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RWS100 Sample Teaching MaterialsTABLE OF CONTENTSContact Information & Resources for New TAs 2

Key Activities Repeated Over the Semester 3

PACES: Project, Argument, Claims, Evidence, Strategies 7

BASIC COMPONENTS OF ARGUMENT 8

The Big Picture: Overview of RWS 100 Course Work 9

DETAILED 3 Week Break Down of Class Activities 12

Introducing Rhetoric with Email Examples 15

Introducing Key Rhetorical Terms & Concepts: Email Activity 17

Questions to Ask Any Text & Argument Maps 20

MAPPING KRISTOF’S ARGUMENT 21

Charting a Text 22

MACRO CHARTING OF KRISTOF BY PARAGRAPH 23

Bleich - Mapping The Argument 24

Rhetorical Précis – Description And Examples 25

Assignments 26

Sample Detailed Schedule for Unit 1 28

SAMPLE “SHORT” SCHEDULE FALL 2011 30

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Contact Information & Resources for New TAs

Lower Division Writing CommitteeChris Werry AH 3181 cwerry@mail.sdsu.edu (619) 594 3882(cell : 858 837 2923)Daniela Schonberger d_schon@comcast.net (619) 594 2015

RWS OfficeJo Serrano AH 3142 jserrano@mail.sdsu.edu 594 0925(General info & classrooms)Jamie Madden AH3143 jmadden@mail.sdsu.edu 594 1161(Scheduling)Karen Keene AH 3147 kkeene@mail.sdsu.edu 594 5477(Payroll)Shea Pacleb AH3138 spacleb@mail.sdsu.edu 594-6514(Office materials & general help)

BookstoreLaura White Laura.White@darth.sdsu.edu 594-7512Course Materials Mgr.Aztec Shops

BlackboardJon Rizzo AH-1111E jonrizzo@mail.sdsu.edu 594-0270

Computers/Network TNS workreq@mail.sdsu.edu 594.5261CAL Help DeskPSFA 127 ssrlhelp@mail.sdsu.edu 594-5845Rohan Help problems@rohan.sdsu.edu

RWS100 TEACHING RESOURCESRWS100 Wiki: http://sdsuwriting.pbworks.com/ Blackboard https://blackboard.sdsu.edu/

OTHER RESOURCESThe Center for Teaching & Learning at SDSU, has a lot of support for teaching assistants. See http://ctl.sdsu.edu/ and scroll down to “Support for Teaching Assistants.” You may find some of these listed resources useful:■ A Guide for Graduate Instructors, Teaching Assistants, and New Faculty (University of Missouri), http://teachandlearn.missouri.edu/guide/chapters/index.htm ■ Teaching Tips for TAs” (UC Santa Barbara), http://www.oic.id.ucsb.edu/TA/tips/ta_tips.html ■ International Teaching Assistant Handbook: An Introduction to University and College Teaching in the United States,” http://www.oic.id.ucsb.edu/TA/ITA/title.html

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Key Activities Repeated Over the SemesterThe following is a list of concepts and activities that we will return to a number of times during the semester. They are in summary form - handouts explaining them in more detail, plus exercises and further activities, are available on the wiki and Blackboard. You may decide to use a different set of activities, but many teachers use these as a framework, especially in their first few semesters of teaching.

Pre-reading 1: using questionnaires, general issue questions, pre-discussion, “jigsaw” work etc. to prime students for discussion of a text.Posing questions that get students thinking about the general issues raised in a text. Questionnaires that identify student assumptions about issues, and can be connected later to elements of the text (“if a common assumption about the issue is X, then perhaps the authors knows this and uses strategy Y to address the assumption). Finding connections to issues raised in text and things going on in the world at present. E.g. Chua and the ease with which you can impose democracy on another country.

Pre-reading “Jigsaw” work – assign students/groups to research the author, key terms/references, the publication, etc. to get at key info, to get students used to asking key questions, and to help them figure out where to go to find such information.

Pre-reading 2: finding clues to purpose, context, audience, etc.Pre-reading strategies are explored in order to help students find clues to purpose, context and audience. Students will consider how titles, subtitles, headings, visuals, structural divisions, format, genre, layout, design and other textual elements can tell us a great deal about a text before we have read it.

Critical/Active Reading and Rhetorical ReadingWays of annotating a text. Posing questions, interrogating assumptions, reading actively and critically

Discussion & Discussion Starters Class discussion of main texts. There are a range of strategies you can use to jump start discussion and encourage participation. These include freewriting (gives students time to formulate ideas), group work, homework posted to Blackboard, calling by name, etc.

ChartingCharting involves annotating a text in order to show the “work” each paragraph is doing. It is a form of close reading in which students attend to what the text “does” (rather than just what it “says.”) This is a core concept for the semester. Each annotation must begin with a verb: telling, describing, claiming, asserting, announcing, providing details, illustrating, etc. Charting helps keep students focused on issues of agency, purpose, choice and strategy - reminding them that behind every sentence there is an author with intent

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who makes rhetorical choices to achieve her aim. It is also designed to move students toward identifying relationships between ideas and locating claims, evidence, and the main argument. Charting exercises are also used with student texts - in revision and peer review.

Charting can be confusing. One way of thinking about it is just as a form of close reading that prompts students to consider the choices authors make and the strategies they draw on. It's also helpful to get students to consider how parts of the text connect to each other. It's a pretty open ended thing, and the main thing is to get students to slow down, bracket content, and consider what a text does, how it does it, and why. It isn't a particular methodology with rules. I've sometimes used the analogy of the slow motion "frame advance" feature on a dvd player. You can use this to slow a visual text right down and focus on how a scene is composed, what is foregrounded and backgrounded, what point of view is established, the connections between segments of a text, etc. That is, you can use this tool to stop focusing on what the visual text says and consider what is being done.

Pre-writing ExercisesStudents will be given a series of pre-writing exercises designed to help them master elements of each assignment. These pre-writing exercises break the writing, reading and reasoning skills of major assignments into a set of smaller, more manageable tasks that students often complete in class or as homework. Many of these exercises will involve the concepts described below – charting; identifying the argument/claim/evidence/project; template phrases, the rhetorical précis, etc.

Identifying the argument, claims, evidence and project and strategies (PACES)With every text students will spend time identifying the argument, major claims, evidence and project. The argument, major claims, and evidence are described in other handouts. The project articulates the kind of work that a writer is setting out to do and the overall activity that the writer is engaged in--researching, investigating, experimenting, interviewing, documenting, etc. The “project” describes what the author sets out to do, how she does it, and by what means (such as research connections between X and Y, or applying a definition of X to Z phenomenon in such and such a way, etc.) To articulate a project—to write an account— you need a verb, such as “researches,” “investigates,” “studies,” “presents,” “connects A with B,” etc.

Exploring Rhetorical Strategies Rhetorical strategies are particular ways writers craft language so as to have an effect on readers. Strategies are means of persuasion, ways of using language to get readers’ attention and agreement. Some common rhetorical strategies are metadiscourse, definitions, framing devices, ethos, pathos, logos, rebuttals, qualifications, etc. Students are asked to 1) identify rhetorical strategies, 2) describe how they work, and 3) describe why they are used – what purpose do they accomplish?

