Syllabus for James Fassler

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 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 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.
The New Century Handbook by Christine Hult and Thomas Huckin, brief edition, 2001.

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 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, level of writing. effective arguments, creativity, collaboration, sound rhetorical skills, 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.

Grades, then, will reflect the following accomplishments:

A Represents outstanding participation in all course activities; all assigned work completed, with very high quality in all work produced for the course. Evidence of significant development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

B Represents excellent participation in all course activities; all assigned work completed, with consistently high quality in course work. Evidence of marked development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

C Represents good 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.

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.