Professor: Snape
Office: AH 3181
Office Hours: Mon 11.00 -1.00
Email: snape@mail.sdsu.edu
Phone: 594 3882
Class Meets: Tue/Thurs 2.00 – 3.15, AH 2134
- “Rhetoric refers to the study and uses of written, spoken and visual language. It investigates how language is used
to organize and maintain social groups, construct meanings and identities, coordinate behavior, persuade, position,
perform, produce change, mediate power, and create knowledge.” (Werry)
- “Argument is the essence of education…[and] central to democratic culture” (Lasch)
- “Universities are houses of argument.” (Norgaard)
- “I can win an argument on any topic, against any opponent. People know this, and steer clear of me at parties.
Often, as a sign of their great respect, they don't even invite me.” Dave Barry
What is the Story of this Course?
You will practice interpreting, analyzing, evaluating and producing written argument, as argument is
central to academic literacy, critical thinking, professional and civic life. You will learn to write and revise
papers in which you address complex arguments effectively, use source materials responsibly and make
sound decisions about audience, context, structure, and purpose.
TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
1) RWS 100 Course Reader. Listed under “Rhetoric & Writing Studies” or “Werry,” available at
SDSU bookstore.
2) Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
(3rd edition) W.W. Norton & Co., 2014.
3) Bullock, Richard, and Francine Weinberg, The Little Seagull Handbook. Norton 2014.
4) Recommended – a double or single-subject, spiral-bound notebook with a 2-pocket folder to
store portfolio work.
USEFUL RESOURCES
1. The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): https://owl.english.purdue.edu/
2. SDSU Writing Center, located in PSFA-116, open M-F 9.00 – 5.00
http://writingcenter.sdsu.edu/
REQUIREMENTS
ESSAYS: You will write four formal essays of four to eight pages in length for this course, plus a final
project (to be worked out in discussion with me). Most papers will require at least one rough draft, or
conferencing (meeting) with me.
PORTFOLIO: You will compose a number of informal, shorter texts - homework, in-class writing,
reflections, blog posts, reading responses, quizzes and peer reviews. Altogether, this is your “portfolio.”
Most of this work will help you draft the 4 major papers. You can post most of this work to your blog
(see below).
You will thus a) do a lot of writing in this class, b) need to keep track of your portfolio work, as I’ll ask
you to hand it in periodically (I suggest you use a notebook with a 2-pocket folder for loose material).
Alternatively, you can post most of it to your blog. The portfolio will count for 15% of the course grade.
BLOG POSTS: I will assign some reading responses that you should post to your blog. You can easily set
up a blog at popular sites such as http://wordpress.com/, http://www.blogger.com and
http://www.livejournal.com/. The reading responses are due on the night before class.
QUIZZES: On occasion you’ll do short quizzes to check you’ve read the texts closely and understand key
concepts. The quizzes will be unannounced. If you read the texts closely and pay attention in class the
quizzes will be easy – ‘money for nuthin,’ as Dire Straits put it.
POSTS & PRESENTATIONS: You will occasionally be asked to post to the bulletin board and/or class wiki.
You may also be asked to give a brief presentation in class, either individually or as part of a group.
CLASS PARTICIPATION: You are expected to participate. Active participators will arrive prepared, pay
attention, and get involved in class activities. We will engage in both small group and large class
discussion activities, as well as peer review, workshops and conferencing. Your participation in class,
peer review & at scheduled conferences is important and 10% of your grade.
IF YOU ARE ABSENT you are still responsible for knowing what was covered in class, what the
homework is, and when it is due. I suggest you exchange phone numbers and/or emails with at least
two of your classmates. In addition, check the course wiki regularly.
ASSIGNMENTS
%
Assignment 1: Constructing an Account of an Argument
Assignment 2: Gathering Information and Managing Sources
Assignment 3: Explaining Rhetorical Strategies
15
20
15
15
Assignment 4: Evaluating & Comparing Multiple
Texts
Portfolio/Journal work/homework
Participation
Total
20
15
100
Due
Date
IMPORTANT DUE DATES
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
Paper #4
Thursday, October 02
Thursday, October 31
Tuesday, November 26
Final day of class
MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS
1) Describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims, project, support and rhetorical strategies
(Thompson)
2) Construct an account of an author’s project and argument and carry out small, focused research
tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate that argument; use
appropriate reference materials, including a dictionary, in order to clarify their understanding of
an argument (Carey)
3) Construct an account of one or more authors’ projects and arguments and explain rhetorical
strategies that these authors—and by extension other writers—use to engage readers in
thinking about their arguments. (Carr)
4) Assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of multiple texts. This assignment asks students to
assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of multiple assigned texts, including discussion of
rhetorical strategies, supporting evidence, audience, and text structure. (texts tba)
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Attendance: There is no substitute for attending class. Since this is a discussion-oriented course, your
attendance is crucial, and key to doing the portfolio work. Regular attendance will greatly elevate your
chances of performing well. Simply showing up for class, however, will not be enough. I expect the
class to be the site of lively intellectual activity, discussion, debate and critical, respectful exchange.
If you are absent you are still responsible for knowing what was covered in class, what the homework is,
and when it is due. I suggest you exchange phone numbers and/or emails with at least two of your
classmates. In addition, check Blackboard and the course wiki regularly.
Essays: All essays are due as a hard copy in class on the date specified. All essays must be typed and
adhere to MLA format and must be stapled. Late assignments will not be accepted. For documented
extenuating circumstances, late work may be accepted up to one week following the printed deadline.
Blackboard: I will sometimes ask you to access Blackboard to review or print materials to bring to class.
Please check Blackboard regularly.
Electronics: Your active participation is required in this course. As such, our classroom will be a “cell-free
zone.” Please turn off your cell phones, iPods, and similar electronic equipment when you come to
class. Because we will be interacting in group discussion often, the use of laptops will also be distracting.
Students who would like to use laptops are encouraged to discuss the specific need with the instructor
in advance. If you are in class listening to music or texting, I will mark you absent.
Plagiarism: All work in this course must be original. Plagiarism will result in serious consequences
ranging from grade reduction to failure in the class to expulsion from the college. For more information
on the university cheating and plagiarism policy, please visit: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/senate/
policy/pfacademics.html. SDSU’s library also has an excellent tutorial on how to avoid plagiarism.
Respect: Since this is a discussion-based class, it is vital that you listen and speak respectfully to others
at all times. I encourage you to express your opinions, of course – they will help inspire good discussions.
Problems: If you run into problems or emergencies, talk to me as soon as possible
Office hours: I encourage all students to attend office hours, especially if you have any questions or
concerns about reading, writing, rhetoric, or the structure or requirements of the course. Office hours
are Mondays 9.30 – 11.30, or by appointment.
