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English 101: Great American Political Speeches
Instructor: Julian S. Whitney
TTH: 1:00-2:15PM
Office: Callaway N207A
Seminar Room: Callaway N203
Office Hours: Mon. 2:00-4:00pm
Fall, 2014
j.s.whitney@emory.edu
COURSE SYLLABUS
Required Texts:
American Speeches: Political Oratory from the Revolution to the Civil War (Library of America)
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Pres. A. Lincoln to Bill Clinton (Library of America)
American Speeches: Political Oratory from Patrick Henry to Barack Obama (American Library)
Great Speeches by African Americans: Douglass, Truth, King, Obama and Others (Dover Thrift)
Great Speeches by American Women: Truth, Anthony, Roosevelt, Clinton (Dover Thrift Editions)
Course Description:
A speech can be a very powerful genre of persuasion and communication. Much like producing a
written paper, speeches must be concise, present a compelling argument, and use the proper tone,
voice and format to have a lasting effect on its audience. Nowhere is this fact more apparent than
in the political oratory of great American speeches. This course will focus on the speech as a sort
of template for how to develop effective writing skills that can be used elsewhere in the academy
and beyond. The course will move along an historical trajectory, highlighting important (and also
lesser-known) speeches that shaped American politics and contributed to current political genres.
You will thus be expected to produce writing assignments that incorporate and build on elements
of the speech genre in order to gain a concrete understanding of how to write academic papers. It
is advised that you prepare accordingly for what will be a writing (and speaking!) intensive class.
Learning Outcomes:
This freshman writing seminar is a composition course and will be treated as such. You will have
several writing assignments during the semester to help develop your writing skills and provide a
fitting transition to college-level writing. I hope you will gain the following skills from this class:
 Apply writing and reading techniques for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating.
 Use conventions of format and structures appropriate to the provided rhetorical situations.
 Understand writing as a process that enables students to evaluate and critique their works.
 Create relationships between critical thinking, close reading and writing academic papers.
Course Assignments and Requirements:
In-Class Presentations: Each student will be required to give a 10-minute oral presentation on an
assigned speech from the course syllabus. Your goal for the assignment will be to summarize the
speech’s central argument, method of persuasion, approach to the audience, and rhetorical tone. I
would advise that you consider the following questions when preparing your presentations: Does
the orator address a larger political issue in the speech? What kind of imagery does the orator use
to convey his/her message? I advise you to meet with me in advance to discuss the presentations.
You will present twice: once on a written speech and once on a visual speech from the syllabus.
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Oral Rebuttals: Each student will write two oral rebuttals to two of the assigned speeches on this
syllabus. The oral rebuttals must be 3-4 double-spaced pages, and should satisfy all these criteria:
1) Offer a brief synopsis of the speech and articulate a counterargument to it; 2) Describe several
shortcomings in the speech and provide your own solutions in reaction to the problems you raise.
The intention of this assignment is to gauge how well you can identify arguments in other written
texts and offer a persuasive critique of them. You will need to know the perspective of the author
and challenge it. You might think of this assignment as analogous to the formal political rebuttals
given in response to a presidential State of the Union Address. Your goal is to dissect the speech,
highlighting its strengths and emphasizing the weaknesses in its logic. You may not write an oral
rebuttal to a speech, written or visual, that was or will be the subject matter for your presentation.
Speech Review: Each student will write a 5-page review of a speech listed on the course syllabus.
Unlike the oral rebuttals which will feature a formal critique of two selected speeches, I want this
assignment to highlight the historical context of the speech you choose. You will, therefore, need
to conduct some research on the speech itself and identify what its immediate reception was after
its delivery. While I am asking you to approach your selected speech through an historical lens, I
also want you to evaluate the contents of the speech itself. Your review should, in effect, offer an
effective analysis of the speech that incorporates both research, and a critical perspective into the
paper. You should meet with me in advance to have your paper topic approved so that I can offer
advice on potential sources to look for and writing strategies to implement. Think of this paper as
an opportunity to explore the historical, political, economic or social background of your speech.
Class Participation: I define class participation as an active engagement with the readings during
our class meetings. Each class will feature a serious discussion about the assigned materials, so it
is imperative that you come to class with questions to ask and comments to make. Reacting to an
assigned reading or responding directly to the ideas of others is a way to participate productively.
Volunteering to read assigned speeches aloud and making observations about assigned videos we
watch is another way to contribute to class discussion. Your thoughts are important for creating a
congenial and intellectual dialogue about the material, so I expect everyone to contribute equally.
Readings and Video Viewings: You are expected to complete all readings and video assignments.
For any given class session, you will have a combination of speech readings and speech viewings
to do. These assignments will consist of several speeches to read for the next class meeting along
with a video or two to watch. For readings not listed in your required texts, I will post them on an
independent class forum that you can access via Blackboard. I will post all videos to Blackboard,
and in rare instances, place them on reserve for you to watch in the library. Since all readings and
video viewings will feature political oratory, I ask that you please remain open-minded and focus
on a speech’s substance rather than its success/failure in appealing to your own political beliefs. I
do not want for the class to be about deciding which speeches are best or worst based on content.
7-Page Comparative Analysis Paper: Each student will write up a 7-page comparative paper that
conducts an analysis of two speeches alongside one another. Both speeches must address a theme
from the course and articulate different arguments regarding that theme. Your central goal for the
paper will be to determine which speech makes the more compelling argument in relation to your
selected theme. You may choose to compare two written speeches, two visual speeches, or a mix
of written and visual, but keep in mind that each pairing presents a different set of challenges you
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will need to overcome. I do not want you to produce a dual summary paper of both speeches, but
rather ask that you think critically about the strengths and weaknesses of each speech. I want you
to consider how both speeches convey an important perspective on the highlighted theme, paying
attention to the differences and similarities between the two arguments. Imagine that you are part
of an audience charged with the task of evaluating both speeches and deciding which one has the
more persuasive argument. Conduct an analysis that wrestles with the ideas given in each speech.
10-Page Speechwriting Paper: Your final assignment for the course will be to produce your own
10-page political speech. You may choose a topic that deals with your academic interests, but the
topic must be approved by me before you begin the assignment. If you happen to have an interest
in business, for example, you may write a speech that addresses the issue as long as you can refer
to assigned speeches in the course that also cover the topic. If you have trouble relating your own
interests to the assignment, your topic can come from one of the themes as covered in the course.
Grading Rubric:
I will apply the following criteria and grading formula to determine your final grade for the class:
Assignment:
Class Participation
In-Class Presentations (2)
Oral Rebuttals (2)
Speech Review Assignment
Comparative Speech Analysis Paper
Final Speechwriting Paper
Grading Formula:
10%
15%
15%
15%
20%
25%
Grading Rubric for Papers:
I will use the following criteria and grading formula to determine your paper grades for the class:

