English 312: Persuasive Writing
Fall 2014
Instructor: Katherine Nelson
Email: katherine.snow.nelson@gmail.com (Please use this address rather than contacting me
through Learning Suite.)
Office: 3004 JKB
Office Hours: By appointment only
Course Description
The emphasis in English 312 is on teaching students to write persuasive arguments for audiences
that initially disagree with the students’ positions. In order to facilitate effective arguments, the class
will function as a discourse community where diverse points of view are presented. As students
examine alternative viewpoints and make judgments about which positions they will assert in their
writing, they will learn to question and examine their own reasons for their asserts. This class, then,
welcomes diversity of opinion and the challenging of ideas as a way for students to better
understand and present their own beliefs. Effective essays will integrate practical reasoning, authorial
purpose, and anticipate reader response. Since argumentation does not preclude other modes of
expository writing, students will be expected to draw from their narrative, comparative, analytic, and
interpretive skills.
The class will emphasize the rhetorical analysis of persuasive prose. We will analyze both the prose
of published authors as well as students’ prose and come to better understand how authors
manipulate their audiences. These lessons in analysis will help students make informed judgments in
a world of competing ideas.
The class will also seek to encourage students to have increased awareness of the power of language
in society. Since language both reflects and creates societal perceptions, we will learn to employ
thoughtful language use that recognizes the consequences of using certain words, phrases, and
communication styles. We will discuss the misuse and abuse of language and gain a better
understanding of the language sensitivities of different audiences. The goal is to empower students
to use language thoughtfully, wisely, and compassionately.
Finally, both the analyses and persuasive papers in class will be based on rhetorical principles. We
will use a rhetorical syllogism—the enthymeme—to analyze authors’ writing and to invent our own
arguments. While syllogisms (i.e., Pigs don’t fly; Fred is a pig; therefore, Fred doesn’t fly) are created
to test the logical validity of assumptions, enthymemes use practical logic that is derived from the
beliefs and values of the intended audience. Rhetoric and logic have been taught since Aristotle in
classical education and provide an outstanding foundation for persuasive invention; therefore, the
disciplinary foundation for this class is Aristotelian rhetoric.
Course Texts
-
Making Rhetorical Arguments, by Grant Boswell
On Writing Well, William Zinsser
Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
All other class readings can be found under the Content tab on Learning Suite (LS)
Assignments
Major Assignments (1100 points total)
There will be 8 major writing assignments in this class. Each of these assignments is due at the
beginning of the class period.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Argument 1 (100)
Revision of Argument 1 (200)
Argument 2 (100)
Revision of Argument 2 (200)
Argument 3 (300)
Professionalization Portfolio (200)
Blog Post (100)
Other Assignments (400 points total)
1. Weekly/Occasional Assignments
a. Class Readings (50 points) On the day each reading is due, I’ll pass around a reading
log on which you can record the percentage of the reading you completed for that
day.
b. Blog Posts and Comments (10 points each for 50 points total) Periodically I will have you
post on our class blog. This is meant to be a low–risk environment where you can
respond to readings, practice new stylistic devices and rhetorical tools, and develop
your voice. I hope that the blog will also be a place where you can share ideas and
comment on each other’s posts. To that end, please comment on at least one other
post before class time the day the post is due. (Please note: The blog post that is
worth 100 points is a separate assignment.)
2. Participation
a. Class Participation (50 points) Points for participation come from homework, in–
class writing, participating in class discussions, and other activities that come up over
the semester. Participation also means being in class mentally. For this reason, if you
are texting, sleeping, listening to your iPod, using a laptop, answering your phone, or
checking Facebook, your participation points for that day will be docked.
b. Peer Workshop (10 points each peer workshop for 30 points total) Your writing
skills benefit both from receiving and learning to give quality feedback. Peer
workshops give you the opportunity to sharpen your skills by doing both. In order to
receive credit for your peer review, you must be in class and on time on the day of
the peer review. Peer workshops are done in groups.
c. Peer Review (10 points each peer review for 20 points total) Like peer workshops,
peer reviews help cultivate the ability to analyze rhetorical problems and offer
suggestions. You will peer review the first full draft so that you will have two
perspectives—your peer’s and mine—to draw from as you revise that argument.
d. Conferences (10 points for argument #1’s conference; argument #2’s conference is
optional) If you miss the time of the conference, I’ll allow you to reschedule, but you
will not receive full credit for the conference. (That being said, please still come! I
want you to have all the help you need as you revise.)
