WRITING AND RHETORIC 13100.

19: ENTERING THE CONVERSATION

Instructor: Kara Lee Donnelly Class Time: M W F 11:45-12:35 Course Website: http://enteringtheconversation.wordpress.com Location: Coleman Morse Center 201 Email: kdonnel3@nd.edu Office Hours: Thursday 3:30-5:00, Friday 10:00-11:30, and by appointment Office Location: 300 OShaughnessy, The Loft

COURSE DESCRIPTION All Writing and Rhetoric courses introduce students to academic discourse and ethical argumentation; this prepares them to write effective papers at Notre Dame and to develop skills that will serve them long after time as a Notre Dame undergraduate has ended. In this course, we will think of academic discourse as an ongoing conversation between researchers and scholars in a variety of fields. We will work to identify interesting and important conversations; to identify the key issues in those conversations; and to develop rhetorical strategies that will allow us to enter these conversations. COURSE GOALS To use the tools of rhetoric to identify and analyze the arguments you encounter in academic conversations To understand multiple perspectives on an issue in order to responsibly and credibly enter scholarly and public conversations To craft arguments that offer meaningful contributions to these conversations To develop strategies of research, reading, and writing that will support your academic and personal development TEXTS Required Capdevielle, Matthew, ed. Fresh Writing. Vol 11. Plymouth, MI: Hayden-McNeil Publishing, 2011. Graff, Gerald and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2010. Hacker, Diana. A Pocket Style Manual. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Recommended Booth, Wayne C., Gregory C. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. 3rd ed. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2008 Strunk, William and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. New York: Penguin, 2007. MAJOR ASSIGNMENTS

Readings There will be a reading assignment for each class. These assignments will not be large in terms of page count, but they are carefully selected and require attention and care. They will serve as the starting point for each class discussion, so read them carefully and, if you can, multiple times. Come to class with comments, questions, ideas, and insights on your reading. Informal Writing Informal writingwriting that does not receive an official gradeis instrumental to developing your skills as an academic writer. Please take these informal writing assignments seriously. They may include blog posts on the course website, short written assignments to be turned in and/or discussed in class, and grammar exercises. While these will not be formally graded, they will go towards your participation grade and may be worth a portion of the points in a given formal assignment. Narrative Essay (2 pages) In this assignment, you will identify a conversation that has been important to you and describe how you came to participate in the conversation. We will use Gerald Graffs essay Hidden Intellectualism as a model for the narrative essay. The primary goal of this assignment is to understand your place in major conversations and to transition to a college-level writer. Rhetorical Analysis (3 pages) As you develop your own voice as a contributor to academic and professional conversations, you will become more attuned to the rhetoric of other contributors. In this essay, you will analyze a short argument using the rhetorical tools we have discussed. But remember that an analysis is not merely a scavenger hunt for rhetorical moves; you will develop an argument about the work that you analyze. Paper Proposal/Annotated Bibliography We will devote a good deal of time in this course to one significant contribution to an academic conversation of your choice. Developing a research project is a two-pronged effort: on one hand, you must identify a topic that is interesting to you and about which you have something new to offer; on the other hand, you must investigate a variety of sources in order to better understand the conversation as it stands presently. This second process involves reading key works, identifying major contributors, and determining how you fit into the conversation. In order to identify the conversation and to find your place in it, you will first write a one-page proposal. Once youve completed your proposal, you will read (or investigate) eight to twelve sources and complete an annotated bibliography entry for each source. Rebuttal Essay (3 pages) In this essay, you will focus on one source from your annotated bibliography that has an argument that is in tension with your argument. You must accurately and fairly summarize the sources argument and clearly explain why you disagree with it. Research Paper (10-12 pages) In this assignment, you will enter fully into an academic conversation. In this essay, you will use the rhetorical tools we have studied over the course of the semester to make an argument on a

