RWS 305 - 1
RWS 305W – Writing in Various Settings
Fall 2013 - Section 59 T 7:00-9:40
FINDING THE BEST MEANS OF PERSUASION
In our everyday lives we speak differently to diverse audiences.
We communicate best by choosing that way of speaking
that is informed by the particularity and uniqueness of whom we are speaking to and with.
Bell Hooks in Teaching to Transgress
Instructor: Erin Flewelling
Office: AH 3132
RWS Office Phone 619-594-6515
Email: erinatsdsu@gmail.com
Office Hours: Tuesdays 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Office: AH 3133 Mailbox: AH3138
PREREQUISITES : Satisfies Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement for students who have
completed 60 units; completed Writing Proficiency Assessment with a score of 8 or higher (or
earned a C or higher in RWS 280, 281, or LING 281 if score on WPA was 7 or lower); and
completed General Education requirements in Composition and Critical Thinking. Proof of
completion of prerequisites required; Test scores or verification of exemption; copy of transcript.
Catalog Description: In RWS 305W students learn to respond not just to academic tasks but a
wider variety of genres and settings that require diverse research methods and writing styles.
The course also asks students to reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of their own writing
style(s) within rhetorical contexts.
In essence, you will do exactly as hooks describes. You will consider your purpose, the situation,
and the audience you are addressing and determine the best way to approach that audience. Who
is that audience? What genre and what kind of language are best suited to achieve your goals and
meet the needs of your audience?
COURSE OBJECTIVES FOR RWS 305W
RWS 305W will strengthen students’ awareness of and abilities to use writing processes
effectively. Students will learn how to
 Develop flexible strategies for creating, revising, and editing texts
 Critique their own and others’ texts
 Write with an awareness of audience and purpose
Required Materials:
 Course Reader – Available at Cal Copy
 Selected readings posted on Blackboard. Print and bring to class.
 Raimes, Ann. Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook 6th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009.
OR other MLA handbook dated after 2009.
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Other materials
 An email account
 Computer, printer, and internet.
Grading System
Assignment
Participation
Blogging
Responses to the blogs of other students
Reflective Analysis of Your Blog Page
Midterm: Discourse Community
Analysis
Group Presentation of Reading
Project 1: Op-Ed
Project 2: CARS Analysis
Final Project
Course Reflection
Points
70
10 x 15 = 150
5 x 5 = 25
75
75
Final Draft
50
125
125
250
50
Various
Various
Various
11/
12/17
Final Draft Revision
Not Available
Not Available
Letter Grade
Points
Letter Grade
Points
A
930-1000
C
730-769
A-
900-929
C-
700-729
B+
870-899
D+
670-699
B
830-869
D
630-669
B-
800-829
D-
600-629
C+
770-799
F
0-599
Please note you must receive a C in this course to pass the class.
ASSIGNMENT TYPES
CLASS BLOG:
PURPOSE: You will establish a blog in which you will reflect on the course readings as well as
the ways claims and concepts are illustrated in the real world, whether in your discipline or in
your life. I will post prompts, but you are not required to follow the prompts. However, you are
required to engage the claims, arguments, or evidence from the readings.
AUDIENCE: You will choose an audience. Picture that audience in your mind, as well as that
audience’s concerns and values. Be specific. Consider how best to address that audience, visually
and verbally. This includes use of images, tone, style of writing, and vocabulary.
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LENGTH:
 You will create a minimum of ten posts which are approximately 750 to 1000 words in
length.
 In addition, you will respond to five posts from other students, addressing their ideas and
adding to what they have said. You can agree and add some new information, disagree
and discuss way, or agree and disagree at the same time. These responses should be
approximately 200 to 350 words in length.
 Finally, toward the end of the semester, you will write a two-to-three-page reflection in
which you describe that audience and reflect on how well you addressed that specific
audience throughout the semester, using your own writing as examples to illustrate your
discussion.
GRADING: You will be graded on your thoughtful engagement with the texts as well as your
ability to communicate your ideas in writing to a specific audience.
BLOG SITE:
meansofpersuasion@gmail.com
password – RWS3052013
MIDTERM: Analysis of a discourse community according to Swales’ description as well as
discussions by other authors. You may choose to analyze a discourse community you have been
a part of in the past or one you are currently a part of.
GROUP PRESENTATION OF READING: Groups of three to four students will highlight the claims
and argument of a text. You will receive both a group and an individual grade for this
presentation.
PROJECT 1: In part 1, you will discuss the distinctions of the op-ed genre and then analyze a
news source that frequently used opinion-editorials, assessing the audience for this source as well
as source bias. In part 2, you will write an op-ed for this source. You will also analyze your own
text, discussing how you considered the needs of the genre as well as the discourse community in
your writing.
PROJECT 2: You will discuss Swales and his study on the structure of introductions for research
papers (CARS) and then analyze the introduction to a research paper from your discipline. In
addition, you will write an introduction in which utilize CARS. This paper should utilize the
formatting typical to your discipline.
FINAL PROJECT : You will write genres used in specific discourse communities and provide
analysis of the discourse community as well as how you specifically addressed that audience.