Disabled students: Every attempt will be made to offer reasonable accommodations for students with
disabilities in this course. Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are
encouraged to notify the instructor privately and to contact Student Disability Services (SDS) as soon as
possible. SDS staff are available in the Capulli Center in Suite 3101 or by phone at (619) 594-6473
(voice) or (619) 594-2929 (TTD/TTY).
Counseling: There are many events and situations that put additional stress on being a student. SDSU
has an excellent center for Counseling & Psychological Services that is open to students Monday through
Friday from 8am-4:30pm. To set up an initial consultation, call (619) 594-5220. For immediate or
emergency help, you are welcome to use San Diego’s free 24-hour counseling access line at (800) 4793339. C&PS on campus also has a “Center for Well-Being” with multiple stations for relaxation if you are
feeling stressed during the semester. C&PS is located in the Capulli Center, Room 4401.
Student-athletes: Student-athletes have demanding, dynamic schedules. As an instructor, I am
committed to helping you succeed in the course. To do so, regular and effective communication is
needed. While exceptions will not be made for attendance, assignment deadlines, or exams, I’m happy
to work with all student-athletes in conjunction with Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) to help
you excel in this course. For more information on SASS’ academic advising and tutoring services, please
call (619) 594-4743.
COURSE OUTLINE AND READING SCHEDULE
Please note that the following schedule is approximate, as dates and topics may shift as the semester
continues. Please refer to Blackboard for current information regarding your assignment due dates. All
readings are expected to be completed outside of class before the first class discussion date.
Week 1
Syllabus; What is Rhetoric?
Key Terms and Concepts (read pgs. 1-11 in Reader)
Introduction to the first project
Apply concepts to short texts
Week 2
Introduce PACES and charting; pre-reading strategies
Begin discussion of Thompson
Student presentations/jigsaw work for Thompson
Week 3
Identifying claims and evidence;
Rhetorical précis and/or drafting the introduction
Body paragraphs; quotations (They Say)
Week 4
Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)
Conferencing – meet professor outside of class to work on draft
Week 5
Conferencing – meet professor outside of class to work on draft
Revise/workshop Thompson paper
Paper #1 Due
Week 6
Introduction to the second project
Show College Inc. as preamble to Carey
Discuss Carey and chart sections of the text
Week 7
Groups of 5 present on major section (evidence, claims, strategies)
Charting and PACES for Carey
Template phrases for discussing connections between texts
Library Orientation to Research Carey
Week 8
Working with multiple sources; drafting introduction and body paragraphs
Present prospectus for assignment 2
Week 9
Paper #2 Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring original plus 3 copies to class)
Week 10
Paper #2 Due
Introduction to the third project
Carr and rhetorical strategies
Week 11
How to identify and analyze strategies; locating claims and strategies in Carr
Draft introduction and body paragraphs
Week 12
Evaluating Carr; identifying strengths and weaknesses
How to write about strategies
Conferencing – meet professor outside of class to work on draft
Week 13
Paper #3 Due
Unit 4 – analyzing and evaluating responses to Carr
Week 14
Analyzing and evaluating responses to Carr
Week 15
Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)
Week 16
Final paper due
Wrap Up
FINAL CLASS Blogs/Writing journals and final work due at this time.
RWS 100 Student Learning Outcomes
General Education Capacities/Goals & RWS Learning Outcomes
Our Learning Outcomes Reflect the Goals and Capacities of the General Education Program. RWS 100 is
one of several courses in the area of general education defined as “Communication and Critical
Thinking.” Focusing particularly on argument, this course emphasizes four essential general education
capacities: the ability to 1) construct, analyze and communicate argument, 2) contextualize phenomena,
3) negotiate differences, and 4) apply theoretical models to the real world. This course advances general
education by helping students understand the general function of writing, speaking, visual texts, and
thinking within the context of the university at large, rather than within specific disciplines. In addition
to featuring the basic rules and conventions governing composition and presentation, RWS 100
establishes intellectual frameworks and analytical tools that help students explore, construct, critique,
and integrate sophisticated texts.
Within this framework of four general capacities, the course realizes four closely related subsidiary
goals. These goals focus on helping students
1)
2)
3)
4)
craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences;
analyze a variety of texts commonly encountered in the academic setting;
situate discourse within social, generic, cultural, and historic contexts; and
assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence.
Our student learning outcomes for RWS 100 are closely aligned with these goals and capacities, and
reflect the program’s overall objective of helping students attain “essential skills that underlie all
university education.”
Assignment Types: the following four outcomes describe the four main writing projects or "assignment
types" for the course. Students will be able to:
1. Describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims, project, support and rhetorical strategies.
2. Construct an account of an author’s project and argument and carry out small, focused
research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate that
argument; use appropriate reference materials, including a dictionary, in order to clarify their
understanding of an argument.
3. Analyze and evaluate an author’s project and argument and explain rhetorical strategies that
this author—and by extension other writers—uses to engage readers in thinking about her
argument.
4. Assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of multiple assigned texts, including discussion of
rhetorical strategies, supporting evidence, audience, and text structure.
Outcomes across the semester: the following points describe outcomes to work on throughout the
semester, to be attained over the 15 weeks. Students will be able to:
5. describe elements of an argument--claims, methods of development, kinds of evidence,
persuasive appeals; annotate the work that is done by each section of a written argument;
6. use all aspects of the writing process--including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and
proofreading;
7. choose effective structures for their writing, acknowledging that different purposes, contexts
and audiences call for different structures; understand the relationship between a text's ideas
and its structure;
8. identify devices an author has used to create cohesion or to carry the reader through the text;
use metadiscourse to signal the project of a paper, and guide a reader from one idea to the next
in their writing;
9. effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and comment on it in their
writing;
10. determine when and where a source was published, who wrote it and whether it was reprinted
or edited; understand that texts are written in and respond to particular contexts, communities
or cultures; examine the vocabulary choices a writer makes and how they are related to context,
community or culture, audience or purpose;
11. respond in writing to ideas drawn from various cultures and disciplines, using the activity of
writing to clarify and improve their understanding of an argument;
12. analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence
13. analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images into their
documents;
14. craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences
15. edit their writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each writing situation;
16. assign significance to the arguments that they read;
17. reflect on how they wrote their papers, and revise arguments and findings based on critical
reflection.
Assignments
ASSIGNMENT # 1:
Length 5-6 pages
CONSTRUCTING AN ACCOUNT & EVALUATING AN ARGUMENT
Due: Thursday October 02
In “Public Thinking,” Clive Thompson considers the role of social media, particularly blogging,
in changing the way we create, share, and think about arguments in civic discourse. In this
essay, you will be identifying important features of Thompson’s argument and evaluating the
extent to which those features help him persuade his audience to accept the argument’s main
claim. Your essay should be in the 5-6 page range and engage in the following work:
Describe Thompson’s argument, including what you see as his overall claim and the most
important or interesting sub-claims leading up to that larger idea, explaining how those subclaims relate to the overall claim. Analyze and evaluate the ways in which Thompson uses three
different kinds of evidence in order to persuade his reader to accept one of those specific claims.
