RWS 200: The Rhetoric of Written Argument
Section 61: Spring 2014
T/TH 11:00 - 12:15
EBA 256
Instructor: Ingrid Jayne
Office: Storm Hall 116
Office Hours: T/TH 12:30 – 1:30, or by appt.
Email: iseymour001@hotmail.com
RWS Office Number: 619-594-6515
Office Mailbox: Storm Hall West 141
Required Materials
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Bullock, Richard and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook. New York: W.W. Norton and Company,
2011.
RWS 200 Course Reader (printed by CalCopy next to KB Books)
Notebook, paper, pens, pencils, highlighters
Supplemental readings, assignments from Blackboard
Prerequisites
Satisfaction of the SDSU writing competency requirement and Rhetoric and Writing Studies 100 or 101 or Africana
Studies 120 or American Indian Studies 120 or Chicana and Chicano Studies 111B or English 100 or Linguistics 100.
Proof of completion of prerequisites required: Test scores or verification of exemption; copy of transcript. Not open to
students with credit in Africana Studies 200,Chicana and Chicano Studies 200, English 200, or Linguistics 200.
Course Description
This course in academic writing and reading emphasizes the rhetorical analysis of arguments in context. Context comes
from the Latin word contextus: con-'together' + textere- 'to weave,' means woven together. Building on RWS 100, this
course asks students to continue the work of articulating what argument a text is making and describing elements of the
argument in conjunction with the contexts of those arguments and to discover what they are responding to, both in the
sense of what has come before them and in the sense that they are written for an audience in a particular place and time.
Over the course of fifteen weeks, we will read a variety of texts and view visual arguments from both contemporary and
past time periods. The theme of this class will center on identity. These will include issues of gender, weight, and race, as
well as how the media informs those issues. Our goal in this class is to analyze these arguments in order to get a better
sense of the context that surrounds them and how they impact our lives.
General Education Capacities/Goals & RWS Learning Outcomes
Our Learning Outcomes Reflect the Goals and Capacities of the General Education Program. RWS 200 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 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 200 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
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.
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Our student learning outcomes for RWS 200 are closely aligned with these goals and capacities, and reflect the program’s
overall objective of helping students attain “essential skills that underlie all university education.”
Assignment Types: the following four outcomes describe the four major writing projects of “assignment types” for the
course. Students will be able to:
1. Discern elements of context embedded in arguments, the clues that show what the argument is responding to
– both in the sense of what has come before it and the sense that it is written for an audience in a particular
time and place; examine a writer’s language in relation to audience, context, and community;
2. Use concepts and arguments from one text as a context for understanding, evaluating and writing about
another;
3. Given the common concerns of two or more arguments, discuss how the claims of these arguments modify,
complicate, or qualify one another; consider how major positions advanced in these texts relate to each other
and evaluate the persuasiveness of these positions.
4. Consider your contemporary life as the context within which you are reading a group of arguments; position
yourself in relation to ongoing research and discussion in order to make an argument and “join the
conversation.” Evaluate source texts so as to create a space for an original contribution.
Outcomes across the semester: the following points describe outcomes to work on throughout the semester, to be
attained over the 15 weeks. Students will be able to:
1. Building on the work done in RWS 100, students will be able to: articulate what argument a text is making;
describe the work that is done by each section of the argument; describe elements of the argument—claims,
methods of development, kinds of evidence, persuasive appeals; translate an argument into their own words;
2. understand and incorporate all aspects of the writing process--including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and
proofreading;
3. articulate what key terms, definitions, concepts, statements of a problem or issue are established by a text;
4. investigate and articulate how an argument is positioned—based on certain kinds of assumptions, located in a
way of thinking and representing issues from a point of view;
5. work with multiples sources in a paper, deciding what to include and what to exclude, choosing an effective
structure, and creating significant relationships among sources;
6. analyze and assess arguments made by visual texts; incorporate visual images into their documents;
7. craft a cohesive paper, and use effective metadiscourse to articulate the project of the paper and guide a reader
through it;
8. describe their own papers and reflect on how they wrote them; differentiate between the content of their texts and
the language and rhetorical strategies they employ;
9. assign significance to the arguments they read;
10. revise their own work effectively, re-reading previous work and re-envisioning it in the light of reflection, feedback,
further reading and new sources of information;
11. edit their writing for the grammar and usage conventions appropriate to the project.
