RHETORIC AND WRITING STUDIES 280
Instructor:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office Location:
Office Hours:
Carl Fielden
(619) 594-1667
cfielden@mail.sdsu.edu
AH 3167
M 6-6:50 p.m.; F 8-8:50 a.m.; and by appointment
Course Description
Rhetoric and Writing Studies 280 develops students’ ability to write academic prose,
emphasizing purposes, structures, and styles of academic writing. The course is designed
to improve students’ ability to plan, draft, revise, and edit essays, as well as to improve
their ability to read and analyze complex academic texts.
Prerequisite
A qualifying score on the Writing Proficiency Assessment (WPA).
Materials
Required:
Course materials packet (available at SDSU bookstore)
Recommended:
Raimes: Keys for Writers (6th edition)
Note: Any other grammar, style, and usage handbook will do.
A college-level dictionary (e.g., American Heritage Dictionary or
Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary)
Course Learning Objectives
1.
Rhetorical Knowledge
RWS 280 helps students achieve competency with the goals and conventions of
academic writing by introducing (or reviewing) rhetorical concepts and terminology
and by focusing on the purposes of given texts and the rhetorical strategies
necessary to achieve those purposes. At the completion of RWS 280, successful
students will be able to
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Recognize that writing is a process of inquiry used both to discover and
communicate ideas;
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2.
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Demonstrate facility with basic genres of writing, particularly those related to
argument;
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Apply the concept of rhetorical situations: the relationships among writeraudience-subject-context;
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Use “language about language” that enables writers to think about the use of
rhetorical strategies in their own writing and the writing of others and to discuss
their own strengths and difficulties as working writers.
Critical thinking and reading (viewing, hearing)
RWS 280 provides students with strategies to understand and evaluate written,
visual, and oral texts. At the completion of the course, successful students will be
able to
3.

Apply critical reading strategies to a variety of texts: public documents,
editorials, essays, newspaper reports, writing of their peers, advertisements, etc.;
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Analyze an author’s specific rhetorical strategies in a given text;
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Evaluate the arguments/claims and supporting material presented in written
texts with respect to the relationships among language, knowledge and power,
and context.
Writing Processes
RWS 280 provides students with instruction and practice for improving their
writing processes. At the completion of the course, successful students will be able
to

Develop and use strategies for generating, revising and editing texts of various
types (e.g., essays, letters, reports, timed writing, etc.);

Summarize and paraphrase written texts;

Interpret, evaluate, and effectively incorporate a variety of others’ texts into
their own writing to support and extend their own ideas;

Critique their own and others’ texts to develop their abilities in academic
writing;
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Use the collaborative and social aspects of the writing process.
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4.
Knowledge of Conventions
RWS 280 provides students with instruction and practice in the conventions of
various written texts. At the completion of the course, successful students will be
able to
5.

Format simple manuscripts (page margins, appropriate font style and size,
paragraph indentation, block style, etc.);

Cite sources accurately (MLA or APA as appropriate to the student’s major);

Define plagiarism and state its consequences within the university and the
greater community;

Edit their own writing for grammar, mechanics, and usage appropriate to
various writing situations.
Attitudes, values, and preparation for life beyond the university
RWS 280 equips students with skills vital to civic life in a democratic society.
Successful students will be able to

Demonstrate courtesy and respect when discussing opinions and beliefs that
conflict with their own;

Work cooperatively with others to achieve common goals;