Analyze the way in which Thompson uses two different techniques to develop and/or organize
his text and evaluate the extent to which those methods help guide the reader’s understanding of
the argument and persuade the reader to accept Thompson’s argument.
Criteria for Evaluation:
1. Describe Thompson’s project and argument, and what you see as his most important or
interesting sub-claims, explaining how these sub-claims relate to the main claim.
2. Describe how Thompson organizes his text and how this influences what he has to say.
3. Analyze the ways in which he supports his claims, and the moves or strategies he employs to
advance these claims.
4. Write the paper as if addressing a reader unfamiliar with Thompson’s text.
5. Comment on how this text is significant—what difference it might make to readers.
6. Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.
Key learning outcomes: students will be able to describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims,
project, support and rhetorical strategies.
ASSIGNMENT #2: GATHERING INFORMATION AND MANAGING SOURCES
Length 7 – 8 pages Due: Thursday, October 31
In “Why Do You Think They're Called For-Profit Colleges?” Kevin Carey examines the growth of forprofit universities. He claims that these institutions need to be reformed, but also have an important role
to play in higher education. For this paper you will select at least two outside texts that make arguments
that connect with Carey’s. You will use these texts to illustrate, clarify, challenge, qualify, extend, or
complicate one of the arguments advanced in ““Why Do You Think They're Called For-Profit Colleges?”
Criteria for Evaluation:
1. accurately describe Carey’s project and argument, and what you see as his most important or
interesting claims, explaining how these claims relate to the argument.
2. signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed
3. locate claims and/or evidence from (at least) 2 outside sources that connect with the argument
4. analyze these claims/evidence in order to show how they illustrate, challenge, extend, or
complicate arguments found in “Why Do You Think They're Called For-Profit Colleges?”
5. present evidence that explains in detail how these texts illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate
Carey’s argument
6. use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper
Key learning outcomes: students will be able to construct an account of an author’s project and argument
and carry out small, focused research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or
complicate that argument; use appropriate reference materials in order to clarify their understanding of an
argument.
ASSIGNMENT 3:
EXPLAINING RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
Length 6 pages
Due: Tuesday, November 26
Criteria for Evaluation
Successful papers will:
1. accurately describe the authors’ project and argument
2. signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed
3. describe the strategy/strategies, provide interpretation and analysis of how the strategy works, and
explain why the authors chose to use this strategy (purpose and audience).
4. explain how the strategy/strategies advances the authors’ arguments.
5. Analyze the effectiveness of the claims and strategies
6. present ample evidence to support the analysis of rhetorical strategies
7. use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper
Key learning outcomes: construct an account of authors’ projects and arguments and explain
rhetorical strategies that these authors—and by extension other writers—use to engage readers in
thinking about their arguments;
ASSIGNMENT 4:
Length 6 pages
Assignment 4: Evaluating & Comparing Multiple Texts
Due: Final day of class
Instructor: Luke Crane
Email: lukecrane01@gmail.com
Office: TA Office SH 116
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 09:30 AM – 10:30 AM (and by appointment)
Class Meets: Tuesday/Thursday 08:00 AM – 09:15 AM
Meeting Place: SH 221
Office Mailbox: in RWS main office – SHW 141
Prerequisites:
All RWS 100 students must have satisfactory completion of the Lower Division Writing
Competency Requirement.
“Rhetoric refers to the study and uses of written, spoken and visual language. It
investigates how language is used to organize and maintain social groups, construct
meanings and identities, coordinate behavior, persuade, position, perform, produce change,
mediate power, and create knowledge.” (Werry)
TEXTS AND MATERIALS:
1) RWS 100 Course Reader. Available at SDSU bookstore.
2) Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing (3rd edition) W.W. Norton & Co., 2014.
3) Bullock, Richard, and Francine Weinberg, The Little Seagull Handbook. Norton
2013.
4) Asses to a computer, printer and paper. All outside work must be typed and all
readings on Blackboard must be printed and brought to class.
5) Pen and paper for in-class writing.
What is the Story of this Course?
You will practice interpreting, analyzing, evaluating and producing written argument, as
argument is central to academic literacy, critical thinking, professional and civic life. You
will learn to write and revise papers in which you address complex arguments effectively,
use source materials responsibly and make sound decisions about audience, context,
structure, and purpose.
General Education Capacities/Goals & RWS Learning Outcomes
Our “Learning Outcomes” reflect the goals and capacities of the General Education
Program. RWS 100 is one of several courses in the area of general education defined as
“Communication and Critical Thinking.”
Focusing particularly on argument, this course emphasizes four essential general education
capacities:
1) the ability to construct, analyze and communicate argument,
2) contextualize phenomena,
3) negotiate differences,
4) apply theoretical models to the real world.
This course advances general education by helping students understand the general
function of writing, speaking, visual texts, and thinking within the context of the university
at large, rather than within specific disciplines. In addition to featuring the basic rules and
conventions governing composition and presentation, RWS 100 establishes intellectual
frameworks and analytical tools that help students explore, construct, critique, and
integrate sophisticated texts.
Within this framework of four general capacities, the course realizes four closely related
subsidiary goals. These goals focus on helping students:
· craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences
· analyze a variety of texts commonly encountered in the academic setting
· situate discourse within social, generic, cultural, and historic contexts
· assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence
Our student learning outcomes for RWS 100 are closely aligned with these goals and
capacities, and reflect the program’s overall objective of helping students attain “essential
skills that underlie all university education.”
Assignment Types
Our four main writing assignments will require you to apply these ‘essential skills’ to
thought-provoking texts. You will analyze the arguments presented in the course texts, as
well as those of your peers. You will be challenged to continually form, edit, and express
your own arguments in an effective manner. The goals of the writing assignments are for
you to practice and demonstrate the ability to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims, project, support and
rhetorical strategies.
Construct an account of an author’s project and argument and carry out
small, focused research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate,
extend or complicate that argument; use appropriate reference materials,
including a dictionary, in order to clarify your understanding of an argument.
Analyze and evaluate an author’s project and argument and explain
rhetorical strategies that this author – and by extension other writers – uses
to engage readers in thinking about her/his argument.
Asses the relative strengths and weaknesses of multiple assigned texts,
including discussion of rhetorical strategies, support evidence, audience, and
text structure.
Course Objectives
Throughout the semester, you will engage in reading and writing assignments and
discussions, which will encourage mastery of the following learning outcomes. In addition to
the three learning outcomes specific to the three assignments, by the completion of this
course you should be able to:
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Describe elements of an argument—claims, methods of development, kinds of
evidence, persuasive appeals—and to annotate the work that is done by each
section of a written argument;
Analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting
evidence.
