RWS 100: Rhetoric of Written Argument
Fall 2012 Course Syllabus
Instructor: Stephany Farley
Email: sfarley@rohan.sdsu.edu
Class Meetings: TTh 12:30-1:45 SSW-2512
Office Mailbox: in RWS main office (AH-3138)
Office: AH-3178
Office Hours: TTh 2:30-3:30 and by apt.
Required Texts and Materials:
1) RWS 100 Course Reader. Listed under “Rhetoric & Writing Studies” or “Chris
Werry,” available at SDSU bookstore.
2) Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say/I Say: The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing (2nd edition) W.W. Norton & Co., 2012.
3) Bullock, Richard, and Francine Weinberg, The Little Seagull Handbook. Norton
2012.
4) Access to computer, internet, and printer with sufficient ink.
*Please bring the course reader and the appropriate books to class every day.
Course Description
What are the most effective forms of communication? How can we evaluate and construct
written arguments to communicate our thoughts and opinions in the most effective way
possible? In 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.
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)
RWS 100 1
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:




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.
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:
1. 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;
2. Use all aspects of the writing process—including prewriting, drafting, revising,
editing, and proofreading;
3. 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;
4. 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;
5. Effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and
comment on it in your writing;
6. 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;
7. 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;
8. Analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence;
RWS 100 2
9. Analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images
into your documents;
10. Craft well reasoned arguments for specific audiences;
11. Edit your writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each
writing situation;
12. Assign significance to the arguments that they read; and
13. Reflect on how you wrote papers, and revise arguments and findings based on
critical reflection.
Course Activity Requirements:
Conference session (at least 2)
In-class timed writings
Attendance (promptness, no/few absences)
3 essays (original work – no plagiarism)
Readings
Class participation
Homework assignments
Presentation
Grading/Evaluation:
Assignment
Points
600pts (200pts
each)
3 Essays
Assignments (Homework, in-class writing, etc.)
150pts
Presentation
150pts
Participation
100pts
Total:
1000pts
Letter Grade
Points
Letter Grade
Points
A
930-1000
C
730-769
A-
900-929
C-
700-729
B+
870-899
D+
670-699
B
830-869
D
630-669
RWS 100 3
B-
800-829
D-
600-629
C+
770-799
F
0-599
Due Dates: Subject to Change
Conferencing
Due
T 9/25,
Project One
TH 9/27
TH 10/2
TH 10/30,
Project Two
T 11/1,
T 11/6
TH 12/6
Project Three
Presentation
(optional)
T 12/11
TH 11/29, T 12/4
*All assignments, percentages, and due dates are subject to change at instructor’s discretion
Course Policies:
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 (unless otherwise specified). 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.
Conferences: You are required to meet with me for your first two essays. Each conference
will take approximately fifteen minutes, but if you feel you need more time, please let me
know. Failure to show up to a mandatory conference will lower your final essay grade one
step (for example, an A- will drop to a B+).
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.
RWS 100 4
Late work: Late work will not be accepted. If you have an extenuating circumstance, you
are welcome to discuss it with me.
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.
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.
Essay format and revisions: Your essays should follow the MLA guidelines. They should be
typed (12 font), double-spaced, with one-inch margins. You are allowed one essay rewrite.
You may choose to rewrite either your first or second essay. However, your revised essay
grade will not overwrite your original score. Rather, the two grades (original and revised)
will be averaged.
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: Drop-in RWS tutoring services are available at Adams Humanities 3104.
Tutor times vary per semester so check the schedule early on in the course for availability.
Course Outline and Reading Schedule:
Please note that the following schedule is approximate, as dates and topics may shift as the
semester continues. With the exception of Food Inc., all readings should be completed
outside of class before the first class discussion date. Short texts from the course reader
will also be assigned as the course progresses.
Week 1
Aug. 28: Syllabus; What is Rhetoric?
Aug. 30: Key Terms and Concepts
RWS 100 5
Week 2
Sept. 4: Pre-reading strategies
Sept. 6: Reading strategies; Introduction to the first project
Week 3
Sept. 11: Begin discussion of Mendelbaum [Note: Sept. 12 is the last day to drop classes]
Sept. 13: Mendelbaum
Week 4
[Note: Sept. 14 is the last day to add classes]
Sept. 18: Mendelbaum
Sept. 20: Mendelbaum
Week 5
[You will conference for 15 minutes with me outside of class regarding your rough draft]
Sept. 25: Conferencing
Sept. 27: Conferencing
Week 6
Oct. 2: Paper #1 Due; Introduction to the second project
Oct. 4: Begin discussion of Pinker.
Week 7
Oct. 09: Pinker.
Oct. 11: Pinker.
Week 8
Oct. 16: Pinker.
Oct. 18: Pinker.
Week 9
Oct. 23: Library Orientation to Researching
Oct. 25: Pinker
Week 10
[You will conference for 15 minutes with me outside of class regarding your rough draft]
RWS 100 6
Oct. 30: Conferencing
Nov. 01: Conferencing
Week 11
Nov. 6: Paper #2 Due; Introduction to the third project
Nov. 08: NO CLASS (Veteran’s Day)
Week 12
Nov. 13: Food, Inc.
Nov. 15: Food, Inc.
Week 13
Nov. 20: Food, Inc.
Nov. 22: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)
Week 14
Nov. 27: Food Inc.
Nov. 29: Presentations
Week 15
Dec. 04: Presentations
Dec. 06: Conferencing [Optional]
Final Exam
Tuesday, Dec. 11 from 10:30 – 12:30. Final essays are due at this time.
RWS 100 7