Rhetoric 1302 – section 26

UTD RHETORIC WEBSITE:

http://lingua.utdallas.edu/rhetoric

This web site will be INVALUABLE to you as a student. Not only as a resource for RHET 1302, but also for your whole academic career. This site contains links to the course syllabus, reference and research resources, the LRO, and LinguaMoo.

LEARNING RECORD ONLINE (LRO):

http://lro.cwrl.utexas.edu

This is where ALL of your work will be displayed. We’ll get acquainted with it during several classes. This will provide you (and me) with an accessible means of seeing your progress as the semester progresses.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course focuses on critical thinking by using an integrated approach to writing that teaches various rhetorical strategies for reading and constructing arguments, both written and visual. You will learn to read texts critically according to key components in argumentative discourse (i.e., claims, grounds, explicit and implicit assumptions, fallacies, etc.) and to recognize the different purposes of argument (i.e., to inquire, to convince, to persuade, and to negotiate). You will write and revise three to four papers based on issues and controversies raised in the various texts read during the semester. The Assignments will give you extensive practice in reading critically and writing according to the rhetorical conventions of an argumentative essay.

Learning Record Online

Student work will be collected in an electronic portfolio called the “Learning Record Online” (LRO) throughout the semester. Use of online technology will enhance the level of feedback you receive, as well as give you experience in the kinds of collaborative work that many organizations use routinely. Online interaction and argumentative writing will comprise a large part of the evaluation in the course. Other Assignments will include interviews, observations, and notes, all of which will be entered into your LRO. The LRO portfolio is your most important argument in the course as it shows the sum evidence of your learning, including your own observations and analysis of said learning. You will belong to a “work group” for various collaborative activities (i.e., discussion of readings and peer critiques. Because learning to read critically and write responsively entails mastery of a process, your work will undergo extensive revisions in response to peer readings and collaboration as well as conferencing with your instructor.

Required Texts and Supplies

The Aims of Argument: A Rhetoric and Reader by Timothy Crusius and Carolyn Channell--must be the fourth edition (not the “brief” edition) 2002.

The New Century Handbook (this is optional, but highly recommended) by Christine Hult and Thomas Huckin, brief edition, 2001.

Also bring a CD-R compact disc to save ALL of your work on. Most documents will be produced in Microsoft Word. Whether you use MS Word outside of the classroom or not, it is best to save your files as rich text format (RTF) to insure compatibility between the word processing program you use and the one in your classroom http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/microsoft/software.html.

Fairness, Personal Responsibility, and Honesty

These words shall dictate ALL conduct in our class. Please take the time to think about them every time you attend this, or, for that matter, any other class. We will master and perfect the art of empathic interaction. Let’s be considerate and compassionate to our fellow students. There is more than enough malevolence in this world of ours. These ethics can be applicable in all facets of both your academic and personal life. Please treat each other with respect and integrity. Perhaps if we adhere to these simple examples of courteous behavior, we can begin to change the larger world that seems so impersonal and terrifying.

Attendance Policy

Because participation is vital to successful completion of Rhetoric 1302, you should attend every class. If you must be absent, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN ADVANCE. Also, check with your classmates or with me for any work you’ve missed. Much of the work is done collaboratively in class. Alternative Assignments are generally not given, nor do I have the time to “re-teach” missed classes for individual students. If you miss more than three classes (this includes our online Friday classes), your grade will be negatively affected and/or you may be encouraged to drop the class. Chronic tardiness is unacceptable, as are coming to class unprepared, doing work that is not for this course during class, sleeping in class, or using the computers or other personal electronic devices for personal messaging, research, or entertainment. Please turn off cellular/mobile phones, pagers, and other personal electronic devices during class.

Office Hours

Please note my regular office hours above. You also can arrange to see me at other times that are mutually convenient. Office hours belong to you just as much as our class time. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of my availability and the help I am ready to offer. If you need to contact me outside of class time or office hours, it is best to communicate with me by email, tdk75204@aol.com, rather than the office phone.

