Rhetoric 1302 – section 503

Fall 2005

INSTRUCTOR
THOMAS B. DOUGLAS
University of Texas at Dallas
School of Arts & Humanities

*DAYS/TIME (TR 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm.)

*LOCATION (JO 4.306)

Syllabus website: (http://lingua.utdallas.edu/rhetoric/)

*Office: (JO 4.118 )

*Office Hours: (T 4:30 - 5:30 and by appointment)

*Phone: (214-341-6711, 972-883-2018)

*Email: thomas.douglas@student.utdallas.edu
(Alternative) tbdouglas_utd@yahoo.com

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

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

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

Course Description
This course focuses on critical thinking by using an integrated approach to writing that
teaches various rhetorical strategies for reading and constructing arguments, both written and
visual. You will learn to read texts critically according to key components in argumentative
discourse (i.e., claims, grounds, explicit and implicit assumptions, fallacies, etc.) and to
recognize the different purposes of argument. You will write and revise three papers based
on issues and controversies raised in the various texts read during the semester. The
assignments will give you extensive practice in reading critically and writing according to the
rhetorical conventions of an argumentative essay.

Learning Record Online

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

Required Texts & Supplies

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

Also bring a floppy disk (PC-formatted if you use a PC, Mac- formatted if you use a Mac),
Flash drive, or CD/RW. The Rhetoric classroom uses Macintosh computers that can read
either format. Most documents will be produced in Microsoft Word. Whether you use MS
Word outside of the classroom or not, it is best to save your files as rich text format (RTF) to
insure compatibility between the word processing program you use and the one in your
classroom.

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

Attendance Policy
Because participation is vital to successful completion of Rhetoric 1302, you should attend
every class. If you must be absent, check with your classmates or with me for any work you
missed that can be made up. Much of the work is done collaboratively in class. Alternative
assignments are generally not given, nor can the instructor “re-teach” missed classes for
individual students. If you miss more than three classes, your grade will be negatively
affected and/or you may be encouraged to drop the class. Two tardies will count as one
absence. Chronic tardiness is unacceptable, as are coming to class unprepared, doing work
that is not for this course during class, sleeping in class, or using the computers or other
personal electronic devices for personal messaging, research, or entertainment. Please turn
off cellular/mobile phones, pagers, and other personal electronic devices during class.

Drop Policy
See here for details on deadlines and procedures for dropping:
http://www.utdallas.edu/student/registrar/lookup/dropadd.html

Office Hours
Please note my regular office hours above. You also can arrange to see me at other times that
are mutually convenient. Office hours belong to you just as much as our class time. Don’t
hesitate to take advantage of my availability and the help I am ready to offer. If you need to
contact me outside of class time or office hours, it is best to communicate with me by email
rather than the office phone.

Email Policy
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO UTD STUDENTS: As of August 1, 2004, all email
correspondence with students will be sent ONLY to the student's U.T. Dallas email address.
U.T. Dallas provides each student with a free email account that is to be used in all
communication with university personnel. This allows the university to maintain a high
degree of confidence in the identity of all individuals corresponding and the security of the
transmitted information. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a
method for students to forward email from other accounts to their U.T. Dallas address and
have their U.T. Dallas mail sent on to other accounts. Students may go to the following URL
to establish or maintain their official U.T. Dallas computer account: http://netid.utdallas.edu/

Grading Policy
This class offers you an approach to learning that may be different from your past
experiences. Because the course is concerned with your development as a critical reader and
writer, the grading strategy will track and monitor that development. Your work will be
collected in an electronic portfolio called the Learning Record Online (LRO). Your
assignments will not receive individual grades, but will receive individual attention from
your classmates and me. Your mid-term and final grades will be based on your portfolio of
written observations and your work samples, including collaborative work and your three
major essays, as well as completion of each component of your LRO. In the final step to
completing your LRO, you will argue for your grade by summarizing your learning and
estimating the grade that the evidence of your learning supports. In other words, you will
directly apply what you learn in this course, argumentative writing, by arguing for your own
grade. However, each component of the LRO is vital to a quality body of work: your
attendance, participation, promptness, level of writing. effective arguments, creativity,
collaboration, sound rhetorical skills, competent use of technology—all of these things and
more contribute to an outstanding portfolio.

Your goal is to demonstrate your development toward mastery of five course strands
(rhetoric, research, technology, collaboration, and critical thinking) and development across
five dimensions of learning (confidence and independence, skills and strategies, knowledge
and understanding, use of prior and emerging experience, and reflectiveness). These goals
will be discussed throughout the course. Keep in mind that although we do give + and –
grades at UTD, the general criteria for grading your Learning Record is still based on the A-F
scale.

