Professor: Chris Werry
Office: SW114C
Office Hrs: M 9.30-11.30 & by appointment
Email: cwerry@mail.sdsu.edu
Phone: 594 3882
Class Meets: Mon/Wed 4:00pm-5:15pm, MCN-109
ARGUMENT & RHETORIC
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“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)
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“Argument is the essence of education…[and] central to democratic culture” (Lasch)
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“Universities are houses of argument.” (Norgaard)
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“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)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
RWS 200 is a course in academic writing and reading, emphasizing the rhetorical analysis of arguments
in context. Building on RWS 100, the course asks students to continue the work of articulating the
argument a text is making and analyzing elements of the argument. The course asks students to
consider the contexts of arguments and to discover what arguments are responding to, both in the
sense of what has come before them and in the sense that they are written for an audience in a
particular place and time. RWS200 also teaches students to a) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of
arguments, b) discover ways of “joining the conversation,” and c) reflect on and analyze their own
reading and writing strategies.
Texts & materials
1. Ede, Lisa. The Academic Writer, Bedford St. Martins, 3rd edition. (This is a useful guidebook
and reference for academic writing, which will help you in courses beyond this one.)
2. Course readings available on Blackboard. These must be printed out and brought to class.
3. Handouts (provided in class and posted to Blackboard).
4. A writing handbook (any recent grammar, style, and usage handbook will do).
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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 major essays of four to eight pages in length for this course. 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. On occasion, students will be asked to turn in this
portfolio so I can review your progress. You can post some 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 much of it to a 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.
Presentations: You will occasionally be asked to give a brief presentation in class, either individually or
as part of a group.
Participation: Participation is important to your final grade. Much of the course involves in-class
discussion and as such, depends on you to regularly contribute your insights. The participation grade
includes homework, preparatory reading, attendance, effort invested in class discussion and
presentations, and peer review. 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. Your participation in class, peer review and at scheduled conferences is
important and counts for 10% of your grade.
ASSIGNMENTS
%
Due
Assignment 1
20
February 24
Assignment 2
15
March 17
Assignment 3
20
April 14
Assignment 4
20
May 12
Portfolio/blog posts/homework
15
Participation
10
Total
100%
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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 to be completed outside of class before the class discussion date.
Week 1
Jan 22
Syllabus; Key Terms and Concepts
Apply concepts to short texts
Week 2
Jan 27/29
Discussion of Haydar, “Veiled Intentions”
Introduction to paper 1
Week 3
Feb 03/05
Analysis of Haydar’s “Veiled Intentions”
Examining claims in context; strategies, strengths and weaknesses
Discuss Nussbaum, “Veiled Threats?”
Week 4
Feb 10/12
Nussbaum continued; draft introduction and body paragraph; quotations
Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)
Week 5
Feb 17/19
Conferencing – meet professor outside of class to work on draft
Week 6
Feb 24/26
Paper #1 Due
Introduction to the second paper
Wallace and the rhetoric of demagoguery
Week 7
Mar 03/05
Using one text as a lens on another; evaluating texts
Wallace continued
Week 8
Mar 10/12
Drafting introduction and body paragraphs; template phrases
Drafts due; Peer review
Week 9
Mar 17/19
Paper 2 Due;
Watch Wikinson video, “How Economic Inequality Harms Societies”
Begin discussion of first set of inequality readings
Introduction to paper 3 and working with multiple sources
Week 10
Mar 24/26
Analysis of second set of inequality readings
Synthesizing texts, mapping contexts, evaluating claims
Week 11
Mar 31/Apr 02 SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS
Week 12
Apr 07/09
Prospectus due
Draft of paper 3 due; peer work
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Week 13
Apr 14/16
Paper 3 Due
Introduction to paper 4
Week 14
Apr 21/23
Going from synthesis to contribution; situating your argument
Analyzing, mapping and evaluating sources
Week 15
Apr 28/30
Building your claims, finding support, creating a space for your contribution
Drafting the introduction and body paragraphs
Week 16
May 05/08
Conferencing
Class presentations
Week 17
May 12
FINAL PAPER DUE
RWS 200 Assignments
Assignment 1: Analysis of an Argument in Context
Building on RWS100, this assignment asks students to articulate a text’s argument and to analyze and
describe its elements. It also asks students to discern elements of context embedded in the argument—
the clues that suggest what the argument is responding to, both in the sense of what has been written
before it and in the sense that it is written for an audience in a particular time and place – and to
evaluate how effectively the argument persuades this audience within this specific context. The
assignment will use two short texts that examine debates over the meaning of the veil in Muslim culture
("Veiled Intentions" by Maysan Haydar, and "Veiled Threats?" by Martha Nussbaum.)