Assignments
1. Readings: Expect to read a combination of longer and shorter pieces throughout the semester. Furthermore, you
are expected to come to class prepared. That means you are to have already read the text before coming to class
and have read the text actively, marking up your course readers or any other material given as a reading
assignment, highlighting key passages, and annotating notes in the margins.
2. Papers: There will be three longer essays this semester averaging in length from 4-6 pages and one shorter
essay for the final. All papers will be in MLA format, printed double-spaced in 12 pt. font on one side of the page,
and stapled (no paper clips!) before turning it in to the instructor. You will also submit your papers electronically
on Blackboard’s Turnitin. (Turnitin is a tool to ensure the integrity of the writing assignments by checking for
plagiarism). Rough drafts ARE NOT required to include in your final drafts. NO LATE PAPERS!
3. Assignments: All assignmenst completed outside of class will be typed using MLA format. Handwritten
homework assignments will NOT be accepted. For obvious reasons, in-class assignments will be handwritten. NO
LATE ASSIGNMENTS! No make-up assignments if you’re absent!
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4. Presentations: As your final, you will present an argument on identity, building on what we’ve discussed
throughout the semester. Your presentations will be approximately ten minutes in length and will have two factors:
a visual component and a short paper. I will provide a prompt that will give specific directions to this assignment.
5. Revision of an essay: Students may choose to revise ONE essay of the first two writing papers after receiving
a grade for that assignment. Essay revisions are due April 29. The revision grade will be averaged with the
previous final grade. You must initiate the revision process by contacting me to determine what area(s) you need
to address before you submit your revised essay. You must turn in the original essay along with your revision to
receive credit.
Grading Policies:
Assignment:
Paper #1
Paper #2
Paper #3
Presentation (Final)
Assignments/Participation
Points / Percentage of Overall Grade
100 points / 20%
100 points / 20%
100 points / 20%
50 points / 10%
150 points / 30%
500 points / 100%
Grading Rubric:
Letter Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
Percentile
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
Letter Grade
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentile
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
63-66%
60-62%
0-59%
Major Project Dates:
PAPER
Paper 1
Paper 2
Paper 3
Revision of
Paper #1 or 2
Final
Presentations
Rough Draft Due Date
Feb. 20
Mar. 25
Apr. 24
Final Draft Due Date
Mar. 4
Apr. 8
May 1
-
Apr. 29
-
May 1, 6, 8, and day of
final, the 13th at 10:30
Classroom Policies
Late Work: Bottom line—I don’t accept late work. However, I realize life happens. If there is an extenuating circumstance,
talk to me BEFORE the due date to arrange an alternative due date. These exceptional cases will be handled on a caseby-case basis. Lack of preparation and missing class is not an excuse for a due date extension. If you need to miss class
on a day an assignment or paper is due, let me know in advance. You may also turn in an assignment early to my
mailbox, but please do not email it to me unless specified by me in advance; otherwise, your emailed work will not
count.
Attendance: Please be on time! I start the class promptly on the hour. Students who arrive fewer than five minutes late
will be considered tardy; each tardy may affect participation points. Students more than five minutes late may be
considered absent, thus affecting your participation points for that day. Throughout the semester, we will be doing much
collaborative work where you will gain participation points. If you miss class, those points will be lost with no opportunity to
make it up. The best way to ensure you get the maximum points possible is to attend every class. If you are absent, I do
not differentiate absences for personal reasons (oversleeping, automobile uncooperativeness, no clean clothes, etc.) from
those related to illness (common cold, nausea), unless it is illness that requires hospitalization. Also, I would encourage
you to not make appointments with doctors, dentists, hair stylists, tattoo artist, etc. during class meeting times.
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Participation/Group Work: Our class will be largely discussion based, and I expect you to be willing to share your ideas
and questions regularly. Frequently, I will also separate students into small groups for discussion and collaborative
learning activities. We will be discussing debatable topics that may be sensitive to some students; therefore, I expect that
you will always be respectful of your fellow students and that you will inform me if you feel that there is a problem with
your group dynamic.
Classroom Conduct: Respect, respect, respect. The best classroom experience comes from students respecting each
other and the instructor. This includes everything from coming to class on time, refraining from private conversations
during class, sleeping during class discussions, to not texting or using other electronic devices to check email, Facebook,
etc. during a class. If you violate our time by doing these activities just mentioned, I will ask you leave the class for that
day. How embarrassing would that be? Furthermore, please silence your cell phones when you come to class, and if you
find it necessary to text or make a call, go outside. Because our class will be discussion based, the use of laptops will not
be permitted. And lastly, as you are encouraged to join in class discussions, please refrain from using obscene or
offensive language, and interrupting others.
