University of Colorado at BoulderProgram for Writing and Rhetoric

WRTG 1150-058: First-Year Writing and RhetoricSpring 2010

Instructor: Dr. David J. RothmanLocation: ECCR 137 (Engineering Center Classroom Wing)Times: M, W: 4:30 – 5:45

Office: ENVD 1B50H [Basement of the Environmental Design Building]Office Hours: Tuesday, 9:30-12:30, and by appointmentPhone: 303-735-4665Email: david.rothman@colarado.edu

WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES OF THIS COURSE?The mission of the Program in Writing and Rhetoric is to help students develop critical thinking and writing skills to prepare them for academic work, professional responsibilities, and active citizenry. Teachers in the program help students to become critical thinkers by teaching them how to understand and respond to arguments in a sophisticated and rational way.

First-year writing courses such as 1150 introduce students to college writing. In this course, we focus on critical analysis, argument, inquiry, and information literacy. You will study and practice a number of different kinds of writing, culminating in a research project of your own devising. This final project will grow out of some of the wide-ranging material presented in the course. This course therefore has the dual purpose of helping you to become a stronger writer at the same time as you study a distinct body of knowledge that should be of some interest to you and to potential readers.

The objectives of the course are:

1) To help you to write with fluency. This is a workshop course, so there is a great deal of formal and informal writing, with multiple drafts of each assignment. The notion is that through all these kinds of writing, editing and revision (multiple drafts of essays, workshops, journal writing, informal writing in class and more), you will learn to critique your own work and that of others. You will also learn to use a wide variety of technologies (everything from pencils to powerful websites and large research libraries, and even conversations with other human beings in real time/space) to evaluate sources for accuracy, relevance, credibility, reliability and bias.

2) To help you to acquire rhetorical sensitivity and therefore to make well-informed choices as you adapt your writing to the needs of your readers, to a specific context and situation, and for a particular purpose. There are many different kinds of writing assignments in this course, from a familiar essay to a final, formal research paper. Throughout, the goal is to use voice, tone, format and structure appropriately for each type of essay, so that your writing succeeds in the context and for the community it is supposed to address.

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3) To help you to become a proficient reader, approaching texts with a writer’s awareness of craft and a critic’s ability to interpret and respond to a text’s meaning and effects. Throughout, the goal is to deepen your ability to think critically and to learn how to make choices that grow out of open-minded questioning and reasoning. Another way to think about this is to realize that all critical thinking such as that you must perform in this class requires an understanding of how arguments work, for, as the title of one of our texts in this class puts it, “Everything’s an argument.”

4) To help you to learn how to plan, conduct, and evaluate research. Through class discussion, use of the library, the completion of the RIOT tutorial and multiple revisions leading to a research paper, you will become more familiar with the processes and protocols of research as it is conducted in college and beyond.

5) To help you to understand and apply conventions of standard linguistic usage, including correct spelling, syntax, punctuation and contextually appropriate diction. One purpose of this course is to deepen your understanding of writing conventions such as grammar, syntax, diction and spelling. Mechanics of standard usage go beyond this, however, to include understanding the appropriate formats for different writing tasks, acquiring a more sophisticated understanding of genre conventions, learning the appropriate use of documentation and how to manage the conventions of essay organization, from paragraphing to the use of headers and other elements.

To sum much of this up: this is a course in writing, which means we study both skill and knowledge. The skills we practice will include reading, various kinds of criticism, and especially revision, for most of writing is re-writing. The knowledge we will consider: part of it is knowledge about writing, meaning everything from the parts of speech to modes of argumentation. At the same time, we will also be reading a wide range of serious essays and articles from many fields, a sampling of sophisticated contemporary thinking about the worlds of business, politics, science, technology, foreign affairs, culture and the arts and responding to these works. In the end, you will have a good deal of choice in deciding which of these subjects you wish to pursue for your research project.

