Rhetoric 1302 – Argumentative Essay – Section 024

Fall 2006, TR, 11:00- 12:15 a.m. JO4.306

NOTE: All matters associated with this course are subject to change at
the instructor's discretion. Any changes will be communicated to
students in writing.

Instructor Contact Information

Course Instructor Office Telephone Email Office Hours
Rashmi JO4.118 972-883- rramacha@utdallas.edu 10- 11 a.m. T
Ramachandran 2018
Other office hours may be arranged.

Course Description
The course presents an integrated approach to writing, reading, and
critical thinking by developing the grammatical, logical, and rhetorical
skills necessary for university writing. All classes work in a
computerized learning environment. Students are taught basic
computer literacy and submit all work electronically and on paper.

Student Learning Objectives

1. Students will be able to practice and apply different approaches
to and modes of written exposition as appropriate to a variety of
theses and subjects.
2. Students will be able to compose using effective technical
requirements for written exposition, including organization,
mechanics, and thesis development.
3. Students will develop sensitivity to written language by being
able to employ and apply effective and appropriate rhetorical
devices directed at a defined audience.
4. Students will able to demonstrate an ability to conduct research,
apply source material, discuss general information, and apply
logical process when writing.

Required Textbooks
The Aims of Argument: A Rhetoric and Reader
by Timothy Crusius and Carolyn Channell
Fifth Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2006
ISBN 0-07-321761-1

A Writer's Resources: A Handbook for Writing and Research

by Elaine P. Maimon, Janice H. Peritz, and Kathleen Blake Yancey
Second Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2007
ISBN 978-0-07-325938-3
Assignments and Academic Calendar
NOTE: All matters associated with this course are subject to change at
the instructor's discretion. Any changes will be communicated to
students in writing.

All assignments are due by the next class period unless noted
otherwise. Assignments from The Aims of Argument textbook denoted
by AA; assignments from A Writer's Resource denoted by AWR

Thu 8/17: In-class: Intro to course and Rhetoric program website;

Register for AWR and AA companion websites (the AWR website includes
an e-book.) Autobiographical sketch assigned, due 8/22.
Assignments: Read AA Ch. 1 and AWR Ch. 4; Send email to me by
8/20.

Tue 8/22: In-class: Intro to Portfolio; Discussion of AA Ch 1 and AWR

Ch. 4. Interview exercise. Portfolio Interview and self-assessment
assigned, due 8/31. Autobiography assignment due today.
Assignments: Record an observation in your portfolio; Read Ch. 2 in AA

Thu 8/24: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch 2 and demo of AWR electronic

resources. Attributes of good writing
Assignments: Read AA Ch. 4 and bring a magazine to class on 8/29

Tue 8/29: In-class: Discuss AA Ch. 4; Small group rhetorical analysis of

emotional and values appeals in magazine ads. Gender field
assignment assigned, due 9/7.
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Read “Dinner and
a Movie? No Thanks on College Campuses” (AA510), “Hook-Up Culture”
(AA514) AND “In My Tribe” (AA516)

Thu 8/31: In-class: Discuss assigned readings. DUE: Portfolio

interview and self-assessment
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 3
and “What Wedding Films Tell Us About Love” (AA 453) and “The
Distribution of Distress” (799).
Tue 9/5: In-class: Discuss AA Ch. 3; Class Toulmin analysis of assigned
reading.
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 6
and “The Medieval Contribution to Love” (AA 446) and “Against Love” (AA
544). Essay #1 assigned (Inquiry Argument)

Thu 9/7: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 9 and assigned readings.

Gender assignment due in class.
Assignments: Read AA Ch. 5 (Assessing and using Sources,
Documenting Sources) [Ch. 5 is a reference chapter and you are
responsible for understanding and putting into practice the principles
therein]

Tue 9/12: In-class: LIBRARY DAY!

Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Read evaluation
arguments: “A Day without Feminism” (582) and “The Beauty Myth”
(612)

Thu 9/14: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 5 and general discussion of

sources; Students log in to AWR online (Catalyst 2.0); Demo of Catalyst
electronic resources for Research; Discussion of assigned readings; Class
discussion of grammar, format, mechanics, evidence, fallacies, and
plagiarism discussion (bring AWR Handbook)
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Read AWR
Handbook on MLA format and how to cite and create a works cited page;
Work on draft of Essay #1, due 9/19

Tue 9/19: In-class: First draft of Essay #1 due today in Portfolio.