Use all aspects of the writing process—including prewriting, drafting,
revising, editing, and proofreading;
Choose effective structures for your writing, acknowledging that different
purposes, contexts and audiences call for different structures; understand the
relationship between a text's ideas and its structure;
Identify devices an author has used to create cohesion or to carry the reader
through the text; use metadiscourse to signal the project of a paper, and
guide a reader from one idea to the next;
Effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and
comment on it in your writing;
Determine when and where a source was published, who wrote it and
whether it was reprinted or edited; understand that texts are written in and
respond to particular contexts, communities or cultures; examine the
vocabulary choices a writer makes and how they are related to context,
community or culture, audience or purpose;
Craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences.
Respond in writing to ideas drawn from various cultures and disciplines,
using the activity of writing to clarify and improve your understanding of an
argument;
Analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting
evidence;
15.
Edit your writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each
writing situation;
Assign significance to the arguments that they read; and
Reflect on how you wrote papers, and revise arguments and findings based on
critical reflection.
16.
17.
Course Activity Requirements:
Conference session
Attendance (promptness, no/few absences)
Readings
Homework assignments
In-class writings
4 essays (original work – no plagiarism)
Class participation
Presentation
Grading/Evaluation:
Assignment
4 Essays (Final Draft)
Points
600pts (150pts
each)
200pts
100pts
100pts
1000pts
Assignments (Homework, in-class writing, etc.)
Presentation
Participation
Total:
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
Points
930-1000
900-929
870-899
830-869
800-829
770-799
Due Dates: Subject to Change
Letter Grade
C
CD+
D
DF
Rough Draft
Project One
T 9/23
Project Two
T 10/28
Project Three
T 11/18
Points
730-769
700-729
670-699
630-669
600-629
0-599
Conferencing
TH 9/25
T 9/30
TH 10/30
T 11/04
TH 11/18
T 11/20
Final Draft
T 10/02
T 11/06
TH 11/25
Project Four
TH 12/04
TH 12/11
*All assignments, percentages, and due dates are subject to change at instructor’s
discretion
Course Policies:
Essays: You will be required to write 4 essays (4-8 pages depending on the assignments) for
this course. Each essay will require at least one rough draft. All pre-writing and rough
drafts are due in class on the day specified. Final drafts will be uploded to Turitin on the
date specified, and you will bring a hardcopy to class. Specific criteria for each essay will be
given along with the prompt. I will not accept late work. If there are extreme circumstances
or emergencies, they will be addressed on a case-by-case basis before the due date.
Email: Please use your resources first (Blackboard, the syllabus, classmates), but feel free
to email me between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. I will respond as quickly as possible, but please
allow me 24 hours to get back to you. Additionally, please sign all emails, especially if your
email address does not contain your name.
Attendance/Missed assignments: Work is done in class as well as out of class. If you do not
come to class and fail to turn in an assignment or miss a task, you will receive a zero for
that item. Assignments done in class cannot be made up. Assignments must also be turned
in as a hard copy as well as submitted through Turnitin. If you foresee an absence and still
want credit for your work, email your homework to a classmate who can print it out and
turn it in for you.
Note: More than two missed classes will result in a lower grade for participation.
Participation and Workshops: You will be working in groups with other students during
class activities as well as in editing workshops. Your effort and contribution to these
collaborative efforts will be taken into account as part of your assignment grades, as will
your individual participation throughout the semester.
Conferences: You are required to meet with me for your first three essays. Each conference
will take approximately ten minutes, but if you feel you need more time, please let me
know.
Printouts: You will be required to print readings and other materials from Blackboard
Late work: Late work will not be accepted. If you have an extenuating circumstance, you
are welcome to discuss it with me.
RE-WRITES: There are No re-writes.
FORMAT OF WRITTEN WORK: All essays and assignments are due as a hard copy in
class on the date specified. All assignments must be typed (Times New Roman, 12-point
font, 1” margins) AND STAPLED (I will take points off if it is not stapled!!!). Please adhere
to MLA format when citing and for all bibliographic information. Essay pre-writing and
drafts will not be graded; however, evidence of pre-writing and at least one rough draft is
required to receive a grade on the final essay. Late assignments will not be accepted. For
emergency cases, late work may be accepted up to one week following the printed deadline
and will be subjected to a grade penalty.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is considered a failing grade. Any assignment that is plagiarized
will receive a zero. Any student found to have plagiarized may be subject to discipline under
university policies. Please see me if you have any questions regarding plagiarism.
Problems: If you run into problems or emergencies, talk to me as soon as possible.
Turnitin Policy: Turnitin (integrated within Blackboard) will be used in this course for
submission of four essay assignments. Students in this course agree that papers are subject
to submission for textual similarity review to Turninit.com for the detection of plagiarism.
All submitted papers will be included as source documents in Turnitin.com reference
database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Students may
submit their papers in such a way that no identifying information about them is included.
Another option is that a student may request, in writing, that her/his papers not be
submitted to Turnitin.com. However, this option requires the student to provide
documentation to substantiate that the papers are the original work of the student and do
not include any plagiarized material.
Student Athletes: If you are a student athlete with away games scheduled during the
semester, let me know by the end of the first week of class, and present me with a copy of
your team travel schedule. We will then make appropriate scheduling arrangements.
Disability Discrimination Prohibited: No otherwise qualified handicapped person shall, on
the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or
otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic or other postsecondary
education program receiving federal funds. If you are registered with Disabled Student
Services (DSS), I am happy to work with you to accommodate your learning needs.
Conduct: You are expected to be respectful and courteous. Since the purpose of this course
is for all students to improve their rhetorical skills and abilities, a cooperative and engaging
atmosphere will benefit all. Any disruptive student will be asked to leave class that day,
resulting in an absence. Please be courteous to your fellow students by turning off cell
phones and iPods, and refraining from laptop work or conversation unrelated to this course.
Support Services: Research materials are regularly available at the SDSU library.
Additionally, drop-in RWS tutoring services are also available. Tutor times vary per
semester so check the schedule early on in the course for availability.
Blackboard: We will be using Blackboard for assignments, readings, and other courserelated activities, including grades.
RESPECT: During this course, we will be covering controversial and debatable subjects.
Since this is a discussion-based class, it is vital that you listen and speak respectfully to
others at all times. Discriminatory and disrespectful remarks will not be tolerated. I
encourage you to express your opinions, of course – they will often inspire good
discussions—but please do so consciously with tact and professionalism.
COURSE ASSISTANCE SERVICES
OFFICE HOURS: I encourage all students to attend office hours, especially if you have any
questions or concerns about reading, writing, the course or college in general. If you need
assistance but cannot make it to office hours, please email me and we can try to schedule
an appointment. Please bring all of your pre-writing, drafts, and final drafts of your essays
with comments to office hours and conferences. It will assist me in answering any questions
you may have on the assignments.