In order to help you to think critically about writing and the subjects that we study in this class, we will spend a good deal of time reading and discussing your drafts in workshops. The reason we do this is that each of us can only learn to express his or her own ideas insofar as we enter into lengthy and often intense conversations with others. This is a crucial part of learning how to write, as it helps you to understand who your audience is and how to communicate with it at the same time as you also learn how to be a contributing member of that audience yourself. In our workshops, you will work in small groups and critique each other’s writing for appropriate use of writing conventions, awareness of audience, rhetorical strategies, organization, use of supporting evidence and more.

As this is a course in the undergraduate college of a university, we will spend much of our time reading, responding to, and imitating the formal genres of writing that are most appropriate in an academic environment (e.g., close reading, forms of analytical inquiry, the construction of formal arguments, the appropriate uses of evidence, the research paper), but we will also at times

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consider kinds of writing and argumentation that occur more broadly in society, such as the familiar essay and personal narrative.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED TEXTS FOR THIS COURSE?Please buy all of these publications as soon as possible. All the books are available at the CU Bookstore. The journals (The American Scholar, The Atlantic Monthly, Foreign Affairs and Scientific American), are available in a wide range of local bookstores, but I have set up a relationship with Eads News (NW corner of 28th and Canyon; 303-442-5900) and they have some on hand. If you cannot find the journals there, try the Boulder Bookstore (on the Pearl Street Mall), Barnes & Noble, Borders, or online from each magazine’s website.

The American Heritage Dictionary. 4th Edition. New York, NY: Dell Publishers, 2001.The American Scholar. Winter 2010.The Atlantic Monthly. January/February 2010.Scientific American. January 2010.Ellis, Erik and Lonni Pearce, eds. Knowing Words: A Guide to First-Year Writing and

Rhetoric. Sixth Edition. Boulder CO: Program for Writing and Rhetoric, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2009.

Foreign Affairs January/February 2010.Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. Seventh Edition. New

York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2009.Lunsford, Andrea A. and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Everything’s an Argument. Boston:

Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. [Please buy the edition without readings. ]Rogers, James. The Dictionary of Clichés. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 1986.Additional materials: texts from Electronic Reserves, CUlearn, and class handouts.

You MUST by hardcopy of ALL the books on this list. You are responsible for acquiring these materials by the end of the first week of class. Always bring a copy of the reading materials to class on days that we will be discussing them.

These books and other writings are a combination of various kinds of materials. Some, such as the dictionary and the MLA Handbook, are reference materials. Everything’s an Argument and Knowing Words are books about rhetoric and writing, which are the focus of the class. The magazines, handouts and reserve materials are points of departure for your exercises and our discussions.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR THIS CLASS?A class notebookA bound notebook for use as a journalCopies of your work as needed for class and group discussions

WHAT ARE THE GENERAL POLICIES OF HIS CLASS?Practice civility. Students and faculty share responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment both in and out of the classroom.

Students are responsible for arriving on time, treating classmates and the professor in a respectful manner, and participating in an appropriate way in all activities at all times.

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In addition, there are several ground rules in my classroom:

You must bring your books to class. My class is not story hour. If I see you have come to class without the book or texts we are currently reading, I may ask you to leave.

I also strongly encourage you to take notes in class. I do not hand out review sheets – it is your responsibility to read the material, come to class prepared, and take notes. That is part of a good strategy for succeeding in this class.

Cell phones and all other electronic devices, including computers, are to be turned off during class. If you violate this policy I may ask you to leave the class.

You may bring a beverage to class, but no food.

No wearing of hats or sunglasses in the classroom, please.

You are in college now. Therefore, as a mark of respect, we will address each other by surname, not first name. I am either Dr. Rothman or Professor Rothman; in class I will address the men as Mr., and the woman as either Ms., Miss, or Mrs., each according to her preference (please tell the class yours). In class, I expect all of you to follow this protocol with each other as well.

Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to all differences, whether of background or of opinion. See university policies at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code.

Students who fail to observe any of the policies, expectations, responsibilities or behavioral standards on this syllabus will be asked to leave and may be dropped from the class.Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion, and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which students express themselves. Students have the responsibility to take these expectations seriously and to do their best to follow them.

Work Hard. This is a complicated and difficult course. Because writing is both a skill and a form of knowledge, it is impossible to “cram” for this course. Learning to write is much like learning to play an instrument or succeed in a sport – you have to practice every day, set reasonable goals, participate to the best of your ability in the conversation, and be patient. That is the only path to success.

Follow the Honor Code. All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy include cheating, plagiarism, collusion, academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior of any kind.  I will report all incidents of academic misconduct to the Honor Code Council. Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to failing

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the assignment, failing this class, university probation, suspension, or expulsion). Additional information may be found at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode.

Remember that 90% of success in life comes from just showing up: This is a class in which there is a great deal of classroom discussion and many workshops. It requires participation and engagement for you to learn. I will therefore take attendance daily, which is the policy of all classes offered in the Libby RAP.

You may be absent from one week of classes for personal or medical reasons during the semester without your grade being affected by the absences. Any absences beyond this will affect your grade by one-grade increments per absence; for instance, an A- grade will automatically become a B+, a B grade will automatically become a B-, and so forth. In cases of hospitalization or a death in the family, contact your instructor immediately to discuss options. When you miss classes you are still responsible for all the work that you have missed.

Late arrivals: if you miss more than the first 15 minutes of class you will be considered absent.

I will not notify you about how many classes you have missed; it is your responsibility to know the score. Required out-of-class conferences and activities are considered class periods in terms of attendance. If your three absences fall within the drop/add period, you will be dropped from the course in order to make space for other students.

If you must miss class, I encourage you to contact me before the missed class by telling me during class, emailing me, or calling my office during office hours. Contact me well in advance so that I can tell you what you will be missing. If you cannot contact me, talk with a classmate so that you can get the notes and assignments for the next class. You are responsible for finding out about and making up any missed assignments, including in-class writing.

It is a good idea to have the contact information of at least two classmates. If you have to miss class, these people will be your lifeline. Try to choose classmates who you believe are responsible members of the classroom community. In case of long-term illness and other extenuating circumstances, I may make exceptions, although I can’t do that if I don’t know about it. Please contact me as soon as you can if such a situation arises.

WHAT ARE THE ASSIGNMENTS IN THIS CLASS AND HOW DOES THE GRADING WORK?Grades were invented by a tutor named William Farish, in 1792, at Cambridge University in England. Sappho, Plato, Moses, Aristotle, Aquinas, Michelangelo, Galileo, Newton, Cervantes, Joan of Arc, Shakespeare, Thomas Jefferson, Jane Austen and many others managed to achieve great things without the benefit of grades. That said, grades can be useful if carefully thought out – but it is important to remember what they are and what they are not. A grade is not a final judgment of who you are as a person. It is your essay that receives the grade – not you. This may seem simple but is in fact a profound distinction and worth keeping in mind at all times.

More broadly, a grade is not a final judgment of anything. As the term implies, “grade” – meaning “step,” or a stage which one passes through (like “7th grade”), is a stage on a way to somewhere else. That other place is more learning, broadly conceived. A grade, therefore,

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should be understood as something that is part of your learning – a tool of learning – not something separate from it. My job in grading is to be honest, fair, and consistent with you about where your work stands; your job is to use every grade as a learning tool, one part of a larger process of evaluation from which you can gain knowledge. If you approach grading in an adversarial way, more concerned about the grade itself than about what you might learn from it, it is important to remember what you may gain from that interaction (at best a slightly improved grade) – and also what you may lose (potentially the opportunity to learn more from the evaluation process). The choice is yours.