Peer reviews. Start teacher conferences.
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Work on Essay
#1 peer review revision suggestions

Thu 9/21: In-class: Teacher conference and in-class writing on Essay

#1.
Assignments: Continue work on essay # 1, due 9/26

Tue 9/26: In-class: Final draft of Essay #1 due. Introduction to Visual

Rhetoric.
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Research
image(s) to use for Visual Rhetoric Essay #2 and bring some to class

Thu 9/28: In-class: Examine images in United Benetton ads

(http://www.benetton.com/html/whatwesay/campaigns/photogallery.sht
ml) and Adbusters.org (http://adbusters.org/home/) website and note
various arguments; Small group discussions of images and analysis of
arguments in images
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; 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]. Photography group assignment
assigned, due 10/5

Tue 10/3: In-class: Using the technology

Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Work on format
and media decisions for visual project

Thu 10/5: Draft plan for Visual Rhetoric assignment; Photography

assignment presentation due in class today.
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Start sketching
main visual project components and argument analysis

Tue 10/10: Individual work on visual projects in class

Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Complete first
draft of Essay #2 due 10/12; Bring hard copy of first draft to class on
10/12

Thu 10/12: In-class: First draft of Visual argument due; Peer

reviews in class. Start teacher conferences
Assignments: Work on revision of Essay #2 based on peer review
suggestions

Tue 10/17: In-class: Teacher-student conferences on Essay #2; In class

work on visual projects
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Complete final
draft of Essay #2 due, 10/19

Thu 10/19: In-class: Final draft of Essay #2 due; Discussion and in-
class reflective writing
**Last day to withdraw with WP/WF**
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 7
and “Collegiate Life: An Obituary” (AA710), and “On the Uses of Liberal
Education: As Lite Entertainment for Bored College Students” (AA721)

Tue 10/24: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 7 and assigned readings;

Discuss Essay #3 (Convincing or Motivating Essay due 11/21)
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Start thinking
about your final paper topic; exercises on the AWR website
Thu 10/26: In-class: Bring AWR; Discussion of assignments from AWR
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 8
and “Is Class an identity?” (AA763), “White Poverty: The Politics of
Invisibility” (AA772), AND “The Recoloring of Campus Life” (AA786)

Tue 10/31: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 8 and assigned readings;

Proposal for Paper #3 due in-classes today.
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Choose possible
topics for Essay #3

Thu 11/2: In-class: Teacher conference on paper topics; Documentation

exercise
Assignments: Work on first draft of Essay #3 due 11/9 in Portfolio

Tue 11/7: In-class: Writing in class on first draft of Essay #3

Assignments: Continue working on first draft; bring hard copy of first
draft to class on 11/9

Thu 11/9: In-class: First draft of Essay #3 due in Portfolio; Peer

reviews of first draft of Essay #3
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Continue working
on Essay #3 using peer feedback

Tue 11/14: In-class: Discussion of revision techniques and elevating

style (bring AWR Handbook); In-class writing on Essay #3. Putting
together the portfolio
Assignments: Continue work on Essay #3; Prepare for conference with
instructor

Thu 11/16: In-class: Conference with instructor on Essay #3

Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Work on revisions
of Essay #3

Tue 11/21: In-class: Final draft of Essay #3 due in Portfolio; LAST

DAY OF CLASS.

Thu 11/23: Thanksgiving Holiday

Grading Policy
Your course work, and demonstrable acquisition and utilization of
competencies in written communication will be assessed holistically
over the course of the semester. Your projects will not receive
individual grades, but will receive individual attention from the course
instructor and your classmates. Midterm and final grades will be based
on a portfolio of written observations, assigned essays, and other
activities, as well as your attendance and participation. At both
midterm and end of the semester you will present a written argument
for what you feel your grade should be based or your specific
assessment of the quality of your learning, especially with regard to
your attendance, participation, promptness, level of writing, effective
use of argumentation, creativity, collaboration, sound rhetorical skills,
and competent use of technology.

