Schedule of Studies

January

9
Introduction to Class
Wiki Orientation
Information Exchange
Urine Writing Samples Collected
Due: FirstResponse due before 9 AM, Thursday, January 11

Reading Assignments

Chapters 1 ("Recognizing Argument and Finding Issues"), 2 ("The Rhetorical Situation"), and 5 ("The Toulmin Method of Argument") in Essentials of Argument (3-41; 93-119).
Gorgias' "Encomium to Helen." If you're unfamiliar with the Trojan War or the figure of Helen in greek mythology, you might want to read up on it or at least see a crap movie about it.
Excerpts from Plato's Gorgias

11
Disciplining Rhetoric
Rhetorical Toolbox Opened
Enthymemes
Stasis Theory
Rhetorical Triangles
Artistic Appeals
Due: SecondResponse due before 9 AM, Monday, January 15
Reading Assignments:

Gore Vidal: Drugs
Theodore Dalyrymple: Don't Legalize Drugs

16

Rhetorical Toolbox II
Tools added
Due: ThirdResponse due before 9AM, Thursday, January 18

Reading Assignments:

Instructions for ProjectOne
Chapter 10 ("Creating Visual and Oral Arguments") in Essentials of Argument
Ruth Shalit: Return of the Hidden Persuaders part one and part two
Thomas Frank: Why Johnny Can't Dissent

18
Lost in the Supermarket
The Rhetoric of Advertising
Introduction to ProjectOne
Due: FourthResponse due before 9 AM, Tuesday, January 23
Reading Assignments

Chapter 4 ("Writing the Exploratory Paper") in Essentials of Argument

23
Workshopping Introductions
The Importance of Introductions
Exigence
Argumentative Strategies
Due: Rough draft of your execution of ProjectOne to your wiki page before class on Thursday

25
First Rough Draft Workshop
Due: FifthResponse before 9 AM on Tuesday, January 30.

Reading Assignment

The introduction and Part I (pgs. 1-136) of Everything Bad is Good for You

30
Introduction to Project Two
Rhetorical analysis of texts
Tropes and Figures
In-Class Rhetorical Workout

February

1
Zombies of Rhetoric
Discussion of past student examples
Discussion of present student group thesis submissions
Screening of Joe Dante's Homecoming

Rhetorical analysis continued
Reading Assignment

Chapter 7 ("The Types of Proof") in Essentials of Argument (138-160)

6
Zombies of Rhetoric II
Discussion of Homecoming Responses
Skeletal structure for ProjectTwo theses and supporting statements introduced
Reading Assignments:

Birth of a Nation: A Comic Novel

8
Birth of a Rhetorical Analysis
Discussion of Birth of a Nation
Skeletal structure revisited

13
Second Rough Draft Workshop
Rough Drafts of Project Two
How (Not) to Fuck up ProjectTwo
Sentence-Level Thunderdome
Mid-point class feedback
Due: Complete ResponseNine before 9 AM, Thursday, February 15

Reading Assignments

Instructions for ProjectThree (the definition project)
Chapter 6 ("The Types of Claims") in Essentials of Argument (120-137)
*Calvin Klein: A Case Study
*'Virtual Child Pornography' on the Internet: A Virtual Victim?
*Supreme Court Rules First Amendment Protects 'Virtual' Child Porn

15
The Question of Definitions
ProjectThree introduced
Types of Definitions
Debates over (Child) Pornography
Due: Writing Assignment
Complete ResponseTen before 9 AM, Tuesday, February 20
Reading Assignments

Chapter 8 ("Writing the Researched Position Paper") in Essentials of Argument (161-175)
James Dobson's Gay Marriage: Why Would it Affect Me?
Susan Thompson's Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace? Why We Need Queer Critiques of Gay Marriage
Scott Bidstrup Gay Marriage: The Arguments and the Motives

20

Defining Gay Marriage
Super Gay Marriage Trope Match Game
REMIX!: Gay Marriage: Why Would it Affect Me?/The Arguments and Reasons

22
Library Research Tutorial
Reading Assignment:

Chapter 3 ("Learning More About Issues") in Essentials of Argument (42-64)

27
First Ever 120 Public Debate Thunderdome
Defining and Debating Physician-Assisted Suicide

Reading Assignment:

Appendix 1 ("How to Document Sources") in Essentials of Argument (225-276)

March

1
Rough Draft Workshop III: Return of the Rough Draft Workshop
Due: ResponseEleven is due before 9 AM, Thursday, March 6
Reading Assignments:

Read over the instructions for ProjectFour and ProjectFive
Read Casey Carmikal's The Death Penalty: Morally Defensible?
Read the interview Witness to an Execution

6
Evaluation: Life and Death Issues
Evaluating the Death Penalty
Return of the In-Class Rhetorical Workout

8
Seeing Double: Perspectives on Cloning
Common Tools for Proposals
The Anti-Clonies

13/15

No Class: Spring Break

20
Return of the 1020 Public Debate Thunderdome

22
Fourth Rough Draft Workshop

27
Final 1020 Public Debate Thunderdome:
Evaluating Proposition 2
Return of the Wall of Shame

29

April

3

5

10
Cultures of Torture

12
Virtual Culture, Virtual Capitalism

17
Writing About Places

19
Final Class Meeting & Sixth Rough Draft Workshop
SRTEs Administered
Tearful Farewell :-(
Due: Rough drafts of ProjectSix due one your CourseRoster page by 9 AM, April 19