With all that under our belts: this is a class in writing. Your grade will rest on your performance on the papers that you write. There may be occasional quizzes. This is no mid-term exam and no final.

The grading breaks down as follows:

Formal AssignmentsAll formal assignments must be typed, double-spaced, in MLA format. Please use Times New Roman 12-pt. font and 1” margins. Grade percentages apply to final grades for each assignment, not drafts, which must all be completed to pass the class but do not count towards your final grade. Remember that final grades can actually be lower than draft grades, but there are also opportunities for revision (described below).

Each assignment in the course builds on all the previous ones.

The Definitional Essay is an expressive piece in which you attempt (which is the root meaning of the word “essay”) to describe something as Sir Francis Bacon might if he were alive today. Its argument is less an attempt to convince through rigorous logic than it is an attempt to explore meanings and perceptions through well-crafted sentences and paragraphs. This assignment gives you an opportunity to exercise compositional muscles in a creative way, making arguments that should compel and even convince, but do not to prove anything in a thorough manner.

The Summary is a rigorous, accurate, objective, brief synopsis of an essay from one of the journals we will be reading. Its goal is to describe as clearly as possible what someone else has written on a serious topic, focusing on content but also including the logic of argumentation, tone, style, audience, and approach.

The Rhetorical Analysis essay is a more synthetic piece that requires you to evaluate the rhetorical strategies of a major article from one of the journals we are reading. While not an annotated piece of research, this assignment requires you not only to summarize the content of the article, but also to analyze the rhetorical strategies that the author uses to create his or her argument.

The Research Proposal, Annotated Bibliography for the Research Paper and The Research Paper constitute a progression in which you propose a project for research somehow related to our journal readings in the class. You will propose and I will approve your topic well in advance. Your goal will then be to pursue research that leads you to a deeper understanding of

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your subject, utilizing the library and a wide range of media and technology. Your final draft should be a carefully argued, supported and annotated essay.

All essays will go through multiple drafts, be discussed in workshops in class, and receive comments from me and from your peers.

Each assignment will be further described in handouts and discussed as the course progresses.

Definitional Essay (up to 500 wds.) 10%Summary (up to 500 wds.) 15%Rhetorical Analysis (up to 750 words) 15%

Research Paper Proposal (up to 750 wds.) 15%Annotated Bibliography for Research Paper (up to 1,250 wds.) 15%Research Paper (10-12 pages, not including bibliography) 25%[Quizzes – discussed below] 5%

As you can see, the course moves from shorter works to longer, more complex ones, building a scaffolding for your writing and thinking. The combined work on your Research Paper (the proposal, annotated bibliography, and paper itself) will make up about half of your grade, and take up much of the second half of the class.

Informal AssignmentsQuizzes: 5%Diagnostic: NO GRADE, but must be completed to pass the course.Free Writing: NO GRADE, but must be completed to pass the course.Reading Journal: NO GRADE, but must be completed to pass the course.Workshop responses: NO GRADE, but must be completed to pass the course.

The Diagnostic is an ungraded in-class writing designed simply to give me an idea of how you write at the beginning of the class.

Free Writing assignments are ungraded exercises that we will conduct in class to generate ideas and practice writing spontaneously. This is a good skill to have for other classes and for life after school.

Your Reading Journal is a hand-written journal that you will keep in a bound notebook, in which you will practice writing by responding to anything you are reading, whether in this class, another class, or on your own (including journalism, textbooks, novels, poetry, magazines, text-based websites, or any other written material you may encounter and find intriguing). You are required to make at least three entries per week in this journal, each of which should take at least fifteen minutes to compose. I will collect these journals twice during the course of the semester (as indicated on the syllabus). Don’t fall behind on your journal! It is an assignment that is difficult to do at the last moment. Such cramming is usually obvious and also defeats the entire purpose, which is to write regularly in an informal way. Please remember that this journal is not the same thing as a diary. It is not formal work but every entry should involve

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response to something you have read, not only to direct experience (although that may of course enter into what you write about!).