Grading Policy

This class offers you an approach to learning that may be different from your past experiences. Because the course is concerned with your development as a critical reader and writer, the grading strategy will track and monitor that development. Your work will be collected in an electronic portfolio called the Learning Record Online (LRO). Your Assignments will not receive individual grades, but will receive individual attention from your classmates and me. Your mid-term and final grades will be based on your portfolio of written observations and your work samples, including collaborative work and your three major essays, as well as completion of each component of your LRO. In the final step to completing your LRO, you will argue for your grade by summarizing your learning and estimating the grade that the evidence of your learning supports. In other words, you will directly apply what you learn in this course, argumentative writing, by arguing for your own grade. However, each component of the LRO is vital to a quality body of work: your attendance, participation, promptness, and level of writing. Effective arguments, creativity, collaboration, sound rhetorical skills, and competent use of technology—all of these things and more contribute to an outstanding portfolio.

Your goal is to demonstrate your development toward mastery of five course strands (rhetoric, research, technology, collaboration, and critical thinking) and development across five dimensions of learning (confidence and independence, skills and strategies, knowledge and understanding, use of prior and emerging experience, and reflectiveness).

Grades

Grading goals will be discussed throughout the course. Keep in mind that although we do give + and – grades at UTD, the general criteria for grading your Learning Record is still based on the A-F scale. Grades will reflect the following accomplishments:

A Represents your outstanding participation and attendance in all course activities. All of assigned work is completed on time, with very high quality in all work produced for the course. You should demonstrate evidence of significant development (growth) across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands. To receive an A in this class, I expect a proactive demeanor and attitude in all facets of learning. In order to argue for an A grade, you must demonstrate to me from the first class to the last, a willingness to take a chance with your writing.

B Represents excellent participation and attendance in all course activities. All of assigned work completed, with consistently high quality in course work. You should demonstrate an acceptable amount of evidence of marked development (growth) across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

C Represents good (average/acceptable) participation and attendance in all course activities. Has all assigned work completed, with generally good (average) quality overall in course work. Demonstrates evidence of some development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

D Represents uneven participation and attendance in course activities. Has some gaps in assigned work completed, with inconsistent quality in course work. Evidence of development (growth) across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands is partial or unclear.

F Represents minimal participation and attendance in course activities; serious gaps in assigned work completed, or very low quality in course work. Evidence of development is not available.

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is the representation of another person’s work as your own, whether you mean to or not. For example, copying or paraphrasing passages from another writer’s work without acknowledging that you’ve done so is plagiarism. Allowing another writer to write any part of your essay is plagiarism. Copying or purchasing a paper from any source is plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a serious offense. The possible consequences range from failing the assignment to failing the course, or worse. Each incident of plagiarism at UTD must be reported to the administration. If you are not sure how to properly cite a quoted or paraphrased source, or if you need help with the format of a citation, check with the New Century Handbook and/or with me. Although you can (and, in fact, should) seek help and advice from friends, classmates, tutors, and others, be sure that your written work is your own.

See the Undergraduate Catalog for information about the consequences of Scholastic Dishonesty, or view the policy here (which is also a link on the Rhetoric Program website): http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html.

Major Assignments

All major assignments need to be in your LRO as well as given to me in a hard-copy MLA format style.

First Essay: An essay to convince or persuade on the topic of your choice—something that you feel passionate about. You may use the assigned readings in Aims, or some other source, and your own research, to make an effective argument. By using multiple reasons supported by evidence to convince your audience to accept your argument or to persuade your audience to perform a specific action based on the principles of your argument.

