Rhetoric 1302 – 030

Fall 2005

D. L. Ward
University of Texas at Dallas
School of Arts & Humanities

*DAYS/TIME: TR 2:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

*LOCATION: JO 4.306

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

*Office: JO 4.118

*Office Hours: Thursdays 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. and by appointment

*Phone: 972-883-2018 (use only during office hours)

*Email: desiree.ward@student.utdallas.edu

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

Contains links to course syllabus, reference and research resources, LRO, and Lingua Moo

Learning Record Online (LRO): http://lro.cwrl.utexas.edu

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. This course utilizes computer technology extensively.

Learning Record Online

Student work will be collected in an electronic portfolio called the “Learning Record Online”
(LRO) throughout the semester. Use of online technology will enhance the level of feedback you
receive, as well as give you experience in the kinds of collaborative work that many
organizations use routinely. Online interaction and argumentative writing will comprise a large
part of the evaluation in the course. Other assignments will include interviews, observations, and
notes, all of which will be entered into your LRO. The LRO portfolio is your most important
argument in the course as it shows the sum evidence of your learning, including your own
observations and analysis of your learning. You will belong to a “work group” for various
collaborative activities (i.e., discussion of readings, peer critiques), and you will participate in
mid-term and semester-end moderation readings of your LRO portfolio for feedback from your
peers. Because learning to read critically and write responsively entails mastery of a process,
your work will undergo extensive revisions in response to peer readings and collaboration as
well as conferencing with your instructor.

Required Texts & Supplies

Everything’s an Argument by Andrea Lunsford, John Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters, 3rd ed.
Quick Access Reference for Writers by Lynn Troyka, 4th ed.

Also bring a 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 insure compatibility
between the word processing program you use and the one in your classroom.

Note: The following is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.

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. 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. Each unexcused absence after three lowers your final grade by
one letter. Six or more absences may result in failure of this course. Two tardies will count as
one absence. Chronic tardiness is unacceptable, 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.

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 rather than the
office phone.

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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/

Due to virus threats, emails sent with attachments will not be opened.

Writing Lab

The UTD Writing Lab is a valuable resource for UTD students who want to improve their
writing. You may, for example, work on: finding a topic for a paper, organizing ideas and
clarifying your thoughts, drafting and revising your paper, and/or eliminating problems with
grammar, punctuation, and English usage.
For more information, go to http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/lrcwrit.html

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational

opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in
room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 AM to 6:30
PM, Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 AM to 7:30 PM, and Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM.

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments
necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. It is the student’s
responsibility to notify his or her professors. Disability Services provides students with
letters to present to faculty members verifying that the student has a disability and needs
accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor
after class or during office hours. Disability Services: 972-883-2098 (voice or TTY).

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 work will be collected in an
electronic portfolio called the Learning Record Online (LRO). 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 and your three major essays, as well as completion of each
component of your LRO. In the final step to completing your LRO, you will argue for your

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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 LRO 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, technolo gy, 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. Keep in mind that although we do give + and – grades at UTD,
the general criteria for grading your Learning Record is still based on the A-F scale.

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 wo rk 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

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Guidelines for Determining Grades

Because of the nature of this course, your grades will be a reflection of your development. At
the same time, completion of assignments by their due dates, good attendance, and
participation can be factored into your final assessment as positively affecting your grade.

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

All assignments must be typed in 12pt. Arial or Times New Roman font, double spaced, and
fastened with a staple, paper clip, or binder clip. You must turn in paper copies to the instructor
on the due date and also submit electronic copies to the LRO. In addition to Major Assignments,
students will be responsible for completing several assignments listed on the syllabus.

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). Essay should be 4-5 double-spaced pages
using MLA format for Works Cited.
First draft due: September 20
Final draft due: September 27

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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. This
essay may be created and archived in Lingua MOO or the WWW, or it may be a traditional
Word document that simply displays the image(s) in the body of your essay. Your image may
come from the visuals in Everything’s an Argument, other publications, Internet, or other media.
This project should be 5-6 double-spaced pages and should cite all sources using MLA format
for online sources.
First draft due: October 13
Final draft due: October 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). This essay should be 6-7 double-spaced
pages and should use MLA format for all works cited.
First draft due: November 8
Final draft due: November 17

