Rhetoric 1302 -011

Spring 2006

Rashmi Ramachandran
University of Texas at Dallas
School of Arts & Humanities

Time: MWF 12:00 – 12:50 P.M.

Location: JO 4.124

Syllabus website: http://lingua.utdallas.edu/rhetoric/faculty.html

Office: 4.118

Office Hours: W 2:00 – 4:00 P.M.

Phone: 972-883-2018
(Please use this # to contact me only during my office hours.)

Email: rramacha@utd.edu

UTD Rhetoric Website: http://lingua.utdallas.edu/rhetoric

Contains links to course syllabus, reference and research resources

Course Description

This course focuses on critical thinking by using an integrated approach to writing that
teaches various rhetorical strategies for reading and constructing arguments, both written and
visual. You will learn to read texts critically according to key components in argumentative
discourse (i.e., claims, grounds, explicit and implicit assumptions, fallacies, etc.) and to
recognize the different purposes of argument. You will write and revise three to four papers
based on issues and controversies raised in the various texts read during the semester. The
assignments will give you extensive practice in reading critically and writing according to the
rhetorical conventions of an argumentative essay.

Required Texts & Supplies

• Required: Everything’s an Argument by Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz, and

Keith Walters, 3rd ed.
• Recommended: Quick Access Reference for Writers by Lynn Troyka, 4th ed.
• Floppy disk (PC-formatted if you use a PC, Mac-formatted if you use a Mac) or
CD/RW. The Rhetoric classroom uses Macintosh computers that can read either
format. Most documents will be produced in Microsoft Word. Whether you use MS
Word outside of the classroom or not, it is best to save your files as rich text format
(RTF) to ensure compatibility between the word processing program you use and the
one in your classroom.
 • Binder to hold all handouts, drafts and other material connected with the class
• A notebook/ journal to use as a reading log

The following is subject to change at the discretion of the

instructor.http://www.utdallas.edu/ir/microsoft/software.html

Attendance Policy

Because participation is vital to successful completion of Rhetoric 1302, you should attend
every class. If you must be absent, check with your classmates or with me for any work you
missed that can be made up. Catching up on what you have missed is solely your
responsibility. Much of the work is done collaboratively in class. Alternative assignments
are generally not given, nor can the instructor “re-teach” missed classes for individual
students. If you miss more than three classes, your grade will be negatively affected
and/or you may be encouraged to drop the class.

Chronic tardiness is unacceptable—two tardies will count as one absence—as are coming to
class unprepared, doing work that is not for this course during class, sleeping in class, or
using the computers or other personal electronic devices for personal messaging, research, or
entertainment. Please turn off cellular/mobile phones, pagers, and other personal
electronic devices during class.

All assignments are due on the date noted in the syllabus. If, for some reason, you are unable
to get to class, please make arrangements for your assignment/draft to get to me. I will not,
in any event, accept assignments that are sent to me as attachments by email.

Drop Policy

See here for details on deadlines and procedures for dropping:

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/lookup/dropadd.html

Office Hours

Please note my regular office hours above. You also can arrange to see me at other times that
are mutually convenient. Office hours belong to you just as much as our class time. Don’t
hesitate to take advantage of my availability and the help I am ready to offer. If you need to
contact me outside of class time or office hours, it is best to communicate with me by email.
Please use the office phone to reach me only during my office hours.

Email Policy

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO UTD STUDENTS: As of August 1, 2004, all email

correspondence with students will be sent ONLY to the student's U.T. Dallas email address.
U.T. Dallas provides each student with a free email account that is to be used in all
communication with university personnel. This allows the university to maintain a high
degree of confidence in the identity of all individuals corresponding and the security of the
transmitted information. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a
method for students to forward email from other accounts to their U.T. Dallas address and
have their U.T. Dallas mail sent on to other accounts. Students may go to the following URL
to establish or maintain their official U.T. Dallas computer account: http://netid.utdallas.edu/

Disability Services

Students needing academic accommodations for a disability must contact the Office of
Disability Services (972-883-2098), to verify the disability and establish eligibility for
accommodations. Students with disabilities are responsible to make their disabilities
known and to meet all course expectations, including attendance, participation,
performance, and work standards.