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Developing a Rhetorical AnalysisThis involves taking the work done with charting and identifying strategies using this to write an analysis that focuses on what the author is doing – how the author frames an issue, summarizes previous research, presents evidence, deals with objections or signposts the organization of text, etc.

Template PhrasesTemplate phrases are used to model parts of the central rhetorical moves academic writers make. We will often give students templates that provide some of the linguistic “scaffolding” for introducing a text, capturing key elements of an argument, signaling the topic of a paper, and in particular working with sources and describing connections between texts. Fill-in-the-blank sentences may seem overly formulaic, but they are important tools for practice, and can become a useful tool for invention. A number of templates can be found in Gerald Graff and Kathy Birkenstein’s book They Say/I Say.

The Rhetorical PrécisA rhetorical précis is a four-sentence paragraph that records the essential rhetorical elements of an author’s argument. The précis includes the name of the speaker/writer(s), the context or situation in which the text is delivered, the major assertion, the mode of development for or support of the main idea, the stated and/or apparent purpose of the text, and the relationship between the speaker/writer(s) and the audience. It is designed to move students away from summary and towards writing that shows a more sophisticated understanding of a text’s rhetorical situation. The précis is designed to highlight key elements of the rhetorical situation, help students with reading comprehension, and improve treatment of source materials in their writing. We will use it often over the course of the semester.

Explaining how one text “illustrates,” “clarifies,” “extends,” or “complicates” anotherThese terms are used to help students model relationships between texts.

Illustrate: to provide examples, additional evidence, cases or arguments that help explain a position; to present material that illuminates or supports what an author argues Clarify: to bring into focus, to help explain, illuminate, or elucidate. Providing evidence, examples, support etc. that make something easier to understand or that sharpen the point made. Extend: to advance, develop, expand or take further some element of an existing argument. Extending an argument involves presenting additional evidence or reasons that are in line with the original argument but go beyond it.Complicate: to present evidence, arguments or information that is at odds with an author’s position, or which suggests the position needs to be revised or qualified. Suggesting that an author has not dealt with the full complexity of an issue, has failed to consider relevant evidence, or that there is a gap, shortcoming or limitation in an author’s account.

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Metacommentary (aka metalanguage/metadiscourse)Metacommentary is self-reflective linguistic material referring to the evolving text and to the imagined reader of that text. It consists of moments in a text when the author stands back and talks about her text/argument itself. Metacommentary reveals the ways that writers signal their attitude towards both the propositional content and the audience of the text. Often, metadiscourse announces what a paper will be about, what it will do, the what its project, purpose and argument will be. Metadiscourse also provides signposts to the author’s argument, guiding the reader to what will come next and showing how that is connected to what has come before. Students will spend time examining and producing various forms of metacommentary.

Using one text as a “lens” on another This entails locating some of the central categories, concepts, and arguments in one text and using them as a framework for interpreting another text. This is done in order to map connections between texts, and generate interpretations and analyses of texts.

Reflective WritingReflective writing involves students thinking carefully about their writing, how it is developing, considering their own rhetoric, etc. Before final papers are due you can have students apply course concepts to their own writing – e.g. chart their own writing, examine the strategies they use, how their argument is structured, etc. That is, they can use tools of analysis to reflect on and evaluate their writing. After papers are due, reflective writing can be used to deepen understanding of their writing.

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PACES: Project, Argument, Claims, Evidence, StrategiesP roject: An author’s project describes the kind of work she sets out to do

– her purpose and the method she uses to carry it out. It is the overall activity that the writer is engaged in--researching, investigating, experimenting, interviewing, documenting, etc. Try to imagine what the author’s goals or hypotheses were as she wrote the text. To articulate a project—and to write an account— you need a verb, such as “researches,” “investigates,” “studies,” “presents,” “connects A with B,” etc.

A rgument: In the broadest sense, an argument is any piece of written, spoken, or visual language designed to persuade an audience or bring about a change in ideas/attitudes. Less broadly, in academic writing the argument often refers to the main point, assertion or conclusion advanced by an author, along with the evidence and reasoning by which this is established. Arguments are concerned with contested issues where some degree of uncertainty exists (we don’t argue about what is self-evident or agreed upon).

C laims: To make a claim is to assert that something is the case, and to provide evidence for this. Arguments may consist of numerous claims and sometimes also sub-claims. Claims in academic writing often consist of an assertion, the staking out of a position, the solution to a problem, or the resolution of some shortcoming, weakness or gap in existing research. Often comes with self-identification (“my point here is that…”) emphasis (“It must be stressed that…”) approval (“Olson makes some important and long overdue amendments to work on …”) or a problem/solution or question/answer framework.

E vidence: The component of the argument used as support for the claims made. Evidence is the support, reasons, data/information used to help persuade/prove an argument. To find evidence in a text, ask what the author has to go on. What is there to support this claim? Is the evidence credible? Some types of evidence: facts, historical examples/comparisons, examples, analogies, illustrations, interviews, statistics (source & date are important), expert testimony, authorities, anecdotes, witnesses, personal experiences, reasoning, etc.

S trategies: Rhetorical Strategy: a particular way in which authors craft language—both consciously and subconsciously—so as to have an effect on readers. Strategies are means of persuasion, ways of gaining a readers’ attention, interest, or agreement. Strategies can be identified in the way an author organizes her text, selects evidence, addresses the reader, frames an issue, presents a

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definition, constructs a persona or establishes credibility, appeals to authority, deals with opposing views, uses “meta-discourse,” makes particular use of style and tone, draws on particular tropes and images, as well as many of the other textual choices that can be identified.

BASIC COMPONENTS OF ARGUMENT Qualifiers Rebuttals

Reasons Claims ARGUMENT& Evidence

Strategies & Moves

ARGUMENT: In the broadest sense, an argument is any piece of written, spoken, or visual language designed to persuade an audience or bring about a change in ideas/attitudes. Less broadly, in academic writing “argument” often refers to the main point, assertion or conclusion advanced by an author, along with the evidence and reasoning by which this is established. Arguments are concerned with contested issues where some degree of uncertainty exists (we don’t argue about what is self-evident or agreed upon).

Describing the main argument is NOT the same as describing what a text is “about.” Arguments (and claims) usually advance debatable propositions. For example: “The U.S. should pull troops out of Iraq as we are stuck in the middle of a civil war that must be solved politically rather than militarily,” or “We must increase the number of troops in Iraq in order to complete the mission and prevent the conflict from spreading into a regional war that could inflame the entire middle east.” Each of these is an assertion that stakes out a position. Each can be debated.

CLAIM: Something the writer wants the audience to believe. Usually consists of an assertion, the staking out of a position, the solution to a problem, or the resolution of some shortcoming, weakness or gap in existing research. Often comes with self-identification (“my point here is that…”) emphasis (“It must be stressed that…”) approval (“Olson makes some important and long overdue amendments to the basic position outlined by…”) or a problem/solution framework.