Learning Record Online: This is an online resource for managing and documenting the work
and learning you do in this class. Various assignments will be due throughout the semester, and
all observations, drafts, and essays must be included in the LRO on the date due. In addition to
observations assigned as homework, in-class daily observations will be entered into the LRO.
Parts A.1 and A.2 are due: September 1
Parts B.1 and C.1 are due: October 6
Parts B.2 and C.2 are due: November 22

Final Portfolio: A collection of all drafts of essays, peer reviews, and LRO observations and
assignments. The portfolio will be considered part of the argument for your grade in LRO Part
C.2. You may wish to single out observations that most strongly reflect your development. The
portfolio should be bound in a folder or binder.
Portfolio due: November 22

Remember: all drafts and final drafts must be recorded online in your LRO and turned in
to me in hard copy (using MLA format and citation and including a Works Cited page) on
the dates they are due. I will not accept email attachments.

Syllabus Itinerary (subject to change)

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

Thu 8/18: In-class: Intro to course and Rhetoric program website; Register for QA e-book online
and do diagnostic; sample essays written in class
Assignments : Read EA Ch 1 and QA Chs 1-4; Send email to me by Tuesday, 8/23

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Tue 8/23: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 1 and QA Chs 1-4; Demo of QA electronic resources
Assignments : Read Chs 2-3 in EA; Read Martin Luther King, Jr, Letter from a Birmingham Jail;
Record an observation for your LRO

Thu 8/25: In-class: Intro to LRO; Discussion of EA Chs 2-3 and King Jr.’s letter
Assignments: Read EA Chs 4-5 and from EA Arguments: Ellen Goodman, The Culture of Thin
Bites Fiji (477); Angela Neustatter, Why Shouldn’t the Epidermally Challenged Get
Help?/Louisa Young, Men Should Have Better Things to Do (483); and look at Selling Men’s
Underwear across the Decades (490); bring a magazine to class on 8/31 (see Response #2 on p
76); Complete LRO parts A.1 and A.2 by 9/1

Tue 8/30: In-class: Discuss EA Chs 4-5 and Neustatter/Young, Goodman, and Selling Men’s…;
Small group rhetorical analysis of emotional and values appeals in magazine ads
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Chs 6-7

Thu 9/1: In-class: DUE: LRO parts A.1 and A.2; Discuss EA Chs 6-7
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 8 and from EA Arguments:
Alan M. Dershowitz, Why Fear National ID Cards? (556)

Tue 9/6: In-class: Discuss EA Ch 8; Class Toulmin analysis of Dershowitz

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 9 and from EA Arguments:
Michael Kazin, A Patriotic Left (846) and William J. Bennett, A Nation Worth Defending (854)
Essay #1 assigned (Definition/Evalua tion Argument)

Thu 9/8: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 9, Kazin and Bennett

Assignments : Read EA Chs 21-22 and QA Chs 22-26 (Assessing and using Sources,
Documenting Sources) [Note: EA Chs 21-22 and QA Chs 22-26 should be used as reference
chapters. While we will not discuss extensively in class, you are responsible for understanding
and putting into practice the principles therein] ; Complete the virtual library tours online at
http://www.utdallas.edu/library/virtualtour/welcomepage.htm and
http://www.utdallas.edu/library/searchcatalog/Introsearching.htm ; Complete handout

Tue 9/13: In-class: Handout due ; Library Tour; Documenting and Evaluating Electronic
resources; Grammar, format, mechanics, evidence, and plagiarism discussion (bring QA
Handbook)
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Chs 10 and 19 and from EA
Arguments: John Le vesque, Sitcom Dads Rarely Know Best (506); Amy Tan, Mother Tongue
(712); Other reading TBA

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Thu 9/15: In-class: Discussion of EA Chs 10 and Levesque, Tan, and reading; Continued
discussion of grammar and plagiarism; QA Research Navigator; Class discussion of LRO parts
B.1 and C.1 (bring QA Handbook)
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read QA Ch 27a and section on MLA format
and how to cite and create a works cited page (Chs 28-30); read student samples of LRO Parts
B.1 (Analysis) and C.1 (Evaluation) in LRO website; Read EA Chs 18-20 [Note: EA Chs 18-20
are reference chapters. We will not discuss in class, but you are responsible for understanding
and putting into practice the principles therein] ; Work on draft of essay #1, due 9/20

Tue 9/20: In-class: First draft of essay #1 due today. Peer reviews in class; Exercises from QA
Handbook
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read QA Ch 27b; Work on essay #1 peer
review revision suggestions

