rws

Rhetoric & Writing

Studies 1302
Instructor: Gina Lawrence
Email: gmlawrence@utep.edu
Office: LIB 227C
Phone: 661.282.7199 (text only)
--------------------------------Course Librarian: Angela Lucero
Librarian Email: ajmartinez5@utep.edu

Meeting Time: Tuesdays 12:00-1:20

Place: UGLC 232
CRN: 26308
Office Hours:
Sunday: by appointment
Tuesday: 1:30 pm-4:00 pm
Friday: 11:30 am-2:00 pm

Course The primary goal of RWS 1302 is to develop students critical thinking skills in order
Description to facilitate effective communication in all educational, professional, and social
contexts. This effective communication is based on an awareness of and
appreciation for discourse communities as well as knowledge specific to subject
matter, genre, rhetorical strategy, and writing process.
The class presents an approach to communication that helps students determine
the most effective strategies, arrangements, and media to use in different
rhetorical contexts. It teaches students a systematic approach for analyzing
rhetorical situations and then producing a variety of documents and
presentations while gaining more confidence and fluency in visual, oral, and
written communication. In addition, because communication is central to being
an active and engaged member of society, the course also provides a space
for informed advocacy.
This specific course section is themed; feminism, gender, and sexuality will be the
frameworks from which we will explore rhetorical theory, epistemology, discourse
communities, analysis, and critical thinking. It is important to note that this way of
thinking is not propaganda and is not meant to convert student ideologies into
a certain way of thinking. Rather, the goal is to challenge compulsory
heteronormative ideals and break down the idea that the classroom is a neutral
space, free of politics or ideologies. It is my goal that through writing assignments
and class discussions, you will be further able to question the status quo and
normative ideologies by engaging critically with language and texts.
This course is taught as a hybrid class--with one face-to-face meeting for lecture
and discussion, and the rest of the course utilizing a management system such as
Blackboard, a Wiki, or a class website depending on the instructor. Instructors will
provide students with permanent access to the syllabus, supplemental reading

materials, e-mail, and discussion groups. It is vital that students check and
participate in the online environment consistently as it is an integral part of the
course. On occasion, students will be asked to meet on the hybrid day to
participate in library research, technology workshops, presentations, or other
activities their instructor might need them to be physically present for. Please
keep this time available for this class. Otherwise, students may miss out on
important information.
Learning At the end of this course, students will be able to:
Outcomes
Understand a theory of discourse communities;
Engage as a community of writers who dialogue across texts, argue, and
build on each others work;
Draw on existing knowledge bases to create new or transformed
knowledge;
Develop a knowledge of genres as they are defined and within discourse
communities;
Address the specific, immediate rhetorical situations of individual
communicative acts;
Develop procedural knowledge of the writing task in its various phases.
Engage reflection about their own learning.
Students will also have the opportunity to strengthen skills sets in the following
areas:
Think, read, and write critically;
Formulate research questions and perform primary and secondary
research to answer those questions;
Become familiar with the contents of the UTEP Library, in a variety of forms
and areas of professional study (e.g. the arts, humanities, sciences,
nursing, social sciences, business, engineering, and education)1;
Analyze and synthesize material from outside sources;
Develop a sensitivity to the significance of data and how it can be
rhetorically applied to various genres; and,
As part of a research process, apply research to various genres; receive
instruction in the logic and form of documentation within a discipline
(APA); learn writing strategies for integrating source material into your own
prose (quoted, paraphrased, and summarized material); write analytical
and argumentative papers appropriate to genres and larger discourse
communities.

Course Completion of 1302 requires:

Requirements
Regular attendance and participation; See attendance policy
Weekly Blog reflections
1

This course has an extra library component. Please see the section on Information Literacy
2

The assignments, including peer review, drafts, and final drafts

Comprehensive E-portfolio

Required Texts There are no required texts to purchase for this course. However, you will be
and Materials expected to have access to a computer that can open a variety of media,
including Word Documents, PDFs, YouTube videos, and basic internet software.
This course makes heavy use of technology and multimedia. It is strongly
recommended that students have access to the Internet from home and are
comfortable using a computer. If a student does not have access, he/she can
get free access through the university.
If home access is not possible, arrangements can be made to use a computer
regularly on campus in order to complete the work. Student computer labs such
as ATLAS (http://issweb.utep.edu/) are often available until midnight, but
schedules do vary. A great deal of work will be done online, and not having
access to a computer will not be an excuse for incomplete or late assignments.
Technology problems are also not an excuse for work that is late or missing.
Students need to get into the habit of completing assignments for this course well
before the due date to allow time for dealing with technology problems.
Participation & Participation is mandatory in order to facilitate discussion and learning in RWS
Attendance 1302. Everybody has something to contribute to our conversation and
participation actually allows us to learn from each other. Your participation
grade includes blog reflections, student-instructor conferences, and in class
discussions. You will not be able to pass RWS 1302 without participating.
Three absences will result in the lowering of one letter grade. Three tardies will be
equivalent to one absence.
RWS 1302 intends to help students develop a wide variety of strategies for
communicating in a variety of media. To succeed in this course requires
dedication and focus.
Students should allocate sufficient time for the class projects and work. The
general rule for all classes is that students spend two hours working outside of
class for each class credit. Because this is a 3-hour class, expect to spend 6 hours
doing researching and writing each week. However, remember that the class
only meets with the instructor and classmates for 1.5 hours a week. Therefore,
add the additional 1.5 hours to the 6 for a total of 7.5 hours. During some weeks
students may work more; some weeks they may work less. However, keep this
average in mind.
Email Policy I will only accept emails from your official UTEP email address. Please include an
email subject, and address the email in a professional manner, including a
greeting and your name. I will always respond within 24 hours to emails that fulfill
3