Brief/Outline due: January 22

First draft due: January 29

Final draft due: February 19

Second Essay: An essay to resolve a conflict (mediate) by addressing the needs of opposing sides. You may use the readings from Chapter 10 “Casebook on 9/11,” or Chapter 11 “Casebook on Marriage and Family” in Aims, or you may choose something on your own (you will have my full support if you elect to choose to your own topic: hint, wink, hint). As always, however, you must do your own research, make an argument that mediates and offers a possibility for consensus that can move the opposing views to new ground. This will probably be your most difficult assignment of the term, so we will spend the most time on this assignment

Brief/Outline due: February 24

First draft due: March 3

Second draft due: March 17

Final draft due: March 31

Third Essay: An integrated textual and visual essay that examines and analyzes the argument of a visual image in terms of its rhetorical elements: composition, presentation, intended audience, and effect. This essay may be created and archived in the Lingua MOO, or, for you industrious types, you can create a WEB Page. This assignment is your chance to show me how you’ve learned to argue effectively, AND to show me your creativity. Your image may come from the visuals in Aims, other publications, the Internet, or other media. I want you to HAVE FUN with this assignment and to allow yourself to be as creative as possible. Again, your willingness to take chances with this project will be fully supported by me!

Brief/Outline/Rhetorical Prospectus for visual/textual essay due: April 2

First draft due: April 16

Final draft due: April 28

Learning Record Online: This is an online resource for managing and documenting the work and learning you do in this class. Various Assignments will be due throughout the semester, and all observations, drafts, and essays must be included in the LRO on the date due.

Parts A.1 and A.2 are due: January 27

Parts B.1 and C.1 are due: March 7

Parts B.2 and C.2 are due: May 2

Remember: all drafts and final drafts must be recorded online in your LRO and turned in to me in hard copy (using MLA format and citation and including a Works Cited page) on the dates they are due.

Dated Syllabus

(Updated 01/08//03)

(Given the nature of this course, and life in general, this syllabus is ALWAYS subject to change)

Please start to save work (RTF format) initially on CD-R Disc and cut-n-paste into LRO. Also, always be aware of spelling, grammar, mechanics and style—if I see any egregious problems, I will send you an e-mail.

[Assignments are due by the next class period unless noted otherwise]

Mon 1/13:

In-class: Welcome and getting to know one another. We’ll also discuss the syllabus, grading, keys to your success, etc. We will visit the Rhetoric program website, and, time permitting, get some practice with the Mac.

Assignments: Read Chapter 1 in Aims. Find an article in a magazine or newspaper that you find illustrates the goodness in humanity. Speculate and assimilate an argument on why this individual or group succeeds in achieving good. Also, send me an e-mail so that I can set up your LRO and LinguaMoo account.

Wed 1/15:

In-class: Discussion of articles. Introduction to LRO and your responsibilities in submitting and keeping your electronic notebook/portfolio current—VERY IMPORTANT.

Assignments: READ CHAPTER 2 in Aims. Find an Ed/Op or Newspaper article that shows the worse in humanity. Speculate and assimilate an argument on where this individual or group may have gone wrong.

FRI 1/17:

In-class: In honor of MLK, we’ll watch his “I Have a Dream Speech.” Introduction to Lingua MOO (integrated and interactive visual and textual argument).Also, we’ll have group discussions of our editorial examples.

Assignments: Record an observation (#1) on this class in your LRO on Chapters 1 and 2 in AIMS. These observations are all about your need to express yourself. Please be forthright about what you’re learning: not only about yourself, but of others, the world, higher learning, etc. Anything and everything that you’ve observed in both the reading and the discussions in class are fair-game for your observations. Also, remember that brief or outline on First Draft is due on Wednesday, 01/22.

Mon 01/20:

No class: Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday.

Wed 01/22:

In-class: PP Presentation over Chapters 1 and 2. In-class free-writing exercise. Brief/outline/rhetorical prospectus due: both in LRO and hard-copy for me.

Assignments: Read all of Aims Ch 7 on Arguing to Convince (hint, hint: learn to peruse these chapters by paying CLOSE attention to the blue- highlighted areas.

Fri 01/24:

In-class: Discussion of Aims Ch 7. Another free-writing exercise.

Assignments: Read all of Aims Ch 8 on Arguing to Persuade (remember the hint), pay close attention to Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” REMEMBER!! Parts A.1 and A.2 are due in your LRO by Monday, January 27.