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There are several options here in order to allow you to adapt the project to best meet your
personal and professional goals. Please note that part of this grade includes an oral
presentation of your project. Prepare carefully.
COURSE REFLECTION FINAL
CLASSROOM POLICIES AND E XPECTATIONS
1. RESPECT EACH OTHER . RESPECT THE INSTRUCTOR. RESPECT THE CLASSROOM .
2. ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
Your attendance in class is assumed; discussion and application of texts is essential for
understanding the material. You will lose participation points when you are not present, arrive
late, or leave early. Two absences are allowed without penalty, and three tardies or early
exits equal one absence. Participation points include credit for arriving to class prepared for
discussion, actively participating in class and group discussions, conferences, informal group
and individual oral presentations, and impromptu writing assignments. If you are sleeping,
engaged in side conversations, texting, or other activities unrelated to the course, ou will
Of note, participation is 70 percent of your grade.
Zero to two absences
Three absences
Four Absences
More than four absences
40 points
20 points
10 points
No points
The remainder of participation points will be awarded for class activities,
which cannot be made up.
3. LATE WORK
All homework is due the day it is due. This includes essays, blogs, and oral presentations.
Although blogs cannot be made up, I have included an eleventh blog in case you miss one. In
addition, I will allow one project to be submitted up to one week late without penalty. The
other projects may be submitted up to one week late with a one-grade penalty for late
submission. This does not include the final project, which is due on the final day of class.
I will not accept it late.
4. TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM
Keep cell phones turned off. There is no texting in class. You may use laptops for taking notes;
however, stay off email, social media, and unrelated internet searches.
5. PLAGIARISM
All work in this course must be your own and must be written exclusively for this course. The
use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly documented. See Keys for
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Writers for information about documenting sources. Plagiarism is a violation of the Title 5,
California Code of Regulations, section 41301(a), and may result in severe academic
consequences. If you have questions about your use of sources, please see me.
6. REVISION
There is no extra credit in this class. However, you may choose to revise essays to improve
your grade. The last essay is not eligible for revision because it is due on the last day of class.
COURSE ASSISTANCE SERVICES
RWS TUTORS are available to help you develop as a writer. In addition, if you have questions
or would like additional assistance with class concepts or projects, please drop in at any time
during my office hours or make an appointment to speak with me.
ABSENCES DUE TO RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE AND UNIVERSITY EVENTS : If you will miss any
classes due to religious holidays or because you are a student athlete, please inform me no later
than the second week of class.
DISABILITY - If you have a disability certified by Student Disability Services, please see me
during the first week of the term so that we can discuss the necessary accommodations
recommended by the SDS. For more information about services for students with disabilities,
please contact SDS at 619-594-6473.
COUNSELING : Students experience many events and situations that put additional stress to
their lives. SDSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services is open to students Monday
through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To set up an initial consultation, call 619-594-5220.
C&PS on campus also has a “Center for Well-Being” with multiple situations for relaxation if
you are feeling stressed during the semester. C&PS is located in the Calpulli Center, Room
4401.
For immediate or emergency help, you are welcome to use San Diego’s free 24-hour counseling
access line at 800-479-3339.
PROBLEMS: If you run into problems or emergencies, please talk to me as soon as possible.
IMPORTANT DATES
September 2 ~ Holiday – Labor Day.
September 5 ~ Last day for faculty to drop students from classes.
September 9 ~ Last day to add/drop classes or change grading basis.
September 11 ~ Last day to file application for bachelor’s degree for December 2013
graduation.
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October 30 ~ Last day to officially withdraw from all classes for fall 2013 and receive a
prorated refund (withdrawal after September 9 requires special approval and penalty fee is
assessed).
November 11 ~ Holiday – Veteran’s Day.
November 28-29 ~ Holiday – Thanksgiving recess.
December 11 ~ Last day of classes.
December 12-18 ~ Final examinations.
RHETORICAL K NOWLEDGE
RWS 305W will help students identify, analyze, and respond in writing to various rhetorical
situations. Students will learn how to
 Identify individual discourse communities and find and analyze their characteristic
texts, evaluate their credibility and principles, and apply relevant aspects of their
information to other contexts and arguments
 Analyze the details of a wide variety of writing situations (textual elements such as
tone, evidence, organizational patterns, diction, even visuals) according to the author’s
purpose as well as the audience’s needs and tastes
 Respond effectively in writing to issues and arguments raised in a variety of
disciplinary, popular, and professional texts and/or contexts
 Produce effective arguments from a variety of disciplinary, popular, and professional
contexts
CRITICAL THINKING AND READING STRATEGIES
RWS 305W will provide students with strategies to understand the function of reading and
writing in cultural, academic, and professional communities. Students will learn how to
 Actively read texts using a variety of reading strategies such as annotation, visual
organizers, questioning, and discussion
 Identify how a writer uses rhetorical strategies in various genres of writing
 Interpret, analyze, and evaluate demanding texts
 Apply critical thinking skills and reading strategies to evaluate their own writing and
the writing of fellow students
 Reflect on their own progress as a working writer in relation to critical thinking and
reading strategies
KNOWLEDGE OF CONVENTIONS
RWS 305W will provide students with strategies to identify, analyze, and apply the writing
conventions of different discourse communities and to write effectively within those
communities. Students will learn to
 Identify how discourse communities employ particular strategies for conveying,
researching, evaluating, and presenting information
 Analyze and choose the appropriate conventions for a range of audience expectations
 Integrate a variety of appropriate sources into their writings in a way that accurately
reflects the writer’s meaning and purpose
 Document sources appropriately
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
Sustain reasonable correctness in grammar and mechanics to perform well in a variety
of writing contexts and professional settings
ATTITUDES, VALUES, AND PREPARATION FOR LIFE BEYOND THE U NIVERSITY
RWS 305W reflects the values of a liberal arts education, namely, to
 Work collaboratively and cooperatively to achieve defined goals
 Respect the diverse points of view that characterize our multi-cultural classroom
community
 Critically analyze a variety of texts produced for public and individual readers
 Participate confidently in public discussion on issues of importance to the workplace and
the community
 Address issues in writing
KEY TERMS
DISCOURSE COMMUNITY : “A site or social group defined by special kinds of speech and
writing, the boundaries and character of which are determined by the communicative practices
as well as the social sentiments, shared norms, and cultural values of the members”
(Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition: Communication from Ancient Times to the Information Age
194).