REASONS: statements that justify the claim, or explain why a claim should be believed. A reason is evidence, information, justification or data given to support a claim. To find reasons, ask why the claim can be made. What have you got to go on? What is there to support the claim?

QUALIFIERS/QUALIFICATION: this is where the author clarifies the nature, scope or extent of her claims, or sets out the conditions under which she makes her claim. Often the place where the author adds “nuance” to her claims. Example of unqualified argument: “video games incite violence and should be banned.” Qualified argument: “certain extreme video games may desensitize some impressionable young people to violence. While most games are innocent fun, and may even teach useful skills, those that realistically simulate murder should be banned for children under 14.”

REBUTTALS: Writers often try to anticipate objections to their arguments – they understand that their audience, and other authors, may not agree with them. They may thus address counterarguments and objections, and provide rebuttals to these objections/counterarguments. This is often a clever rhetorical strategy. Introducing the reader to positions opposed to your own, and showing you can deal with them can work to 'inoculate' the reader against counterarguments. It demonstrates that the author is aware of

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opposing views, and is not trying to 'sweep them under the table'. It is also likely to make the writer's argument seem 'balanced' or 'fair' to readers, and as a consequence be more persuasive.

STRATEGIES: means of persuasion, ways of gaining a readers’ attention, interest, or agreement. They can be identified in the textual choices an author makes – the way she organizes her text, selects evidence, frames an issue, establishes credibility, deals with opposing views, appeals to authority, etc.

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The Big Picture: Overview of RWS 100 Course Work

First 2-3 Weeks: Introduce the course, key concepts, & apply to short texts1) Introduce RWS100, rhetoric, course goals2) Introduce key concepts for first part of semester (argument, claims, reasons, evidence,

rhetorical moves, charting, etc.)3) Practice applying these concepts to short texts – advertisements, excerpts from a speech, tv

clips, visual texts, etc (you can choose these texts, or use ones we’ve selected.) 4) Apply these concepts to short texts - Kristof (“War & Wisdom”), Bleich (“California's

Higher-Education Debacle”) Rifkin (“A Change of Heart About Animals”), Parry (“The Art of Branding a Condition”), Foster Wallace (“This is Water”) etc. OR, see texts in Praxis, or the FrankenReader texts on the wiki. There is also a collection of teaching resources for these short texts on the wiki and Blackboard you can use.

5) If you wish, you can begin short writing assignments using “contract grading.”

Unit 1: Oreskes & first major writing assignment

1) Introduce assignment 1, the text, and work to be done2) Introduce pre-reading and critical reading strategies – finding clues to purpose, audience,

genre, context; looking at layout, headings etc.; annotating the text, posing questions, etc.3) Assign questionnaire/activities to get students thinking about general issues raised in text,

how their experiences/ideas may connect to the text, and to identify some assumptions often held by readers (use later on to explore moves the author makes to deal with assumptions)

4) Begin discussion of Oresekes– focus on key passages, introduce main issues, present examples from other sources to illustrate claims. Give vocabulary quizzes to make sure students read closely and/or model close reading of texts.

5) Jigsaw research activities (assign students background research to do on text – for example, could ask them to research Oreskes, her other work, recently published books, some of the terms used, the texts/figures referred to, etc)

6) Work on identifying major elements of the argument - claims, evidence, project, appeals, etc. Explain ways of talking about these elements (e.g., phrases for talking about argument).

7) “Charting,” Moves & Strategies. Chart Oreskes– identify what the text does (structure + the moves made). Work on identifying and analyzing rhetorical strategies - what the strategy is, how it works, why it is used

8) Draft sections of paper – how to organize the introduction; writing about author’s argument and project; using rhetorical précis, and “template phrases” from They Say/I Say to produce a sophisticated account of the argument; managing quotations (see They Say/I Say); writing about strategies (what, how, why)

9) Using metadiscourse to guide the reader (see They Say/I Say and handouts)10) How to write the conclusion11) Models and sample papers: work with sample intros and body paragraphs, and with

sample student papers. Have students chart and grade sample student papers. Have students chart their own papers, explaining the moves they are making (can have them hand this in with draft). Students chart their peer’s paper also in peer review.

12) Editing, revising, peer review, conferencing (can do “minimal marking” strategies)13) After drafts are received, you may want to address grammar/sentence level issues by

focusing on problems that are shared across clusters of papers. Can have students look up

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the mechanical issues in Penguin handbook and write short diagnosis or report on this, to be handed in with final paper (could be extra credit).

Unit 2: Food Inc & “sources” assignment

1) Introduce assignment 2, the text, and work to be done2) Revisit pre-reading and critical reading strategies – finding clues to purpose, audience,

genre, context; looking at DVD cover, DVD chapter headings, movie trailer, use of fonts, music, subjects chosen to interview, opening sequence, etc.

3) Assign questionnaire/activities to get students thinking about general issues raised in text, how their experiences/ideas may connect to the text, and to identify assumptions held by readers.

4) Begin discussion of Food Inc. – focus on key sections. Show interviews/reviews/sites introducing text. Show students the transcript.

5) Assign students or groups to research and present on background info – Kenner, his background, other work, key terms used, texts/figures referred to, etc. Give vocabulary quizzes to make sure students read closely

6) Identifying major elements of the argument - claims, evidence, project, appeals, etc.7) Chart text and work on identifying and analyzing rhetorical strategies - what the strategy

is, how it works, why it is used8) Model the key assignment concepts – extend, illustrate, challenge, complicate, qualify.9) How to connect and compare the claims used in Kenner and the outside texts. Provide

sample passages and model texts that extend, illustrate, complicate, clarify 10) How to locate and evaluate source texts to use with Kenner. 11) Practice using template phrases to map relations between texts. Practice using different

verbs and expressions to talk about how texts relate to each other. 12) How to select and present evidence of your analysis of the relation between texts

Work with sample intros and body paragraphs, and with sample student papers. Use They Say/I Say to model ways of integrating sources into paper

13) Have students chart and grade sample student papers. Have students chart their own papers, explaining the moves they are making (can have them hand this in with draft). Students chart their peer’s paper also in peer review.

14) Editing, revising, peer review, conferencing.

Unit 3: The Immortal Life & strategies assignment1) Introduce assignment 3, the text, and work to be done2) (Re)introduce rhetorical strategies – how they work, how to identify them, how to talk

about them, why they matter. 3) Discuss some of the most common rhetorical strategies authors use in academic (and

other) texts. Metadiscourse, rebuttals, qualifications, definitions, word choice, framing devices, categories, tropes and figures of speech. Examine short visual and verbal texts.

4) Academic discourse and the CARS model. The moves academic writers often make and how to make sense of them. Exercises with material (abstracts) from student majors.

5) Genre bending exercises – playing with audience, genre, context, etc., and exploring shifts in rhetorical strategy.

6) Begin discussion of The Immortal Life.– focus on key chapters. Do questionnaire or ask students questions that relate to the text.

7) Assign students or groups to research and present on background info issues and events referred to in the text, key terms used, texts/figures referred to, etc. Give vocabulary quizzes.