Mon 01/27:

In-class: Discussion of Ch 8 and King’s “Letter”; also a discussion of specific forms of appeal, and the construction of your argument for a specific audience.

Assignments: Record an observation in your LRO (#2); also, remember that first draft is due (both in LRO and hard-copy for me) on Wednesday, January 29.

Wed 01/29:

In-class: Paired discussions of first drafts. We’ll also sign-up for one-on-one meetings for Friday, January 31.

Assignments: Record an observation (#3) in your LRO; In addition, read all of Aims Ch 5 (remember my hints) on Writing Research-based Arguments.

Fri 01/31

We’ll have individual one-on-one meetings about your first draft.

Assignments: Keep working on your first essay.

Mon 02/03:

In-class: Feminism: Part One of Almodovar’s All about my Mother.

Assignments: Read Aims pages 626-627 and 670-702, chapter 12 on “Feminism.”

Wed 02/05:

In-class: Part Two of film All About My Mother.

Assignments: Observation (#4) about the different “voices/arguments” of feminism in the Almodovar film. Read Ch. 9 in preparation for an online class on Friday. Remember that a complete final draft of essay #1 is due on 02/10.

Fri 02/07

ONLINE CLASS in the LinguaMoo. Stay home, but be online at 9:00 A.M. sharp. Be prepared to discuss Chapter 9: Resolving Conflict: Arguing to Negotiate and Mediate—pages 293-319. Attendance in the cyber classroom is MANDATORY!

Assignments: Finish Essay #1.

Mon 02/10

In-class: Free-writing exercise.

Assignments: Finish reading in AIMS, pages 320-339.

In-class: Video Presentation: In Memoriam.

Assignments: Read Part 1 of Aims Ch 10 (pp 345-361, “Getting Oriented and Recalling the Attack”); or read Part 1 of Aims (469-512, Marriage and family issues).

Fri 02/14:

ONLINE CLASS in the LinguaMoo. Stay home, but be online at 9:00 A.M. sharp. Discussion on the attack of 09/11.

Assignments: Read Part 2 of Aims Ch 10 (361-363), Zunes’ “Ten Things to Know about the Middle East” (363-371), and Jim Landers’ “The Roots of Conflict,” & “Bin Laden Allies want Islamic Unity (387-400); or read Part 2, Chapter 11, Love and Marriage (513-531) and Part 3, Chapter 11, The Divorce Debate (539-564). Remember that brief/outline/rhetorical prospectus for Essay #2 (arguing to mediate or negotiate) is due on Monday, February 24.

Mon 02/17

In-class: In-class writing exercises.

Assignments: Read AIMS Part III of Ch. 10: Said’s “The Clash of Ignorance” (pp453-458), and The Conclusion (pp459-465); or Part 4, Chapter 11: The Changing Family (573-618).

Wed 02/19

In-class: FINAL DRAFT of ESSAY #1 is due (both hard-copy for me and in your LRO). Discussion of reading and/or possible classmate’s topics.

Assignments: Read Chapter 15, Liberal Education and Contemporary Culture: What Should Undergraduates Learn (pages 791-93 and 829-839). Be prepared for an online discussion on Friday.

Fri 02/21

ONLINE CLASS in the LinguaMoo with discussion on Chapter 15.

Assignments: Read Chapter 13, Gay and Lesbian Rights: Responding to Homophobia (707-723). Reminder that First draft of essay #2 due in LRO and hard-copy on Monday, March 3.

Mon 02/24

In-class: TRY TO BE IN CLASS @ 8:45! Brief/outline/rhetorical prospectus for Essay #2 (arguing to mediate or negotiate) is due. Part One of video presentation, The Laramie Project, is shown.

Assignments: Read Chapter 14, The News and Ethics: Reading Journalism Today (749-751 and 760-772). Write an Observation (#5) on news and ethics in your LRO.

Wed 02/26

In-class: TRY TO BE IN CLASS @ 8:45! Part Two of video presentation, The Laramie Project, is shown.

Assignment: Write an observation (#6) on the film and your responses to homophobia.

