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DEPARTMENT OF RHETORIC AND WRITING STUDIES
RWS 100—THE RHETORIC OF WRITTEN ARGUMENT
FALL 2014
Instructor: Candace Boeck
Email: cboeck@mail.sdsu.edu
Class Time, Location: MWF 1:00-1:50 p.m., SH 126
Office: SHW 120 Phone: (619) 594-0821 DRWS Mailbox: SHW 141
Office Hours: MW 12-12:50 p.m. and by appointment
Required Texts and Supplies
 Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. They Say I Say with

Readings. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2012.
 Gunner, Jeanne and Doug Sweet. Grounds for Writers. New York:
Pearson, 2008.
 Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers. 7th ed. Boston: Cengage, 2014.
 Other supplies as needed—paper for notes and in-class writings, stapler, flash drive, etc.
Prerequisite: Satisfaction of the Lower Division Writing Competency Requirement.
Course Description—RWS 100
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) craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences;
2) analyze a variety of texts commonly encountered in the academic setting;
3) situate discourse within social, generic, cultural, and historic contexts; and
4) 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
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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
1. 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;
2. analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence
3. use all aspects of the writing process--including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing,
and proofreading;
4. 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;
5. 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;
6. effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and comment on it
in their writing;
7. 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;
8. craft well-reasoned arguments for specific audiences
9. 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;
10. analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images into their
documents;
11. edit their writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each writing
situation;
12. assign significance to the arguments that they read;
13. reflect on how they wrote their papers, and revise arguments and findings based on
critical reflection.
Course Requirements
1. Attendance— Consistent attendance is necessary for your academic success. Your
active participation is crucial for you and your classmates to meet the course objectives.
Lack of participation due to inattention or absence will negatively impact your course
participation grade. If you have more than FIVE absences for any reason, your
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participation grade will drop to 0. Three tardies (ten minutes late) or leaving more than
ten minutes early, count as one absence. Missing more than twenty minutes of class
counts as an absence. If you fail to bring four copies of your essay for a peer editing
workshop, you will be marked absent.
2. Timely completion of all reading and writing projects—All writing assignments
completed outside of class must be typed and turned in on time. Various computer labs
are available to you on campus to complete your assignments. Late essays will result in a
drop of one grade for each day they are late. The Rhetorical Precis will not be accepted
late. A handwritten Rhetorical Precis will not be accepted—the Precis needs to be typed.
If you are unable to attend class and an assignment is due, you may turn it in to my
mailbox in SHW 141.
3. Writing Workshops—Essays will be critiqued in a peer editing workshop. You will
need to bring four copies of your draft on the day of the workshop. Peer editing guides
will assist you in critiquing each other’s drafts.
Grading Policies
Class Participation ………………………....80 (10%)
Essay Revisions (3) (170 ea.)…………….. 510 (64%)
Rhetorical Precis…………………………….40 (05%)
Final Essay Exam……………..………..…..170 (21%)
Total Points
800 (100%)
Grading Scale for RWS 100
4.0 A (100-94%)
3.7 A- ( 90-93%)
3.3 B+ ( 87-89%)
3.0 B ( 84-86%)
2.7 B- ( 80-83%)
2.3 C+ ( 77-79%)
Points for RWS 100
2.0
1.7
1.3
1.0
0.7
0.0
C
CD+
D
DF
(74-76%)
(70-73%)
(67-69%)
(64-66%)
(60-63%)
(59- 0%)
4.0 A (752-800)
2.0 C (592-615)
3.7 A- (720-751)
1.7 C- (560-591)
3.3 B+ (696-719)
1.3 D+ (536-559)
3.0 B (672-695)
1.0 D (512-535)
2.7 B- (640-671)
0.7 D- (480-511)
2.3 C+ (616-639)
0.0 F (479 – 0 )
Undergraduate grades shall be
A, outstanding achievement;
B, praiseworthy performance;
C, satisfactory performance—the most common undergraduate grade;
D, minimally passing;
F, failing. (From SDSU Faculty and Senate policy)
Course Policies
1. Essay Format—All essays should be typed MLA style. See Keys for Writers for detailed
instruction. Use a 12 point font, Times New Roman. On workshop days, bring four copies
of your draft.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Extra Credit—A maximum of three reading responses may be turned in for a total of 30
extra credit points. Each reading response is worth 10 points. Each reading response will be
based on a text from Grounds for Writers assigned for the essays. Reading responses will
consist of one typed MLA-formatted page with two paragraphs. The first paragraph is a
summary of the text including the author’s main claim and supporting points. The second
paragraph is your response to the text which could include your opinion of the writer’s
claims, your critical evaluation of the writer’s argument (persuasive? not persuasive?),
connections between this text and others you may have read, or connections between this
text and your personal experience. The last day to turn in Extra Credit reading responses is
the last regular day of class.