Evidence supporting your claim(s) must be drawn from your portfolio

and should specifically demonstrate mastery of five course strands
(rhetoric, research, technology, collaboration, and critical
thinking)you're your development across five dimensions of learning
(confidence and independence, skills and strategies, knowledge and
understanding, use of prior and emerging experience, and
reflectiveness).

The final interpretation and assessment of your grade(s), however,

remains the responsibility of the course instructor.

The following grade criteria describe very general indicators for

assessing your work and progress in the course.

A: Represents outstanding participation in all course activities

(including attendance and promptness); all assigned work 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.

Course and Instructor Policies

Attendance and Participation

Both regular and active attendance and participation are required for
the successful completion of this course. If you miss any class for any
reason, you remain responsible for class expectations, requirements,
and/or changes. Alternative assignments are generally not given, nor
will missed classes be "re-taught" for absent students. After three
absences your final course grade will be negatively affected
and/or you may be encouraged to drop the course. Chronic
tardiness is unacceptable and will also negatively affect your final
grade.

Participation IN THIS COURSE does not include 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.

Major Assignments
Essay #1
An essay that presents an inquiry argument using the principles and
criteria in The Aims of Argument (Chapter 6). Essay should be 4-5
double-spaced pages using MLA format for Works Cited.

First draft due: 9/19

Final draft due: 9/26

Essay #2
An integrated textual and visual essay that examines and analyzes the
argument of a visual image (or images) using the criteria in Chapter 4 of
The Aims of Argument. Your image may come from the visuals in The
Aims of 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: 10/12

Final draft due: 10/19

Essay #3
An essay that presents a convincing or motivating argument using
the principles and criteria in The Aims of Argument (Chapter 7 or 8).
This essay should be 6-7 double-spaced pages and should use MLA
format for all works cited.

Brief for essay due: 10/31

First draft due: 11/9
Second draft due: 11/16
Final draft due: 11/21

Late Work
All drafts, including final, must be submitted when and as required in
order to successfully complete this course. Late assignments will suffer
grade deductions, or may not be accepted.

Personal Communication Devices

Turn off all cell phones, pagers, and other personal communication
devices before the start of class. Do not use them during class.

Student Conduct and Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas
have rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their
business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student
organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations
which govern student conduct and activities. General information on
student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to
Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic
year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within

the procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures
are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of
Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section
3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the
university's Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules
and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the
responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal,
state, and local laws as well as the Regents' Rules, university
regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline
for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes
place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also
imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and
academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends
upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of
individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts

or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a
degree, and/or the submission as one's own work or material that is
not one's own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of
the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are
subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other
classes, and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt
with under the university's policy on plagiarism (see general catalog
for details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which
searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of
communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic
mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security
and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The
university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent
only to a student's U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff
consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD
student account. This allows the university to maintain a high degree
of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student
with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with
university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail
forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal
of any college-level courses. These dates and times are published in
that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be
followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal
requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure
that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose
not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on
Student Services and Activities, of the university's Handbook of
Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades,

evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the
obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the
matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee
with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility
for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved
at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the
respondent with a copy of the respondent's School Dean. If the matter
is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent,
the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the
grievance is not resolved by the School Dean's decision, the student
may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate
Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals
Panel. The decision of the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results
of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved
parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the

Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to
assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.
Incomplete Grade Policy
As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for
work unavoidably missed at the semester's end and only if 70% of the
course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be
resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent
long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to
remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified
deadline, the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of
F.

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 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.;
Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:
The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those
reasonable adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the
basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove
classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case
of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an assignment
requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus
an oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes
enrolled students with mobility impairments may have to be
rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need
to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.

It is the student's responsibility to notify his or her professors of the

need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students
with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student
has a disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring
special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.
Religious Holy Days
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or
other required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious
holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from
property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor

as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of
the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the
exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the
absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and
completes any missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for
the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment
within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam
or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence

[i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is
similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a
reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or examinations,
either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief
executive officer or designee must take into account the legislative
intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by
the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.