topic of your choice. You must situate this argument within a greater conversation. At the same time, I want you to approach this assignment with creativity: dont just recreate a boring paper, use all of the models we have seen this semester to develop your own unique academic voice. COURSE POLICIES Attendance As we will focus on conversation in this course, your attendance is essential. In the event that you must miss a class, please contact me in advance. You may miss up to three classes without penalty (this includes both University Excused and unexcused absences). After three absences, each additional absence will lower your course grade (e.g. from an A to A- or A- to B+). You are responsible for all the work that you miss during an absence. Please check the website for handouts and assignments and contact fellow students for notes. Please note that if you are absent during a class in which work is due, you still must turn in the work on time or it will be late, resulting in a grade reduction. If you come to class very late or are completely unprepared, I will consider you absent. Grading Your grade in this course will be based on performance in the following major areas. I. Participation, Peer-Review, and Informal Writing (200 points; worth 20% of your grade) II. Writing Portfolio (800 points; worth 80% of your grade) a. Narrative Essay (100 points) b. Rhetorical Analysis (150 points) c. Paper Proposal/Annotated Bibliography (150 points) d. Rebuttal Argument (150 points) e. Research Paper (250 points) Portfolio While each of your major projects will receive a grade during the course of the term, your final writing portfolio will be assessed holistically (meaning as a whole) at the end of the semester. For this reason, you should polish all of the essays in your portfolio; in some circumstances, you may want to revise them fully. We will discuss the portfolio further towards the end of the semester, but for the moment please be sure to keep copies of all of your work, including prewriting and drafts. Due Dates and Extensions All assignments are due in class on the assigned due date. All papers should be in MLA format this means double spaced, twelve-point Times New Roman font, with a title, heading, and page numbers. I require paper copies of all assignments; you may print double-sided copies. I will not grant extensions for drafts because of their time sensitive nature. For the first assignment, the Narrative Essay, there will be no extensions. For subsequent assignments, I will be open to discussing extensions. If you need an extension, please contact me 48 hours before the assignment is due. Should you turn in work late, you will lose one third of a letter grade (e.g. A to A- or B+ to B) for each day the work is late.

You are responsible for saving all copies of your work in multiple places. A crashed computer or a faulty email is not an excuse for late work. Revision Writing is a process, and for this reason you may your revise papers (though there will not be revisions for the Narrative Essay). Please note that revising a paper does not guarantee a higher grade. If you would like to revise a paper, you must meet with me to plan a revision strategy. I will not accept revisions if you have not first met with me. Website, Email, and Technology This course requires full participation not just in class but on the course website, http://enteringtheconversation.wordpress.com. In order to participate on the website, you must have a Wordpress account. We will set up accounts together in class. The website will also archive all of our assignments, handouts, and readings. If you miss a class or loose a handout, please refer to the website. In addition to the website, I will communicate with the class and with individuals through your Notre Dame email accounts. Please check your email regularly. If you have any questions for me or need to schedule an appointment, please send me an email. I check email once or twice a day; I may not respond immediately if you email me late at night or on the weekends. In class, you must silence/turn off your cell phone and any other electronics. I understand that you might use your phone or other device to take notes, schedule assignments, etc, but please write yourself a note and enter it into your phone later. Please do not use your laptop or tablet computer in class. Please print readings and bring them to class. Academic Honesty We are privileged to attend an institution that holds us to a higher standard. Part of that higher standard includes the honor code which trusts us, as members of the community, to be honest and ethical scholars. All written work, drafts, and final products must be your own. If you have any questions about proper citation, please contact me. Most instances of plagiarism result not from malice but from ignorance or poor time management. Planning ahead and contacting me if you run into difficulties will help you avoid plagiarism. For info on the Honor Code, visit www.nd.edu/~hnrcode. RESOURCES Writing Center The ND Writing Center is dedicated to helping students become better writers. Tutors will not proofread or fix your papers, but they will help you develop your argument at any stage in your writing process. You must make at least one visit to the writing center over the course of the semester. You may make more visitsthis will help you write better papers and may boost your participation grade.

Please visit the Writing Center website to schedule an appointment. http://writingcenter.nd.edu/home/ Disability Services If you have a disability and will need accommodations for this course, please register with Disability Services (http://www.nd.edu/~osd). After you have discussed you accommodation needs with the Coordinator of Disabilities, please speak with me to make whatever arrangements may be necessary. COURSE SCHEDULE *Assignments are due on the day on which they are listed. **This syllabus is subject to change in order to better meet the needs of the class. W 8/24 F 8/26 Introduction Syllabus, Key Terms Read: They Say, I Say Introduction: Entering the Conversation (1-15) Please bring a laptop computer to class if you have one to set up your Wordpress Account M 8/29 Read: Gerald Graff, Hidden Intellectualism in They Say, I Say (198205), Elements of Style 12 and 13 (pdf) Write: Style Exercise 1 Read: They Say, I Say, Chapter 1 and Chapter 12; Barbara Kingsolver, Life is Precious, or Its Not (pdf) Write: In a post to the course website, describe the conversation Kingsolver is taking part in. Who is she responding to? What do those people think? What does Kingsolver have to add to the conversation? Read: They Say, I Say, Chapter 2; Nick Hornby, Im Like a Bird, Mama You Been on My Mind, and You Had Time/Ive Had It (pdf); if possible, listen to these songs as well Write: Select a topic for your narrative essay and post it to the course website (one paragraph). Read: Chris Dillon, Mepps Aglia #1, in Fresh Writing; Elements of Style 14 (pdf) **Draft of your narrative essay due in class today** Write: Style Exercise 2 Read: Anne Fadiman, Never Do That to a Book (pdf); review MLA guidelines (see Hacker 151 or Purdue OWL)

