English 305, Fall 2016

English 305: Introduction to the Rhetoric of Citizenship

Dr. Elizabeth Chiseri-Strater Office 3106 MHRA

E_chiser@uncg.edu Office Hours Tue/Thur 12:30-1:45 11:30-12:30/2-2:30

In this course you will learn what rhetoric is and why it is an important part of the English Major? We’ll go back to the Greeks and Aristotle who defined rhetoric as “the faculty of discovering in any given case the available means of persuasion.” Many theorists have added to this definition, including I.A. Richards who considered that rhetoric should be “a study of misunderstandings and its remedies.” And finally Kenneth Burke whose work underpins our textbook defined rhetoric as “the use of words by human agents to form attitudes or induce actions in other human agents.” By the end of the course you should have a clear sense of the power of rhetoric in the world as well as strategies for making your own rhetorical situations more effective.

The Course Objectives include learning rhetorical theory, investigations of how voice gets heard, how evidence gets used, and how audiences get addressed. Specifically by the end of the course you should be able to:

Identify and use major rhetorical terms and ideas Understand and apply a variety of rhetorical theories to specific cases Analyze written and visual texts for their arguments and rhetorical motives Write and revise your own writing thoroughly and thoughtfully Use rhetorical strategies in speaking to an audience

Required Texts:

Rhetoric in Civic Life, C. Palczewski, R. Ice and J. Fritch, Strata Publishing: State College: Penn, 2016. (there is an earlier edition but I am requiring the 2016 edition)

Canvas readings printed out and brought to class

Access to an online rhetoric site: Silva Rhetorica http://humanities.byu.edu/ rhetoric /

Commonplace notebook specifically for this course

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Requirements:

Two shorter (2-4) paged papers, one on visual rhetoric and the other a written speech and oral presentation on a topic that emerges either from our textbook or from your own experiences. You will devise a rhetorical situation in which your argument or topic might be effective and you will decide on the audience, purpose, exigency and constraints that will shape your presentation. Visual Rhetoric paper (10 points) Argument paper (15 points). Both papers will be workshopped and revised. Speeches should be practiced at the Speaking Center or with your group.

One longer (6-8) paged) paper on some aspect of civil discourse. You may analyze a group ( Boy Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity), a movement (civil rights, gay disability rights) a documentary film about civic issues (Super-Size Me) or a non-mainstream journal or newspaper that addresses important citizenship issues or a graphic novel that deals with social issues (Persepolis). Your rhetorical analysis will use the terms and understandings from our textbook to illustrate the issues under investigation and possible solutions to the problems that you uncover. For this paper you may work with a partner or go solo. This paper will be workshopped and revised. You will also present this analysis to the class (25 points).

Commonplace Book

Students of rhetoric in ancient times kept what was called a commonplace book which was a space for recording thoughts, observations, quotes, rhetorical terms and reflections. As a contemporary student of rhetoric, your commonplace book will serve as a place for you to practice the rhetoric you are learning. You will respond each week to a new term that you learn from our text or as well as from the assigned readings. You should also construct three discussion questions for each assigned chapter. I will call on you at random to lead the class discussion with your questions so be sure they are thoughtful and able to engage the class in conversation. I will take up these books to evaluate and comment on throughout the semester. Weekly the commonplace book should include three handwritten pages or 300 word typed entries. (25points)

Quizzes on Rhetorical Terms

There will be an occasional pop quiz on rhetorical terms that I have assigned as being important. These quizzes are meant to help you keep up with the readings. (15 points)

Attendance and Evaluation

Consistent and timely attendance is expected as well as engaged and active participation. You may miss three classes during the semester and more than that

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will compromise your grade. If you miss more than six classes for any reason you will be asked to drop the class.

In-class writing cannot be made up and assignments are due even if you are absent. Should you miss a class, contact a classmate about what we covered (get the email of a student you feel you can count on).

Tardiness exceeding ten minutes counts as an absence. Three tardies equals one full absence.

Grade Distribution:

Essays and Speaking /Projects 50

Commonplace book 25

Quizzes 15

Class Participation with Discussion Questions 10

There is no final exam in this course even though we are required to meet on the scheduled day for our exam.

Late and Missed Work:

The penalty for late assignments is one letter grade per day. If there are extreme circumstances (documented), allowances may be granted.

Resources:

1. Your peers in this class constitute an important resource for you to take advantage of. Listen to their writing and to their responses to your writing as well as what they have to say in class. Rhetorical listening is part of this course.

2. As your instructor, you should use me as your resource. Use my office hours to talk about the work in our course. Email me to set up appointments at times other than the hours listed (11:30-12:30 and 2-2:30).

3. UNCG has two excellent resources for this course, The University Speaking Center and The University Writing Center. Consult the Speaking Center’s website at http://speakingcenter.uncg.edu or the Writing Center at http:// uncg.edu/eng/writing center for more information about these two resources. Both of these centers have great expertise in helping with writing and oral presentations. Take advantage of them!

4. Disability Services. It is imperative that students with disabilities register with the Office of Disability Services. Please let me know if you are working with disability services and I will make appropriate accommodations. The Office of

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Accessibility Resources is located on the second floor of the Elliot University Center, suite 215. Telephone 334-5440; e-mail: oars@uncg.edu

Course Expectations:

You are required to bring your textbook to class or if the reading is from Canvas, print it or have it available in digital form.