Thu 9/22: In-class: Teacher conference and in-class writing on essay #1.
Assignments : Continue work on essay # 1; Read EA Ch 15; bring Visual Exercises CD to class
Tuesday

Tue 9/27: In-class: Final draft of Essay #1 due ; Discussion of EA Ch 15; work in Visual
Exercises application in class
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Research image(s) to use for Visual Rhetoric
Essay #2 and bring some to class

Thu 9/29: In-class: Discuss image(s) from assignment; Examine examples of Visual Rhetoric
and discuss arguments made; Small group discussions of images and analysis of visual
arguments
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Decide on image(s) for your essay #2 and
bring to class on Tuesday, 10/5 [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].

Tue 10/4: In-class: Discuss image(s); Using the technology in class

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Work on format and media decisions for
visual project; Complete parts B.1 and C.1 of LRO due Thu, 10/6;

Thu 10/6: In-class: Parts B.1 and C.1 of LRO due today. Moderation readings.
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; start sketching main visual project
components and argument analysis

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Tue 10/11: Individual work on visual projects in class
Assignments : Record an Observation about moderation readings in your LRO; Complete first
draft of Visual argument project due Thursday, 10/13; bring hard copy of first draft to class
on 10/13

Thu 10/13: In-class: First draft of Visual argument due ; peer reviews in class
Assignments : Work on revision of visual argument analysis paper based on peer review
suggestions

Tue 10/18: In-class: Teacher-student conferences on visual argument essay; In class work on
visual projects
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Complete final draft of Visual argument
essay due Thursday, 10/21; Read EA Ch 16; Read arguments in electronic environment (TBA)

Thu 10/20: In-class: Final draft of Visual argument due; Discussion of EA Ch 16 on

Arguments in Electronic Environments and web Blogs to be held online at Lingua MOO
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; create LRO Work Sample link to MOO
transcript of online discussion from today; Read EA Ch 11 and from EA Arguments: Two
Advertisements Soliciting Egg Donors (647); Gina Kolata, $50,000 Offered to Tall, Smart Egg
Donor (649); David Lefer, An Ad for Smart Eggs Spawns Ethics Uproar (651)

Tue 10/25: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 11 and Advertisements, Kolata, and Lefer; Discuss
Paper #3 project (Causal or Proposal Essay due Nov 23)
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; start thinking about your final paper topic;
Read EA Ch 12 and from EA Arguments: Faye Girsh, Should Physician-Assisted Suicide…(654);
Joe Loconte, Hospice, not Hemlock (660); Daria MonDesire, Stripped of More than My Clothes
(525); Deborah Rhode, Tee Time for Equality (614)

Thu 10/27: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 12 and Girsh, Loconte, MonDesire, and Rhode
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; choose possible topics for Causal/Proposal
argument for Paper #3

Tue 11/1: In-class: Teacher conference on paper topics

Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 14; Complete assigned
exercises from QA Handbook (TBA); Work on first draft of essay #3 due Tue 11/8

Thu 11/3: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 14; Discussion of QA exercises; QA exercises online

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Continue work on first draft of essay #3 due
11/8

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Tue 11/8: In-class: First draft of essay #3 due ; Peer reviews of first draft of essay #3;
discussion of revision techniques and elevating style (bring QA Handbook)
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Continue working on essay #3 us ing peer
feedback; bring draft to work on in class Thu

Thu 11/10: In-class: Writing in class on first draft of essay #3; Continued discussion of revision
techniques and elevating style; QA exercises (bring QA Handbook)
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Continue working on draft and prepare for
conference with instructor

Tue 11/15: In-class: Conference with instructor on essay #3

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Work on revisions of essay #3; Read EA Chs
17 and pages 262-269 of EA Ch 13; Read from EA Arguments: Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a
Dream (811); Read Judy Brady, I Want a Wife on EA website; Final draft of essay #3 due in
class and LRO on Thursday

Thu 11/17: In-class: Final draft of essay #3 due ; Discussion of EA Chs 17, 13 and King, Jr. and
Brady
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Prepare portfolio; complete LRO parts B.2
and C.2 and include in portfolio

Tue 11/22: In-class: Bring portfolios to class; LRO parts B.2 and C.2 due today.
Moderation readings. LAST DAY OF CLASS.

Thu 11/24: Thanksgiving Holiday

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