation, citing and quoting textual evidence, genre comp, ethnographic researching. Included in the genres, I taught are critical literacy analysis, ethnographic/discourse community/research writing, and MLA and APA citation styles.
ESL 1080: ESL, First Year Composition (2 sections)
Taught genres of summary, rhetorical analysis, arguing from a position, genre recast, and researched argument. Included in the skills I taught are paraphrase, quotation, MLA citation, transition use, revision, research steps, thesis statement composition, and constructing claims with reasons. Included in the topics I taught are classical arguments, Aristotle’s appeals, deductive and inductive reasoning, logical fallacies, and recasting researched arguments into multimodal formats, e.g. PowerPoint presentations.
ESL 2089: ESL, Intermediate Composition (1 section)
Led students through a conventional, research process for an undergraduate paper about their particular discourse community. The discourse community project focused on each student's major, e.g. finance, geography, etc. For each of these students, I helped them through a six-step APA-formatted, research process. The paper sections I taught included a research proposal, a literature review/synthesis, research methodology, introduction (with thesis), results and findings, and conclusion/discussion.
Graduate Assistant, University of Cincinnati (2011-2012)
English 101: First-Year Composition I (1 section)
Taught rhetorical analysis, strong response, and synthesis. Included in the skills I taught are summarizing, paraphrasing, quotation, MLA citation, and thesis statement construction, parts of a quotation, constructing claims with reasons, and thesis statement writing.
English 102: First-Year Composition II (2 sections)
Taught summarizing, paraphrasing, quotation. I also taught classical arguments, debate, student self-editing, logical fallacies, basic visual rhetoric, and recasting arguments into multimodal formats, e.g. PowerPoint presentations.
XAVIER UNIVERSITY, CINCINNATI, OHIO
Adjunct Instructor (August 2014-December 2014; January 2016-May 2016)
Taught types of reasoning: inductive/deductive, types of argument, the Aristotelian appeals, fallacies, use of rhetorical/literary devices for both rhetorically analyzing images and texts. I also taught synthesizing text for researched-based arguments, methods of research (source evaluation, annotated bibliography), and methods of in-text and bibliographical citation.
ART INSTITUTE OF CINCINNATI, MASON OHIO (NOW CLOSED)
Adjunct Instructor (July 2014-June 2016)
GEN 105: Effective Speaking (3 sections)
Worked with students on the fundamentals of effective public speaking, including how to overcome speech anxiety, audience analysis (types of listening, types of learners), and active listening techniques. I worked with types of speeches (introductory, informative, persuasive), writing and researching an argument for the persuasive speech, methods of quotation, summary, and paraphrase, strategies of organization (compare/contrast, criteria-matching, narrative, history/origin, definition).
GEN 095: Fundamentals of English (1 section)
Taught the techniques of description, compare and contrast, process, cause and effect, and persuasion. Also taught source evaluation, and argument/response, as well sentence writing techniques such as Old/New Contract (anadiplosis and conduplicato). Practiced quotation and paraphrase techniques. Moreover, I also helped students with fundamental, college grammar, punctuation, and conventions of MLA documentation.
GEN 101: Composition (2 sections)
Focused on classical rhetoric and ad analysis. Had students look at ads and apply classical rhetorical terms: ethos, pathos, and logos. Also had students work in groups to analyze formal academic texts. Also taught fallacies. Students analyzed texts for fallacious rhetoric.
GEN 103: Literature for Composition
Analyzed literary genres, e.g. poems, plays, short stories, and used classical rhetorical analysis: ethos, pathos, logos. This class also interpreted symbolism, word-choice, and sentence structure to understand less obvious meanings in the texts.
GEN 105: Literature (Second-Year) (2 sections)
This course was a traditional literature course. We studied canonical works, such as Heart of Darkness, as well as canonical poetry, “The Second Coming.” I also had students look at manifestos as both political and literary works. Included in these works were “The Futurist Manifesto,” “The Feminist Manifesto,” and “The Communist Manifesto.” We used these manifestos' political angles as lens for analyzing other pieces of literature. Students turned in a final paper and presented on their final paper.
