RWS 100: THE RHETORIC OF WRITTEN ARGUMENT
STATE OF THE UNION
Course Syllabus
Fall 2012 * Section 44* T/Th 11am to 12:15 pm * HH-122
Instructor: Emma Seemann
E-mail: eseemann@rohan.sdsu.edu
Mailbox: RWS Main Office, AH 3138
Office Location: Adams Humanities (AH) 3178
Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:30-1:30pm
Course Description
The purpose of this course is to help you interpret, analyze, evaluate, and produce written
argument. All text contains an argument. Whether through vivid imagery, statistics, an author’s
credentials, or other rhetorical strategy, arguments steer readers towards a specific conclusion.
By reading a variety of texts and doing research, you will gain the stills to rhetorically interpret a
variety of arguments as well as write your own arguments more purposefully. Emphasis will be
placed on understanding and analyzing strategies that appeal to ethos, logos, and pathos.
General Education Capacities/Goals & RWS 100 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 you 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 you 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 you
1)
2)
3)
4)
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.
The learning outcomes for RWS 100 are closely aligned with these goals and capacities, and
reflect the program’s overall objective of helping you attain “essential skills that underlie all
university education.”
1
Assignment Types: the following four outcomes describe the four main writing projects or
"assignment types" for the course. You will be able to:
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
your understanding of an argument;
3. Construct an account of an author’s project and argument and explain rhetorical strategies
that the author—and by extension other writers—uses to engage readers in thinking about
their arguments;
4. Construct an account of two authors’ projects and arguments in order to use concepts
from one argument as a framework for understanding and writing about another.
Outcomes across the semester: the following points describe outcomes to work on throughout
the semester, to be attained over the 15 weeks. You will be able to:
5. 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;
6. use all aspects of the writing process--including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing,
and proofreading;
7. 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;
8. 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 your writing;
9. effectively select material from written arguments, contextualize it, and comment on it in
your writing;
10. 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;
11. 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;
12. analyze and assess the relative strengths of arguments and supporting evidence
13. analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images into your
documents;
14. craft well reasoned arguments for specific audiences
15. edit your writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to each writing
situation;
16. assign significance to the arguments that you read;
17. reflect on how you wrote your papers, and revise arguments and findings based on
critical reflection.
2
Required Materials:
1. Raimes: Keys for Writers (6th edition)
2. Course Reader: State of the Union, RWS 100 Seemann (Available in SDSU
Bookstore)
*Students must bring their Course Reader to class each day*
Writing Assignments:
Throughout the class, students will write a total of three essays. Each essay is worth 25%.
Prompts for each essay will be handed out in class.
Methods of Evaluating Student Performance:
Students’ course grades will be determined as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
75% based on writing assignments (first essay 25%, second essay 25%, third essay 25%)
5% based on quizzes (unannounced)
5% based on final exam reflection
5% based on the research assignment
10% based on class participation (attendance, in-class assignments, in-class discussions)
Grade Breakdown
Essay 1 – 100pts / 25%
Essay 2 – 100pts / 25%
Essay 3 – 100pts / 25%
Quizzes – 20pts / 5%
Final Reflection – 20pts / 5%
Research Assignment – 20pts / 5%
Class Participation – 40pts / 10%
Total: 400pts / 100%
Course grades and points will be based on the following scale:
A
B
C
(90-100) Outstanding achievement; available only for the highest accomplishment
(80-89) Praiseworthy achievement; definitely above average
(70-79) Average; awarded for satisfactory performance; the most common
undergraduate degree
D
(60-69) Minimally passing; less than the typical undergraduate achievement
F
(0-50) Failing
All assignments and due dates are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Course Policies:
Participation. This course focuses on communication. As such, student participation is essential.
Students should contribute to class discussions and groupwork. Students must attend class and
3
bring the Course Reader with them each day. Missing more than three classes will damage a
student’s grade. If more than three classes are missed, the student will lose 2 points from their
participation grade for each additional missed class. It is important that students read the required
material before class and arrive prepared to discuss the readings. No in-class work can be made
up. It is the responsibility of the student to contact a classmate to find out what went on in class.
Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the student to officially withdraw from any classes not
attended and to discuss anticipated absences with me.
Grades. Grades are earned based on the description in the above section. There is no curve. Each
student can turn in one paper a class late with no penalty. For additional late papers, the paper
grade will be lowered by half a grade for each day the paper is late, including weekends. In-class
assignments and homework cannot be handed in late, made up, or emailed. Students with
evidence of an excused absence (i.e. doctor’s note) may make up work, but the responsibility to
make arrangements is solely with the student. Assignments will be graded and returned
approximately two weeks after the due date.
Revisions. Each student is allowed one revision of a major assignment (either the first or second
paper) throughout the semester. The revision will be due one week after the paper is handed back
at the beginning of class, along with the original graded paper. The “new” grade will be averaged
with the original grade.
Writing Assignment Requirements. Specific requirements for assignments will be discussed in
class. A hard copy of each assignment is due on the date indicated in the course calendar, at the
beginning of class. All assignments must be typed, stapled, double-spaced, Times New Roman
font, with one-inch margins on all sides and should follow MLA formatting. Students should
keep a copy of all assignments they hand in.
Plagiarism. Is unacceptable and is a violation of Title 5, California Administrative Code, Part 5,
Section 4130(a). Any writing suspected of plagiarism may result in a failing grade.
Use of Media During Class. All cell phones and other personal media devices are to be turned
off during class. Use of media during class will result in the offending student being marked
absent for the day. This absence will count as one of the three permitted per semester.
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.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be provided for
students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. Please
contact me at the beginning of the semester to discuss any such accommodations for this course.
4