Workshop Responses will be detailed responses to writing by other members of the class. We will discuss these in greater depth as the semester goes on. Workshops are a powerful tool for helping you to develop strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing and proofreading your work.

Quizzes are…quizzes. Most will be on the reading, to keep you on your toes.

You must complete ALL assignments, formal and informal, to pass the class – no exceptions. If you have any questions, please ask before you take (or do not take) action.

Revisions. Most writing is rewriting, and I encourage you to revise your work frequently. In order to encourage the process of revision, I will accept one revision of any two formal assignments you choose (other than the final research essay) over the course of the semester. You can hand these in at any time in the course of the semester, with two exceptions: you can only give me one at a time; and I will not accept revisions during the final week of class (as I will be reading your long essays then). You will then be given the option to take the highest grade on the assignment, whether it is the first grade or the revision grade.

How to think about informal assignments. While most informal assignments are ungraded, your diligence and approach will be taken into account in determining your final grade. The kind of question I will be asking as I read these materials is: “Has this student used these informal assignments as tools for learning, or as mere tasks to be completed as quickly as possible…?”

Handing in work late. All homework assignments, formal and informal, are due at the beginning of the class period. Any work handed in after that time, including assignments handed in after the beginning of class, will be considered late. If you cannot hand in work on time, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss the situation. In fairness to your fellow students who have handed in work on time, late work will be docked one-third of a grade per day late, and that includes work handed in after the beginning of class. Work that is more than two class sessions late will automatically receive a failing grade. Electronic submissions do not qualify for turning in an assignment; it must be done in person.

Gentle advice. Do not wait until the last minute to type your essay. Save and back up your work constantly. Computers are willful and often appear to have minds of their own. They may decide to eat your entire essay for no apparent reason. This goes for printers as well. Give yourself adequate time to recoup in case this happens by finishing and printing your assignments well before class. I do not give extensions for computer or printer malfunctions. Also, be sure to keep a copy of each assignment in the (rare) event that I lose it. If you do not have a copy, you will have to rewrite the lost assignment.

Discussions about grades. If you have concerns about your grade, I encourage you to come see me. Remember, however, that this does not mean your grade will change. The real goal is to discuss your thinking and your writing. Among other things, discussing your work allows us to

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explore why you received the grade that you did. The most important thing about this process to keep in mind is that I am always interested in discussing your writing with you.

And yet… …extenuating circumstances do arise. If you face something not discussed here, please let me know and we will try to work through it.

ARE THERE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THIS COURSE?You have several options if you are feeling overwhelmed by any assignments in this class. You can always come to see me in my office during regular office hours or by appointment. Do not wait until the days immediately before the essay is due. Office time then becomes far more limited because of the number of people who want guidance on their papers. The sooner you come see me, the more guidance I can give you on your work. My office hours are for you and I enjoy working with students individually – please come.

Further, there are many resources available to you, utilizing a wide range of technologies, from great websites, to the CU library, to real, live human beings.

The Writing Center. Another excellent resource for assistance is the Writing Center, which is located in Norlin Library, Room E-111. Every Writing Center consultant (I am one of them) has experience teaching writing at the college-level and working one-on-one with students to help each of you improve your writing based on your goals and needs.

You can schedule one-hour consultations by going to Writing Center website at www.colorado.edu/pwr/writingcenter.html and following the links. You must register for a free account in order to make an appointment and appointments must be made in advance. I highly recommend making your appointment well in advance of when your draft is due to insure that you get an appointment and to give yourself ample time to revise after your appointment.

Remember that you can go to the Writing Center at every stage of the writing process. Even if you haven’t started writing yet, but you have some ideas, Writing Center consultants can help you to create a plan for putting those ideas down on paper. When you go to the Writing Center, go prepared. Always bring your assignment sheet, any class handouts, any peer or teacher feedback on your drafts, and any other related materials. The more context you give the consultant, the more appropriate assistance you are likely to receive.