CINCINNATI STATE TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CINCINNATI, OHIO (January 2013-August 2013; June 2015-December of 2015)
Adjunct Instructor
English 101: Introduction to Academic Writing (4 sections)
Focused on sentence-level grammar and helping them utilize the rhetorical modes of compare and contrast, narrative, definition. Within these rhetorical mode assignments, the students analyzed audience and purpose and respond to specific arguments in essays about current issues.
English 102: Introduction to Academic Argument (4 sections)
Taught formal and informal concepts of argument such as Aristotelian syllogisms, logical fallacies, classical argument form, quotation and paraphrasing techniques, and academic research techniques, as well as proper citation practices in MLA.
English as a Second Language: 1 and 2 (2 sections)
ESL 1: Taught students fundamental concepts of grammar that include past, present, and future tenses verbs, mostly being able to decode and encode conversational English. Introduced students to basic rhetorical strategies such as compare/contrast, process, and cause and effect. Had students read out loud to practice pronunciation and edit larger works for incorrect grammar.
ESL 2: Taught students more complicated past, present, and future tense verb constructions, including modal and conditional forms. Worked with students on fundamental academic forms of discourse such as compare/contrast, informative writing, and argumentative/persuasive writing. Had students correct more complicated grammar errors, focuses these activities in the context of revising writing. Facilitated classroom discussion and has students read out loud to practice pronunciation.
CHATFIELD COLLEGE, CINCINNATI, OHIO
Adjunct Instructor (August 2015-December 2015; May 2016-July 2016)
English 099, English Fundamentals (4 Sections)
Taught students basics of past, present, and future tense verbs; modals, conditionals, and revision exercises for recognizing and correcting sentence fragments and dangling constructions. Ran these lessons to facilitate students’ success on the Sentence Skill portion of the Accuplacer Test.
OHIO UNIVERSITY, ATHENS, OHIO
Graduate Assistant Instructor (August 2016-present)
English 1510 (3 sections)
In fall 2016, I taught the curriculum already approved by Professor Mara Holt. I used Writing Analytically and the 3rd edition of Readings on Writing that Holt, May, and May edited and published. Mostly focused on classical rhetoric, paraphrasing, and genre analysis.
In spring of 2017, I taught two sections of the pilot sections of Cultural Competencies curriculum. Used same textbook and readings but incorporated more video and online resources. Students analyzed both arguments and narratives in text. These texts (a range of media) included
English 3090 J: Writing in the Sciences (1 section)
In Fall of 2017, I taught a more current-traditional model of writing in the first half of the semester: paraphrasing, summarizing, grammar, citation. At mid-semester, started to have students connect classical rhetoric to science writing, particularly the Aristotelian modes. Transposed these ideas about modes to analyzing and constructing scientific visuals. Students presented a final literature review and poster session in class.
English 3080 J: Writing in the Disciplines (1 section)
In summer of 2017, I taught an online section of 3080 J. Like my teaching at UC, students did a literacy analysis, genre analysis, and discourse community project. Used only free, online web resources, such as Forest of Rhetoric, Purdue OWL, and American Rhetoric dot com. Focused on how certain forms of writing in their majors illustrate definitions of rhetoric.
English 3080 J: Popular Science Writing
Currently, I’m teaching a 3080 J that focuses on Popular Science Writing. Instead of discussing discourse communities and writing in their major, we discuss audience(s), narrative, and ethics. The central dilemma I’m presenting to the students: to make science more interesting/approachable, we popular science writers face "dumbing down" facts and explanations for the sake of inspiring and promoting readership. How might "dumbing down" facts create ethical dilemmas in popular science writing? Using a variety of media and modalities.
