Argumentative Writing: Rhetorics of Food
ENC 3315 • Spring 2015 • Ms. Galbreath
Tuesday & Thursday TBD
1:30-2:45pm
Credit hours: 3
Prerequisite: ENC 1102 (passed with a “C” or
better)
Contact information:
E-mail: through Webcourses or
marcy.galbreath@ucf.edu
Office: 304B Colbourn Hall
Office Hours: M-W 12:00 - 1:30pm or by appointment
Course Description
Beyond the grocery store or
restaurant, do you know
where your food comes from,
or where it has been? When
you are persuaded by that fast
food commercial on TV, what
are you really buying? Or, have
you been scared off fast food
because of food safety issues?
This course will examine
arguments—the speech,
texts, and images-surrounding food in the U.S.,
exploring the connections and
contrasts among rhetorics of
food in consumer culture,
science, and public policy.
Figure 1. Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Vertumnus.
c. 1590. Oil on canvas. National Gallery.
Washington, D.C.
Critical reading and listening
skills are essential tools in
making us better informed
citizens with more control
over the policies and politics of
food production and
consumption in the U.S., and
in developing a better
understanding of how food
shapes our personal and group
identities. Argumentative
writing skills can help us
contest the marketing jargon
and sometimes misleading
language surrounding food
issues, and empower us, as
citizens and consumers, to
effect change.
Goals:
To empower students with critical reading and writing skills
To provide students with an understanding of and practice in rhetorical argumentation
To enhance critical thinking skills through various writing experiences
Course Outcomes
Through successful completion of the activities and assignments in this course, you will be able to . . .
1. Recognize the argumentative nature of food communications, from science-based paradigms to
corporate advertising and advocacy messaging
2. Describe and define the relationships between rhetoric, citizenship, and civic life in the context
of food literacy
3. Demonstrate critical reading and writing strategies through written and oral assignments
4. Analyze writing as a situated, living discourse by critiquing various texts, videos, and websites
from a rhetorical standpoint
5. Enter and extend the conversation by creating a written argument in response to a food issue
6. Persuasively advocate for the implementation of this response by identifying the most
appropriate available choices of writing for a specific audience
Required Text:
Sharon Crowley and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students, 5th ed. New York:
Pearson, 2012. Print.
• Additional reading and viewing assignments will be available on our class Webcourses site. Online
material can be reached through myUCF/Webcourses@UCF. You will need your PID and password.
Required Materials:
For this class, you will need
 A computing device capable of creating typed documents & accessing the Internet
 A notebook, pens, and pencils for in-class writing
Course Policies
Attendance
This course is challenging, and I expect you to attend class and participate in course activities such as
topic discussion, group work, in-class writing, and peer review. Failure to attend class regularly is
likely to result in your inability to complete writing assignments according to course and program
standards.


If for any reason you have a family emergency or any unforeseen happenings during this course,
contact me immediately by email so we can make alternative arrangements.
Avoid being late. It is disruptive and disrespectful to your fellow classmates. If this is a repeated
habit, it may negatively affect your final grade, and at my discretion, count against engagement
points.
Coursework Expectations
 Please stay current on assignments, as you will not receive credit or the necessary feedback if you
miss a due date. With this policy in mind, always back up your files: "My hard drive crashed," or
"My printer is out of ink" are today's equivalents of "My dog ate my homework." These events
really do occur, and they are really inconvenient when they do. However, these are not valid
excuses for failing to get your work in on time. Cloud storage (such as a DropBox account) is a
good way to backup and secure your work. These options allow you to access files from any
networked computer in case disaster happens to your device.
 For homework: It is your responsibility to keep track of the expectations for assignments; if you
don’t know what they are, please ask a classmate. For credit, Webcourses assignments must be
posted before the start of class time. If the site happens to malfunction, email me your
assignment before class. The time stamp on the email must show it was sent prior to the start of
class for credit.
