Matthew Jackson Weiss
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| Rhetoric and Composition,
The Pennsylvania State University |
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| English
15 Syllabus Summer, 2006 Instructor: Matt Weiss Section: 204 Office: 58 Office Phone: 814-865-6440 Office hours: M 11-12, T+W 3-4 Email: mjw321@psu.edu Mailbox: 112 Burrowes (Above the name) Course Description The purpose of this class is to improve your writing and to introduce you to various types and methods of argument. While some (indeed, many) of these arguments may take the form of traditional essays, the course is designed to allow you some freedom in both what you write and how you write it. You will choose your own topics for each paper, although you will be given guidelines about certain formal requirements of each assignment. Aside from those, though, how you argue your point is up to you. We will discuss in class which methods are most effective in which situations, and how best to define the scope of your position. Because it is compressed into the space of six weeks this class is intensive, and I will often assign you both reading and a writing assignments for homework. Texts Eberly, Rosa. Elements of Reasoning. 2nd ed. Course Packet, TBA. Other readings will be photocopied by the instructor, or put online for you to print out. General Course Requirements and Papers To pass this course you must do the following three things: 1. Complete all four papers, as well as all other writing assignments. 2. Complete (and demonstrate knowledge of) all reading assignments. 3. Actively participate as both reader and writer in draft workshops, argument workshops, in-class exercises, and classroom discussions. You will be turning in your papers for this course online. We will be using a Wiki, an editable online environment, for submission of all proposals, rough drafts, and final drafts. Depending on your response to the wiki, we might move the weekly writing and journal assignments there as well. We will discuss how to use the wiki (both what is technically possible and what is appropriate) in class. The overall purpose of the wiki, however, is to promote your independent interaction with the issues we discuss in class. Papers must be submitted on time: Late papers will normally be docked one letter grade per day, unless you get my approval for an extension before the due date. Note well: This also holds for drafts that are due for peer review: not only must you submit a draft on the day it is due, but the draft must be a complete draft that is ready to share. Format: Choosing a format is a rhetorical decision, but normally your papers should be double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides. Separate title pages are usually inappropriate in this course. Place your name, the date, and the instructor's name in the upper right hand corner of the first page. Place any title above the text on page one, and double space beneath it. Page one need not be numbered, but all subsequent pages should be numbered in the upper right hand corner. If you want to experiment with alternate formats you are welcome to, but be prepared to justify your reasons for doing so. Weekly Writing In addition to your formal papers, you will be writing a number of shorter assignments. Although they are short, they should not be taken lightly. Taken cumulatively, these assignments make up 15% of your grade. The Weekly Writing is very straightforward. Each week I will describe a short (1-2 pages) assignment that will usually be due on the same day as your proposal for the next paper. Although these assignments are looser in their criteria for success, you should still take them seriously as an opportunity to practice your writing. Assessment Paper #1: Definition Argument 10% Paper #2: Causal Argument 15% Paper #3: Evaluation Argument 20% Paper #4: Proposal Argument 20% Weekly Writing Assignments 15% Participation 20% Conferences Individual conferences with me are an essential part of this class. You will each be writing your papers on topics of your choice, and therefore it will be hard for me to give you specific advice in the class setting. You are required to meet with me at least once during the first three weeks of the class, and I would encourage you to meet with me more often if possible. Think of my office as an extension of the classroom and use my office hours to discuss not only paper topics, but any aspect of your reading or writing: problems, questions, ideas you wish to develop, strategies you'd like to try, and so on. I’m going to try something new this