Elizabeth Coker

University of Texas at Dallas

School of Arts & Humanities

TR 5:35-6:45pm (505), 7:00-8:15pm (506) JO 4.122

Office: JO 4.118

Office Hours: Thursdays, 8:30-9:45pm (and by appointment).

Phone: 972-883-2018 (CALL DURING OFFICE HOURS ONLY)

Email: ecokerutd@yahoo.com

UTD Rhetoric Website: http://lingua.utdallas.edu/rhetoric

Contains links to course syllabus, reference and research resources, LRO, and LinguaMoo

Learning Record Online (LRO): http://lro.cwrl.utexas.edu

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, to negotiate). You will write and revise three 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 your learning. You will belong to a “work group” for various collaborative activities (i.e., discussion of readings, peer critiques), and you will participate in mid-term and semester-end moderation readings of your LRO portfolio for feedback from your peers. 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 & Supplies

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

Penguin Brief Handbook by Lester Faigley, brief edition, 2002.

Also bring a floppy disk (PC-formatted if you use a PC, Mac-formatted if you use a Mac). The Rhetoric classroom uses Macintosh computers that can read either format. 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.

Attendance Policy

Because participation is vital to successful completion of Rhetoric 1302, you should attend every class. If you must be absent, check with your classmates or with me for any work you missed that can be made up. Much of the work is done collaboratively in class. Alternative assignments are generally not given, nor can the instructor “re-teach” missed classes for individual students. If you miss more than three classes, your grade will be negatively affected and/or you may be encouraged to drop the class. Two tardies will count as one absence. 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 (ecokerutd@yahoo.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 me and your classmates. 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). These 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.

The following grade criteria describe very general indicators that both you and your instructor may take into consideration when assessing your work and progress in the course. Your estimation of your mid-term and final grades should be more detailed and specific and may include a ‘+’ or ‘–‘ if your work tilts above or below the central grade for which you argue. But the final interpretation and assessment of your grade remains the responsibility of your teacher.

A: Represents outstanding participation in all course activities (including attendance and promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with very high quality in all work produced for the course. Evidence of significant and sustained development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

B: Represents excellent participation in all course activities (including attendance and promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with consistently high quality in course work. Evidence of marked and above average development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

C: Represents good (but average) participation in all course activities; all assigned work completed, with generally good quality overall in course work. Evidence of some development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

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

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

UTD Grading scale (http://www.utdallas.edu/student/catalog/undergrad02/progress.html#Grading%20Scale)

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 your teacher. 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

First Essay: An essay to convince or persuade. Using the assigned readings and your own research, make an argument 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.

First draft due: September 23

Final draft due: September 30

Second 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 Lingua MOO or the WWW, or it may be a traditional Word document that simply displays the image(s) in the body of your essay. Your image may come from the visuals in Aims, other publications, Internet, or other media.

First draft due: October 16

Final draft due: October 21

Third Essay: An essay to resolve a conflict by addressing the needs of opposing sides. Using the assigned readings and your own research, make an argument that mediates and offers a

possibility for consensus that can move the opposing views to new ground.