An “A” grade is awarded on the rarest of occasions when the student’s written paper is of
superior quality. To receive this grade, a student must provide a compelling and inventive
thesis accompanied by a provocative analysis of the material. The student’s paper must as
well highlight the detail, depth and complexity of the subject matter through a meticulous
use of grammar, sentence structure, and diction. An “A,” by all regards, must be flawless.

A “B” grade is awarded when the student’s written paper meets the instructor’s standards,
and satisfies the central requirements for the assignment. The student’s paper should offer
an interesting argument that addresses an important problem or idea in the subject matter.
The paper must conduct an effective analysis that reads the subject matter closely with an
attentiveness to detail. A “B” grade is also given if the paper contains inconsistences with
regards to grammar use, punctuation, sentence structure and the unorganized use of ideas.

A “C” grade is awarded when the student’s work barely meets the instructor’s guidelines,
standards, and expectations for the assignment. The student’s paper contains a functional,
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but mediocre, thesis that fails to analyze the speeches effectively. A “C” grade is awarded
also if the paper suffers from a number of formal issues (grammar, sentence structure and
diction) that interferes with the overall organization and coherence of the student’s thesis.

A “D” grade is awarded when the student’s paper fails to satisfy the instructor’s standards
and expectations for the assignment. The student’s paper not only lacks a thesis statement
but also makes superficial observations of the speech. A student’s paper also suffers from
a larger number of formal issues (grammar, sentence structure, diction etc.) that also have
a severe and deleterious effect on the paper’s general coherence, clarity and organization.