GENRE: “A type of spoken or written discourse, recognized as conventional by members of an
intellectual community, that draws together certain substantive and stylistic features in
response to a recurrent rhetorical situation” (Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition:
Communication from Ancient Times to the Information Age 279).
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Tentative Schedule: Please note that this assignment sequence is subject to change to best
meet the needs of the class. If you are absent from class, it is your responsibility to check on
announcements made while you were absent.
Week
1
Date
8/27
2
9/3
3
9/10
In-Class Activities
Introduction to Course
Class introductions.
Rhetorical Situation/Presentation
Discuss readings.
Discuss genre: Identify
characteristics of a
Discuss audience.
Introduce prompt for Project 1
Discuss op-ed prompt
Discuss discourse community
Discuss Academic writing
4
9/17
5
6
9/24
10/1
Discuss Singer
Introduce CARS –
Compare different academic
formats
Sign-up for group presentations
Scheduled Conferences – Project 1
Group Presentation: #1 Gee
Discuss Readings
Discuss prompt for Project #2
Discuss Midterm
Homework DUE on this date
1.Create blog at class blog site.
Write first entry and introduce
yourself to your audience, describing
the purpose of the blog.
2. Read Devitt “Teaching Critical
Genre Awareness”
3. Read readings associated with
Tucson shooting.
4. Blog #2
1.Identify sources that provide op-eds.
Examine several op-eds from each
source. Look at how each appeals to
its audience. Who is that audience? Be
specific.
2. Bring sample op-eds in to share with
the class. (multiple copies of at least
two op-eds on topics that interest you)
3. Read Swales: “The Concept of
Discourse Community”
4. Read Thonney “Teaching the
Conventions of Academic Discourse”
5.Blog #3
Project #1 ~ Op-Ed Due
Read Peter Singer: “The Singer
Solution for World Poverty”
Blog #4
1.Read Gee “Literacy, Discourse, and
Linguistics”
2. Find samples of various genres from
discourse communities. These may be
digital.
3. Blog #5
4. Bring four to five copies of the
introduction from a published research
paper from your discipline as well as
one copy of full text.
5. Optional Revision of Project #1
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7
10/8
Group Presentation: #2 Bizzell
and #3 Johns
Discuss genres and discourse
communities
1.Read Bizzell “What is a Discourse
Community”
2. Read Johns “Communities of
Practice”
2. Bring in copies of genres from
Questions about Project #2
various discourse communities
Questions about Midterm
3. Blog #6
Discuss Midterm
1.Project #2
Group Presentations #4 Pogner
2.Read Tyler and Obarski
3.Read Mirabelli
4.Blog #7
Individual Conferences
Midterm
Discuss final project
1.Optional revision Project #2
Group Presentation #5 Pogner
2.Read Pogner OR Wardle
and #6 Wardle
3.Bring in sample artifacts from a
career related to your discipline
3. Blog #8
Group Presentation #7 Chick
1.Read “Political Power of Rhetoric”
Discuss memes
2. Read Chick “What’s in a Meme” 3.
Discuss power of social networking 3. Bring in examples of memes and
Discuss visual rhetoric
how they function.
4. Blog #9
Discuss social networking and
1.Read Gladwell “This Revolution
activism
Will Not Be Tweeted”
2. Reading TBD
3. Bring in examples of internet
activism
3. Blog #10
8
10/15
9
10
10/22
10/29
11
11/5
12
11/12
13
11/19
Group Presentation #8 Gregory
Group Presentation #9 Baab
14
11/26
15
12/3
16
12/10
12/17
Discuss professional writing
Discuss final project
Researching the final project
Conferences: Researching the final
project
Individual Presentations
Finals: Course Reflection
1.Read Gregory “Writing for the Web
Versus Writing for Print”
2.Read Baab
3. Bring in examples of websites
4. Blog #11
Blog Analysis Due
Final Project