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8) Assigning groups to work on different sections of the text.9) Identifying major strategies and exploring how to talk about them. Focusing on what the

strategy is, how it works, and why it was chosen.10) How to select and present evidence of your analysis of strategies. Work with sample intros

and body paragraphs, and with sample student papers.11) Have students chart and grade sample student papers. Have students chart their own

papers, explaining the moves they are making (can have them hand this in with draft). Students chart their peer’s paper also in peer review.

12) Editing, revising, peer review, conferencing.

Unit 4: Portfolio/Lens/Student Writing Assignments For the final assignment, you can select from a number of options. We recommend one of the following, although you are welcome to suggest alternatives:

1. Group projects/presentations where students get to make an argument that draws from one of the issues raised in the class, or which focuses on one of the texts covered. If you choose this option, we strongly suggest you construct a group assignment with clearly defined roles for each student, so that individual grades can be assigned and you minimize “free riding” and conflict.

2. Lens paper: if you would like to stick to “traditional” way in the 4th assignment has been taught, you can use the “lens assignment” (see past 100 syllabi, assignments, materials etc. for details. This paper involves taking one of the texts we’ve read and using it as a “lens” through which to analyze another text or a contemporary issue. The student can present an original argument, interpretation or analysis.

3. Portfolio: Students have done small writing assignments over the semester. You can assign further short writing assignments in the final part of the course, and give students an aggregate grade for the completed portfolio. You may wish to make the portfolio the culmination of writing done as part of “contract grading.”

4. Reflection essay – have students write a paper that asks them to reflect on the writing work they have done, what they have learned, the way they approach writing, the things they still need to work on, etc.

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DETAILED 3 Week Break Down of Class Activities

Week 1W1 Class 1 – introduction to class, rhetoric, course goals

a) Take the roll, deal with crashersb) Introduce yourself and the class; hand out materials - syllabus, assignments, etc.c) Give overview of RWS 100 and discuss how it is different from previous writing classes

students have likely experienced (focus on argument, non-fiction texts, critical reading, rhetorical analysis/strategies NOT summary, etc. See powerpoint “week 1, class 1.”)

d) Go over the syllabus and set expectationse) Do introductions (pair up and play an introduction game – see “ice-breakers” file)f) Use powerpoint slides to introduce rhetoric, argument, rhetorical strategies, etc. g) If there’s time, do short exercises examining newspaper headlines and how they frame an

issue, or look at advertisements, images, etc., to illustrate the rhetorical reading/analysis/concepts (see powerpoint file.) Examine pictures in the powerpoint slides – ask questions about strategies, purpose, audience, etc.

HOMEWORK: ask students to give writing sample, do questionnaire, and/or describe previous experience with writing/reading.

W1 Class 2 – introduction to some key concepts + practice applying them a) If you asked for writing sample/questionnaire, discuss this; talk about differences between

writing at high school and at university, & writing in English class vs. composition/rhetoric class.

b) Introduce key concepts and terms for first part of semester (argument, claims, reasons, project, charting, etc.)

c) Tell students why the course is important – how being able to interpret arguments, locate claims and evidence, analyze moves and strategies, and evaluate arguments are crucial skills. They are central to business, professional life, academic study and critical thinking (see powerpoint “week1 class 2,” esp WPA/LSAT/GMAT/GRE slides and excerpts).

d) Show “SubText,” an animated representation of a man composing an email in which he asks a woman out. Discuss audience, purpose, persuasion, construction of ethos, strategies, etc., The man “thinks aloud” as he writes, and we glimpse what goes on “in his head” as he composes. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400w4XnjElI) Next, do the “Email exercise” – students write email message excusing a late paper, asking the professor to still accept it, beg forgiveness, etc. Have students read out their emails; list and discuss the strategies they use. Use this exercise to make the concepts more concrete, and to explore audience, purpose, strategies, persuasion, ethos, etc. Show examples of really bad email messages sent to professors in the past, how poorly they understand their audience, the ethos they construct, etc., and give some tips on how to communicate over email with professors.

e) If there is time, examine some more short texts in order to illustrate rhetorical concepts. f) Toward end of class examine the 1950s Marlboro advertisement image. Do some basic

analysis – argument, claims, evidence, strategies, etc.

HOMEWORK: each student finds an ad of their own and locates argument, claims, evidence, strategies. Write this up and bring to next class

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Week 2W2 Class 1 - introduction to key concepts + practice applying them (continued)

a) Have some students show the ads they chose and explain their analysis. Try to move the conversation away from what the ad says to how it appeals to an audience – what it does.

b) Quick review of concepts and class goals. Explain strategies and ethos, pathos and logos.Model how to identify these elements by looking at short texts – more ads, a video text, etc.

c) Show students the ads in powerpoint “week 2, class 1,” esp. the antismoking ads. You may also wish to revisit previous ads/texts discussed in class and focus on strategies and appeals.

d) Give short sample arguments and in groups have students identify argument, claims, evidence and strategies (can use examples in “Handout Basic terms of argument 1.doc”)

HOMEWORK: Give students a short text to analyze (e.g. Kristof’s “War & Wisdom,” Bleich’s “California’s Higher Education Debacle,” Rifkin’s “Change of Heart,” Wallace Foster’s “This is Water,” etc.) and ask them to identify argument, support, claims, strategies, ethos, pathos, logos.

W2 Class 2 Saying/Doing, Pre-reading/Critical Reading, Charting, a) Go over homework. Have students volunteer to share work. Praise, clarify, discuss

responses.b) Examine short text from homework in detail. c) Discuss issues of genre, audience, etc. See powerpoint “week 2 class 2” for teaching

materials.d) Introduce the saying/doing materials, and model how to use this with some examples, or

revisit previous ads/texts and use the verbs from the list.e) Introduce the practice of “charting” or “clumping” of texts. Explain the value of these

practices.f) In groups, have students decide how to chart text and be prepared to share the logic behind

their decisions. Share out and discuss the choices made by groups.g) Introduce pre-reading strategies, active/critical reading, and rhetorical reading (see

handouts on “critical reading” and “rhetorical reading.”) Do the critical reading quiz (“‘Careful, You Might Run Out of Planet’: SUVs and the Exploitation of the American Myth”)

h) If time permits, give students Rifkin’s “A Change of Heart about Animals.” Begin discussion of the text. See file “Rifkin - discussion starters and how to read the text.doc” Begin charting, identifying argument, claims, reasons, moves, strategies. If there is not enough time, may wish to assign some of this as homework.

HOMEWORK: Give students Bleich’s “California’s Higher Education Debacle.” Have students practice skills learned so far – identifying argument, claims, evidence, charting, ethos, pathos, logos, etc.