Writing Center hours of operation Mon-Thurs: 10am-7pm Fri : 10am-1pm Sun: 4pm-7pm

Library Resources. The website for the information literacy component of First-Year Writing and Rhetoric is http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/pwr/. Through this page, you can access RIOT, the online research tutorial and accompanying quizzes that you are responsible for completing. You must complete this tutorial prior to our meeting in the library for the information literacy session, which is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, February 8.

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You will not be able to access CU library resources remotely (with your personal computer or off-campus) unless you link it to the CU network. In order to do so, go to http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/research/remote.htm and follow the directions.

Helpful Websites. In addition to reference works available in the library and your own books, there are many websites that are of tremendous usefulness when you have relatively straightforward grammatical and stylistic questions. One that I recommend is the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL), at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/.

IS THERE MORE INFORMATION I NEED TO KNOW?Students with disabilities. If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit a formal letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner so that your needs may be addressed.  Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities. The office is in Willard 322. You can contact them at 303-492-8671, or at: www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices. While I am willing to make reasonable accommodation for most disabilities, you must attend class, participate in workshops, and hand in work on time in order to pass this course. If your disability makes it impossible for you to participate in this way, you cannot enroll in this course and must find a substitute.

Religious observances. Campus policy requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance.  In this class, it is your obligation to inform me in writing if you will be missing class at least one week prior to the date you will be unable to attend. See policy details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.

Discrimination and sexual harassment. The University of Colorado policy on Sexual Harassment and the University of Colorado policy on Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Any student, staff member, or faculty member who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. For information and campus resources see www.colorado.edu/odh.

SYLLABUSWhen an assignment is due on a given date, it is due at the beginning of class. If you arrive at class late on the day an assignment is due, the assignment will be considered to be late by one day.

A syllabus is like a budget – it often needs tweaking. This syllabus is provisional, and as the semester goes on I may change it as the need arises. It is your responsibility to be present in class or to learn about the revisions that were made out in your absence.

Date: In class today: Due today at the beginning of class:

M, Jan. 11 Introduction: “Useful Definitions.”Two essays by Bacon.

You.

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W, Jan. 13 Syllabus review.Discuss readings.A few more ancient essays.Diagnostic Essay (no grade).

Purchase textbooks.Read Syllabus.Read Knowing Words, Chaps. 1 and 2,

Appendices A and B.

M, Jan. 18 No class – MLK Jr. Holiday But…keep reading…

W, Jan. 20 Discuss readings.Question: “What is a cliché?”Discuss the Definitional Essay.Freewriting (20 mins.): Definitions.

Read Knowing Words, Chaps. 3 and 4.Read Essay Handouts/Reserves.

***

M, Jan. 25 Discuss readings.Question: “What are arguments and

why do they matter?”Workshop/Master Class:

Definitional Essay, rough draft.

Read Knowing Words, Chap. 5.Read Everything’s an Argument,

Preface, Chap. 1, “Not Just Words,” “Purposes of Argument,” Occasions for Argument.”

Definitional Essay, Workshop Draft Due.

W, Jan. 27 Discuss readings.Question: “What is revising?”Peer workshop on rough drafts of

Definitional Essay.Bring three copies of your essay

to class.

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 1, “Kinds of Argument.”

Definitional Essay, Rough Draft Due.

***

M, Feb. 1 Discuss Readings.Question: “What is the difference

between fact and definition?”

Read Atlantic Monthly articles:James Fallows, “How America

Can Rise Again.”Christopher Hitchens, “The

Catastrophist: The Haunting Science Fiction of J. G. Ballard.”

Work on RIOT Tutorials.

W, Feb. 3 Discuss Readings.Question: “What is a book review?”

Read American Scholar articles:Priscilla Long, “My Brain on My

Mind.”Gelareh Asayesh, “The Stolen

Election.”John Lukacs, “Seventy Years

Later.”