 I encourage laptops and tablets in class. While not required, these are useful for note-taking,
research, and peer review. Please recognize that this privilege does not mean allowing device use
to become a distraction. As mature and respectful adults, I expect you to refrain from social
activities such as texting and social updates while class is in session.
Academic Honesty
The Department of Writing & Rhetoric has adopted the definition of plagiarism from the Council of
Writing Program Administrators (WPA): “In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer
deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material
without acknowledging its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to
manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.”
Misuse of sources: The WPA (and the Department of Writing & Rhetoric) distinguish plagiarism from
misuse of sources: “A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source,
but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of
identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be
considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropriately.”
 Consequences of academic dishonesty: Writing & Rhetoric takes plagiarism and other forms of
academic dishonesty seriously and responds in accordance with UCF policy. Plagiarizing or
cheating—or assisting another student who plagiarizes or cheats—may result in a failing grade on
Galbreath Syllabus 2
an assignment or for the entire course; a report to the Office of Student Conduct; and/or a “Z”
grade, which denotes academic dishonesty on your transcript.
Disability Statement
UCF is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Students
who need accommodations must be registered with Student Disability Services, Student Resource
Center Room 132, phone (407) 823-2371, prior to requesting accommodations from the instructor.
Students with disabilities who need accommodations in this course must contact the professor at
the beginning of the semester to discuss needed accommodations.
 Further UCF policies can be seen at http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/
Grading & Assessment
Here is the percentage breakdown of coursework for ENC 3372:
Engagement: Includes preparation for and participation in class
discussion and activities, and thoughtful participation in peer
review. Engagement points for activities and workshops can
ONLY be earned in class, so realize that absences may result in
missed points.
10
Homework: Reading Responses consisting of 5 short (1-2 page)
papers presenting a perspective on the assigned readings, and a
Final Reflection on how your work meets the course outcomes.
10
Major Assignment 1 Rhetorics of Consumption: Analyzing food
promotions
Major Assignment 2 Rhetorics of Food Risk: Food risk writing
analysis
Major Assignment 3 Writing about Our Relationships with Food :
Food Advocacy Proposal
15
15
15
Final Presentation: A conference-style presentation to your peers
arguing for the implementation of your proposal.
10
Course Portfolio: A digital collection of your best revised writing and
major projects
25
Total:
100%
Grade Scale &
Criteria:
95-100%
A
90-94.x%
A-
87-89.x%
B+
84-86.x%
B
80-83.x%
B-
77-79.x%
C+
74-76.x%
C
70-73.x%
C-
0-69.x%
F
No
credit
NC
No incompletes
will be given for
this course
UCF is on a plus/minus grading scale. A grade of C meets minimum expectations and satisfies course
requirements. Grades above C+ are earned by turning in consistently exceptional work.
Email & Webcourses Protocols:
Important! Check your Webcourses email and announcements at least once a day. This is not a
mixed-mode course, but we will be utilizing the Webcourses interface for out-of-class
communication, announcements, and some homework submissions. I will usually post new
information directly into Webcourses as an announcement, but from time to time may email you. I
will be using the email in Webcourses—please set your notifications so that you can see when new
emails or announcements appear.
When sending an email to me, please include your course and last name in the subject line. I receive
many emails, and do not want to miss yours because (without your name) it looks like spam.
Viruses
 A virus can spell disaster. Your use of a reputable anti-virus program is strongly suggested for
participation in this course (good ones include McAfee or Norton, and there are also free
versions such as AVG).
Galbreath Syllabus 3
Resources
Technical Resources:
For specific problems in any of the areas below, or for further information, go to the corresponding
link for assistance.
 UCF Home Page will help find UCF resources - http://www.ucf.edu
 UCF Service Desk - http://servicedesk.ucf.edu/ - You can also call the UCF Service Desk at 407-8235117. Use these contacts if you have any problem with access to Webcourses. It is your
responsibility to make sure you have access to the course. Webcourses guides are available at:
http://guides.instructure.com/
 Learning Online -- http://learn.ucf.edu This URL also includes access to information on study skills
for distance learners, the library and the writing center.