Workshops: A key component to writing is feedback, and in this class, you will be working in groups with other students
during class activities as well as in editing workshops. When a workshop is scheduled, ensure you bring enough copies as
directed on the schedule or by the instructor. Also, make sure it is TYPED and DOUBLE-SPACED with your name in it.
Handwritten work or work on a laptop will not be accepted. Your effort and contribution to these collaborative efforts will
be taken into account as part of your assignment grades and individual participation throughout the semester.
Conferences: You are required to conference with me at least once during the semester about your papers. However,
you are encouraged to conference with me for all your writing assignments. Failure to conference with me will result in a
loss of participation points.
Blackboard: We will be using Blackboard for various assignments and announcements throughout the semester. You are
required to check Blackboard regularly, at least twice a week, preferably before each class meeting. You will be asked to
print certain documents, check for announcements, and communicate with each other through Blackboard, so please take
the time to become familiar with it.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of another person’s words or ideas without proper credit. I am mandated to report any
incidents of plagiarism which will result in an investigation and appropriate punitive and disciplinary action. The university
catalog describes plagiarism as follows:
Plagiarism is defined as the act of incorporating ideas, words, or specific substance of another, whether
purchased, borrowed, or otherwise obtained, and submitting same to the university as one's own work to
fulfill academic requirements without giving credit to the appropriate source. Plagiarism shall include but
not be limited to (a) submitting work, either in part or in whole, completed by another; (b) omitting
footnotes for ideas, statements, facts, or conclusions that belong to another; (c) omitting quotation marks
when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, sentence, or part thereof; (d) close and
lengthy paraphrasing of the writings of another; (e) submitting another person's artistic works, such as
musical compositions, photographs, paintings, drawings, or sculptures; and (f) submitting as one's own
work papers purchased from research companies. (SDSU General Catalog 2013-2014 483)
Grounds for Student Discipline: Student behavior that is not consistent with the Student Conduct Code (see catalog) is
addressed through an educational process that is designed to promote safety and good citizenship and, when necessary,
impose appropriate consequences.
Course Assistance Services
Office Hours: If you have any questions, worries, or problems, feel free to contact me. Even though my office hours are
by appointment only, I strongly encourage you to make an appointment with me because I want to give you many
opportunities to succeed in this class. Do not hesitate to talk to me before or after class or via email to set up a conference
so I can get your questions answered. I will try and respond to emails as quickly as possible.
Students with Disabilities: Every attempt will be made to offer reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities
in this course. Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to notify the
instructor privately and to contact Student Disability Services (SDS) as soon as possible. All discussion of disabilities will
take place privately to protect student confidentiality. SDS staff are available in the Capulli Center in Suite 3101 or by
phone at (619) 594-6473 (voice) or (619) 594-2929 (TTD/TTY).
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Student-Athletes: Student-athletes have very demanding, dynamic schedules which place additional hardship on
excelling in both arenas. 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. In order to help you succeed in this class, regular and effective communication is needed.
While no exceptions will be made for attendance, assignment deadlines, or exams, I would be happy to work with all
student-athletes in conjunction with Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) to help you excel in this course.
Campus services:
Public Safety:
619-594-1991
http://www.dps.sdsu.edu/bulletins.htm
Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities: 619-594-3069
http://csrr.sdsu.edu
Center for Intercultural Relations:
619-594-7057
http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/intercultural/Default.aspx
Counseling and Psychological Services:
619-594-5220
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/cps/index2.html
Changes to the Course Syllabus
All assignments, percentages, and due dates are subject to change at the instructor’s discretion. I intend to follow the
schedule as outlined above and below; however, the course syllabus is subject to change in the event of extenuating
circumstances as deemed by me. Any changes will be announced during class, and a revised version of the course
syllabus may be posted on Blackboard.