the requirements. Often, I will request that you meet with me during my office
hours, as I will not discuss writing or grades via email.
University policy mandates that you check your email daily for communications
from the university and your instructors. Missing information because you did not
check your email will not be accepted as an excuse.
Writing as Revising your writing will be mandatory in RWS 1302, and you should consider this
Re-Vision policy for all of your coursework. Your revisions will go beyond simply changing
the few marks on your paper; revision means, literally, to see again. I want you
to see your papers in a new way and revise without fear of starting over
completely. Papers that go out of the box, but do so unsuccessfully, will still be
given credit for the valiant attempt at revising.
The first three papers will have due dates and revision deadlines. I will accept
revisions any time between the due date and the revision deadline.
Late Work Policy

Students who fail to submit assignments on time do not receive feedback

on performance. Therefore, it is important to submit work before
deadlines for full credit and feedback.
Assignments submitted one class day after the due date will be penalized
up to one letter grade.
Assignments submitted more than one day late may not be acceptable
to the instructor for credit.
Be sure to submit all major assignments in order to pass this class. While
late work may adversely affect a grade, a zero can adversely affect
enrollment.
If a major assignment is over two class days late, the student faces failure
for this section.

Academic The University of Texas at El Paso prides itself on its standards of academic
Integrity excellence. In all matters of intellectual pursuit, UTEP faculty and students must
strive to achieve excellence based on the quality of work produced by the
individual. In the classroom and in all other academic activities, students are
expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. Any form of
academic dishonesty is an affront to the pursuit of knowledge and
jeopardizes the quality of the degree awarded to all graduates of UTEP. It is
imperative, therefore, that the members of this academic community
understand the regulations pertaining to academic integrity and that all
faculty insist on adherence to these standards.
Any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty is subject to
discipline. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating,
plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for
another person, and any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student
or the attempt to commit such acts. Proven violations of the detailed
4

regulations, as printed in the Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP), and

available in the Office of the Dean of Students and on the homepage of the
Dean of Students at www.utep.edu/dos, may result in sanctions ranging from
disciplinary probation, to a failing grade on the work in question, to a failing
grade in the course, to suspension or dismissal, among others.
(http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=54418)
The University requires all members of its community to follow copyright and
fair use requirements. You are individually and solely responsible for violations
of copyright and fair use laws. The University will neither protect nor defend
you nor assume any responsibility for student violations of fair use laws.
Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil
penalties and criminal liability, as well as disciplinary action under University
policies.

Special The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations
Accommodations be provided for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning,
and psychiatric disabilities. If you suspect that you have a disability and need
an accommodation, please contact the Center for Accommodations and
Support Services (CASS) at 747-5148 or cass@utep.edu. The CASS is located in
Room 106, Union East Bldg. Students are responsible for presenting the
instructor any CASS accommodation letters and instructions.

The University UTEPs University Writing Center (UWC) offers free writing tutoring assistance for
Writing Center all UTEP students. The tutors are undergraduate and graduate students who
can help with all parts of a writing assignment, including prewriting,
organizing, revising, and editing. They can also help to understand any
writing assignment and help work on comprehending difficult textbook
material. Note: To facilitate revision, UWC tutors will not hold a tutoring session
fewer than 12 hours before the assignment is due.
For your convenience, my office is located in the University Writing Center. I
highly recommend seeing a writing consultant either before or after meeting
with me during office hours, to maximize the benefit of the help available to
you.
Assignments The course will focus on 4 major assignments, scaffolded with smaller exercises
that build up to the major assignments. The major assignments are:
Auto-Ethnography: Students will be asked to look at an aspect of their
lives that utilizes gendered language or stereotypes. They may notice that
they use a lot of gendered language in their day-to-day lives, or watch tv
shows that display many stereotypical representations of women. For this
project, I will provide the information necessary to complete the
assignment, which will include several readings on genders
5