COURSE TUTORING: I welcome all students to attend office hours with questions on
writing or the RWS 200 course. If you would like additional assistance and encouragement,
SDSU has an excellent staff of tutors to assist students in all courses. Students who need
assistance with course concepts or writing assignments in English or ESL are encouraged
to contact the department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies at (619) 594-6515 for more
information on drop-in tutoring hours.
DISABLED STUDENTS: Every attempt will be made to offer reasonable accommodations
for students with disabilities in this course. If you have an outstanding medical issue which
may affect your performance in this course or require special accommodations, please notify
me privately as soon as possible, before assignments are due. Students with disabilities
who may need accommodations in this class are also encouraged to contact Student
Disability Services (SDS) as soon as possible. All discussion of disabilities will take place
privately to protect student confidentiality. SDS staff are available in the Capulli Center in
Suite 3101 or by phone at (619) 594-6473 (voice) or (619) 594-2929 (TTD/TTY).
COUNSELING: There are many events and situations that put additional stress on being
a student. SDSU has an excellent center for Counseling & Psychological Services that is
open to students Monday through Friday from 8am-4:30pm. To set up an initial
consultation, call (619) 594-5220. For immediate or emergency help, you are welcome to use
San Diego’s free 24-hour counseling access line at (800) 479-3339. C&PS on campus also
has a “Center for Well-Being” with multiple stations for relaxation if you are feeling
stressed. C&PS is located in the Capulli Center, Room 4401.
Resources for SDSU Students:
Academic Advising Center
Counselling and Psychological Services
SSW 1551
Calpulli 4401
Student Disability Services
Student Health Services
Public Safety
Calpulli 3101
Calpulli
594-6668
594-5220
888-724-7240 (after hours)
594-6473
594-5281
594-1991
9-1-1 (emergency)
Public Safety Escorts
594-6659
RWS 100 Schedule (Spring 2013)
Unit 1: Constructing an Account of an Argument and Its Context
WEEK DATE
CLASS PROJECT
T
Introduction to RWS 100
8/26
Inclass Writing – Assumptions About RWS / Feelings
about Writing
1
H.W (read pgs. 1-11 in Reader)
TH
Toulmin Model of Argumentation, Plagiarism, How to
8/28
Cite, Turnitin
HW (read Ron Carlson – Bigfoot Stole My Wife)
T
Ethos, Logos, Pathos GW - Jigsaw
HW (Write email to Professor)
9/2
TH
Audience - Advertisements GW – Persuade an audience
2
9/4
HW (Read Brooks, Poetry for Everyday Life)
T
Analysing Brooks, Poetry for Everyday Life
9/9
Pre-reading, Marking the text, Charting, Mapping
3
HW (Read Thompson – Public Thinking)
TH
In class Writing – POP QUIZ, Twitter Summary
9/11
Analysing Thompson – Public Thinking - PACES
HW (Outline – Essay # 1)
T
Thesis Precis, Metadiscourse, Quote Sandwich
9/16
Analysing Thompson – Public Thinking – Prompt
HW (Intro – Essay # 1)
4
TH
Analysing Thompson – Language, Structure, Conclusion
9/18
HW (Essay 1 Rough Draft)
Unit 2: Researching Context and Multiple Arguments on a Single Issue
WEEK DATE
CLASS PROJECT
T
Thompson – Public Thinking – Peer Review
9/23
Essay 1 Rough Draft Due
TH
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
5
9/25
T
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
9/30
TH
College Inc
6
10/02 Essay 1 Final Draft Due
T
In class Writing – Advice To Students Applying to SDSU
10/07 HW (Read Carey, Why Do You Think They're Called For7
Profit Colleges?)
TH
10/09
Analysing Carey, Why Do You Think They're Called ForProfit Colleges? PACES
HW (Outline for Carey)
8
9
10
11
T
10/14
TH
10/16
T
10/21
TH
10/23
T
10/28
TH
10/30
T
11/04
TH
11/06
T
Library Visit
Analysing Carey, Extend, Qualify, Refine, Complicate,
HW (Research Other Texts- Load to Wiki)
Analysing Carey, Clifford, Funnel of Pain, Template 3
Authors
HW (Intro for Carey)
Thesis Precis, Metadiscourse, Quote Sandwich
Analysing Carey – Prompt
HW (Intro – Essay # 2)
Carey – Peer Review
Essay 2 Rough Draft Due
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
Intro Google Car
Essay 2 Final Draft Due
HW ( Read – Google Car)
NO CLASS – Veterans Day
11/11
12
13
14
15
Last
Day of
Class
and
Finals
Week
TH
11/13
T
11/18
TH
11/20
T
11/25
Google Car – Analysis – PACES
HW (Google Car – Essay 3 Rough Draft)
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
TH
11/27
T
12/02
TH
12/04
NO CLASS – Thanksgiving
T
12/09
TH
12/11
BRING ROUGH DRAFT TO CONFERENCE
Conferences (Class Cancelled)
BRING ROUGH DRAFT TO CONFERENCE
Assignment # 4 Text - Prompt
Essay 3 Final Draft Due
Assignment # 4 CONTINUES
HW (Continue Essay 4 Rough Draft )
Assignment # 4
Essay 4 Rough Draft Due
Digital Persentations – Blog - Wiki
Essay 4 Final Draft Due
RE-WRITES: Students may choose to re-write ONE essay after receiving a grade for
the assignment. You may revise any paper for which you receive a grade lower than a
C. Essay re-writes may be submitted up to one week after I hand back your graded
essays. In order to qualify for a re-write, your paper MUST HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED
ON TIME. Late papers relinquish this right. Please note that the third essay cannot have
a re-write due to time constraints.
RESPECT: During this course, we will be covering controversial and debatable
subjects. Since this is a discussion-based class, it is vital that you listen and speak
respectfully to others at all times. Discriminatory and disrespectful remarks will not be
tolerated. I encourage you to express your opinions, of course – they will often inspire
good discussions—but please do so consciously with tact and professionalism.
COURSE ASSISTANCE SERVICES
OFFICE HOURS: I encourage all students to attend office hours, especially if you have
any questions or concerns about reading, writing, the course or college in general. If
you need assistance but cannot make it to office hours, please email me and we can try
to schedule an appointment. Please bring all of your pre-writing, drafts, and final drafts
of your essays with comments to office hours and conferences. It will assist me in
answering any questions you may have on the assignments.
COURSE TUTORING: I welcome all students to attend office hours with questions on
writing or the RWS 200 course. If you would like additional assistance and
encouragement, SDSU has an excellent staff of tutors to assist students in all courses.
Students who need assistance with course concepts or writing assignments in English
or ESL are encouraged to contact the department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies at
(619) 594-6515 for more information on drop-in tutoring hours.