 Hardware/Software Requirements - http://learn.ucf.edu/support/computer-setup-2/
 If your equipment problems prevent you from using e-mail from home, there are many
computer labs on campus and virtually every public library offers Internet access. Computer or
printer problems are not an excuse for not submitting work on time.
Other Resources:

Printing services are available on campus in several locations, including the Library and the
Student Union. With your UCF id, you can print up to 20 pages a day for free at the SU. If your
internet connection fails, the Library has both connected computers and wireless access.

UCF Library: http://library.ucf.edu/ (off-Campus Access: use your UCF ID card or PID to log in).

The University Writing Center (UWC), located on the first floor of Colbourn Hall, is a free
resource for all UCF students. Appointments are recommended but not required. For more
information or to make an appointment, visit the UWC website at: http://uwc.ucf.edu/ , stop by
Colbourn Hall, or call (407) 823-2197.

The Owl at Perdue: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/03/ --Great resource for selfchecking your papers.
 Please also consider me a resource. I am available during office hours, by appointment, or by
email, and will be glad to meet with you when you want to discuss your writing projects. Don’t be
shy about asking questions—I am very interested in your ideas and your writing, and hope to make
this course a useful experience for you.
Important dates
Drop/Swap Deadline on myUCF (ends at 11:59 p.m.): Thursday, January 15, 2015
Last Day for Full Refund: Thursday, January 15, 2015
Add Deadline on myUCF (ends at 11:59 p.m.): Friday, January 16, 2015
Payment Deadline: Friday, January 17, 2015
Withdrawal Deadline (ends at 11:59 p.m.): Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Final Exam:
Final: Tues 5/5
Spring 2015 Holidays
Martin Luther King Day
Spring Break
@ 1:00pm-3:50pm
Monday, January 19, 2015
March 9-14, 2015
You are responsible for noting any changes announced in class or on Webcourses.
Galbreath Syllabus 4
ENC 3315 CALENDAR
Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2
Week 1
Each class period will begin with a “freewrite,” 5-minutes of writing in response to a prompt. These are not
graded exercises, so don’t worry or focus on spelling, grammar, or punctuation—just put your thoughts on
paper, and don’t stop writing until I call time. This is our brain gym, so consider it a warm-up exercise for the
day’s activities.
T Jan 13
Course Intro/Syllabus
Explain course project
Th Jan 15 Unit One: Rhetorics of Consumption
Assign Major Assignment 1: Analyzing Food Promotion
Discussion: Berry
Read & be prepared to discuss: Wendell Berry’s
“The Pleasures of Eating” (PDF on Webcourses)
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss: Crowley
& Hawhee Chp. 1 Ancient Rhetorics
T Jan 20
Discussion: Rhetorical analysis & how we will be
using it in this class
Prompt: “Got Milk,” Eat Mor Chikin,” “Happy
Cows” ads
→In-class writing exercise
For Thursday: Read & be prepared to discuss
Michael Pollan, “The Feedlot”
Th Jan 22
Video: Food, Inc. excerpt, fast food commercials
→ In-class writing exercise
T Jan 27
Discussion: What commonplace assumptions
surround food promotion in the U.S.?
→ In-class writing exercise
Th Jan 29
Draft of M1 (hard copy in class) for peer review
Post-peer review assessment: Revision plans
For Thursday: Draft of M1 for peer review
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss Crowley &
Hawhee Chp. 2 Kairos
T Feb 3
Discussion: When is the right time to make an
argument?
Th Feb 5 Unit 2: Rhetorics of Food Risk
 M1 due
→ Assign M2 Food Risk Writing Analysis
For Thursday: M1 due
Read and annotate Berry, “The Use of Energy”
Discussion: How does Berry craft his argument?