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Week 3W3 Class 1: Rhetorical analysis and preparing for first paper with low stakes assignment (Rifkin)

a) Review of Bleich homework – praise and redirect as necessary. As a whole class, collaborate on draft statement of argument and claims. (IF you want, can do rhetorical précis – have students complete template for Bleich.)

b) In groups, produce list of strategic moments in Bleich. Share out and discuss. Reinforce and rephrase their insights, modeling appropriate language and pushing students to go from what, to how, to why.

c) Model a well developed one paragraph analysis (or just use one of the examples)d) Show sample student papers which model sections of assignment 1 using Rifkin as

example.e) Explain the first major assignment – students will produce an “account” of the argument,

and this account will involve identifying and analyzing argument, claims and rhetorical strategies.

f) Emphasize that rhetorical analysis will be at the center of the first paper, and that this is not the same as summarizing. Some summary will be done, but it will be focused on argument and should help set up the larger discussion of strategies.

g) Emphasize that rhetorical analysis needs to include discussion of 1. what, 2. how, 3. why. That is, 1) describe the strategy (what). 2. Provide interpretation and analysis of how the strategy works (how). 3. explain why the author chose to use this strategy (purpose and audience).

HOMEWORK. If you want to give homework, you could give students a short text and have them practice doing assignment 1 with it. Have them hand it in next class. If you plan to discuss the papers in class, ask students to submit papers to Blackboard. ALTERNATIVELY, just have them read first major text.

W3 Class 2:a) Ask students to discuss any difficulties or insights they experienced while doing the

practice assignment.b) Get student papers and work with them on the projector. Discuss what works and where

improvements could be made. Relate to what will need to be done in first major paper.c) Go over the first major assignment, take questions, and discuss the extra work you expect

to see in it (compared to homework).d) If you wish, have students complete a brief survey asking them to reflect on the work done

so far.e) Preview OR begin work on Postman. Start a discussion about the general issues, poll

students on their thoughts/assumptions. f) Assign “jigsaw” homework – background research to be done in groups that will help

explain the text.

HOMEWORK: read first major text. In groups, present results of jigsaw work.

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Introducing Rhetoric with Email Examples

1) Using a YouTube Animation to introduce rhetorical concepts2) The rhetoric of composing emails to your professors3) Sample Student Emails (how NOT to win favor and influence people)

1. Using a YouTube Animation to introduce rhetorical concepts

SubText – animation showing a guy composing an email to a girl he likes.The man “thinks aloud” as he writes, and we glimpse what goes on “in his head” as he composeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400w4XnjElI

Examine how this trivial act is full of rhetorical issues. The character is asking, how does this language present me? What persona does it construct? What tactic will be most effective? What moves should I make, how will this make me seem? How should I think of my audience? What is my purpose? How do I avoid embarrassment?

Have students take the concepts of rhetorical situation, persuasion, construction of ethos, strategies, etc., and apply to this visual text.

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2. The rhetoric of composing emails to your professorsConsidering issues of audience, context, purpose, persuasion, strategy, ethos, pathos, and logos in email messages.

Situation: The syllabus says that the instructor does not accept late work and that if you miss class you will be penalized. Nevertheless, you miss three classes (out of 15 total) and try to hand in the second major assignment a week late. If the instructor doesn’t accept your work you will fail the class.

Assignment: Please write the instructor a brief email explaining your situation. You do not want to fail the class.

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Introducing Key Rhetorical Terms & Concepts: Email ActivityTime: 50-75 minutes Materials: warm-up writing prompt, overhead email examples, Key

Rhetorical Terms & Concepts handout, overhead sample paragraph, text to use for HW

Overview: First, get students writing rhetorically without being conscious of the “moves” they’re making (by writing a persuasive email). Then, have students report what they were doing using a verb vs. merely reading what they wrote. Next, introduce rhetorical terms and concepts and use the email exercise to help exemplify. Lastly, assign additional work where students have to apply concepts to a more academic text. If time permits, model a short analysis paragraph to demonstrate how to write academically – not mechanically.

Warm-up: 15 minutes

1. Ask students to get out a piece of paper and pen and tell them they will be writing for approximately five (to ten) minutes. Read them the prompt below and then give them the allotted time to write.

Imagine that you are in the final month of the fall 2008 semester. You have missed the last two weeks of your RWS 100 class. Your instructor will not pass a student who has missed excessive days; however, you really cannot afford to fail this class. Write an email to your instructor and try to convince him/her to make an exception for you. Feel free to invent whatever reasons you want for why you were absent and why it is necessary that you pass. Please be creative but also write a response that you would actually send to a professor.

2. Once finished, call for volunteers to share what they wrote. HOWEVER, ask the students not to tell you what they were saying in their emails. Instead, ask them to tell you what they were doing–what their strategies were/what “moves” they were making. As example you could say, “Don’t tell me you wrote ‘Hi, my name is Melissa.’ Instead, tell me you introduced yourself.” Ask students to use verbs, such as “introduced” from the previous example. Write their responses on the board and discuss which are stronger than others.

a. Here are some examples you might get. If you don’t get all of them, try eliciting responses.

i. Greet the professorii. Introduce myselfiii. Apologizeiv. Take responsibilityv. Elicit sympathyvi. Thank her / show graciousnessvii. Assure I am proactive (on BB, contacted student, caught

up, etc.)viii. Initiate action (can we meet? can I bring my work

tomorrow?)

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ix. Build a defensex. Offer to show a doctor’s note or death certificatexi. Attempt to humor her (try to entertain / make professor

laugh)3. Show students the examples of poorly written emails (overheads).

Comment on why the emails are not rhetorical. Remind students that there are other strategies helpful to use besides writing a convincing excuse.

a. Ask students to consider other things to do to helpi. Write formally and professionally. Check spelling and

grammar!ii. Use a professional letter format and give an appropriate

“subject”.iii. Leave appropriate contact information.iv. Organize / order information appropriately; perhaps

apologize and show you’re proactive before demanding help or a second chance!

v. Use qualifiers and rebuttals : write “Perhaps we should meet” instead of “We need to meet” or predict what the professor might say and rebut it, “While I know your policy states…I feel my circumstances call for an exception.”

Introduce Key Rhetorical Terms and Concepts : 25 minutes

1. Pass out the Key Rhetorical Terms and Concepts handout. Begin reading the first page as a class. When appropriate, make comments connecting back to the email activity. See list for examples:

a. Rhetoric – remind students that even their emails were rhetorical and that there’s an “art” to convincing even professors through emails. Rhetoric is everywhere!

b. Rhetorical Analysis – tell students that you already performed a small rhetorical analysis by interpreting “moves” made and by analyzing which strategies worked and which didn’t.

c. Rhetorical Situation – ask students to identify the components of the rhetorical situation within the email exercise and discuss how the relationships might effect how the email is written.

i. Writer – studentii. Purpose – to persuade professoriii. Audience – professoriv. Subject/Text– wants to pass class, writes an emailv. Context – you missed too many classes, instructor has

strict rule, you really need to pass, communicating by email

2. Second Page: Continue as before and ask students to identify the project, argument, claims, evidence, and strategies from the exercise. See the examples below for help.

a. Project : to compose a convincing email to a professor

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b. Argument : the professor should give the student another chance and let him/her pass the class

c. Claims : the student deserves another chance because s/he is caught up and willing to do anything; the student will prove to the professor the kind of student s/he can be; the professor should make an exception and forgive the student for making the mistakes; it is unfair to not let the student pass under the circumstances; etc.

d. Evidence : any documentation excusing the absence; witnesses; authoritative testimony (maybe a coach writes for you); a convincing anecdote; attachments of work completed to prove student is on task; etc.

e. Strategies : remind students that they already picked up on these. Refer to board.