Assignment 2: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
In this assignment you will use concepts and arguments from one text as a context for understanding
and writing about another. The first text will thus provide a “lens” for understanding and evaluating the
“target” text. Specifically, you will draw from materials on the rhetoric of demagoguery to examine
Governor George Wallace’s inaugural address (his famous speech defending segregation).
Assignment 3: Analyzing the Context in Which a Set of Arguments are Made
The pope, the president, and political figures across the political spectrum have recently argued that
inequality is a crucially important issue. In this assignment you will map major points of similarity,
difference, contrast and connection between texts that address this issue. You will consider how major
positions advanced in these texts relate to each other, and you will evaluate claims representative of
these positions. You will read a selection of texts that debate the nature, causes, effects and solutions to
inequality.
Assignment 4: Advancing an Argument in the Contemporary Context
In this assignment you will draw on your current life as the context from which to understand and
evaluate some of the texts explored in assignment 3. You will draw on select texts to construct a context
that allows you to “enter the conversation” and advance your own claims. As in assignment 3, the topic
will be the nature, causes and effects of inequality.
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COURSE POLICIES
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.
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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.
RWS200 Learning Outcomes
The following four outcomes describe the four major writing projects or “assignment types” for the
course. You will be able to:
1. Discern elements of context embedded in arguments, the clues that show what the
argument is responding to – both in the sense of what has come before it and the sense that
it is written for an audience in a particular time and place; examine a writer’s language in
relation to audience, context, and community;
2. Use concepts and arguments from one text as a context for understanding and writing
about another;
3. Given the common concerns of two or more arguments, discuss how the claims of these
arguments modify, complicate, or qualify one another;
4. Consider your contemporary, current life as the context within which you are reading a
group of arguments; position yourself in relation to ongoing research and discussion in
order to make an argument, drawing on available key terms, concepts of frameworks of
analysis to help shape the argument.
The following points describe outcomes to work on throughout the semester:
5. Building on the work done in RWS 100, you will be able to articulate what argument a text is
making, describe the work that is done by each section of the argument, describe elements
of the argument such as claims, methods of development, kinds of evidence, persuasive
appeals, translate an argument into your own words;
6. Understand and incorporate all aspects of the writing process – including prewriting,
drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading;
7. Articulate what key terms, definitions, concepts, statements of a problem or issue are
established by a text;
8. Investigate and articulate how an argument is positioned – based on certain kinds of
assumptions, located in a way of thinking and representing issues from a point of view;
9. Work with multiple sources in a paper, deciding what to include and what to exclude,
choosing an effective structure, and creating significant relationships among sources;
10. Craft a cohesive paper, and use effective metadiscourse to guide a reader through it;
11. Describe your own papers and reflect on how you wrote them; differentiate between the
content of your texts and the language and rhetorical strategies you employ;
12. Revise your own work effectively, re-reading previous work and re-envisioning it in the light
of reflection, feedback, further reading, and new sources of information;
13. Edit your writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to the project.
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Agreement on Plagiarism
I understand that teachers are required by SDSU policy to report cases of plagiarism. I understand that I
must clearly mark other people's ideas and words within my paper. I understand it is unacceptable to do
any of the following:
 Submit an essay written in whole or part by another person, and to present this as if it were my
own.
 Download an essay from the internet, then quote or paraphrase from it, in whole or in part,
without acknowledging the original source.
 Reproduce the substance of another writer's argument without acknowledging the source.
 Copy another student/person’s homework and submit this as the product of my own work.
I understand that the consequences for committing any of the above acts can include failure in the class,
a note on my permanent record, and even expulsion from the university. I will not plagiarize or cheat.
Name (Print Legibly): ______________________________
Date ____________________________________________
(Signature) _______________________________________
Use of Student Work
I may occasionally wish to share sample student writing in class. For example, it may be useful to show
an example of a strong introduction, or discuss ways of revising a conclusion. Is it OK to use your writing
in this way?
YES
NO
Name: ______________________________
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Classmate Contact Info
Please write down the email address and/or phone number of three of your classmates. If you miss
class, or can’t remember what was assigned for homework, contact your classmates before asking me.
NAME:________________________________CONTACT:____________________________
NAME:________________________________CONTACT:____________________________
NAME:________________________________CONTACT:_____________________________
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