Syllabus
English 1020 is a course focused on training students in the practical aspects of academic writing, and on introducing them to the discipline of rhetoric, the centuries-old study of the arts of persuasion. As such, our class will take up these objectives on three levels: we will engage the critical and theoretical aspects of persuasion (the limits of and boundaries between fact and persuasion), the pragmatic process of composition (how to write compellingly and persuasively), and the mechanics of composing (grammar, sentence structure, arrangement, etc.). We will read an extensive list of texts stretching from the fourth century B.C.E. to contemporary times, and participants will produce numerous short written responses to these readings in addition to multiple drafts of larger compositions. The bulk of your final grades will be based on your execution of six projects, evenly divided between critical works (advertising, rhetorical, and cultural analyses) and work arranged around the traditional rhetorical stases (definition, evaluation, proposal). Five of these projects will be posted online to our course wiki and you are encouraged to take advantage of the possiblities of online publication (hyperlinks, image embeddment, etc.). Your final project will be composed on a separate online presence of your own design. All major projects (save the first one) may be composed by small groups if you wish to collaborate with your classmates.
Texts
(All books available at campus B & N bookstore; additional readings will be provided online or via e-mail or Blackboard)
Required: Everything Bad is Good for You
Required: Essentials of Argument
Required: Birth of a Nation
Assignments
In addition our major projects (listed below), you will also be evaluated based on your completion of short responses and drafting exercises that will be assigned on a just-in-time basis throughout the semester. Due dates for assignments can be found on the ScheDule page.
Credit breakdown for assignments is as follows:
ProjectOne (Ad Analysis): 10%
ProjectTwo (Rhetorical Analysis): 10%
ProjectThree (Definition): 15%
ProjectFour (Evaluation): 15%
ProjectFive (Proposal): 15%
ProjectSix (Cultural Analysis Website): 20%
Participation / Short Writings: 15%
Attendance
As this is a discussion and workshop-driven class, attendance of all participants is particularly important. In accordance with English department attendance policies, enrolled students in this class must attend one of the first two class sessions; otherwise, they may be required to drop the class. Afterwards, you are allowed two unexcused absences; subsequent absences will result in a reduction of your final grade by 5% for each unexcused absence. You are also encouraged to make use of office hours either by appearing in my office in person or chatting online via the "virtual classroom" option on Blackboard.
Academic Dishonesty
According to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences policy on plagiarism, instructors are required to report all instances of academic dishonesty and the responsibility to notify the student of alleged violations and the action being taken. Both the student and the instructor are entitled to due process in all such cases. Acts of dishonest may lead to failure in a given course, suspension, or exclusion.
The above is plagiarized from the Wayne State Policy on Academic Dishonesty; for more about the definition of plagiarism, consult your local library.