You may be asked to use your phone as part of group work but otherwise your phone should be off and not visible.

Any inappropriate or disrespectful actions or speech toward any of your classmates or me will not be tolerated. I expect mutual respect and acceptance of everyone regardless of race, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age or physical ability.

Plagiarism: Don’t do it. You will be reported and will fail the class.

This class is both Writing and Speaking Intensive. Expect then that you will be asked to write and revise, rehearse and speak throughout the course.

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Week 1:

8/23 Introduction to the course: What is Rhetoric?

8/25 The triangle and three appeals: Download Everyday Use, Chapter 1

Begin entries in your Commonplace Book based on Chapter 1 What are

new vocabulary words for you in this chapter? What questions do you

have about rhetoric?

Week 2:

8/30 The Vocabulary of Rhetoric: Rhetoric in Civic Life, Chapter 1, 3-16

Commonplace book: Write about two new words related to rhetoric in this

9/1 The Vocabulary of Rhetoric: Rhetoric in Civic Life, Chapter 1, 16 to end

Commonplace book: Create two discussion questions from this half of the chapter

Week 3:

9/6 Language and Rhetoric: Rhetoric in Civic Life, Chapter 2-p. 41-63

Prepare discussion question 4 on advertisements (63) and bring ad to class

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9/8 Declarations

Be prepared to “declare” for 1-2 minutes on a topic you believe in—“I believe Pluto should still be considered to be a planet because…..”

Write about your declaration in your Commonplace book

Week 4: Rhetorical analysis

9/13 Group work analyzing and discussing newspaper articles

Commonplace book: Take notes on the appeals in one of the articles

9/15 Ethos Reconsidered: Guest speaker Professor Nancy Myers

Commonplace book: Take notes on speaker’s ideas about ethos

Week 5: Visual Rhetoric Rhetoric in Civic Life, Chapter 3, 69-93

9/20 Commonplace book: Discussion Question 3. 93

9/22 Commonplace book: Discussion Question 4, 93

Week 6: Visual Rhetoric applied

9/27/ 9/29 Group work on Visual Rhetoric presentations

Choose topic and rehearse presentation for the following week

Week 7: Presentations and Feedback

10/4/10/6 Visual rhetoric presentations and discussion

Hand in outline for presentations, along with group analysis

Week 8: Symbolic Action: Rhetors , Rhetoric in Civic Life Chapter 6

10/11 Rhetors 163—174 Commonplace book, Discussion Question 1

10/13 Rhetors, 175-191 Apply Discussion Question 2 to a Presidential

Candidate

Turn in Commonplace Book for evaluation

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Week 9: Argument Rhetoric in Civic Life Chapter 4

10/18 FALL BREAK: NO CLASS

10/20 Argument—99-109

Prepare Discussion questions

Argument Paper assigned

Week 10: Argument: Rhetoric in Civic Life Chapter 4

10/25 Argument 109-123

10/27 Workshop Argument Paper

Week 11: Symbolic Action: Audiences Rhetoric in Civic Life Chapter 7

11/1 Audiences-199 212

11/3 Audiences 212-199-220-Commonplace book, Discussion Question 5

Argument Paper due

Week 12: Publics and Counterpublics Rhetoric in Civic Life Chapter 8

11/8 Publics and Counterpublics-265-281

Commonplace book: Watch the results of the election and write about it

11/10 Publics and Counterpublics 281-297 Discussion question 2

Final Paper assigned

Week 13 Rhetoric Workshops

11/15 Bring draft of final paper to class for workshopping

11/17 Bring outline of final speech to class for sharing

Week 14

11/22 Final Paper Presentations

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11/24 THANKSGIVING NO CLASS

Week 15 Final Paper Presentations

11/29 Presentations

12/1 Last Day of Class: Final Papers due

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10/4 Argument: Text (RCL) Chapter 4, 99-116

Commonplace book: Create two or more questions from the chapter

10/6 Argument: Text(RCL) Chapter 4, 117-123

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Commonplace book: Complete discussion question 4

OCTOBER 14 LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW FROM COURSE WITHOUT INCURRING WF

Week 9: Commonplace Books

10/18 Fall Break, No Class

10/20 Prepare one entry from your Commonplace Book to share with class

Turn in Commonplace books. Argument essay assigned

Week 10: Symbolic Action: Text (RCL) Rhetors , Chapter 6

10/25 Rhetors (RCL) Chapter 6, 1674--174

10/27 Rhetors , 175-191

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Week 6:

9/27 Meet with Group

9/29 Meet with Group

Week 7:

10/4

10/6

Week 8:

10/11

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10/13

October 14: Last day to withdraw from course without incurring a WF

Week 9:

10/18 Fall Break no class

10/20

Week 10:

10/25

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Week 11:

11/1

11/3

Week 12:

11/8

11/10

Week 13:

11/15

11/17

Week 14:

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11/22 Alternative Rhetorics: Feminist and Ethnic Rhetorics

11/24 Thanksgiving Holiday no class

Week 15:

1/29 Last Day of class

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