RWS 305 Fall 2005 Schedule
Introduction
WEEK 1
Thursday September 01
Administrivia: how the course is organized and what the goals are; readings, assignments, due
dates etc.
WEEK 2
Tuesday September 06 (■RR)
Reflecting on writing & argument
How do arguments work, and what are some ways of thinking about them?
Writing, reading & thought: why is writing important?
Read: “Why Write?” Young & Sullivan
Post: A message on the bulletin board introducing yourself
Thursday September 08 (■RR)
Issues: Writing, reading and thought
What relationship does literacy have to thought/memory?
How important a 'technology of communication' is writing?
Read: Havelock, “The Coming of Literate Communication to Western Culture”;
Watson, “Rhetoric, discourse and argument in organizational sense making”
Post: Reading Response
Models of Argument: Academic & Everyday
WEEK 3 (■RR)
Tuesday September 13
A General Framework for Understanding Argument: the Toulmin model
Read: “The Toulmin Model of Argumentation”; "Stop Pornographic Rock," Stroud; “War and
Wisdom,” Kristof
In Class: Map the structure of these arguments using the Toulmin model
Thursday September 15 (■RR)
Using the Toulmin Model to Map Arguments about the Iraq War/Occupation
Read: Iraq War articles in course reader
Read: Assignment 1: Workplace Memo & Resume (course reader)
Post: Reading Response
WEEK 4
Tuesday September 20 (■RR)
Assumptions, Implications, Counterexamples, Rebuttals and Qualifications
Discuss: material on assumptions, implications, counterexamples, rebuttals & implications
Read “Assumptions, Implications & Counterexamples”
Post: to bboard: assignment # 2 Toulmin sketch of one Iraq war argument, plus brief analysis of
strengths and weaknesses.
Thursday September 22
Resumes, cover letters and interviews.
Read: Material in Reader on Memos, Resumes, “How to Avoid the Island of Lost Resumes,” and
sample resumes.
In class: practice critiquing sample cover letters and resumes
WEEK 5
Tuesday September 27
Frameworks for Understanding Academic Writing
Some models of academic writing: milestones, general-specific-general, problem/solution
Swales & the CARS model
Read: Sutton, “Swales’ ‘Moves’ and the Research Paper Assignment”; Swales, “An Approach to
Academic Writing”; Sample research paper abstracts.
Thursday September 29
Frameworks for Understanding Academic Writing continued
In class: exercises applying Swales model to sample research abstracts
Post to bulletin board: sample abstracts of research articles in your major
Read: “Sample Research Paper Abstracts” in Reader
WEEK 6
Tuesday October 04
Peer Review & Test
Peer Review: review workplace writing memo and resume drafts
Bring: draft of first assignment
In-class test: Toulmin and CARS concepts/categories
Thursday October 06
NO CLASS
PAPER DUE: Email paper #1 to instructor
WEEK 7
Tuesday October 11 (■RR)
Arguments about the media and gender
Read: Steinem "Sex, Lies & Advertising"; Johnson, "The Body Myth"; Brotman, "Burning Desire
to be Slimmer"
Post: Reading Response
Video Screening: Jean Kilbourne Slim Hopes.
Thursday October 13
General strategies of argument & criteria for evaluating argument
Generalization, analogy, sign, causal argument, authority, principle.
Sufficiency, typicality, accuracy and relevance.
Read: “General Criteria for Analyzing an Argument”; “Introduction to Critique” Materials on
“fallacies” and “critique” in course reader.
Read: Assignment #2 Argument & Academic Discourse
WEEK 8
Tuesday October 18 (■RR)
Fallacies Continued, Propaganda & Demagoguery
Peer Review of paper #2
Read: Roberts-Miller, “Characteristics of Demagoguery”
BRING to class: draft of paper #2
Post: Reading Response
Thursday October 20 (■RR)
Arguments about Media & Violence
Video: Gerbner's 'The Electronic Storyteller'
Read: APA, “Psychiatric Effects of Media Violence”; Males, ‘The Culture War Against Kids’
Stephen King,"Why We Crave Horror Movies"; Glassner, “Guns are a more Serious Problem
than Media Violence”; Pollitt, “Violence in the Media Reflects Real Life Violence”; Bass, 'Do
slasher films breed real-life violence?’
Post: Reading Response
Hand in: assignment # 2 Argument Sketch
WEEK 9
Tuesday October 25 (■RR)
Analysis & critique in more detail: analyzing arguments about affirmative action
Read & Evaluate: Mini arguments on affirmative action
Re-Read: “General Criteria for Analyzing an Argument” & “Introduction to Critique”
Read: Op-ed: “Bush Stakes out right position on affirmative action”; Wise, “Whites swim in
racial preference”; Fish, “Reverse Racism, or How the Pot Got to Call the Kettle Black,” & other
readings tba
Post: Reading Response
TEST: Short Test on analysis, critique and fallacies
Thursday October 27
Due: Assignment 3 Fallacies & Demagoguery group presentation
WEEK 10
Tuesday November 01
Rhetorical Moves in Academic Writing
In class: discuss handouts on “Transitions, connectives & attributions”; “Metalanguage,
Qualifications and Contributions”
Writing as Intervention
Read: assignment description for Paper #4: Civic Writing
Read: articles on writing as intervention
Thursday November 03
Bowling for Columbine: Media, Representation & Sources
Video: Bowling for Columbine
WEEK 11
Tuesday November 08 (■RR)
Bowling for Columbine: Media, Representation & Sources continued
Read: Mike Males, “Bowling for Columbine Misframes Gun Quandary”; Franke-Ruta, “Moore’s
the Pity”
Post: Reading Response
Thursday November 10 (■RR)
Analyzing Arguments about Gay Marriage
Read: gay marriage articles: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~digger/305/001gay_m_articles.htm
(online, not in reader).
Post: Reading Response
WEEK 12
Tuesday November 15
Workshop & Peer Review of assignment #3
Thursday November 17 (■RR)
Consider the Source: Analyzing Media Sources
Hand in: Assignment #4 Civic Writing
Read; “Political Knowledge in Comparative Perspective,” 'Public Relations'; “Confessions of a
Spin Doctor,” “The PIPA Poll,” "Portions of the Gulf War Were Brought to You By"
Post: Reading Response
WEEK 13
Tuesday November 22
Constructing the News 1: Reality Based TV
The “Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion” model: writing in the social sciences
Video Segment: "Springer Break", & "The X-Files do Cops"
Discuss: how do 'reality based' shows work? How do they construct a sense of 'reality'? What do
they foreground, what do they make invisible?
Read: Seagal, 'Tales from the Cutting Room Floor: the Reality of "Reality-based" Television';
Oliver et al., “Portrayals Of Crime, Race, And Aggression In "Reality-Based" Police Shows: A
Content Analysis”
Post: Reading Response
Thursday November 24
Exploring Bias & Objectivity
Read: see class web page readings on bias (look in “Course Materials”)
WEEK 14
Tuesday November 29
Media, Free Speech & Campaign Finance
Video: Washington’s Other Scandal
Thursday December 01
Media, Free Speech & Campaign Finance II
Apply criteria to arguments about campaign finance
Discuss readers and audience
Read: Sen. Mitch McConnell 'Campaign-finance reforms worse than the problem'; Mark Green,
“The Evil of Access”; Lamar Alexander, 'Should Tom Paine have filed with the FEC?: The loss
of common sense in campaign finance reform'
Post: Reading Response
WEEK 15
Tuesday December 06
Workshop and peer review
Thursday December 08
Workshop and peer review
WEEK 16
Tuesday December 13
LAST DAY OF CLASSES
Week 17
Student conferences