Grading Policy

This class offers you an approach to learning that may be different from your past
experiences. Because the course is concerned with your development as a critical reader and
writer, the grading strategy will track and monitor that development. Your assignments will
not receive individual grades, but will receive individual attention from your classmates and
me. Your mid-term and final grades will be based on your portfolio of written observations
and your work samples, including collaborative work, three major essays, minor essays, and
your reflective writing. In the final step, you will argue for your grade by summarizing your
learning and estimating the grade that the evidence of your learning supports. In other words,
you will directly apply what you learn in this course, argumentative writing, by arguing for
your own grade. However, each component of the class is vital to a quality body of work:
your attendance, participation, promptness, level of writing, effective arguments, creativity,
collaboration, sound rhetorical skills, competent use of technology—all of these things and
more contribute to an outstanding portfolio.

Your goal is to demonstrate your development toward mastery of five course strands
(rhetoric, research, technology, collaboration, and critical thinking) and development across
five dimensions of learning (confidence and independence, skills and strategies, knowledge
and understanding, use of prior and emerging experience, and reflectiveness). These goals
will be discussed throughout the course.

The following grade criteria describe very general indicators that both you and your
instructor may take into consideration when assessing your work and progress in the
course. Your estimation of your mid-term and final grades should be more detailed and
specific and may include a ‘+’ or ‘–‘ if your work tilts above or below the central grade
for which you argue. But the final interpretation and assessment of your grade remains
the responsibility of your teacher.

A: Represents outstanding participation in all course activities (including attendance and

promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with very high quality in all work
produced for the course. Evidence of significant and sustained development across the
five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

B: Represents excellent participation in all course activities (including attendance and

promptness); all assigned work completed on time, with consistently high quality in
course work. Evidence of marked and above average development across the five
dimensions of learning and five course strands.

C: Represents good (but average) participation in all course activities; all assigned work
completed, with generally good quality overall in course work. Evidence of some
development across the five dimensions of learning and five course strands.

D: Represents uneven participation in course activities; some gaps in assigned work

completed, with inconsistent quality in course work. Evidence of development across the
five dimensions of learning and five course strands is partial or unclear.

F: Represents minimal participation in course activities; serious gaps in assigned work

completed, or very low quality in course work. Evidence of development is not available.

UTD Grading scale

(http://www.utdallas.edu/student/catalog/undergrad02/progress.html#Grading%20Scale)

Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism is the representation of another person’s work as your own, whether you mean to
or not. For example, copying or paraphrasing passages from another writer’s work without
acknowledging that you’ve done so is plagiarism. Allowing another writer to write any part
of your essay is plagiarism. Copying or purchasing a paper from any source is plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a serious offense. The possible consequences range from failing the assignment
to failing the course, or worse. Each incident of plagiarism at UTD must be reported to the
administration. If you are not sure how to properly cite a quoted or paraphrased source, or if
you need help with the format of a citation, check with the New Century Handbook and/or
with your teacher. Although you can (and, in fact, should) seek help and advice from friends,
classmates, tutors, and others, be sure that your written work is your own.

See the Undergraduate Catalog for information about the consequences of Scholastic
Dishonesty, or view the policy here (which is also a link on the Rhetoric Program website):

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html.
Major Assignments

First Essay: An essay that presents a definition or evaluation argument using the principles
and criteria in Everything’s an Argument (Chapter 9 or 10).

First draft due: February 3

Final draft due: February 13

Second Essay: An integrated textual and visual essay that examines and analyzes the
argument of a visual image (or images) using the criteria in Chapter 14 of Everything’s an
Argument.
First draft due: March 13
Final draft due: March 20

Third Essay: An essay that presents a causal or proposal argument using the principles and
criteria in Everything’s an Argument (Chapter11 or 12).
First draft due: April 7
Second draft due: April 14
Final draft due: April 21

Remember: All drafts and final drafts must be turned in to me in hard copy (using
MLA format and citation and including a Works Cited page) on the dates they are due.