Assign Additional Work in Class or for HW (5-20 minutes)

1. Before assigning the HW, here is a model paragraph to use to exemplify how a short academic analysis might look. Point out that the analysis is not just answering the prompt over and over, line by line; in fact, it never says “his project is/his argument is” etc. Notice that it has an introduction, a conclusion, transitions, and it is organized. The author, text, context, and audience are introduced. Finally, try and point out that it is analysis, not opinion (note the qualifiers)!

Where there is communication being made, there is rhetoric. Sources of authors being rhetorical in their texts can be found almost anywhere–even in emails. In his email titled, “Student Requesting Special Consideration,” author Joe Smith writes to one of his college instructors in hopes of persuading her to give him another chance. Smith, a freshman at San Diego State University, has missed too many classes to pass the course, according to the strict policies enforced by his Rhetoric and Writing instructor, Melissa Watson. After apologizing, Smith softly asserts that he should be given the opportunity to make up missed assignments in order to pass the class. He claims that because of the special circumstances of his situation, he is deserving of Watson’s willingness to dismiss the guidelines outlined in her attendance policy and overlook his absences. According to Smith, his grandmother recently passed away, and he was unable to access a computer to email Watson or to check Blackboard for the assignments due. However, to support his claims, Smith offers no additional evidence besides his descriptive anecdote about the funeral. Perhaps to make up for his lack of evidence, then, Smith writes his message using a tone that is formal, respectful, and apologetic. Together, his strategic tone and tragic anecdote about his grandmother may be convincing enough to elicit the sympathies he is looking for from his instructor. With every aspect taken into consideration, Smith certainly appears to be experienced in the art of persuasion, even in writing an email.

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2. Lastly, assign the students a short text to analyze. Give them the assignment below.

Write a paragraph (1/2-1 pg. typed) giving a brief account of the author’s text similar to the example paragraph shown in class. Introduce what you can about the author, text, audience, purpose, and context. Then give the overall explanation of the author’s PACES. There is no need to add specific details, especially any in-depth analyses of strategies. For now, imagine you’re writing an introduction to a paper about the text and your detailed analysis will come later in the paper. However, try not to merely list the information mechanically. Instead, attempt to make it a paragraph suitable for an academic paper written for a professor to grade. This means make sure your brief analysis is carefully organized, transitioned, varied in language and sentence structure, and free of mechanical and grammatical errors.

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Questions to Ask Any Text & Argument Maps1. What is the context and genre? Who is the author, the audience, and how do you know?

(rhetorical situation)2. What is the question at issue? (subject) 3. To what problem does this text respond? Why has the author written this text? (purpose)4. What is the author’s purpose, and what material is the author examining? (project)5. What is the author’s argument?6. What are some of the main claims7. What is the evidence that backs up a claim? (logos) How many different KINDS of

evidence can you identify?8. What is the author’s authority to address this question? Does she make herself seem

credible, trustworthy, authoritative - how? (ethos)9. How does the author use words to connect with your emotions (pathos)10. What is the most important sentence in this text, to you? Why is this sentence so

meaningful or effective?11. What are the weakest aspects of the argument? Why?12. What are you being asked to believe, think, or do? (persuasion)

MAPPING THE ARGUMENTProject

Argument

Claim Claim Claim Claim Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Strategies that support claim/arg

Strategies that support claim/arg

Strategies that support claim/arg

Strategies that support claim/arg

Strategies that support claim/arg

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MAPPING KRISTOF’S ARGUMENT

ProjectKristof’s “War & Wisdom” sets out to intervene in the debate about invading Iraq, and persuade policymakers and readers of The New York Times that war with Iraq would be a mistake. He does this by listing the most common arguments for going to war and constructing rebuttals for them, by documenting the concerns of key political and military authorities, and by showing that viable alternatives exist.

ArgumentWe should not go to war as it will cost too many lives and too much money, Hussein is not an imminent threat, and we have effective alternatives.

Claim Claim Claim Claim ClaimKey military authorities do not believe we need to invade Iraq

War will cost too much in lives and money, and there are much better ways of spending the money.

When faced with similar threats (Libya in the 80s, cold war) past presidents such as Reagan responded not by going to war but by pursuing a policy of containment.

We can do more to bolster security by spending money on education and energy independence.

Hussein doesn’t have nukes, and can’t develop them in the future as they are easy to detect.

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Quotations that document the position of Generals Schwarzkopf, Zinni and Clark

Cites estimated costs + cost per family.

Cites historical record of actions by Libyan regime and the response of president Reagan

Inspectors can find nukes, as need vast electrical hookups that are easily identifiable.

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Selects key generals likely to appeal to a broad audience (republican and democrat) esp. one famous for planning the first Gulf war; a person who has directed war against Iraqi troops, and thus has much practical experience.

Pathos appeals (“kids torn apart by machine-gun fire.”)

Appeals to precedent, authority, & past successful policy (containment) Selects an analogy and draws on authorities likely to appeal to the broadest possible audience – particularly those suspicious of anti-war arguments. Uses analogy to construct powerful rebuttal of main claim for invasion.

Strategic concessions – Bush has shown Hussein is a liar, Iraq is hiding weapons, and we are thus “justified” in invading Iraq. But this would be very unwise and too costly.

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Charting a TextCharting1 involves annotating a text in order to show the “work” each paragraph, group of paragraphs, or section is doing. Charting helps identify what each part of the text is doing as well as what it is saying—helping us move away from summary to analysis. There are two strategies for charting that we’ll look at: macro-charting and micro-charting.

MACRO-CHARTINGHow do we do macro-charting?

• Break text down into sections--identify “chunks” or parts of the text that seem to work together to DO something for the overall argument.

• Draw lines between sections and label each one, annotating them with “doing” verbs: providing context, making a claim, supporting a claim, rebutting counter argument, illustrating with personal anecdote, describing the issue, etc.

Why do we do macro-charting?• Macro-charting helps with understanding structure of argument, as well as

locating claims, supporting evidence, and main argument.• Macro-charting guides students toward identifying relationships between

ideas.• Macro-charting brings awareness that behind every sentence there is an

author with intent who makes rhetorical choices to achieve his/her aims.

MICRO-CHARTINGHow do we do micro-charting?

• Break down sections of text by paragraph to analyze what each paragraph is doing for the overall argument.

• Detail the smaller “moves” and strategies made within paragraphs: note when, where, and how and author makes a claim, cites evidence, and/or supports his/argument using a rhetorical strategy.

Why do we do micro-charting?• Micro-charting can serve as a way to thoroughly understand in a detailed

way how a text is put together.• Micro-charting encourages readers to look more carefully and closely at a

text and helps us to focus our reading on tasks asked for in prompts.• Micro-charting brings awareness of the specific rhetorical choices made

throughout a text (addressing particular audiences by making deliberate moves).