DISABLED STUDENTS: Every attempt will be made to offer reasonable
accommodations for students with disabilities in this course. If you have an outstanding
medical issue which may affect your performance in this course or require special
accommodations, please notify me privately as soon as possible, before assignments
are due. Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are also
encouraged to contact Student Disability Services (SDS) as soon as possible. All
discussion of disabilities will take place privately to protect student confidentiality. SDS
staff are available in the Capulli Center in Suite 3101 or by phone at (619) 594-6473
(voice) or (619) 594-2929 (TTD/TTY).
COUNSELING: There are many events and situations that put additional stress on
being a student. SDSU has an excellent center for Counseling & Psychological Services
that is open to students Monday through Friday from 8am-4:30pm. To set up an initial
consultation, call (619) 594-5220. For immediate or emergency help, you are welcome
to use San Diego’s free 24-hour counseling access line at (800) 479-3339. C&PS on
campus also has a “Center for Well-Being” with multiple stations for relaxation if you are
feeling stressed. C&PS is located in the Capulli Center, Room 4401.
STUDENT-ATHLETES: Student-athletes have very demanding, dynamic schedules
which place additional hardship on excelling in both arenas. As an instructor, I am
committed to helping you succeed in the course. To do so, regular and effective
communication is needed. While no exceptions will be made for attendance,
assignment deadlines, or exams, I would be happy to work with all student-athletes in
conjunction with Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) to help you excel in this
course. For more information on SASS’ academic advising and tutoring services, call
(619) 594-4743.
Resources for SDSU Students:
Academic Advising Center
Counselling and Psychological Services
SSW 1551
594-6668
Calpulli 4401
594-5220
888-724-7240 (after hours)
Student Disability Services
Student Health Services
Calpulli 3101
Calpulli
594-6473
594-5281
Public Safety
594-1991
9-1-1 (emergency)
Public Safety Escorts
594-6659
COURSE OUTLINE AND READING SCHEDULE
Please note that the following schedule is approximate, as dates and topics may shift as the
semester continues. Please refer to Blackboard for current information regarding your
assignment due dates. All readings are expected to be completed outside of class before
the first class discussion date.
August 26-28
Week 1
Syllabus; What is Rhetoric?
Key Terms and Concepts (read pgs. 1-11 in Reader)
Introduction to the first project
September 02-04
Week 2
Apply concepts to short texts.
Introduce PACES and charting
Pre-reading strategies
September 09-11
Week 3
Begin discussion of Diamond
Chart sections, find claims and evidence
Rhetorical précis
September 16-18
Week 4
Draft introduction and body paragraph; quotations
Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)
September 23-25
Week 5
Conferencing – Classes cancelled. Meet professor to work on draft
Revise Diamond paper
September 30- October 02
Week 6
Paper #1 Due
Introduction to the second project
Watch College inc.
October 07-09
Week 7
Chart Carey
Working with multiple sources
Groups of 5 - major section (evidence, claims, strategies)
October 14-16
Week 8
Library Orientation to Research Carey
Template phrases for discussing connections between texts
Drafting introduction and body paragraphs; template phrases
October 21-23
Week 9
Conferencing – Classes cancelled. Meet professor to work on draft
Revise Carey paper
October 28-30
Week 10
Paper #2 Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring original plus 3 copies to class)
Revising
November 04-06
Week 11
Paper #2 Due;
Introduction to the third project
Watch Dinner Table Debate
November 11-13
Week 12
Veterans Day Dinner Table Debate and rhetorical strategies
Dinner Table Debate
November 18-20
Week 13
How to identify and analyze strategies
Writing about strategies
Group presentations – claims, evidence and strategies for major sections
November 25-27
Week 14
Conferencing – Classes cancelled. Meet professor to work on draft
Paper #3 Rough Draft Due Thanksgiving
December 02-04
Week 15
Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)
Dinner Table Debate
December 09-11
Week 16
Dinner Table Debate continued
Paper #3 Due; FINAL CLASS Writing journals and final work due at this time.
ASSIGNMENT # 1: CONSTRUCTING AN ACCOUNT & ANALYSIS OF AN ARGUMENT
Length 4-5 pages Due: Thursday October 03
Jared Diamond addresses some of the “big” questions of human history, such as why history unfolded
differently on different continents, and the role geographical factors played in the rise and dominance of
particular societies. Diamond’s “Why Did Human History Unfold Differently On Different Continents
For The Last 13,000 Years?” is based on a talk he gave in 1997 to members of Edge Educational
Foundation, an interdisciplinary association of scholars and technologists. His text summarizes some of
the arguments set forth in his book Guns, Germs and Steel.
Criteria for Evaluation:
1. Describe Diamond’s project and argument, and what you see as his most important or interesting
sub-claims, explaining how these sub-claims relate to the main claim.
2. Describe how Diamond organizes his text and how this influences what he has to say.
3. Analyze the ways in which he supports his claims, and the moves or strategies he employs to
advance these claims.
4. Write the paper as if addressing a reader unfamiliar with Diamond’s text.
5. Comment on how this text is significant—what difference it might make to readers.
6. Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.
7.
Key learning outcomes: students will be able to describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims,
project, support and rhetorical strategies.
ASSIGNMENT #2: GATHERING INFORMATION AND MANAGING SOURCES
Length 7–8 pages Due: Thursday, November 07
In “Why Do You Think They're Called For-Profit Colleges?” Kevin Carey examines the growth of forprofit universities. He claims that these institutions need to be reformed, but also have an important role
to play in higher education. For this paper you will select at least two outside texts that make arguments
that connect with Carey’s. You will use these texts to illustrate, clarify, challenge, qualify, extend, or
complicate one of the arguments advanced in “Why Do You Think They're Called For-Profit Colleges?”
Criteria for Evaluation:
1. accurately describe Carey’s project and argument, and what you see as his most important or
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
interesting claims, explaining how these claims relate to the argument.
signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed
locate claims and/or evidence from (at least) 2 outside sources that connect with the argument
analyze these claims/evidence in order to show how they illustrate, challenge, extend, or
complicate arguments found in “The Moral Instinct.”
present evidence that explains in detail how these texts illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate
Carey’s argument
use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper
Key learning outcomes: students will be able to construct an account of an author’s project and argument
and carry out small, focused research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or
complicate that argument; use appropriate reference materials in order to clarify their understanding of an
argument.
ASSIGNMENT 3: EXPLAINING RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
Length 7-8 pages Due: Tuesday, December 10
The Dinner Table Debate between Dan Savage, the sex columnist and originator of “It Gets Better,” an
anti-bullying campaign and Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, an antigay-marriage advocacy organization, brings two opposing opinions on the subject of Same-Sex marriage
into direct discussion. As they express their differing viewpoints on a number of subjects surrounding the
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the definition of marriage by traditional religious institutions as
being between a man and a woman, they use a number of different techniques and strategies.