3. Punctuation, Usage, and Reader–Friendliness
a. Usage Presentation and Handout (50 points)
b. Punctuation Portfolio (100 points)
c. Punctuation and Usage Final (150 points)
Classroom Policies
Paper Required Format
All papers submitted for this course must be typed, with 1–inch margins (this means you may have
to change the margins in Word’s default page setup), in Times New Roman 12–point font, double–
spaced. They must also adhere strictly to whatever style guide (Chicago, APA, MLA, etc.) you are
most familiar with.
Final Exam
Please note the date and time of our final exam (Wednesday, December 17, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.). This is
scheduled by the university and is set in stone. You will not be able to take the exam early. Do not
buy plane tickets home until after the date and time of our final exam. I cannot make any
exceptions.
Late Work Policy
All students are allowed one late paper (original or revision) without penalty. Subsequent late papers
will be penalized 10% of the points possible for the assignment each day (and not class period) it is late.
Save your “free” late for an emergency. All other assignments will not be accepted late.
Attendance Policy
You are permitted to miss four class periods at any point in the semester, no questions asked. After
these four free absences, any additional absences will result in a reduction of your overall course
grade (usually 3% per day absent). Excused absences for university–sponsored groups count toward
the permitted three free absences, but these students will not be penalized for additional university
excused absences. If you miss more than the permitted number of classes because of an emergency
or illness, let me know immediately, and we will try to work out a solution. Excessive tardies will be
dealt with on a case by case basis and may result in a reduction of your overall course grade. Please
come to class on time. We’ll delve into the course material immediately each day.
In the case of an absence, you are responsible for contacting your classmates and consulting
Learning Suite and the course guide to find out what you have missed. Minor assignments will not
be accepted after their due date, except in case of emergency, so if you know you’ll be absent, please
make arrangements to turn them in ahead of time.
Schedule
Date
Wed.
Sept. 3
Fri.
Sept. 5
Topics/Readings Due
Introductions; Syllabus; Persuasion Matters
Assignments Due
Mon.
Sept. 8
Introduction to the Enthymeme (What It Is)
Boswell, 40–51
Usage: affect/effect
Wed.
Sept. 10
Enthymeme cont’d (What It Isn’t)
Boswell, 64–70
Usage: principal/principle
Fri.
Sept. 12
Reader Rights to “So What?” and “Why?”
Boswell, 51–64
Usage: its/it’s
Mon.
Sept. 15
Topical Invention (background research in 4051 JKB)
Boswell, 17–24, 166–173
Usage: whose/who’s
Wed.
Sept. 17
Library Lecture
Room number TBD
Fri.
Sept. 19
Peer Workshop of Issues Analyses—Part 1
Issues analyses 1–2 due (to
be workshopped in class)
Mon.
Sept. 22
Peer Workshop of Issues Analyses—Part 2
Issues analyses 3–5 due (to
be workshopped in class)
Wed.
Sept. 24
Development (Claims, Reasons, Evidence: Not All
Support Is Created Equal)
“Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation,” Ronald
Regan (LS)
Lamott, “Calling Around”
Zinsser, “Science Writing and Technical Writing”
Usage: plural, possessive,
and plural possessive
Fri.
Sept. 26
What Does a Strong Argument Look Like?
Boswell, 71–94
Student Example: Affirmative Action (LS)
Student Example: Wal–Mart (LS)
Usage: possessive and
plural possessive with
names
What Are Rhetorical Arguments?
Syllabus
Boswell, 1–9, 10–13
Lamott, “Introduction,” “Getting Started,” “Looking
Around”
Bring cover sheet #1
Mon.
Ethos, Pathos, Logos Development
Usage: if/then, more/than
Sept. 29
Rasband’s Lack of Risk
Eban’s How Doth the City
Zach Wahl’s speech (LS)
Olson’s “The Conservative Case for Gay Marriage”
Wed.
Oct. 1
Class blog: Read both
article pairs, then pick one
pair and compare the
effectiveness of their
ethos, pathos, logos on
their religious or
conservative audiences.
Post your analysis to the
class blog.
Introductions and Ethos
Zinsser, “The Lead”
Boswell, 95–105
Usage: capitalization and
punctuation in direct
discourse (Instructor)
Good ethos–building:
http://taratboyce.wordpress.com/2014/03/19/why–i–a–
feminist–who–wants–the–priesthood–wont–be–at–the–
ordain–women–demonstration/ (LS)
Weak ethos–building:
https://medium.com/disney–and–
animation/7c0bbc7252ef (LS)
Bring argument #1
introduction
Fri.
Oct. 3
Form and Disposition (Arrangement)
Review Boswell, 71–94
Bring full draft of
argument #1
Mon.
Oct. 6
Conclusions and Pathos
Zinsser, “The Ending”
Bring copy of argument
#1 conclusion
Wed.