Assistant Coordinator of the Student Writing Center at Ohio University (August 2017-present)
Work with Coordinator and Associate Coordinator to deal with both administrative and client-related tasks. Teach new tutor class, ran orientation (2018), assist in scheduling tutors, tutor clients in-person and online, and give tours and classroom visits for SWC. Help plan staff meetings. Give training on making comments on online tutoring. Working on website redesign.
RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE
WordPlay, Cincinnati, Ohio
Writing/Homework Tutor (October 2013-May 2014)
Volunteered at the after school program WordPlay to help secondary students with writing personal, narrative essays that were published and performed, discussed young adult novels with timely social themes, e.g. racial tensions, and helped them work through English (literature and vocabulary), Math (Algebra and Geometry), and General Science homework.
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Ohio
Writing Tutor (January 2012-August 2012)
Worked mostly with ESL undergraduate and graduate students. As a tutor, I enacted the role of the
facilitator, more than the sentence-level editor. For example, in a typical session, I asked the student what specific issues they are having with their paper. As a result, the student could gain insight into what he or she struggles with and can gain autonomy as self-editors in future drafting processes.
Donald C. Harrison Library (2010-2011)
Bibliographical Researcher
Researched library holdings to determine whether or not physical book inventory should be retained
or disposed of.
Langsam Library (2008-2010)
Bibliographical Researcher/Acquisition Technician
Researched library holdings to determine whether or not library already possessed holdings. Based on the findings, I decided whether the acquired resources
VOLUNTEER SERVICE/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Ohio
Teaching Philosophy Workshop (May 2012)
Received instruction in constructing a formally written, philosophy of
teaching. Most of the workshop dealt with drafting and discussing our
personal teaching philosophies with other academics within and
outside of our academic subject areas.
Syllabus Alignment Seminars Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (March 2013)
University of Cincinnati (April 2013)
Both of these seminars discussed ways for graduate students and instructor to align their assignments, and student learning outcomes. In other words, these workshops illustrated how single lesson plans, testing, and end of the course goals need to be linked in a clear way for students.
CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS
University of Cincinnati
Works-in-Progress Conference (June 2012)
Presented on the possible literacy (and non-literacy values) of using Facebook comment threads as sites best illustrating the common metaphor we offer our writing students: the metaphor of entering the conversation. In some comment threads, such as Fox News, the register and substance
of the discourse does not model the kind of writing we academics deem as competent within an academic conversation.
Being Undisciplined Conference (April 2013)
Showed the possible connections between the terminology of science, law, and logic, as a way to help First-Year composition students reach and connect to the student learning outcomes of First-Year composition. Terminology such as “making a case,” which relates to law, and deductive and inductive reasoning, which relates to logic and science, gives students from pre-professional and scientific majors even greater access to the composition.
Conference of College Composition and Communication (RNF Forum) Indianapolis, Indiana (March 2014),
Facilitated the discussions of the proposal/rough draft stages of our research projects. My research project proposed and tentatively synthesized connection between bloom-spaces (Kathleen Stewart) and invention as a site of quotation for first-and second-year, composition students. I used the term “invention” in the classical rhetoric sense of “discovery” and “illumination” of argumentative discourse.
Midwest Pop Culture Associate Conference
Cincinnati, Ohio (October 2015)
Presented my wedges and bridges rough draft as a 20 minute, talk through of the ideas. I focus on how Ann Gauger uses language that means to create doubts about the validity of genetic annotation (genetic cataloging methods) and what assumptions she could be making in her criticism of these methods. Also included possible Biblical backings, Bible verses that could back up her Creationist/ID critique of those methods, as well as Darwinian Evolution. This presentation became the basis of my PhD application, writing sample.