Fri 02/28

In-class: No class

Assignments: Keep revising and working on essay # 2.

Mon 03/03

In-class: First draft of essay #2 due in LRO and hard-copy due. In class critiques and observations. Discussion on How to Argue for your Mid-term grade in your LRO parts B.1 (analysis) and C.1 (evaluation).

Assignments: Read in Aims Chapter 16, Race and Class (841-844, 864-883).

Wed 03/05

In-class: A discussion on racial issues and how they relate to education issues.

Assignments: Be sure to have your LRO grade argument, parts B.1 (analysis) and C.1 (evaluation), in computer by Friday, March 7.

Fri 03/07

ONLINE CLASS: We will discuss any and all issues related to our class.

Assignments: Parts B.1 and C.1 of LRO due today. Remember Second Draft of Essay # 2 is due in LRO and a Hard-copy on Monday, March 17.

Mon 03/10-Fri 03/14

Spring Break

Mon 03/17:

In-class: Second Draft of Essay # 2 is due in LRO and a Hard-copy. In-class peer-moderations.

Assignments: Read Aims Ch 4 (Page 69-86).

Wed 03/19:

In-class: We will have an in class discussion of Aims Ch 4.

Assignments: Finish reading Aims Ch. 4(86-105). Write an observation (7) on Visual Rhetoric.

Fri 03/21:

No class. Scheduled one-on-one meetings with me.

Assignments: Continue working on Third Draft (final) of Essay #2 (Due on Monday, March 31).

Mon 03/24:

In-class: Video on Visual Rhetoric

Assignments: Search for a visual that you think makes a compelling visual and rhetorical argument; bring this visual to class on Wednesday.

Wed 03/26:

In-class: Discussion of visuals brought to class.

Assignments: Observation (8) on video on visual rhetoric.

Fri 03/28

ONLINE CLASS: Open discussion, house-cleaning items, worries about final draft for essay #2.

Assignments: Work on your Essay #2, “Arguing to Mediate or Negotiate.”

Mon 03/31:

In-class: Discussion about how to create a web-page or lingua-moo visual.

Assignments: Create a working rhetorical prospectus/brief for your visual/textual essay #3 as a work sample.

Wed 04/02:

In-class: Brief for Essay #3 due in LRO and hard-copy. We’ll have discussions about classmate’s visual projects.

Assignments: You need to begin work on first draft of essay #3 due Wed 04/16 in LRO.

Fri 04/05:

ONLINE CLASS: Group discussion in the LinguaMoo on various rhetorical topics.

Assignments: Continue to work on your first draft of your visual.

Mon 04/08:

In-class: TRY TO BE IN CLASS @ 8:45 ! Video presentation of Diva, Part One.

Assignments: Continue working on essay #3.

Wed 04/09:

In-class: TRY TO BE IN CLASS @ 8:45! Video presentation of Diva, Part Two.

Assignments: Observation (9) on the visual/textual elements of film. Continue working on visual essay #3.

Fri 04/11:

In-class: One-on-one conferences related to final project (Essay #3).

Assignments: Continue to work on visual rhetoric project—remember First Draft is due 04/16.

Mon 04/14:

In-class: In class writing exercises.

Assignments: Work on first Draft of final project (visual).

Wed 04/16

In-class: Show and tell on visual rhetoric projects.

Assignments: Start on revisions for final project.

Fri 04/18

One-on-one meetings on final project.

Mon 04/21

In-class: Part one of video on Paul Monette.

Assignments: Continue work on your final project.

Wed 04/23

In-class: Part two of video on Paul Monette.

Assignments: Observation on video (#10). Continue to work on your final project.

Fri 04/25

ONLINE CLASS: Open discussions.

Assignments: Work on FINAL PROJECT (due on Mon., 04/28).

Mon 04/28

In-class: Last class. Evaluations. FINAL PROJECT (link) due in LRO.

Assignments: Argue for your final grade B.2 and C.2 due in your LRO by Monday, May 2, 2003.

University of Texas at Dallas