For Tuesday: Read and annotate Thomas A. Lyson,
“Going Global” & Rachel Carson, “Elixirs of Death”
T Feb 10
Field trip to Urban Sunshine Organic Nursery
Th Feb 12
Discussion: What connections can be made between
the readings (Berry, Lyson, Carson, & Murray and
Maga) and current perceived food risks? How do these
rhetors persuade?
Week 6
For Thursday: Read & annotate James D. Murray
and Elizabeth A. Maga, “Is there a Risk in Not
Using GE Animals?” Prepare to discuss Berry,
Lyson, Carson, and Murray & Maga.
Feb 17
Discussion: How do food risk writers use logical
proofs?
For Thursday: Read & be prepared to discuss
Robert Cox, “Risk Communication: Nonexpert
Publics and Acceptable Risk”; Richard H.
Adamson, “We have an Obesity Problem in This
Country”
Week 7
For Tuesday: Write a short analysis of the rhetorical
situation of the video and commercials. Read & be
prepared to discuss Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 4
Common Topics & Commonplaces
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss Crowley &
Hawhee Chp. 5 Logical Proofs
Feb 19
Discussion: What is acceptable risk?
For next week: No regular class meetings.
Mandatory conference; bring draft of M2 Rhetorical
Analysis & any questions you may have
Readings: Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 6 Ethical Proof
Feb 24, 26
No Classes: Mandatory conference; Bring draft of M2
For Tuesday, March 3: Draft M2 for peer review
→Read Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 5 Logical Proofs & Chp. 6 Ethical Proofs
→take quiz on Webcourses on Crowley & Hawhee material
Galbreath Syllabus 5
Week 9
T March 10–Spring Break—no class
Th March 12—Spring Break—no class
Week 10
T March 17
Discussion: Is Permaculture the answer? What is
the kairos of this situation?
→Exercise:
For Thursday: Read & be prepared to discuss:
Kathleen Hart, “Seeds of Dispute”; review &
analyze Seed Freedom website
Th March 19
Discussion: What are GMOs? What is Hart’s argument?
How does she persuade?
→Exercises:
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss
Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 7 Pathetic Proof
T March 24
Discussion: Emotional appeals in food discourse
→ Exercise
Th March 26
Discussion: What are your appeals?
→ Exercise: Drafting M3
For Thursday: Read & be prepared to discuss:
David Evans & Wokje Abrahamse, “Beyond
Rhetoric”
T March 31
Draft of M3 (hard copy in class) for peer
review
→post-peer review assessment & plans for
revision
For Thursday: M3 due; Read Marion Nestle’s
May 22, 2103 blog on SNAP & Dan Glickman,
“Beyond the Rhetoric: SNAP”
For Tuesday: Draft of M3 for peer review; look at the
USDA SNAP website
T April 7
Discussion: How do you argue persuasively?
Th April 9
Discussion: How can you get involved?
For Thursday: Homework: In a short paper,
Compare & contrast Food Not Bombs and Second
Harvest Food Bank websites
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss
Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 9: Arrangement
T April 14
Discussion: Civic action + rhetorical persuasion =
speech and writing that make things happen
Exercise: Drafting workshop
Th April 16
Give presentation and portfolio guidelines
Sign up for presentations
Discussion: How can you use Delivery & Memory in
your project?
For Tuesday: bring most recent versions of major
papers for revision workshop
Week 12
For Thursday: Revise M2; Read & be prepared to
discuss: Pollan, “The Market”; take an analytic
look at Pollan’s website
Discussion: What is Pollan’s standpoint?
For Tuesday 3/11: Read & be prepared to discuss:
Stephen Schneider, “Good, Clean, Fair”; analyze Slow
Food USA website; Bill Mollison video on Permaculture,
Part I, and Permaculture Design Principles website.