Midwest Pop Culture Association Conference
Chicago Illinois (October 2016)
Continuing my work with creationist rhetoric, I presented an analysis on Pastor Ken Ham’s side of the February 2014 Ken Ham/Bill Nye Debate. In this short analysis, I continue with the irenic approach Crowley advocates, and extend Ratcliffe’s metonymic listening to my “reading” and analysis of Ken Ham’s argument for creation being the only viable model of origins. In examining Ham’s language, I use Ong, Culler, and John 1:1 to discuss the divinity of language (Ong) and the power language has in terms of meaning (Culler).
Perfecting Pedagogical Practices, Graduate Conference at Ohio University (February 2017)
Helped organize speakers and communication of the conference. Presented on applying lit scholar Harold Brent’s dialectical materialist method of textual analysis to analyzing an article. Had the audience fill out sheets and share their answers after I showed them a YouTube video of #sorrynotsorry campaign for Pantene. Demonstrated my first move of wanting to incorporate cultural analysis, personal experience, and rhetoric criticism.
Conference of Writing Program Administrators, Knoxville, TN (July 2017)
Presented in a panel with Prof. Mara Holt, Mr. David Johnson, Ms. Erica Penoyer on personal experience with pilot Cultural Competencies for Ohio University’s FYC class. Unlike other presentations, I wrote a narrative of how teaching this curriculum in Spring of 2017 transformed me. I particularly focus on how my privileged position as a white, heterosexual male keeps me from experiencing prejudice and discrimination both inside and outside of the academy. This presentation added a much-needed cultural component to my work in Rhetoric and Composition.
Computers and Writing 2018, George Mason University (May 2018)
Had participants comment and redraw a complex data visualization NASA composed on temperature change and global warming. Used public data viz. expert Elijah Meeks and rhetorician of science Heather Graves as main sources. Directed participants to also caption their redrawing of the graph. Connected their redrawing and caption to the original graph. First time I presented on visual rhetoric that focuses on scientific visuals.
Professional Presentations
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University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
English 2089 Best Practices and Introduction Workshop
Presenter/Facilitator (February 17 and 20, 2014)
Professor Gary Vaughn and I facilitated two workshops for educator faculty, as well as graduate students, dealing with the curriculum of English 2089, here at the University of Cincinnati. In the faculty version, we simply facilitated discussions between follow faculty members. In the graduate students/new adjunct workshop, we gave information on the course goals, as well as examples of assignments that utilized and demonstrated the course goals.
Writing Across the Disciplines/Writing Across the Curriculum for GATE (October 29, 2013 and April 9, 2014)
In both presentations, showed graduate students who teach in their respective fields how to incorporate writing into science, history, sociology, and architecture, undergraduate classes. Also facilitated in reinforcing fundamental concepts of rhetoric: audience, purpose, and genre in discipline specific writing.
GRADUATE COURSEWORK
M.A. in English, with an Emphasis in Composition and Rhetoric
Teaching College Writing (Laura Micciche)
Critical Pedagogy (Russel Durst)
Topics in Composition: Voice (Laura Micciche)
International Modernism (Beth Ash)
Applications of Literary Theory (Trish Henley)
Rhetoric II (Laura Micciche)
Academic Spanish (Siusan St. Claire)
Critical Writing in English Studies (Laura Micciche)
Teaching Practicum (Joyce Malek)
PhD in Rhetoric and Composition (in progress)
College Writing Pedagogy (Mara Holt)
Introduction to English Studies (Paul Jones/Mara Holt)
Introduction to Research in Rhetoric and Composition (Talinn Phillips)
History of Rhetoric (Sherrie Gradin)
New Materialism (Albert Rouzie)
Philosophy of Biology (Scott Carson)
Rhetorical Criticism (Roger Aden)
History of Composition (Ryan Shepherd)
L2 Writing Pedagogies (Talinn Phillips)
New Media Composition (Ryan Shepherd)
PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS
Creative, Non-Fiction in The Cincinnati Anthology
“Personal Botany” (2014) Comparing Ethics of Science in Creationist and New Materialist Rhetoric” (forthcoming publication for "Havard’s Cosmologics)