Brief for essay due: November 6

First draft due: November 13

Second draft due: November 18

Final draft due: November 25

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: September 2

Parts B.1 and C.1 are due: October 14

Parts B.2 and C.2 are due: November 25

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

Calendar

Date	Discussion/ Activities	Assignments
August 21	Intro to course and Rhetoric program website In-class writing sample.	Read Aims Chs 1-2 Send me an email before Tuesday
August 26	Intro to LRO and keeping a notebook Discuss Aims Chs 1-2	Record an observation in your LRO Read Aims Ch 3 (up to p 63 only) Read Steven King handout
August 28	Discuss Aims Ch 3 In class exercise: Applying Toulmin method to Steven King article	Complete LRO parts A.1 and A.2 Read Aims Ch 6
September 2	LRO parts A.1 and A.2 DUE Discuss Aims Ch 6	Aims pages 844, 850-853, 855- 861, handouts on race/ class
September 4	Discuss Aims articles, handouts on race/ class	Read handouts on style Locate 1 pg of an academic essay you have written in the last year.
September 9	In-class exercise: peer editing of old essays.	Read Aims Ch 7
September 11	Discuss Aims Ch 7	Read Aims Ch 8, especially a close reading of Martin Luther King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
September 16	Discuss Aims Ch 8 Discussion of specific forms of appeal, constructing your audience, and creating briefs	Record an observation in your LRO; Decide on your essay topic and create a working rhetorical prospectus in your Notebook (see Aims p 21) and paste into your LRO as work sample by 9/18 Create a brief for your essay to convince/persuade (see Aims p 220-242) and bring to class on 9/18
September 18	Paired discussions of briefs Class discussion of grammar, format, and mechanics (bring Penguin Handbook)	Record an observation in your LRO Read Aims Ch 5 Read Penguin Ch 7 Write first draft of essay #1 and enter in LRO
September 23	Essay #1 First Draft DUE Peer reviews Schedule teacher conferences	Record an observation in your LRO; Continue work on essay # 1
September 25	Teacher conferences	Read Aims Ch 4 Complete final draft of essay #1
September 30	Essay #1 Final Draft DUE Discuss Aims Ch 4	Do Follow Through #2 in Aims, p 79, enter your notes as a work sample in LRO Be prepared to discuss your cartoon with the class Record an observation in your LRO
October 2	Discuss your editorial cartoon Class discussion of photos in Aims Ch 10, 9/11 Casebook Discuss copyright policies on the use of images	Do research on image to use for Visual Rhetoric Essay #2 Decide on image for your essay #2 and bring it to class on Tue, 10/7
October 7	Introduction to Lingua MOO (integrated and interactive visual and textual argument)	Set your preferences and describe your character at Lingua MOO (link to your own photo if you want); read student samples of LRO Parts B.1 (Analysis) and C.1 (Evaluation) in LRO
October 9	MOO workshop on creating rooms and objects to support visual rhetoric analysis Class discussion of LRO parts B.1 and C and creating LRO work sample for MOO visual argument rooms	Complete LRO Parts B.1 and C.1
October 14	Parts B.1 and C.1 of LRO DUE Moderation readings	Record an Observation about moderation readings in your LRO Complete first draft of Visual Argument MOO Essay #2 by 10/16 (create recorders for each room, drop them in the room, and turn them on)
October 16	First draft of Visual argument MOO rooms due Class tour of MOO rooms and peer critiques of rooms	Read Aims Ch 9 Continue working on MOO rooms (make sure LRO link to MOO rooms is complete and accurate, and create additional LRO work sample that links to MOO logs of peer critiques)
October 21	Final draft of Visual argument MOO rooms DUE Discuss Aims Ch 9	Complete Follow Through #1 at top of p 319 in Aims by writing a short 1-page response and enter it as a Work Sample in your LRO Part I of Aims Ch 10
October 23	Discuss Part I of Aims Ch 10 Small groups meet at Lingua MOO to record discussion as you each recall the attack from your own experience of it	Create LRO Work Sample that links to the MOO log by Tuesday, 10/28 Read Part II of Aims Ch 10
October 28	Discuss Aims Part II of Ch 10	Record an Observation in your LRO Read first half of Part III of Aims Ch 10 (423-448)
October 30	Meet on the MOO and discuss Aims Ch 10 pp 423-448	Read last half of Aims Part III of Ch 10 (448-465) Choose topic from 9/11 Casebook and create a working rhetorical prospectus for your mediatory essay #3 in your notebook
November 4	Discuss Aims Ch 10 (448-465)	Record an Observation in your LRO Write a brief for your essay #3 and enter it as a Work Sample in your LRO by Thu, 11/6
November 6	Brief for Essay #3 due in LRO Roleplay in Lingua MOO (create LRO Work Sample that links to the MOO roleplay log in which you participated)	Review Aims Ch 9 on Arguing to Mediate or Negotiate Review Aims Ch 5 on researching arguments and evaluating sources Work on essay #3, first draft
November 11	In-class writing	Continue working on essay #3, first draft
November 13	Essay #3 first draft DUE Discussion of revision techniques and elevating style (bring Penguin Handbook) Peer reviews of first drafts	Continue working on essay #3
November18	Essay #3 second draft DUE In-class writing	Continue working on essay #3
November 20	Conference with instructor; student evaluations of course	Complete final draft of essay #3 in LRO and Complete LRO parts B.2 and C.2 all due Tue 11/25
November 25	Essay #3 Final Draft DUE LRO parts B.2 and C.2 DUE Moderation readings	ENJOY YOUR BREAK!