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RWS 200 Spring Schedule 2014
Please note that the following schedule may shift as the semester continues. The assignments are due on the date it is
listed under.
week 1
Thurs, Jan. 23: Syllabus, introductions
Tues, Jan. 28: Intro to Rhetoric & Context
Read pp 2 – 18 in Reader
Bring in an advertisement from a magazine, newspaper or the internet to analyze (5 points)
week 2
Thurs, Jan. 30: Reading Strategies, Rhetoric, & Context
[Jan 31: Last day to drop classes]
Read pp 19 – 27 in Reader
Read Martinez’s “Friendship 2.0: Social Media Promotes Sense of Identity among Teens, Says
Study” and Devash’s “How to Make Real Friends” (Handouts)
Tues, Feb. 4: Intro to Paper #1: Context Analysis
Read Loury’s “Race and Identity in America”
week 3
[Feb 4: Last day to withdraw or add classes]
Thurs, Feb. 6: Context Analysis
Read Gates’s “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man”
Read pp 28 – 29 in Reader
Tues, Feb. 11: Context Analysis
Type a précis for EACH text: Loury and Gates (5 points)
Read p 30 in the Reader
week 4
Thurs, Feb. 13: Context Analysis
Type and bring in 3 copies of an introduction and a body paragraph that analyzes how context
affects the argument for Paper #1 (5 points)
Read pp 31 – 33 in Reader
Tues, Feb. 18: MLA and Plagiarism
Read pp 82 – 92 and 96 – 135 in Little Seagull Handbook
Begin rough draft
week 5
Thurs, Feb. 20: Workshop Paper #1 Rough Draft
Bring 4 copies of rough draft (15 points)
Read pp 34 – 36 in Reader and pp 10 - 13 in The Little Seagull Handbook
Tues, Feb. 25: No Class: Conferences
week 6
Thurs, Feb. 27: Intro to Paper #2: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
Read Yamamoto’s “A Fire in Fontana”
Tues, Mar. 4: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
Paper #1 Final Draft Due (100 points)
Read Ortiz Cofer’s “The Story of My Body”
week 7
Thurs, Mar. 6: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
Tues, Mar. 11: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another /Annotated Bibliography
Read pp 54 – 58 in The Little Seagull Handbook
week 8
Thurs, Mar. 13: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
Type an evaluative annotated bibliography on all sources for Paper #2. As part of your evaluation,
Identify which source will serve as your primary and which sources develops, changes, or evolves
the primary source’s argument (10 points)
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Tues, Mar. 18: Using One Text as a “Lens” on Another
Type and bring 3 copies of an introduction and one body paragraph that analyzes one outside
source's context elements to the primary source's of how it develops, changes or evolves (5
points)
week 9
Thurs, Mar. 20: Grammar/writing issues
Begin rough draft
Tues, Mar. 25: Workshop Paper #2 Rough Draft
Bring 4 copies of rough draft, including works cited page (15 points). For the rough drafts ONLY,
works cited may be on the same page as the conclusion to save paper. For the final, it MUST be
on its own page, according to MLA format
Begin final draft
week 10
Thurs, Mar. 27: Intro to Paper #3: Analyzing Arguments in Context of Each Other
Read Ewens’ “In the Shadow of Image”
Tues, Apr. 1: No Class: Spring Break
Thurs, Apr. 3: No Class: Spring Break
[March 31 – April 4: Spring Break]
Tues, Apr. 8: Analyzing Arguments in Context of Each Other
Paper #2 Final Draft Due (100 points)
Read Bordo’s “Reading the Slender Body”
Read pp 37 – 38 in Reader
week 11
Thurs, Apr. 10: Analyzing Arguments in Context of Each Other
Read Nilsen’s “From the Dixie Chicks to the St. Louis Rams”
Read Fraser’s “The Inner Corset”
Tues, Apr. 15: Analyzing Arguments in Context of Each Other
Type an evaluative annotated bibliography on all sources for Paper #3. As part of your evaluation,
Identify which source will serve as your primary and how each secondary source synthesizes with
the primary source’s argument (10 points)
week 132
Thurs, Apr. 17: Analyzing Arguments in Context of Each Other
Type and bring in 3 copies of an introduction and one body paragraph that analyzes one outside
source, explaining how it synthesizes with the primary source’s argument (5 points)
Tues, Apr. 22: Intro to Final Project: Making an Argument.
Read Graff’s “How to Write an Argument” (on BB)
Begin rough drafts
week 13
Thurs, Apr. 24: Workshop Paper #3 Rough Draft
Bring 4 copies of rough draft, including works cited page (15 points). For the rough drafts ONLY,
works cited may be on the same page as the conclusion to save paper. For the final, it MUST be
on its own page, according to MLA format
Tues, Apr. 29: Making an Argument
Revisions of Paper #1 or 2 Due
week 14
Thurs, May 1: Presentations
Paper #3 Final Draft Due (100 points)
Tues, May 6: Presentations
week 15
Thurs, May 8: Presentations
Final Exam:
Tues, May 13 (10:30 - 12:30): Presentations
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