The following grade criteria describe very general indicators that both you and your
instructor may take into consideration when assessing your work and progress in the
course. Your estimation of your mid-term and final grades should be more detailed and
specific and may include a ‘+’ or ‘–‘ if your work tilts above or below the central grade
for which you argue. But the final interpretation and assessment of your grade remains
the responsibility of your teacher.

A: Represents outstanding participation in all course activities (including attendance and

promptness); all assigned 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.

THERE WILL BE NO “INCOMPLETES” IN THIS CLASS

UTD Grading scale

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/catalog/undergrad02/progress.html#Grading%20Scale

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is the representation of another person’s work as your own, whether you mean to
or not. For example, copying or paraphrasing passages from another writer’s work without
acknowledging that you’ve done so is plagiarism. Allowing another writer to write any part
of your essay is plagiarism. Copying or purchasing a paper from any source is plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a serious offense. The possible consequences range from failing the assignment
to failing the course, or worse. Each incident of plagiarism at UTD must be reported to the
administration. If you are not sure how to properly cite a quoted or paraphrased source, or if
you need help with the format of a citation, check with the New Century Handbook and/or
with your teacher. Although you can (and, in fact, should) seek help and advice from friends,
classmates, tutors, and others, be sure that your written work is your own.

See the Undergraduate Catalog for information about the consequences of Scholastic
Dishonesty, or view the policy here (which is also a link on the Rhetoric Program website):

http://www.utdallas.edu/student/slife/dishonesty.html.

Major Assignments

First Essay: An essay that presents a definition or evaluation argument using the principles
and criteria in Everything’s an Argument (Chapter 9 or 10). Essay should be 4-5 double-
spaced pages using MLA format for Works Cited.
First draft due: September 20
Final draft due: September 27
Second Essay: An integrated textual and visual essay that examines and analyzes the
argument of a visual image (or images) using the criteria in Chapter 14 of Everything’s an
Argument. This essay may be created and archived in Lingua MOO or the WWW, or it may
be a traditional Word document that simply displays the image(s) in the body of your essay.
Your image may come from the visuals in Everything’s an Argument, other publications,
Internet, or other media. This project should be 5-6 double-spaced pages and should cite all
sources using MLA format for online sources.
First draft due: October 13
Final draft due: October 20

Third Essay: An essay that presents a causal or proposal argument using the principles and
criteria in Everything’s an Argument (Chapter11 or 12). This essay should be 6-7 double-
spaced pages and should use MLA format for all works cited.
First draft due: November 10
Final draft due: November 22

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

Remember: all drafts and final drafts must be recorded online in your LRO and turned
in to me in hard copy (using MLA format and citation and including a Works Cited
page) on the dates they are due.

Syllabus Itinerary (subject to change)

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

Thu 8/18: In-class: Introduction to course, books, policies, net id, and Rhetoric program
website; Register for QA e-book online and EA companion website.
Assignments : Read handout: Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.” Read in EA Ch 1 and QA Chs
1-3; Log on with QA and complete the “Diagnostic Test” by Thursday, 8/25. E-mail me a
short Bio (introduce yourself, include contact information, and tell me a little about yourself
and your major) to me by Tuesday, 8/23. Write a one page reflection (hard copy to be
handed in on Tues 8/23) on Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave.”

Tue 8/23: In-class: Intro to LRO; one page reflection on Plato due. Discuss Plato and EA Ch
1 and QA Chs 1-3.
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read Chs 2-3 in EA; Read Tannen’s
essay “Teachers’ Classroom Strategies Should Recognize That Men and Women Use
Language Differently.(EA, pp 730-736) Complete LRO parts A.1 and A.2 by 9/1

Thu 8/25: In-class: From this point forward, everyday we will have 10-15 minutes set aside
to record an “in-class” observation in the LRO. Have “Diagnostic Test” in the QA
completed. Discussion of Tannen and EA Chs 2-3.
Assignments: Read EA Chs 4-5, and 2 essays: “The Gift of Language” by Cao, and
“Always Living in Spanish” by Agosin from EA reader; bring a magazine to class on 8/31
(see Response #2 on p 76)

Tue 8/30: In-class: Discuss EA Chs 4-5; Small group rhetorical analysis of emotional and
values appeals in magazine ads
Assignments : Record an observation about your group work in your LRO; Read EA Chs 6-7

Thu 9/1: DUE: LRO parts A.1 and A.2

Thu 9/1: In-class:; Discuss EA Chs 6-7.
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 8: In EA read “Mother
Tongue” by Tan and “Suite for Ebony and Phonics” by Rickford.

Tue 9/6: In-class: Discuss EA Ch 8 (concentrating on the Toulmin method) and discuss the
readings.
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 9; from EA, read Leo’s “Fu
Mancho on Naboo,” Sterngold’s “Able to Laugh at Their People, Not Just Cry for Them,”
and Alexie’s “The Exaggeration of Despair.”
Begin working on Essay #1 (Definition/Evaluation Argument)

Thu 9/8: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 9 and assigned readings.