1 Adapted from work by Micah Jendian and Katie Hughes

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MACRO CHARTING OF KRISTOF BY PARAGRAPH

ONE: strategic concession (“Bush and Powell have adroitly shown…”) plus part of major claim (“haven’t shown the solution is to invade Iraq.”)

TWO: pathos (“kids torn apart”) plus 2 major claims (“containment is a better option than war,” “key military leaders oppose an invasion of Iraq”)

THREE: Presents evidence (quotes General S)

FOUR: Presents evidence (quotes General Z)

FIVE: Acknowledges key counterarguments/objections (“Hawks often compare Saddam to Hitler…”) Presents critique and rebuttal (“the analogy is faulty…Hussein can’t invade neighbors army has degraded even since Iran war…he’ll die soon)

SIX: Rebuttal continued (“A better analogy is Qadafi, who used to be denounced as the Hitler of the 1980s) plus support/evidence for rebuttal (account of conflict with Libya)

SEVEN: appeal to authority (Reagan contained Libya, didn’t invade) and support for claim in paragraph 2 (containment = better).

EIGHT: Concession (Bush is right about Hussein playing games) plus rebuttal (inspectors got job done and decoyed weapons)

NINE and TEN: Rebuttal (even if Hussein manages to hide weapons, can’t refine or develop nukes, since they are easily detected)

ELEVEN: Claim (war will cost too much) evidence (100-200 billion, $750-1500 per taxpayer

TWELVE: Claim (spending money on education and energy independence would do more for national security)

THIRTEEN: concession (Bush eloquently made case justifying invasion) question/claim(but is this wise, and is this the best way to spend lives and money)

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BLEICH - MAPPING THE ARGUMENTProject

To sound the alarm and “wake” Californians to the fact that they risk destroying the system (CSU) that made the California dream possible; to shame citizens, and persuade them they need to act quickly to save higher education. Bleich draws on his personal experience, his experience as chairman of the CSU board of trustees, and he researches facts relevant to the issue.

ArgumentCA is about to destroy the system that made it great due to a) failure to uphold promises/investments made by previous generations, b) shortsightedness & selfishness of both citizens and politicians. We must face up to the challenge and address the problem, or the dream will die.

Claim Claim Claim Claim ClaimCA’s past success is due in large part to investment in education and unrivaled commitment to educational equity and openness.

Crisis is caused by failure of political leadership, esp. a) pandering ($ on prisons not education) b) tax cuts), c) gerrymandering, of districts, d) failure to make hard choices

Crisis caused by failure of public to uphold bargain, value education, & by reactions to politicians have only made things worse (term limits, ballot initiatives). Public lacks willingness to acknowledge problems and work together.

CA has abandoned ‘bargain’ and risks destroying dream. This is unfair and self-destructive.

Citizens need to tell everyone they know about the problem and try to persuade others (“shame” them). Must wake state up and “rediscover greatness.”

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

Evidence for Claim

- Research & statistics ($4.41 returned for $1 invested – par. 4)- Personal experience (par 1- 6). He could not afford to go to law schools in East, but Berkeley was affordable. His success, and his firm’s success, has benefitted CA.

Data on prison spending; example of poor decisions made during energy crisis

Signs of decline: broken schools, funding shifts, stories of students and faculty, etc. CA K-12 education 47th in per-pupil spending. Stats - higher ed funding plunged from 17% to 9%

Stats on funding shifts; examples of outdated buildings and ‘painful stories’ of faculty; furloughs and student fee increases.

.

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

Strategies that support

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Rhetorical Précis – description and examplesIn order to help us effectively describe and summarize an author’s argument, we will use a method of description called the rhetorical précis. This highly structured four-sentence paragraph highlights the essential rhetorical elements in any spoken or written discourse and can be used to introduce primary and secondary texts in a more comprehensive essay.

The précis includes the name of the speaker/writer(s), and the context or situation in which the text is delivered, the major assertion, the mode of development for or support of the main idea, the stated and/or apparent purpose of the text, and the relationship between the speaker/writer(s) and the audience. The following is a breakdown of the information you should include in each one of the four sentences.

1. Name of the author, a phrase describing the author, the type and title of the work, the date (in parenthesis), a rhetorically accurate verb (such as “assert,” “argue,” “suggest,” “imply,” “claim,” etc.) that describes what the author is doing in the text, and a THAT clause in which you state the major assertion (argument statement) of the author’s text.

2. An explanation of how the author develops and/or supports the argument—the rhetorical structure of the text (for instance, types of evidence, comparing and contrasting, narrating, illustrating, defining, etc.). Choose this information carefully to complement the direction of your essay.

3. A statement of the author’s purpose, followed by an IN ORDER TO phrase in which you explain what the author wants the audience to do or feel as a result of reading the work.

4. A description of the author’s tone and intended audience.

Example: 1. Jeremy Rifkin, in the LA Times article titled “A Change of Heart About Animals”

(September 1, 2003), argues that new scientific evidence demonstrates that humans and animals are more alike than previously assumed.

2. Rifkin supports his argument by introducing human attributes assumed lacking in animals and then providing evidence that show animals share these characteristics.

3. The author’s purpose is to persuade us that animals and humans are similar so that we will support ethical treatment of animals.

4. The author writes in a respectful tone with informal language to appeal to the broad audience that reads the LA Times.

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ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT # 1: CONSTRUCTING AN ACCOUNT & ANALYSIS OF AN ARGUMENTLength 4 – 6 pages

In “The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change: How Do We Know We’re Not Wrong?” Naomi Oreskes examines the nature of scientific consensus. Oreskes, an historian of science at UCSD, examines how best to understand consensus, what constitutes persuasive evidence, and how to evaluate knowledge claims. Oreskes argues that overwhelming consensus exists on the subject of global warming, and that “denialists” have presented a series of claims that are both flawed and dangerous. The text is a chapter from the book Climate Change: What it Means for Us, Our children, and Our Grandchildren, edited by Joseph F. DiMento and Pamela Doughman (MIT Press, 2007.)

Criteria for Evaluation: 1. Describe Oreskes’ project and argument, and what you see as her most important or

interesting sub-claims, explaining how these sub-claims relate to the main claim.2. Describe how Oreskes organizes her text and how this influences what she has to say.3. Analyze the ways in which she supports her claims, and the moves or strategies she

employs to advance these claims. 4. Write the paper as if addressing a reader unfamiliar with Oreskes’ text.5. Comment on how this article is significant—what difference it might make to readers.6. Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be

thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.

Key learning outcomes: students will be able to describe and analyze an author’s argument, claims, project, support and rhetorical strategies.

ASSIGNMENT #2: GATHERING INFORMATION AND MANAGING SOURCESLength 6 – 8 pagesFood Inc.is a documentary by Robert Kenner about the politics of industrial food production. The documentary features interviews with writers Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser, as well as farmers and "environmental entrepreneurs." The film aims to “lift the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA.” The filmmaker suggests that careful examination of our food system reveals shocking truths about what we eat, how it’s produced, and who we have become as a nation.

