Schedule in Detail
Day
Date
1M
12 Jan
W
14
F
16
2M
W
F
3 M*
19 Jan
21
23
26 Jan
W*
28
F*
30
4M
2 Feb
W*
4
F
6
What to prepare before class
General topic/
What to expect in class
Topic: Introductions to the subject &
--course
"Rhetorical criticism"?
FDR's "War Message" address.
Case: Movie Criticism in Kabul What do popular critics do?
(handout).
Course procedures; study partners.
This Syllabus.
"Bloom's Taxonomy" (handout).
Pierce, chapter 2.
What do rhetorical critics do?
What can be learned in this class?
Prepare for caucuses; basic questions to ask
of any persuasion.
Attend a caucus!
No class; University holiday.
Reflect on any attempts at
Personal goals statement due.
persuasion during the caucus.
How to "commit an act of rhetorical
Draft personal goals paper.
criticism."
"How to commit an act of
We rhetorically criticize the caucuses.
rhetorical criticism" (handout). About the campaign watch final paper.
Pierce, chapter 4 pp. 94-108.
Class discussion, "intermediate" rhetorical
FDR's other war message
criticism: why & how.
(handout).
Bush, "September 20th
Topic: Making observations
Address."
Discussion ("fishbowl") of the speeches
"2,988 Words that Changed a
and assessment of the discussion.
Presidence" (packet).
Patton, "Address to the Troops" Discussion ("fishbowl").
(packet).
McCarthy, "Campaign Address" Discussion ("fishbowl").
(handout).
Case: Senator Tom Harkin's
Topic: Defending judgments
"eulogy" for Paul Wellstone
The case is assigned; we'll watch the
(packet).
speech and share preliminary reactions to
it. Final project assigned.
Lincoln, "Gettysburg Address" Discussion: what makes for a good public
RFK, "Eulogy for Dr. King"
eulogy?
Reagan, "Challenger Disaster"
Bush, "Columbia Disaster"
(packet).
Skim through Pierce, chapter 9. The "genre" of public eulogy: its
Finalize your selection of a
requirements.
candidate to watch, and be
Student reports on campaign watch.
prepared to discuss information Final "study partner" signups.
sources on him/her.
Introduction to technical vocabulary;
reports assigned & discussed.
5M
9 Feb
Using technical vocabulary
Draft your Harkin case paper.
"Self-assessment" (packet).
W*
11
F*
13
Prepare your technical
vocabulary report.
(same).
6M
16 Feb
Case: Chief Seattle?
"Critical judgment" (handout)
W*
18
F*
20
Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?"
Parsons, "To Tramps"
Scott, "Testimony"
"I Hate Straights."
Draft your Chief Seattle case
paper.
7M
W
F
8M
W
F*
9 M*
23 Feb
25
27
1 Mar
3
5
8 Mar
W
10
F*
12
15-19
Mar
Prepare to report on your
campaign watch.
--Finish take-home midterm.
Burke, "Terministic Screens"
(handout).
Pierce, chapter 5.
"Critic's choice" text.
FDR, "First Inaugural" (in
Pierce, 56-59).
Daughton, "Metaphorical
Transcendence" (in Pierce, 6087).
Pierce, chapter 3, including
Daughton, "Metaphorical
Transcendence" (in Pierce, 6087).
"Critic's choice" text.
Locate the article for your
report.
Spring Break!
Topic: Using technical vocabulary
Harkin case paper due.
Instructor will report on assigned technical
vocabulary.
Student reports on assigned technical
vocabulary.
Student reports on assigned technical
vocabulary.
Topic: Confronting differences
The case is assigned.
Standards for critical judgment. Can
judgements be defended?
Discussion of these "outsider" speeches.
Discussion.
Topic: Midterm review & evaluation
Chief Seattle case paper due.
Discussion of the case.
"Critic's choice" assigned.
Take-home midterm assigned.
Student reports on campaign watch.
Summary & review of course to date.
Topic: Using metaphor theory
Take-home midterm due.
Metaphors and their power.
Deciphering the technicalities of metaphor
theory.
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #1.
Topic: Reading "real" rhetorical criticism
Discussion: FDR's first inaugural.
Article report assigned.
"Finding the gold" in scholarly articles.
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #2.
We'll see what articles people have selected.
10 M
22 Mar Draft your article report.
Case: "It's over, Debbie"
(packet).
W
24
Pierce, chapter 6 up to 202.
F*
26
"Critic's choice" text.
11 M*
29 Mar Speech TBA.
W*
31
Speech TBA.
F*
2
"Critic's choice" text.
Prepare to report on your
campaign watch.
Draft your "Debbie" case paper.
Review "Gettysburg," "I hate
straights" and "Challenger
Disaster" (packet).
FDR, "War Message" again
(packet).
Stelzner, "An Approach to
Language" (handout).
"Critic's choice" text.
Pierce, chapter 7, up to 256.
12 M
W
F*
13 M
W
5 Apl
7
9
12 Apl
14
F*
14 M
16
19 Apl
W
F
15 M
21
23
26 Apl
W
28
F
30
Finals,
Thurs
6 May
Topic: Using narrative theory
Article report due.
Stories and their power.
The case is assigned.
Last day to request a personalized grading
scheme.
Deciphering the technicalities of narrative
theory.
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #3.
About the oral final exam.
Discussion--practice with the oral final
exam standards.
Discussion--practice with the oral final
exam standards.
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #4.
Assignment of campaign watch final paper;
campaign watch updates.
Topic: A few last critical approaches
"Debbie" case paper due.
"Space" "time" and "person" tracking.
Close textual analysis.
Is there a limit to what can be said about a
text?
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #5.
Topic: Analyzing visual rhetoric.
A vocabulary for talking about pictures.
Find a visual ad to share with the The techniques of visual persuasion.
class.
"Critic's choice" text.
Discussion: "Critic's choice" #6.
Prepare for your oral final exam. Oral final exam (group 1 only).
Speeches will appear on the
website 48 hours prior to class.
(same)
Oral final exam (group 2 only).
(same)
Oral final exam (group 3 only).
Prepare to report on your
Final campaign watch reports; discussion
campaign watch.
of final paper.
"Final Self Assessment"
Final review & course evaluation. NOTE:
(packet).
Attendance required subject to a one
step grade penalty.
--No class; individual meetings with
instructor.
--Campaign watch final paper due.
Final self-assessment due.
Both in my mailbox at 226 Pearson before
5:00 p.m.