Homework for March 11: Writing assignment: Analyze
& compare article, video, and websites
Week 11
Assign M3: Writing About Our Relationships with Food:
Food Advocacy Proposal
Week 13
Week 8
Th March 5
Unit 3: Rhetorics of Food Ethics
M2 Food Risk Writing Analysis due
Week 14
T March 3
Draft of M2 (hard copy in class) for peer
review
→ Post-peer review assessment: Revision plans
Week 15
For Thursday: Read & be prepared to discuss:
Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 12: Delivery & Memory
T April 21
Workshop: Outcomes review: How do you revise
for Portfolio?
→Exercise: Outcomes reflection
Th April 2 Unit 4: Civic Action: Food Advocacy
 M3 due
→Reflection exercise
Assign final presentation: Food Advocacy Proposal
Discussion: How do politics and rhetoric intersect in
SNAP?
For Tuesday: Read & be prepared to discuss:
Crowley & Hawhee Chp. 8 Extrinsic Proofs
Th April 23
Draft of Food Advocacy Proposal (outline) and
revised major assignments
→Workshop & Peer Review
For Tuesday: Continue to revise for portfolio and
prepare for your presentation.
Galbreath Syllabus 6
Finals Week 16
T April 28
Th April 30
 Final Research project due in portfolio
(in Webcourses)
 Presentations
 Presentations
T May 5
Final: 1:00pm-3:50pm
 Presentations
This schedule is subject to change based on our needs. A backup copy of the syllabus and schedule is
available in the course Webcourses website, and that is where updates will be posted if changes are
made.
Reading list:
Adamson, Richard H. “We have an Obesity Problem in This Country.” Scientific American Guest Blog.
19 Dec. 2012. Blogs.scientificamerican.com. Web. 14 June 2013.
Berry, Wendell. “The Pleasures of Eating.” What Are People For? San Francisco: North Point P, 1990.
145-152. Print.
--. “The Use of Energy.” The Unsettling of America. San Francisco: Sierra Club, 1977. 81-96. Print.
Carson, Rachel. “Elixirs of Death.” Silent Spring. Boston: Mariner, 1962. 15-38. Print.
Cox, Robert. “Risk Communication: Nonexpert Publics and Acceptable Risk.” Environmental
Communication and the Public Sphere. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 2006. 218-233. Print.
Crowley, Sharon and Debra Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students, 5th ed. New York:
Pearson, 2012. Print.
Evans, David and Wokje Abrahamse. “Beyond Rhetoric: The Possibilities of and for ‘Sustainable
Lifestyles.” Environmental Politics 18.4 (2009): 486-502. Routledge. Web. 15 June. 2013.
Glickman, Dan. “Beyond the Rhetoric: SNAP (Food Stamps) and America’s Poor.” Huff Post Politics. 3
Oct. 2012. Huffingtonpost.com. Web. 15 June 2013.
Hart, Kathleen. “Seeds of Dispute.” Eating in the Dark. New York: Pantheon, 2002. 194-208. Print.
Lyson, Thomas A. “Going Global.” Civic Agriculture: Reconnecting Farm, Food, and Community.
Medford: Tufts U P, 2004. 30-47. Print.
Murray, James D. and Elizabeth A. Maga. “Is there a Risk in Not Using GE Animals?” Transgenic Res 19
(2010): 357-361. Springer. Web. 5 March 2014.
Pollan, Michael. “The Feedlot.” The Omnivores Dilemma: In Defense of Food. New York: Penguin,
2006. 65-84. Print.
--. “The Market.” 239-261.
Schneider, Stephen. “Good, Clean, Fair: The Rhetoric of the Slow Food Movement.” College English
70.4 (2008): 384-402. JSTOR. Web. 18 May 2012.
Web Resources:
Bill Mollison video on Permaculture, Part I
Food Not Bombs
Marion Nestle’s May 22, 2103 blog
Permaculture Design Principles
Second Harvest Food Bank
Seed Freedom
Slow Food USA
Galbreath Syllabus 7