W 8/31

F 9/1

M 9/5 W 9/7 F 9/9

M 9/12

Read: Leslie Marmon Silko, The Border Patrol State (pdf); Anna Quindlen, Wendell Berry, The Agrarian Standard (web) **Final Draft of your narrative essay due in class today** Read: Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha (pdf) Write: Rhetorical Analysis outline of Silkos essay (handout) Read: They Say, I Say Chapter 3; please also reread They Say, I Say chapter 2 and the essay you have selected for your rhetorical analysis; Elements of Style 15 Write: Select the essay for your rhetorical analysis; write a summary using the templates in They Say, I Say Read: Megan Buckingham, Bridging Political Ideologies (pdf) and Ryan Sullivan From Ultraliberal Foe to Patriotic Friend of Faith (pdf); Write: Style Exercise 3 **Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Due** NO CLASS Individual Meetings to Discuss Rhetorical Analysis Complete: Pot of Gold training on library website (link from course website) there will be a quiz on this material **Final Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Due** CLASS IN HESBURGH LIBRARY TODAY Read: The Craft of Research Chapters 1 and 2; Margaret Franchino, The Value of Payday Lending Reforms and Alternatives, in Fresh Writing (29-35) Write: On course website, post 2 to 3 possible topics for your research paper. If you need suggestions on how to find a topic, see page 49 in The Craft of Research. Read: The Craft of Research, Chapter 3; Elements of Style 17 (pdf) Write: Using the procedures laid out in From Topics to Questions, select one topic and describe it using the formula on page 48. Post to the course website. Respond to at least one of your classmates posts. Read: The Craft of Research, Chapter 4 Write: Style Exercise 4 **Paper Proposal Due** Read: The Craft of Research, Chapter 5; Dan McMurtie, Bad

W 9/14 F 9/16

M 9/19

W 9/21 F 9/23 M 9/26 W 9/28 F 9/30

M 10/3

W 10/5 F 10/7 M 10/10

Romance: Lady Gaga and the Gay Rights Movement in Fresh Writing (75-83); Nicholas Ochoa, Marginalization Among Latinos in the U.S. in Fresh Writing (95-103) Write: Examine one source in either McMurtie or Ochoas essay and post your findings to the course website; see website for further details on this assignment. W 10/12 F 10/14 Fall Break M 10/24 **Annotated Bibliography Due** Read: Michael Pollan, An Animals Place (pdf); Elements of Style 3 (pdf) Write: On the course website, respond to An Animals Place using the posted guidelines Read: They Say, I Say Chapters 4 and 5; reread and bring in a copy of Nick Hornby, Mama You Been on My Mind Write: Style Exercise 5; select one of the sources in your annotated bibliography to serve as your starting point for the rebuttal argument and write a one-paragraph summary of this article. Read: Michael Lerner, Just Say NO to the War in Afghanistan (pdf); Patrick DuBois, Good Intentions, Poor Arguments in Fresh Writing (53-55); and Cameron Cortens, Afghanistan and the Problem of Early Withdrawl, in Fresh Writing (57-60) Write: Continue to develop your rebuttal using the templates in They Say, I Say **Draft of Rebuttal Argument due today Read: They Say, I Say Chapter 8; Elements of Style 18 (pdf) **Rebuttal Argument Due Today Writing: Style Exercise 6 Read: The Craft of Research Chapters 7 and 8; Barbara Kingsolver, Household Words (pdf) Write: Begin your research paper today, either in outline or in draft form; for more advice on outlining and drafting, see The Craft of Research Chapters 12 and 13 Read: The Craft of Research, Chapter 6 CLASS IN HESBURGH LIBRARY TODAY for library research NO CLASS Individual Meetings to discuss Paper Proposal and Annotated Bibliography

W 10/26

F 10/28

M 10/31 W 11/2 F 11/4 M 11/7

W 11/9 F 11/11 M 11/14 W 11/16 F 11/18 M 11/21

Read: The Craft of Research Chapter 9; Elements of Style 11 (pdf) Write: Continue with research paper draft Read: The Craft of Research Chapter 10; They Say, I Say Chapter 6 Write: Style Exercise 7 Read: The Craft of Research Chapter 11; The Elements of Style 20 (pdf) **First Draft of Research Paper Due (5-7 pages) Write: Style Exercise 8 NO CLASS Individual meetings to discuss research paper drafts Read: Kevin Bednar, The Consequences of Human Genetic Engineering in Fresh Writing (3-9); The Craft of Research Chapter 16 Write: Continue expanding your draft using the comments from your individual meeting. Over break, use the guidelines from The Craft of Research to draft an introduction and conclusion to your paper.

Thanksgiving Break M 11/28 W 11/30 F 12/1 M 12/5 W 12/7 R 12/8 FINAL PORTFOLIOS DUE BY 5:00 P.M. **Second Draft of Research Paper Due (10-12 pages) Read: The Elements of Style 19 (pdf) **Research Paper Due Today Write: Style Exercise 10; begin to arrange portfoilo Write: Continue to work on portfolio; write the cover letter for your portfolio.