Plagiarism—Evidence of plagiarism will result in an F grade for the course, NO
EXCEPTIONS. In addition, I will report all instances of plagiarism to the Center for
Student Rights and Responsibilities, which uses various disciplinary measures. I use diverse
means to document plagiarism, including electronic methods. If you plagiarize, you will be
caught—do not risk your educational future. To avoid plagiarism, do your own work and
cite sources—see Keys for Writers for instructions on MLA documentation.
Classroom Behavior—Be courteous to the instructor and your classmates by refraining from
side conversations or other disruptive behaviors during class. If talking becomes a problem,
you will be asked to continue your conversation outside and will be marked absent. No
work from other courses may be completed during class time. Turn off all electronic
communication devices and put away these devices during class. Texting distracts you and
others. If you text during class, you will be asked to leave and will be marked absent.
Classroom Preparedness—Written assignments are due at the beginning of the class, typed
and stapled--you will not be able to print them out in the classroom lab. Various labs are
available on campus with printers if you do not have a personal printer. Bring textbooks to
class every day to facilitate your classroom participation.
Time Commitment—This course has been designed to provide a rewarding learning
experience. I have carefully devised reading and writing assignments, assuming that you
will spend from two to three hours for each classroom hour on work outside of class. Your
commitment to this time requirement is essential for your success.
Computer Lab Information—No food or drinks are to be consumed or placed near the
computers. All such items must be left on the center tables. Computers must be used for
classroom activities; therefore, do not check your favorite websites, send email, or perform
other computer functions not related to the course. Always back up your work and save it in
at least 2 locations, such as a flash drive and email.
Students with Disabilities—If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need
accommodations for this class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services
at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should
contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations
are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be provided until
you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability
Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
The Writing Center is a free resource open to any SDSU faculty, staff, or student. To
make an appointment, please visit the Writing Center’s webpage,
www.writingcenter.sdsu.edu. By accessing the webpage, students can schedule tutoring
appointments online at their convenience, or they can simply stop by for a drop-in
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appointment. The Writing Center is open Monday-Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Writing Center is
located in the Dome, LLA 1103, next to the circulation desk.
RWS 100 COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES
Week 1
Mon. 08/25—Introduction and review of syllabus.
Wed. 08/27—Writing Sample.
Fri. 08/29—Groups and Success Factors.
Week 2
Mon. 09/01—Labor Day Holiday—no class.
Wed. 09/03— Reading due--Raimes pg. 3-37 “The Writing Process.”
Fri. 09/05—Reading due--Raimes Part 3 “MLA Documentation.”
Week 3
Mon. 09/08— Reading due-- Raimes pg. 48-65 “Writing and Analyzing Arguments.”
Wed. 09/10—Reading due-- Gunner “The Basics of Rhetoric” pg. 5-18.
Fri. 09/12— Reading due-- Gunner “Rhetorical Uses of Critical Frames” pg. 25-31. Reading
Strategies.
Week 4
Mon. 09/15—Reading due-- Gunner “The Materialist Critique” pg. 165-184. Rhetorical Precis
format.
Wed. 09/17—Reading due--Gunner “The Numbing of the American Mind: Culture as
Anesthetic” by Thomas DeZengotita pg. 322-332.
Fri. 09/19— Reading due-- Gunner “Writings for a Liberation Psychology” by Ignacio
Martin-Baro pg. 197-204.