Criteria for Evaluation
Successful papers will:
1. accurately describe the authors’ project and argument
2. signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed
3. describe the strategy/strategies, provide interpretation and analysis of how the strategy works, and
explain why the authors chose to use this strategy (purpose and audience).
4. explain how the strategy/strategies advances the authors’ arguments.
5. Analyze the effectiveness of the claims and strategies
6. present ample evidence to support the analysis of rhetorical strategies
7. use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be
thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper
Key learning outcomes: construct an account of authors’ projects and arguments and explain
rhetorical strategies that these authors—and by extension other writers—use to engage readers in
thinking about their arguments.
RWS 100: The Rhetoric of Written Argument
Instructor:
Section:
Jamie Madden
87
Office Phone: 594-1161
Office Number: SHW 142
Email: jmadden@mail.sdsu.edu
Meeting Times: MWF 11:00-11:50
Meeting Place: AL 102
Department Phone: 594-6515
Office Hours: MWF 9:30-10:30
and by appointment
Prerequisites:
All RWS 100 students must have satisfactory completion of the Lower Division Writing
Competency Requirement.
Required Textbooks:
RWS 100 Course Reader under my name (available at Aztec Bookshops)
Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. (or another writing handbook)
Course Description, General Education Capacities/Goals and RWS Learning Outcomes
“Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men.” Plato
This section of RWS 100 is a collaborative learning environment; much of the class work will be
done in a small group setting. This arrangement is designed to help students discover and make
meaning for themselves, rather than simply repeating a meaning that has been predetermined by
the instructor and delivered in a lecture format. You will, therefore, also be practicing the real
world writing skills of maintaining a collaborative writing relationship with peers and working
together on writing projects, though the individual assignments are not group projects in which
several people turn in one paper and get the same grade.
Our Learning Outcomes reflect the goals and capacities of the General Education Program.
RWS 100 is one of several courses in the area of general education defined as “Communication
and Critical Thinking.” Focusing particularly on argument, this course emphasizes four essential
general education capacities: the ability to 1) construct, analyze and communicate argument, 2)
contextualize phenomena, 3) negotiate differences, and 4) apply theoretical models to the real
world. This course advances general education by helping students understand the general
function of writing, speaking, visual texts, and thinking within the context of the university at
large, rather than within specific disciplines. In addition to featuring the basic rules and
conventions governing composition and presentation, RWS 100 establishes intellectual
frameworks and analytical tools that help students explore, construct, critique, and integrate
sophisticated texts.
Within this framework of four general capacities, the course realizes four closely related
subsidiary goals. These goals focus on helping students:
1)
2)
3)
4)
craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences;
analyze a variety of texts commonly encountered in the academic setting;
situate discourse within social, generic, cultural, and historic contexts; and
assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence.
Our student learning outcomes for RWS 100 are closely aligned with these goals and capacities,
and reflect the program’s overall objective of helping students attain “essential skills that
underlie all university education.”
Learning Outcomes for RWS 100
The following four outcomes describe the four main writing projects or “assignment types” for
the course. Students will be able to:
1) Describe, analyze and evaluate an author’s argument, including her or his claims,
evidence, and other elements of the text such as organization and development;
2) Gather, manage, and use outside sources to evaluate a text by finding information that
helps clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate that argument;
3) Construct an account of two or more authors’ projects and arguments and evaluate
rhetorical strategies that these authors—and by extension other writers—use to
engage readers in thinking about their arguments;
4) Assess the relative strengths and weaknesses of multiple texts in order to create a
position of one’s own.
The following points describe outcomes to work on throughout the course, to be attained over the
fifteen weeks. Students will be able to:
5) Describe elements of an argument—claims, methods of development, kinds of
evidence, persuasive appeals; annotate the work that is done by each section of a
written argument;
6) Use all aspects of the writing process—including prewriting, drafting, revising,
editing, and proofreading;
7) Choose effective structures for their writing, acknowledging that different purposes,
contexts and audiences call for different structures; understand the relationship
between a text’s ideas and its structure;
8) Identify devices an author has used to create cohesion or to carry the reader through
the text; use metadiscourse to signal the project of the paper, and guide a reader from
one idea to the next in their writing;
9) Effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and comment on
it in their writing;
10) Determine when and where a source was published, who wrote it and whether it was
reprinted or edited; understand that texts are written in and respond to particular
contexts, communities or cultures; examine the vocabulary choices a writer makes
and how they are related to context, community or culture, audience or purpose;
11) Respond in writing to ideas drawn from various cultures and disciplines, using the
activity of writing to clarify and improve their understanding of an argument;
12) Analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence;
13) Analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images into
their documents;
14) Craft well reasoned arguments for specific audiences;
15) Edit their writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each writing
situation;
16) Assign significance to the arguments that they read;
17) Reflect on how they wrote their papers, and revise arguments and findings based on
critical reflection.
Course Requirements:




Four formal essays. First drafts and revisions will be required, and the final paper
grade will be lowered one full letter grade if there is no first draft included or if
the revision has been inadequate, particularly if the revision consists primarily of
grammatical corrections.
Writer’s Log, in which you reflect on and work on improving a variety of issues
in your own writing
Selected readings from Course Reader.
Class participation in small group activities, class discussions, and individual
writing conferences.
Grade Breakdown:
Each paper will receive a letter grade based on the quality of work it contains, as will your final
exam paper. The value of the letter grade corresponds to the recommended values in the SDSU
catalog (A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, etc.). Participation will be assigned a letter grade that takes into
consideration both your attendance and your level of involvement in class discussions and group
work. Your final grade will be determined by weighting those letter grades as follows:
First Paper: 20%
Second Paper: 20%
Third Paper: 20%
Fourth Paper:
Writer’s Log
Participation:
:
20%
10%
10%
Policies:
Late Work: The world being what it is, emergencies sometimes arise that prevent students from
turning essays in on time. With this in mind, I allow each student one “Get out of Jail Free”
card, which allows you to turn in the any of the first three papers one class period late without
any grade penalty. Once the card has been used, late work will have the final paper grade
lowered by a half letter grade for each class period it is late. This is cumulative with any late
penalties on the first draft – a student who turns in both the first and final drafts late will have
their grade lowered further than if just one draft had been late. Note that the “Get Out of Jail
Free” card may not be used with either the fourth paper or the final entry in the Writer’s Log;
they must be turned in on time. You may use the “Get Out of Jail Free” card for any reason; I do
not “police” your reasons. But, obviously, I strongly recommend that you save it for a real
emergency. I do not encourage you to use it on the first paper unless you have a compelling
reason.
No work will be accepted more than one week late
Hard copies: In the past, I have accepted work by email or on computer disk. Due to
difficulties I have had with computer viruses, I will no longer be able to do this. All assignments
are due during the class period and must be turned in as hard copies. They may also be placed in
my mailbox in SHW 142 if they are date stamped by our front desk, but I do not encourage this.
Please do not slip papers under my office door.