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Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 2, “Arguments from the Heart – Pathos.”

Definitional Essay, Final Draft Due.

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M, Feb. 8 MEET IN LIBRARY — Rm. E303. Information Literacy Orientation. (Websearching for critiques and solutions. Finding and using academic sources.)

Complete RIOT tutorials: both Modules and Quizzes 1-4.

W, Feb. 10 Discuss readings.Peer Workshop on Summaries.Bring three copies of your essay

to class.[Note: Alternative date for

library meeting.]

Read summaries (Xerox/Reserve).Read Scientific American articles:

Alejandro Jenkins and Gilad Perez, “Looking for Life in the Multiverse.”

Sarah Simpson, “Violent Origins of Continents.”

Summary, Rough Draft Due.

***

M, Feb. 15 Discuss readings. Read Foreign Affairs articles:Jack A. Goldstone, “The new

Population Bomb.”Jessica Stern, “Mind Over Martyr.”

W, Feb. 17 Discuss readings. Read Everything’s an Argument: Chap. 3, “Arguments Based on Character – Ethos.”

Read Foreign Affairs article:David G. Victor and Linda Yueh,

“The New Energy Order.”Summary, Final Draft Due.

***

M, Feb. 22 Discuss readings. Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 4, “Arguments Based on Facts and Reason – Logos,” Chap. 5, “Thinking Rhetorically.”

W, Feb. 24 Discuss readings.Question: “How do pathos, ethos

and logos manifest the articles we have read so far?”

Read The American Scholar article:John Olson, “Strange Matter.”

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M, Mar. 1 Peer Workshop on Rhetorical Analyses.

Bring three copies of your essay to class.

Rhetorical Analysis, Rough Draft Due.

W, Mar. 3 Discuss Journals.Question: “What are some of the

differences between formal and informal writing?”

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 9, “Evaluations.”

Reading Journal Due (minimum of 24 entries).

***

M, Mar. 8 Discuss readings. Rhetorical Analysis, Final Draft Due.

W, Mar. 10 Discuss readings. Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 11, “Proposals.”

Handout on Research Proposals.

***

M, Mar. 15 Peer Workshop on Research Proposals. Bring three copies of your essay to class.

Research Proposal, Rough Draft Due.

W, Mar. 17 Master Class on Research Proposals.

Question: “What distinguishes discussions of causation and evaluation?”

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 10, “Causal Arguments.”

M, Mar. 22 / W, Mar. 24No Classes – Spring Break

M, Mar. 29 Discuss reading. Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 6 “Structuring Arguments.”

Research Proposal, Final Draft Due.

W, Mar. 31 Discuss reading.Discuss research techniques.

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 16, “What Counts as Evidence.”

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M, Apr. 5 Peer Workshop on Annotated Bibliographies.

Bring three copies of your essay to class.

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 17, “Fallacies of Argument.”

Annotated Bibliography, Rough Draft Due.

W, Apr. 7 Readings.Discuss modes of documentation.Question: “What is academic

integrity and why does it matter?”

Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 18 “Intellectual Property, Academic Integrity, and Avoiding Plagiarism.”

***

M, Apr. 12 Discuss research techniques. Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 19, “Evaluating and Using Sources.”

Annotated Bibliography, Final Draft Due.

W, Apr. 14 Discuss research techniques Read Everything’s an Argument, Chap. 20, “Documenting Sources.”

***

M, Apr. 19 Peer Workshop on Research Essay.Bring three copies of your essay

to class.

Research Essay, Rough Draft Due.

W, Apr. 21 Review. Your questions.

***

M, Apr. 26 Second Peer Workshop on research essays.

Bring three copies of your essay to class.

Your research.Journals Due (minimum of 20 new

entries).

W, Apr. 28 Q&A and responses on Research Essays.

Class Review and Summary.

Research Essay, Final Draft Due.