An “F” grade is awarded when the student’s paper does not follow the instructions for the
assignment. A student will also receive an “F” if the paper is plagiarized, handed in to the
instructor more than 24 hours after the deadline, or not submitted at all. You cannot try to
rewrite an “F” paper for a better grade. I will not tolerate anyone who plagiarizes a paper.
Academic Policies:
Course Attendance: I expect you to attend all classes during the semester. You are entitled to one
absence and must notify me at least 24 hours prior to our meeting time. If you must be absent for
a medical reason, you should notify me immediately. Class attendance is essential for the class to
function productively, so unexcused absences will negatively affect your grade. Every unexcused
absence you incur will result in a half-grade deduction from your final grade. For instance, if you
receive a B for the course, but have two unexcused absences, your final grade for the course shall
be a C+. Anyone who chooses not to attend class at all will receive an F for the class. This policy
is non-negotiable and any such violations of it will not be tolerated during the course of the term.
Revision Policy: The one way to develop good writing skills is through revision. I do not require,
nor will I ask, that you revise papers as a mandatory part of the course. You must decide whether
to take full advantage of this valuable opportunity. You will have the option of revision after you
receive a grade for your paper. If you do choose to revise, I will happily read your paper revision
and take the average of both papers to determine the paper’s final grade. The choice is up to you.
Academic Integrity Statement: The Emory College Honor Code must be followed at all times. It
applies to both the academic and social conduct of students in the class. Plagiarism of any kind is
not permitted and will result in an F in the course. Plagiarism is defined as representing an author
or any other person’s work as your own without the proper citation. Plagiarism can be committed
either by neglecting to quote a particular source or by simply imitating someone else’s idea without giving that person proper credit. If you are unsure about citation, please see me beforehand to
check. You can also check this site for proper citation information: www.owl.english.perdue.edu.
Disruptive Behavior Policy: I will not tolerate any kind of disruptions that interfere with the class
dynamic. Disruptions include late arrivals, the use of any and all electronic devices, speaking out
of turn or disrespectfully to others, checking email during session, or having audio/visual devices
out. If class etiquette becomes an issue, I will confiscate all electronic devices before class starts.
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Late Work: If you submit an assignment to me after the deadline, I will penalize your grade for it
and not provide comments for your paper. Any assignment submitted less than 24 hours after the
deadline will receive a full grade lower than the original grade. If you were to receive an “A,” the
grade would be reduced to a “B.” A “B” becomes a “C” and so on. If you submit any assignment
more than 24 hours after the deadline, you will receive an “F.” There are no exceptions. You will
be allowed one extension for the semester to be used for any assignment you feel cannot be done
by the deadline. You cannot, however, reschedule the presentations. What you decide on is final.
Campus Resources:
Writing Center: The Writing Center is located in Callaway N212. All writing tutors are trained to
work with digital and multi-modal texts in addition to traditional papers. Tutors can talk with you
about the purpose, organization, and audience of your work, and how to engage other texts. They
can also work with you on sentence-level concerns, including grammar, syntax, and word choice.
They will not proofread for you. You can make appointments for tutoring sessions and find more
information about the Writing Center’s resources on its web-site: www.writingcenter.emory.edu.
Office of Disability Services: The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is found in Administration
Building, Suite #110. Their website is www.ods.emory.edu/ and their phone number is (404) 727
9877. Any student(s) in need of an accommodation should also confer with the course instructor.
Academic Advising Services: The Office for Undergraduate Education (OUE) is available for any
students who desire to receive clarification about Emory’s academic policies. Academic advisers
work closely with students, faculty and academic deans to provide group and individual advising
and to explain/interpret academic policy. Academic Advisers have offices located in 1) Few Hall
2) White Hall, 3) the SAAC (Student Activity and Academic Center) and also in the 4) Woodruff
Residential Center. You can contact the OUE at (404) 727 6069 to schedule an appointment. It is
also possible to contact them on their website: www.college.emory.edu/home/academic/advising.
Counseling Services: The Office for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is located at
1462 Clifton Road, Suite 235. The Counseling Center provides counseling services to individuals
and couples while also offering group therapy and stress management/biofeedback services. Staff
members are also available to provide consultation and outreach presentations. Using CAPS is an
effective way to discuss personal concerns, develop stress-management techniques and also have
a safe place to discuss issues related to your emotions like anxiety and depression. You can reach
CAPS at (404) 727 7450 to make an appointment. The website is: www.studenthealth.emory.edu
ESL Support Services: Emory provides a series of resources for non-native speakers of English in
the form of tutoring, academic skills labs, student groups and workshops, academic consultations
and writing assistance. The purpose of these groups is to offer non-native speakers of English the
opportunity to strengthen their English while practicing a variety of language-intensive academic
skills. Groups focus on language skills necessary to succeed at an American university, including
social conversation skills. ESL offices are located in White Hall on the 2nd Floor, in the Math and
Science Center Reading Room, and in the Student Activity and Academic Center (SAAC) on the
Clairmont Campus in Suite 310. You can also call ESL services at (404) 727-5300 for more info.
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Assignments and Due Dates:
Assignment
First Oral Rebuttal (3-4 Pages)
Speech Review Assignment (5 Pages)
Second Oral Rebuttal (3-4 Pages)
Comparative Analysis Paper (7 Pages)
Final Speechwriting Paper (10 Pages)
Due Date
Week 4: Friday, September 19th, 2014
Week 8: Friday, October 17th, 2014
Week 12: Friday, November 14th, 2014
Week 14: Friday, November 28th, 2014
Week 17: Friday, December 19th, 2014
Course Schedule and Calendar:
Political Oratory of the Revolutionary War and the Formation of the United States of America
Political Oratory of the Civil War and the Fierce Debate over Slavery and the Fate of America
Political Oratory of the Civil Rights Era and its Relationship to 21st Century American Politics