Observations

You will write observations at least twice a week, based on a schedule of writing that I hand
out. This will focus your energies on different aspects and types of writing; they will not
involve research of any kind, but will be mostly personal narrative.

Syllabus Itinerary (subject to change; all changes will be handed to you in writing.)

[Assignments are due by the next class period unless noted otherwise]
[Assignments from Everything’s an Argument textbook will be denoted by EA]

Mon 1/9: In-class: Intro to course and Rhetoric program website; discussion of syllabus
Assignments : Read EA Ch 1 and supplemental readings handed out in class

Wed 1/11: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 1 and supplemental reading; diagnostic essay,

student information sheet
Assignments : Read Chs 2-3 in EA and “Open Letter to my Christian Friends” (EA 794)

Fri 1/13 In-class: Discussion of EA Chs 2-3 and reading; register for EA companion website
Assignments : Read EA Ch 4 and “Other People’s Secrets” (528) and “Mother-Daughter
Dance (531). Minor essay #1 assigned
Mon 1/16: MLK Day. Holiday.

Wed 1/18: In-class: Discuss EA Ch 4 and readings; Discuss findings from minor essay
#1assignment
Assignments : Read EA Ch 5, “On Covers of Many Magazines, a Full Racial Palette is Still
Rare” (509) and “Pledge for Children” (702)

Fri 1/20: Discuss EA Ch 5 and readings; Final draft of minor Essay #1 due in class.
Assignments : Read EA Chs 6-7 and “If Only We All Spoke Two Languages” (704)

Mon 1/23: In-class: Discuss EA Chs 6-7. Critical reading skills. Study habits self-evaluation
Part 1 & 2 assigned
Assignments : Read EA Ch 8 and “Why Fear National ID Cards?” (556)

Wed 1/25: In-class: Discuss EA Ch 8; Class Toulmin analysis of reading

Assignments : Read EA Ch 9 and “Suite for Ebony and Phonics” (523).
Essay #1 assigned (Definition/Evaluation Argument)

Fri 1/27: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 9 and reading.

Assignments : Read EA Ch 10, “Sitcom Dads Rarely Know Best, Study of TV Laments”
(506) and Chs 21-22 (Assessing and using Sources, Documenting Sources). Chs 21-22 are
reference chapters and students are responsible for understanding and putting into practice
the principles therein.

Mon 1/30: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 10 and reading; general discussion of sources;

Introduction to OWL website; documentation exercise. Planning your writing
Assignments : Read 3-5 essays from one of the clusters in the reader section of EA that
are/contain definition arguments

Wed 2/1: In-class: Discussion of assigned readings on evaluation arguments. Thesis

statement checkpoint. Sign up for teacher conferences. Study habits self- evaluation due.
Assignments : Work on first draft of Essay 1

Fri 2/3: Library Tour day; First draft of essay #1 due today.
Assignments : Read handout on MLA format and how to cite and create a works cited page;
Read EA Chs 18-20. Chs 18-20 are reference chapters and students are responsible for
understanding and putting into practice the principles therein.

Mon 2/6: In-class: Peer reviews. Teacher conferences

Assignment: Continue working on draft

Wed 2/8: In-class: Fallacies website

Assignments : Work on essay #1 peer review revision suggestions

Fri 2/10: In-class: Grammar, format, mechanics, evidence, fallacies, and plagiarism
discussion Teacher conference
Assignments : Continue work on essay # 1

Mon 2/13: In-class: Final draft of Essay #1 due.