Assignments : Read EA Ch 10; Read in EA: Carr’s “On the Covers of Many Magazines a
Full Racial Profile is Still Rare,” James’ “It is all in the Mix: A Plastic Surgery Reality
Show”, Neustatter’s and Young’s “Why Shouldn’t the Epidermally Challenged Get Help”…
“Men Should Have Better Things to Do,” Cottle’s “Turning Boys in Girls” and “Selling
Men’s Underwear across the Decades.”

Tue 9/13: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 10 and the readings; students log in to QA online;
Demo of QA Research Navigator and Documentation electronic resources
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO. Chs 21-22 (Assessing and using Sources,
Documenting Sources). Read Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech, Rankin’s
“King’s Speech,” Curtis’ “Kings Don’t Own Words,” Goodman’s “Who Owns Dr. King’s
Words,” and King’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail.”(provided)

Thu 9/15: In-class: Discussion of the assigned readings.

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Read QA Handbook on MLA format and
how to cite and create a works cited page; read student samples of LRO Parts B.1 (Analysis)
and C.1 (Evaluation) in LRO website; Read EA Chs 18-20. Work on draft of essay #1, due
9/20
Tue 9/20: In-class: First draft of essay #1 due today in LRO. Peer reviews. Brief
discussion of Chs 18-20. Students will exchange their papers with another student and
respond to the provided Peer Review Questionnaire.
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Work on essay #1 peer review revision
suggestions

Thu 9/22: Library Tour: Class meets in the library (Attendance mandatory)
Assignments : Continue work on essay # 1; Read EA Ch 15; bring Visual Exercises CD to
class Tuesday

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

Thu 9/29: In-class: Examine images in United Benetton ads

(http://www.benetton.com/html/whatwesay/campaigns/photogallery.shtml) 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 LRO; decide on image(s) for your essay #2 and
bring to class on Tuesday, 10/5 [If you are linking to the image elsewhere on the Internet, BE
SURE TO NOTE EXACT SOURCE OF IMAGE and OBTAIN PERMISSION TO LINK
TO IT IF IT IS NOT ON A PUBLIC SITE; see EA p 408-409].

Tue 10/4: In-class: Using the technology. Introduction to Lingua MOO.

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

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

Tue 10/11: In-class: Individual work on visual projects in class

Assignments : Record an Observation about moderation readings in your LRO; Complete
first draft of Visual argument project due Thursday, 10/14; bring hard copy of first draft
to class on 10/13

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

Tue 10/18: In-class: Teacher-student conferences on visual argument essay; In class work on
visual projects
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Complete final draft of Visual argument
essay due Thursday, 10/20 Read EA Ch 16. Students must choose some site, i.e., Blogs or
web forums, and discuss the arguments that unfold in electronic environments.
Thu 10/20: In-class: Final draft of Visual argument due; Discussion of EA Ch 16 on
Arguments in Electronic Environments and assigned (TBA) online readings to be held online
at Lingua MOO
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; create LRO Work Sample link to MOO
transcript of online discussion from today; Read EA Ch 11 and 3-5 essays (TBA) from
clusters in the reader section of EA, or essays chosen by the class.

Tue 10/25: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 11 and assigned readings; Discuss Paper #3

project (Causal or Proposal Essay due Nov 23)
Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; discussion of the QA Handbook;
complete some exercises (TBA) on the Handbook website. Start thinking about your final
paper topic.

Thu 10/27: In-class: Bring QA; discussion of assignments from Handbook

Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; Read EA Ch 12 and 3-5 essays (TBA)
from clusters in the reader section of EA, or essays of the classes choosing.

Tue 11/1: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 12 and assigned readings

Assignments : Record an Observation in your LRO; choose possible topics for
Causal/Proposal argument for Paper #3

Thu 11/3: In-class: Teacher conference on paper topics

Assignments : Work on first draft of essay #3 due Thu 11/10 in LRO

Tue 11/8: In-class: Class discussion over essay #3.

Assignments : Continue working on first draft; bring hard copy of first draft to class on Thu
11/10.

Thu 11/10: In-class: First draft of essay #3 due in LRO; Peer reviews of first draft of essay
#3
Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Continue working on essay #3 using peer
feedback; Read EA Ch 14

Tue 11/15: In-class: Discussion of EA Ch 14; discussion of revision techniques and elevating
style (bring QA Handbook); In-class writing on essay #3
Assignments : Continue work on essay #3; prepare for conference with instructor

Thu 11/17: In-class: Conference with instructor on essay #3

Assignments : Record an observation in your LRO; Work on revisions of essay #3

Tue 11/22: In-class: Final draft of essay #3 due in LRO; LRO parts B.2 and C.2 due
today. Moderation readings. LAST DAY OF CLASS.