Grading timelines: Papers are generally graded and returned to you within an average of two
weeks. At times the turn-around time may be shorter and on occasion it may be longer,
depending on the amount of commentary I find it necessary to include on the returned papers.
Attendance: No more than three absences, either excused or unexcused, are allowed without
penalty during the semester. (This is one week of class.) Absences beyond this will be reflected
in a lower participation grade – clearly, you cannot participate if you have not attended. Students
with 4-6 absences will have their attendance/participation grade lowered by one full letter grade:
7-9 absences will lower the attendance/participation grade lowered by two full letter grades.
Students with 10 or more absences have missed three full weeks of class and will receive no
credit for participation/attendance. Note that students who leave during class will be marked
absent.
Timeliness: This class is 50 minutes long. It is important that you arrive on time, since late
arrivals not only mean that you must try to catch up on what the class is doing at your arrival and
may have missed important information, but also disturb your fellow students. Students who are
consistently late or who are excessively late will be given a warning and may be asked to leave
class on the next occasion they are tardy.
Interruptions: Please make sure your cell phone is turned off during class. Kindly also make
arrangements for appointments, important phone calls, etc, so that they do not interrupt class
time. This time is to be dedicated to the work for this class; refrain from doing work for other
classes or purposes during these 50 minutes.
E-mail: This course is not taught via e-mail. If you miss class, I recommend that you begin by
speaking to classmates about what you missed. If there are things that you would like to have
clarified, please come see me during office hours to discuss what you missed. If you cannot
come at my regularly scheduled office hours, let me know – I will be happy to schedule a time
that we can both meet.
Also, it is not necessary to notify me if you will be missing class on a particular day, though if
something has come up that will result in you missing several classes, you will want to let me
know.
Finally, bear in mind that email is not a good way to get advice or answers regarding work that is
due the following day -- I do not check my work e-mail at night or on weekends.
Special arrangements: If you are registered with Student Disability Services and require
special arrangements to be made in order to accommodate your learning needs, I am happy to
work with you in conjunction with SDS. Please let me know of your situation so that we can
work together to ensure you have every opportunity to do your best work in this class.
Student athletes: If you are a student athlete with away games scheduled during the semester,
please let me know by the end of the first week of class, and present me with a copy of your team
travel schedule. I am aware of your multiple obligations as student athletes, and we will make
appropriate scheduling arrangements—this may include turning assignments in early.
Plagiarism: According to the policy file, “Plagiarism shall be defined as the act of incorporating
ideas, words, or specific substance of another, whether purchased, borrowed, or otherwise
obtained, and submitting same to the university as one’s own work to fulfill academic
requirements without giving credit to the appropriate source. Plagiarism shall include, but not be
limited to: a.) submitting work either in part or in whole completed by another; b.) omitting
footnotes for ideas, statements, facts, or conclusions that belong to another; c.) omitting
quotation marks when quoting directly from another; d.) close and lengthy paraphrasing of the
writings of another.” Plagiarism is a breach of academic codes of conduct. Refer to the General
Catalog for the potential consequences of plagiarism, which may include failing the course
and/or possible expulsion from the university.
I am happy to say that I do not see deliberate plagiarism often; most students are aware that
plagiarism robs them of the very education for which they chose to attend university, in addition
to being unfair to their peers. When I do see it, I take it very seriously and always report it to the
Office for Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Resources for SDSU Students:
Academic Advising Center
Counselling and Psychological Services
Student Disability Services
Student Health Services
Public Safety
Public Safety Escorts
SSW 1551 594-6668
Calpulli 4401 594-5220
888-724-7240 (after hours)
Calpulli 3101 594-6473
Calpulli
594-5281
594-1991
9-1-1 (emergency)
594-6659
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
RWS 100, FALL 2011
Tuesday, August 27:
Syllabus, Assignment Schedule, Introductions
Thursday, August 29:
What is rhetoric? Basics of argumentation
Tuesday, September 3:
Prior to class, complete reading “Chatty As a Magpie” in
Course Reader. Focus on claims and evidence
Thursday, September 5:
Discussion of “Chatty As a Magpie.” Analyzing/evaluating
evidence.
Tuesday, September 10:
Analyzing prompt, prewriting strategies for identifying
evidence and organizing
Thursday, September 12:
Setting goals/writing a rubric.
Tuesday, September 17:
First Draft of Paper 1 Due. Conferencing Essay 1. Class
cancelled.
Thursday, September 19:
Conferencing Essay 1. Class cancelled.
Tuesday, September 24:
Second Draft of Paper 1 Due. Peer Workshop; focus on
analysis
Thursday, September 26:
Prior to class, complete reading excerpt from Silent Spring
in Course Reader. Discussing ethos.
Tuesday, October 1:
Discuss pathos in Silent Spring excerpt.
Thursday, October 3:
Copy-Edited Final Draft of Paper 1 Due. Writer’s Log
Paper 1 Due. Methods of development
Tuesday, October 8:
Incorporating quotations.
Thursday, October 10:
Setting goals/writing rubric.
Tuesday, October 15:
First draft Essay 2 due. Class cancelled for conferences.
Thursday, October 17:
Class cancelled for conferences.
Tuesday, October 22:
Second Draft of Paper 2 Due. Peer Workshop; focus on
development
Thursday, October 24:
Prior to class, complete reading “The Self as Hero.” Using
structure to uncover claims.
Tuesday, October 29:
Discussion of “The Self as Hero” continued. Identifying
questions for broader reading, starting research
Thursday, October 31:
Copy-Edited Final Draft of Paper 2 Due. Writer’s Log
Paper 2 Due. Writing transitions.
Tuesday, November 5:
Organizing research. Bring in paper or electronic copies of
title pages for you reference works. How to write a Works
Cited.
Thursday, November 7:
Setting goals/writing rubric
Tuesday, November 12:
First Draft of Paper 3 Due. Class cancelled for
conferences.
Thursday, November 14:
Class cancelled for Conferences.
Tuesday, November 19:
Second Draft of Paper 3 Due. Peer Workshop; focus on
analysis and development
Thursday, November 21:
Prior to class, complete reading “The Allegory of the Cave”
in the Course Reader. Visualizing claims.
Tuesday, November 26:
Prior to class, complete reading “The Ones Who Walk
Away from Omelas: in Course Reader. Discussion of
“Omelas” and “The Allegory of the Cave.” Theory and
vocabulary, abstract and concrete
Thursday, November 28:
Thanksgiving Break—No classes.
Tuesday, December 3:
Copy-Edited Final Draft of Paper 3 Due. Writer’s Log
Paper 3 Due. Continue discussion of “Omelas” and
“Allegory.”
Thursday, December 5:
Prior to class, students to have completed watching The
Matrix.
Tuesday, December 10:
Setting goals/writing rubric
Thursday, December 17:
Final Draft of Paper 4 Due. Final Writer’s Log Due.