Week 5
Mon. 09/22—Reading due-- Gunner “A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide”
by Samantha Power pg. 153-159. Writing due—Rhetorical Precis
on “A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide”
by Samantha Power. Begin Essay #1 (Producing an Account and Evaluating an
Argument).
Wed. 09/24—Continue Essay #1. Reading due—Raimes pg. 430-436 “Fixing a Sentence
Fragment” and “Run-ons and Comma Splices.”
Fri. 09/26— Reading due--Graff “They Say” pg. 19-28 and “As He Himself Puts It” pg. 42-50.
Week 6
Mon. 9/29— Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Wed. 10/01— Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Fri. 10/03— Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Week 7
Mon. 10/06— Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Wed. 10/08—Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Fri. 10/10— Writing Conferences—no class. Bring a paper copy of your Essay #1 draft.
Week 8
Mon. 10/13— Reading due-- Gunner “Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to
Know” by E.D. Hirsch Jr. pg. 237-249.
Wed. 10/15—Reading due-- Gunner “Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work” by
Jean Anyon pg. 251-72.
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Fri. 10/17—Writing due--Revision of Essay #1 due. Continue Anyon discussion.
Week 9
Mon. 10/20— Begin Essay #2 (Gathering, Managing, and Using Outside Sources to Evaluate a
Text).
Wed. 10/22—Continue Essay #2.
Fri. 10/24— Reading due-- Graff “Yes/No/Okay, But” and “And Yet” pg. 55-75.
Week 10
Mon. 10/27—Reading due-- Raimes, “Subject-Verb Agreement” pg. 463-473 and “Pronouns”
pg.473-484.
Wed. 10/29— Reading due-- Graff “Skeptics May Object” and “So What? Who Cares?”
pg. 78-100.
Fri. 10/31— Peer Editing Workshop for Essay #2. Writing due--Bring 4 copies of your
draft.
Week 11
Mon. 11/03— Class Review of Essay #2.
Wed. 11/05—Reading due—Raimes pg. 391-415 “Style: The Five C’s.”
Fri. 11/07— Reading due-- Gunner “The Postcolonial Frame” pg. 343-351 and “Introduction to
Culture and Imperialism” by Edward Said pg. 353-66.
Week 12
Mon. 11/10— Writing due--Revision of Essay #2 due. Reading due-- Gunner “Postcolonial
Studies” and “Discourse on Colonialism” pg. 368-382.
Wed. 11/12—Reading due--Gunner “An American of Color” by Victor Villanueva
pg. 446-461.
Fri. 11/14—Reading due-- Gunner “Savage Inequalities” by Jonathan Kozol pg. 463-73 and
“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman pg. 474-83.
Week 13
Mon. 11/17— Reading due-- Gunner “Reading the Slender Body” by Susan Bordo pg. 484-93.
Wed. 11/19— Begin Essay #3 (Analyzing and Evaluating Rhetorical Strategies).
Fri. 11/21—Continue Essay #3.
Week 14
Mon. 11/24— Reading due-- Raimes “Commas” pg. 500-508.
Wed. 11/26— No classes—campus open
Fri. 11/28— No class—Thanksgiving Holiday.
Week 15
Mon. 12/01—Reading due—Raimes “Adjectives and Adverbs” pg. 484-491 and “Misplaced
Modifiers” and “Dangling Modifiers” pg. 437-439.
Wed. 12/03— Peer Editing Workshop for Essay #3. Writing due--Bring 4 copies of your
draft.
Fri. 12/05— Class Review of Essay #3.
Week 16
Mon. 12/08—Timed Writing Strategies/Grammar Review
Wed. 12/10—Review for Final—Assessing the Relative Strengths and Weaknesses of Multiple
Texts. Writing due: Revision of Essay #3.
RWS 100 FINAL SCHEDULE 8:00 CLASS—Friday, December 12 8:00-10:00 a.m.
11:00 CLASS—Monday, December 15 10:30a.m.-12:30 p.m.
1:00 CLASS—Friday, December 12 1:00-3:00 p.m.