Oct. 8
Argument #1 peer review
Cover sheet #2 Workshop
Argument #1 final draft
due
Class blog: Read Tara’s
post and skim the Disney
post. Then compare how
well they develop their
ethos. Remember to
identify their respective
audiences in your analysis.
Bring cover sheet #2 to
workshop
Fri.
Oct. 10
Strategies for Revision (“Everyday Creativity”)
Boswell, 35–39
Lamott, “$%&#*@ First Drafts,” “Someone to Read Your
Drafts”
Usage: people–first
language (Instructor)
Mon.
Oct. 13
No class—Conferences for Argument #1
Argument #2 full draft
due (email a copy to
Katherine)
Wed.
Oct. 15
No class—Conferences for Argument #1
Fri.
Oct. 17
Audience: Finding Common Ground
Zinsser, “The Audience”
Linda Francke, “Right to Choose” (LS)
Mon.
Oct. 20
Reader–Friendly Writing: Coherence and Cohesion
Boswell, 13–17, 25–34
Argument #1 revision
due
Wed.
Oct. 22
Reader–Friendly Writing: Clarity is Charity (and
Ambiguity is Cruel)/Wordiness and Guide Posts
(topic sentences, transitions, old–new principle)
Zinsser, “Clutter,” “Simplicity”
Boswell, 113–120
Usage: sexist language
Fri.
Oct. 24
Argument #2 peer review
Cover sheet #3 Workshop
Argument #2 final draft
due
Bring cover sheet #3 to
workshop
Mon.
Oct. 27
Integrating Research: They Say / I Say (4051 JKB)
They Say, I Say: “Introduction,” “Chapter One,” “Chapter
Four” (LS)
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic862425.files/Th
ey%20Say%20I%20Say.pdf
Wed.
Oct. 29
No class—Conferences Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday for Argument #2
Fri.
Oct. 31
Style and Ethos (4051 JKB)
Zinsser, “The Sound of Your Voice,” “Style,” “Humor”
Lamott, “Finding Your Voice”
Boswell, 106–112
“How to Write with Style,” Kurt Vonnegut (LS)
Usage: imply/infer
Mon.
Nov. 3
Style and Pathos: The Power of the Personal
(Description and Dialogue, or What We Learn from
Fiction) (4051 JKB)
Lamott, “School Lunches” “Dialogue” “Polaroids”
“Secondhand Prose,” Anne Fadiman (from Ex Libris) (LS)
Argument #2 revision
due
Wed.
Nov. 5
Style and Pathos cont.: Distinctive Writing (Figurative
Language and Rhythm, or What We Learn from
First half of argument #3
due
Poetry) (4051 JKB)
Boswell, 136–159
“God’s Grandeur,” “As kingfishers catch fire…” Gerard
Manley Hopkins (LS)
Fri.
Nov. 7
Argument #3 Peer Review
Bring argument #3 full
draft to class
Mon.
Nov. 10
Style: Correctness
Zinsser, “Usage,” “Bits and Pieces”
Boswell, 113
Wed.
Nov. 12
Rhetoric and the Web
Poor Web Rhetoric examples (The Great Pirated-BookDebate Debacle) (LS)
Argument #3 final draft
due
Fri.
Nov. 14
Web Publishing and Visual Rhetoric
Class blog: Post a link to
one example of poor web
rhetoric to the class blog.
Using the rhetorical
terminology we use in
class, analyze briefly what
makes it poor. Include
references to its design.
Mon.
Nov. 17
Professional Rhetoric: Resumes and Cover Letters
Zinsser, “Professional Writing and Business Writing”
Student employment cover letter tips:
http://www.byu.edu/hr/?q=student-jobs/applicanthelp/create-professional-cover-letter-students
Student employment resume tips:
http://www.byu.edu/hr/?q=student-jobs/applicanthelp/creating-professional-resum%C3%A9-students
Wed.
Nov. 19
LinkedIn Profiles
Blog post assignment
due
Fri.
Nov. 21
Resume, Cover Letter, LinkedIn Peer Review
Usage: continual /
continuous
Mon.
Nov. 24
Tues.
Punctuation
Usage: farther/further
Punctuation cont’d
Nov. 25
Wed.
Nov. 26
Fri.
Nov. 28
Mon.
Dec. 1
NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING BREAK
NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING BREAK
Punctuation Wrap–up / Wordiness
Usage: fewer/less
Professionalization
portfolio due
Wed.
Dec. 3
Review for Final (Usage)
Fri.
Dec. 5
Review for Final (Punctuation)
Mon.
Dec. 8
Enthymeme Presentations (Extra Credit)
Wed.
Dec. 10
Last Day of Class Wrap–Up
Lamott, “The Last Class”
FINAL
Punctuation portfolio
due