representations in contemporary culture (i.e. Tannens There is no

Unmarked Woman, Blums The Gender Blur, Adichies We Should all
be Feminists).
Annotated Bibliography + Research Paper: For this assignment, students
will choose a topic in the realm of gender that they find controversial and
interesting. They will conduct research and create an annotated
bibliography of about seven to ten sources from a variety of places,
including websites, news articles, and scholarly articles. After completing
the annotated bibliography, students will write a research-based
argument paper that takes a side on this issue and backs up the claim
using research effectively.
Rhetorical Analysis: Students will be asked to do a rhetorical analysis of
an artifact from popular culture that has representations of gender in it.
Using the readings and discussions in class, students will explore a thesis
that examines the uses of rhetoric that the artifact utilizes. Students will
perform outside research to find sources that can be used as tools to use
as a lens for the analysis. Students will use the source(s) to locate what the
source(s) contribute to the analysis of the artifact. For example, a student
could examine the artifact (television show) Orange is the New Black
through the lens of Audre Lorde. This assignment will have a strong focus
on the use of rhetoricvisual, auditory, and/or textualand how that
rhetoric affects the audience.
Documentary Film: This assignment will be done in groups of three to five,
and students will choose an issue in the realm of gender that they want to
advocate for or against (i.e. elimination of high school dress codes) and
create a documentary film that advocates for the cause. They will choose
an audience for the assignment (i.e. high school teachers, in the case of
the aforementioned topic) and use a variety sources to appeal to the
intended audience. Students will be required to include a visual argument
within the documentary, as well as use their knowledge of the genre of
the documentary to create an effective argument and advocate for their
cause. This unit will also focus on the subject matter of genre, as well as
the other elements of argument discussed in the previous units, including
a strong focus on visual and auditory argument.
The semester will culminate with a final E-portfolio.
E-Portfolio Your portfolio is a compilation of your best, completed work from throughout
the semester in RWS 1302. The portfolio will include your final revised essays,
along with any exercises that led to that final assignment. In addition, you will
write a reflective preface to your portfolio. You cannot turn in a portfolio
unless you have turned in all of the exercises throughout the semester.
Incomplete portfolios will not be accepted.

Grading Auto Ethnography: 15%

Rhetorical Analysis: 20%
Annotated Bibliography + Research Paper: 20%
Documentary Film: 20%
E-Portfolio: 10%
Discussions and Participation: 15%
Grading is done on a standard scale2:
90%-100%=A (4.0)
80%-89% =B (3.0)
70%-79% =C (2.0)
60%-69% =D (1.0)
<59%
=F (0.0)
Information In this course, we will be working closely with a librarian to achieve the
Literacy Association of College Research Librarys 5 categories of information literacy:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

To
To
To
To
To

be
be
be
be
be

able
able
able
able
able

to
to
to
to
to

know what information is needed

find the information
understand the information
use the information for a specific purpose
use the information correctly

We will be working with librarian Angela Lucero (ajmartinez5@utep.edu) to

enhance research and take advantage of the librarys extensive databases
and resources. You will be required to attend online Google Hangout
discussions with Angela throughout the semester. A variety of times will be
provided. This will be incorporated into your participation grade.

libraryweb.utep.edu
Tentative Course
Calendar
January 20

Week 1 Introduce course

Overview syllabus
Discuss e-portfolio and library component

UTEP does not use +/- in course grades.

7

Watch:
Adichie: We Should All Be Feminists
Read:
Patchett: The Getaway Car: A Practical Memoir about Writing and Life

January 27

Week 2 Discuss & assign auto-ethnography

Intro to gender
Read:
Tannen: There is no Unmarked Woman

February 3

Week 3 Database and research introduction with Angela

Peer review electronically
Read:
Male Privilege Checklist
Rich: When we Dead Awaken: Writing as Re-Vision

February 10

Week 4 Auto-Ethnography due

Hybrid WeekNO CLASS
Introduce Genre
Read:
Lorde: The Masters Tools Will Never Dismantle the Masters House

February 17

Week 5 Intro to Rhetorical Analysis

Sample analysis activity - Advertisements
Artifact/genre selection
Watch:
All About that Bass
Read:
Lamm: Its a Big Fat Revolution
Trout: Im Not All About that Bass: Deconstructing the Summers Feel-Good
Body-Positive Hit

February 24

Week 6 Sample analysis activity- All About that Bass

Peer review electronically
Read:
Minh-Ha: Difference: A Special Third World Women Issue

March 3

Week 7 Rhetorical Analysis due

Introduce Annotated bibliography
Read:
8

Anzalda: How to Tame a Wild Tongue

Spring Break SPRING BREAK

March 10

March 17

Week 8 Introduce research paper

Discuss APA citations
Angela presentation on annotated bibliographies & credible sources
Read:
Lorde: The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action

March 24

Week 9 Project proposal due

Read:
Cooper: The Higher Education of Women
de la Cruz: from La Resputa
Week 10 Annotated Bibliography due

March 31

Read:
Nkomo et. al: Beautyism in the Workplace
Dorwick: Getting Called a Fag

April 7

Week 11 Research Paper due

Introduce documentary film
Visual rhetoric
Choose groups
Week 12 Group work dayNO CLASS

April 14

Read:
Filipovic: Why Should Married Women Change Their Names? Let Men
Change Theirs
Brady: I Want a Wife

April 21

Week 13 TBA
Read:
Tannen: Sex, Lies, and Conversation
Blum: The Gender Blur

April 28

Week 14 Documentary Film due

Week 15 E-portfolio Preface Presentations

May 5

Week 16 E-portfolio due

May 12

10

11