session, as another way to make myself available to you when you need my help. At certain times during the week, which I will announce in class, I will be on AOL Instant Messenger, under the screen name ENGLteach2006. During those hours, you can IM me with questions, send me pieces of your paper to look at, etc. An important note for both online and in-person conferences: I will not read any portion of your papers blind, without a conversation with you about what you think needs work and what issues you want to discuss. Attendance & Participation Regular attendance is required. Please come to every class. The course depends upon your active participation. As this is a compressed time period (during which we try to fit 14 weeks of material into 6 weeks of class time) it is especially important that you make every effort to be in class. Excused absences are appropriate, but beyond that, let me repeat University policy (Policies and Rules, 42-27): A student whose absences are excessive “may run the risk of receiving a lower grade or a failing grade,” whether or not some of those absences are “excused.” If you miss a class, then it is your responsibility to get assignments, complete work, and submit papers. What that means: if for any reason you are not in class, it is YOUR responsibility to contact a classmate and get notes for the class you missed, as well as any additional homework that may have been assigned in-class. Attendance counts as a portion of your participation grade (20% of your overall grade). It is only a portion, however: this class requires your active participation in class discussions. I will try my utmost to make our classroom a safe space, a place in which we can take risks, try out ideas, and not be afraid of giving the wrong answer. In return, I ask that you do your best to speak up when you have something to contribute, allow (and even encourage) the participation of your classmates, and come to class prepared with some ideas of things you want to say. As long as you are trying to contribute to the progress of the class, and have done the work necessary to have an informed opinion, you will have fulfilled your participation obligation in my eyes. Academic Integrity Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. If you are caught engaging in academic dishonesty, you risk failing the assignment and even the course. You may also be referred to the College Committee on Academic Integrity, which may recommend academic probation, suspension, or expulsion for academic dishonesty. Reminder The Schedule of Events Abbreviations: ER = Elements of Reasoning, W = Weekly Writing, TBA = To be announced. Paper Specific Abbreviations: P = Assignment Proposal, RD = Rough Draft, FD = Final Draft. Unless otherwise noted, essays to be read will be in a Course Packet available sometime after July 4th from Cop-ease on Allen st. This syllabus may change as circumstances require, including (but not limited to) additional reading or writing assignments for any given day. Date Day Reading Due Writing Due___________ Introduction to Argument and Rhetorical Analysis 6/28 W First Day: Introduction/Orientation 6/29 TH ER: 1-20 Writing Sample 6/30 F ER: 21-48 Start Journal: Narrative 7/3 M ER: 49-68 7/4 T ***************Independence Day, No Class*************** 7/5 W ER: 69-82, Handout: “Creating a Criminal” (W) Rhetorical Analysis 7/6 TH 3 Essays on “Cleanliness” 7/7 F “Bitch,” “Being a Man” (P) Definition Paper 7/10 M “A Patriotic Left,” (W) “A Nation Worth Defending” Journal Entry 7/11 T “Invisible Technology” 7/12 W In-Class Draft Review : Read Drafts. (RD) Definition Paper 7/13 TH “Logical Fallacies” story, “Cheerleader! An American Icon” 7/14 F (FD) Definition Paper 7/17 M 7/18 T ER: 83-94, “Gun Control is Constitutional,” “The False Promise of Gun Control” 7/19 W “It Takes A Tribe,” “Things You Only (P) Causal Paper Do In College,” “This Is How We Live” (W) TBA 7/20 TH “What Makes a Serial Killer,” “Against Nature” 7/21 F Special Circumstances: (RD) Causal Paper due Saturday 7/24 M ER: 95-110, “The Moral Clone” 7/25 T (FD) Causal Paper (P) Evaluation Paper 7/26 W “A Hanging,” “Death and Justice” 7/27 TH “A Negative Vote On Affirmative Action” (RD) Evaluation Paper “The Future of Affirmative Action” 7/28 F 7/31 M (FD) Evaluation Paper 8/1 T ER: 111-120, “Of (Headless) Mice and Men” 8/2 W “A War for the Surgeon General…” (P) Proposal Paper Letters By William Bennet (W) TBA and Milton Friedman 8/3 TH “Devastating Beauty,” 8/4 F (RD) Proposal Paper 8/7 M Conferences 8/8 T Conferences 8/9 W (FD) Proposal Paper |
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