Use critical thinking strategies to evaluate public and private written, oral, and
visual texts.
Methods of Evaluating Student Performance
Students’ course grades will be determined as follows:
1.
70% based on writing assignments (revised in- and out-of-class essays; see the
course schedule for the types of assignments you will complete and their due dates).
You may revise the first two papers for the possibility of receiving a higher grade.
If you do revise a paper, the higher of the two grades for a particular assignment
will be used in computing your course grade. Except for drafts written in class, all
essays must be typed.
2.
20% based on the position paper. You will receive two grades, one for format and
application of MLA style conventions, the other for the quality of writing.
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3.
5% based on quiz(zes). There will be one scheduled quiz on plagiarism. The
instructor reserves the right to give unannounced quizzes if it appears that students
are not completing the reading assignments or other assigned work.
4.
5% based on class participation (e.g., attendance, in-class assignments, peer-editing
activities).
Note: As the instructor, I reserve the right to examine and reconsider individual grades in
terms of students’ attendance, collaborative effort, and punctuality.
Course grades will be based on points earned and assigned according to the following
scale:
A
Outstanding achievement; available only for the highest accomplishment
B
Praiseworthy achievement; definitely above average
C
Average; awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common
undergraduate degree
D
Minimally passing; less than the typical undergraduate achievement
F
Failing
Criteria for Scoring Writing Assignments
Compositions will be scored according to judgments about the whole paper. Content is
important but cannot outweigh the quality and accuracy of basic writing skills including
organization, diction, grammar, and mechanics.
The criteria below are intended to provide general guidelines for scoring. To receive the
following scores, compositions may exhibit the following characteristics.
A
An “A” paper is excellent in nearly all respects. It
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is well argued and well organized with a clear thesis
is well developed with content that is specific, interesting, appropriate, and
convincing
has logical transitions that contribute to a fluent style of writing
has few, if any, mechanical, grammatical, spelling, or diction errors
demonstrates command of a mature, unpretentious diction
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B
A “B” paper shares most characteristics of an “A” paper, but it
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C
A “C” paper is generally competent, but compared to a “B” paper it
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D
may have a weaker thesis and less effective development
may contain some lapses in organization
may have poor or awkward transitions
may have less varied sentence structures that tend toward monotony
may have more mechanical, grammatical, and diction problems
is likely to be less distinguished in its handling of the topic
Unlike a passing paper, a “D” paper most likely
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F
may have some minor lapses in organization and development
may contain some sentence structures that are awkward or ineffective
may have minor mechanical, grammatical, or diction problems
may be less distinguished in its use of language
presents a thesis too vague or too obvious to be developed effectively
displays major organizational problems
lacks adequate support for its thesis
has confusing or nonexistent transitions
has ungrammatical or poorly constructed sentences and/or
demonstrates problems with spelling, punctuation, diction, or syntax which
impede understanding
An “F” paper is seriously flawed. It is likely to
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have no clear thesis or central topic
display random organization
lack adequate support or specific development
include irrelevant details
fail to fulfill the assignment or be unduly brief and/or
contain major and repeated errors in diction, syntax, grammar, punctuation, or
spelling
Writing Assignment Requirements. Specific requirements for assignments will be
discussed in class. Assignments are due on the date indicated on the course assignment
sheet. All assignments must be prepared with appropriate software and should conform
to the conventions of the genre. Keep a copy of all assignments you hand in. Maintain a
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cumulative file that includes all your assignments. The documents in this file will serve
as a basis for you to judge your improvement during the semester.
Meetings with the Assigned Class Tutor. RWS 280 classes are assigned a tutor to assist
the instructor with carrying out his or her teaching responsibilities. In this class, our
assigned tutor will meet with students in and outside of class on an appointment basis to
assist with the composing process of each project, everything from planning, writing,
editing and revising. Students are expected to make appointments with the tutor, which
will be one of the factors considered in determining the class participation component of
students’ course grades.
Late Papers. All assignments for this course are to be on time, typed, and stapled. Try to
avoid late papers. However, you can receive an extension for good cause if you (1)
contact me before the assignment is due by means of a formal memo in which you
explain the reason for the delay and (2) propose in the memo a reasonable deadline (less
than one week), which you then keep. The memo is a contract. Failure to keep the new
deadline breaks the contract, and I won’t accept your paper. You can use this option no
more than once in a semester.
Plagiarism. While this problem is highly improbable in this course due to the
individualized nature of the assignments, any writing suspected of plagiarism may result
in a failing grade, withdrawal, or in extensive revisions. Plagiarism is a violation of Title
5, California Administrative Code, Part 5, Section 4130(a) and is to be taken seriously.
Come See Me for Help. You can always make an appointment to see me. You can email
me with any question or comment. Please arrange a specific time (to avoid crowds and to
ensure that you receive enough individual attention). Also, please make an appointment
if you have concerns, questions, or problems with any assignment.
Student Responsibilities
1.
It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from any classes not attended and to
discuss anticipated absences with me.
2.
All out-of-class assignments are due at the beginning of the class period.
3.
Attendance/class participation.
Attendance and class participation are strongly encouraged. You will be expected
to complete a number of in-class assignments that support out-of-class work and in
general contribute to the educational experience of all students in the class.
Consequently, excessive absences and tardiness may have an adverse effect on your
course grade. Normally, in-class assignments cannot be made up; however, in cases
of extraordinary hardship or other compelling reasons and circumstances, I may
permit you to make up in-class assignments.
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The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be
provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and
psychiatric disabilities. Please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester to
discuss any such accommodations for this course.
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