I found the idea for this project while reading "Teaching Composition as a Social Process" by Bruce McComiskey for my class Contemporary Composition Studies, and I think it can be tweaked in order to be successful in ENC 1101.
The project relates to the rhetoric of institutions and how they provide frameworks in which discourse occurs. The topic is an exploration of how workplaces promote certain cultural values over others. Students examine past work experiences and the values which their workplace promoted to them. The project allows them to critically evaluate the messages being put forth, the success of the message's reception, and areas for improvement.
The writing assignment is twofold. One is an essay which
analyzes these issues and the second is a letter to someone within the company with suggestions for how to be more successful. I really like the idea of twofold writing assignments because basically all of academic writing is intended for the teacher. We tell the students to consider their audience, but it's almost always us, even if we pretend otherwise. By having them write to someone else, they can actually see how their thought process is different, and that writing can have a practical application. I think this essay would really fit in well with what we're already trying to accomplish with Project 2. That is, how outside messages are shaped in order to influence us. In this case, they evaluate the messages that their places of work are pushing. They can then evaluate the effectiveness of certain methods and make suggestions.
Overall, I think this project shows them how to be a more effective rhetor when trying to get their views across by giving them a practical opportunity to learn these lessons. Feel free to comment and offer any suggestions or criticisms. I can offer more details if my description is too vague.