Assignments : Read EA Ch 15; bring Visual Exercises CD to class Monday

Wed 2/15: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 15; work in Visual Exercises application in class;
Progress and Grade evaluation assigned
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Research image(s) to use for Visual
Rhetoric Essay #2 and bring some to class

Fri 2/17: In-class: Small group discussions of images and analysis of arguments in images
Assignments : Examine images in United Benetton ads
(http://www.benetton.com/html/whatwesay/campaigns/photogallery.shtml) and
Adbusters.org (http://adbusters.org/home/) website and note various arguments

Mon 2/20: In-class: Discuss United Benetton and Adbusters.org images

Assignments : Decide on image(s) for your essay #2 and bring to class on Monday [If you are
linking to the image elsewhere on the Internet, BE SURE TO NOTE EXACT SOURCE OF
IMAGE and OBTAIN PERMISSION TO LINK TO IT IF IT IS NOT ON A PUBLIC SITE;
see EA p 408-409]

Wed 2/22: In-class: Small group work on possibilities for visual rhetoric project
Assignments: Record an observation in your LRO; Work on format and media decisions for
visual project

Fri 2/24: In-class: Formulate initial ideas for visual rhetoric project
Assignments : Start sketching main visual project components and argument analysis

Mon 2/27: In-class: Discuss progress and grade evaluations; read student examples of the
same
Assignments : Continue work on visual project

Wed 3/1: In-class: See and discuss other student examples of visual rhetoric projects
Assignments : Complete first draft of Visual argument project due Mon 3/13; bring hard
copy of first draft to class on 3/13

Fri 3/3: In-class: Progress and grade evaluations due. In-class writing
Assignments : Work on revision of visual argument analysis paper
Week 3/6- 3/11; Spring Break

Mon 3/13: In-class: First draft of Visual argument due; peer reviews; Teacher-student
conferences on visual argument essay
Assignments : Complete final draft of Visual argument essay

Wed 3/15: In-class: Teacher conference

Assignments : Read EA Ch 16; find newsgroup on topics of personal interest

Fri 3/17: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 16 on Arguments in Electronic Environments and

assigned online readings
Assignments : Readings

Mon 3/20: In-class: Final draft of Visual argument due; continued discussion of online
readings
Assignments : Read EA Ch 11 and “$50,000 Offered to Tall, Smart Egg Donor” (649) and
“Hospice, Not Hemlock” (660)

Thu: Last day to drop with a WP or WF

Wed 3/22: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 11 and readings; Discuss Paper #3 project

(Causal or Proposal Essay due Nov 24)
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; start thinking about your final paper
topic

Fri 3/24: In-class: Plagiarism exercise

Assignments : Continue work on plagiarism exercise

Mon 3/27: In-class: Plagiarism exercise continued

Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 12 and 3-5 essays from
clusters in the reader section of EA

Wed 3/29: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 12 and assigned readings

Assignments : Choose possible topics for Causal/Proposal argument for Paper #3

Fri 3/31: In-class: Continued discussion of EA Ch 12 and assigned readings; small group
discussions of paper topics
Assignments : Refine paper topic and begin work on first draft

Mon 4/3: In-class: Thesis statement checkpoint; Teacher conference on paper topics
Assignments : Work on first draft of essay #3 due Friday 4/7

Wed 4/5: In-class: Rhetorical tropes exercise

Assignments : Continue working on first draft; bring hard copy of first draft to class on Fri
4/7

Fri 4/7: In-class: First draft of essay #3 due in class; Peer reviews of first draft of essay #3
Assignments : Continue working on essay #3 using peer feedback

Mon 4/10: In-class: Grammar workshop. Progress and Grade evaluation essays assigned
Assignments : Continue working on essay #3; Read EA Ch 14

Wed 4/12: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 14; discussion of revision techniques and elevating
style; In-class writing on essay #3
Assignments : Continue work on essay #3

Fri 4/14: In-class: Second draft of Essay #3 due

Assignments : Prepare for conference with instructor

Mon 4/17: In-class: Conference with instructor

Assignments : Work on revisions of 2nd draft of essay #3

Wed 4/19: In-class: Conference with instructor

Assignments : Complete final draft of essay #3 in LRO for 11/24

Fri 4/21: In-class: Final draft of essay #3 due in class; student evaluations

Mon 4/24: Portfolio due