For this project you will select at least two outside texts that make arguments that connect with those of Food Inc. You will use these texts to illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate one of the arguments advanced by Food Inc.

Criteria for Evaluation: 1. accurately describe the film’s project and argument 2. signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed3. locate claims and/or evidence from (at least) 2 outside sources that connect with the

argument

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4. analyze these claims/evidence in order to show how they illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate arguments found in Food Inc

5. present evidence that explains in detail how these texts illustrate, clarify, extend, or complicate the movie’s arguments

6. use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper

Key learning outcomes: students will be able to construct an account of an author’s project and argument and carry out small, focused research tasks to find information that helps clarify, illustrate, extend or complicate that argument; use appropriate reference materials, including a dictionary, in order to clarify their understanding of an argument.

ASSIGNMENT 3: EXPLAINING RHETORICAL STRATEGIESLength 4 – 6 pages

For this paper you will analyze rhetorical strategies in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. You will describe, analyze and explain these strategies, and discuss how they advance the book’s arguments. This will require that you consider the writer’s argument, purpose, audience, and the rhetorical situation she is responding to.

Criteria for EvaluationSuccessful papers will:

1. accurately describe the authors’ project and argument 2. signal the topic and give a clear indication of how the paper will proceed3. describe the strategy/strategies, provide interpretation and analysis of how the strategy works,

and explain why the author chose to use this strategy (purpose and audience).4. explain how the strategy/strategies advances the authors’ arguments.5. present ample evidence to support the analysis of rhetorical strategies6. use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next and be

thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic paper

Key learning outcomes: construct an account of authors’ projects and arguments and explain rhetorical strategies that these authors—and by extension other writers—use to engage readers in thinking about their arguments;

ASSIGNMENT 4: LENS/PORTFOLIOEither, a) Take one of the texts we have read this semester and use an element of it as a “lens” or framework for understanding and writing about a text of your choice.

b) A collection of written work completed over the course of the semester. This may include (but is not limited to) journal work, pre-writing assignments, “contract grading,” student reflections, etc. Your instructor may choose to have you present a final group project, paper, visual text or other form of work as part of this assignment.

(c) An assignment selected by your instructor (see for example the “parody” assignment created by Maggie Hesse.)

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Sample Detailed Schedule for Unit 1(Alicia, Fall 2009)Wk Tuesday Thursday1 9/1

Syllabus Deal with crashers Introductions/ice breakers In class: Writer’s Autobiography

(students write about their backgrounds as writers and readers)

Assign email assignment (via BB)

9/3 Review email assignment Watch subtext (if have Smart

Classroom) Discuss writing as a series of

“moves” employed by writers Begin discussion on rhetorical

situation/strategies, pass out “Key Terms and Concepts—PACES” worksheet

Chart their email assignment Hmwk: Read David Foster

Wallace’s (DFW) commencement speech

2 9/8 As class, address questions posed in

worksheet “Rhetorical Analysis: Group Inquiry”

Introduce critical reading/charting, perhaps use “Critical Reading” worksheet on overhead

In groups, chart text. Each will fills out an “Articulating the Argument” worksheet

Review argument/claims/evidence as a class

Hmwk: (to segue into writing with templates) Read They Say/I Say (TS/IS) Preface and Introduction

9/10 Review/finish DFW project and

argument Review TS/IS Begin rhetorical analysis/writing

with “Warm-Up Assignment” Students begin to write in class Review DFW’s claims that connect

to Pinker Hmwk: Read Pinker (perhaps

divide the 12 questions on the group inquiry worksheet and have the assigned students answer them via BB before next class), finish Warm-Up Assignment, print “P1_Prompt”

3 9/15(Add/drop deadline on 9/14) Collect Warm-Up Assignment Review P1 Prompt Discuss text Review rhetorical précis form Hmwk: Rhetorical Precis on Pinker

9/17 Collect Precis Group work: Divide class into 7-8

groups, each in charge of charting a section of the text. Groups share their work on the board and begin to fill out the “Articulating the Argument” worksheet as we go (or, have each group submit its findings via BB and I can compile/copy a complete version for whole class).

4 9/22 Continue articulating Pinker’s

9/24 Address student questions as an

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argument In class-writing: Introductions with

“Outline for Intro” Ask students to anonymously write

any questions they still have about P1 on a piece of paper and turn it in at the end of class.

Hmwk: Begin reading de Waal, writing their essay, print “P2 Prompt”

FAQs Review P2 Prompt Introduction to de Waal—transition

from Pinker with common themes Hmwk: Read de Waal’s “Apes with

Self-Esteem”, write P1 paper, bring four copies to class for Peer Review

5 9/29 First half: Begin discussion on

“Apes with Self Esteem” Second half: Peer Review

10/1 P1 due Sign up for conferences (MTW) Discuss “Survival of the Kindest” Hmwk: TBD

6 10/6Class canceled for conferences (P1 revisions due 10/15)

10/8

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Sample “Short” Schedule Fall 2011

Please note that the following schedule is approximate, as dates and topics may shift as the semester continues. Please refer to Blackboard for current information regarding your assignment due dates. With the exception of Food Inc., all readings are expected to be completed outside of class before the first class discussion date.

Week 1 Aug. 30: Syllabus; What is Rhetoric?Sept. 1: Key Terms and Concepts

Week 2 Sept. 6: Pre-reading strategiesSept. 8: Reading strategies; Introduction to the first project

Week 3 Sept. 13: Begin discussion of Oreskes [Note: Sept. 12 is the last day to drop classes] Sept. 15: Oreskes [Note: Sept. 14 is the last day to add classes]

Week 4 Sept. 20: Oreskes Sept. 22: Oreskes

Week 5 [You will conference for 15 minutes with me outside of class regarding your outline]Sept. 27: OreskesSept. 29: Conferencing

Week 6 Oct. 4: Paper #1 Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)Oct. 6: Paper #1 Due; Introduction to the second project

Week 7 Oct. 11: Begin discussion of Food Inc.Oct. 13: Food Inc.

Week 8 Oct. 18: Food Inc.Oct. 20: Food Inc.

Week 9 Oct. 25: Library Orientation to ResearchingOct. 27: Food Inc.

Week 10 Nov. 1: Food Inc. Nov. 3: Paper #2 Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring original plus 3 copies to class)

Week 11 Nov. 8: Paper #2 Due; Introduction to the third projectNov. 10: NO CLASS (Veteran’s Day)

Week 12 Nov. 15: Skloot Nov. 17: Skloot

Week 13 Nov. 22: Skloot Nov. 24: NO CLASS (Thanksgiving)

Week 14 [OPTIONAL conferencing for 15 minutes with me outside of class regarding your rough draft]Nov. 29: Skloot Dec. 1: Skloot

Week 15 Dec. 6: Paper #3 Rough Draft Due; Workshop (bring 3 copies to class)Dec. 8: Wrap Up

Final Exam Thursday, Dec. 16 from 10:30 – 12:30. Writing journals and final essay are due at this time. Attendance is mandatory.