All reading and homework due on the day assigned below. Come to class prepared.
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Unit
1 Jan
9-30: Understanding the Argument |
Successful
argumentation arises out of successful listening. No one can convince an opponent without
understanding the opponent’s position.
We will begin the course by giving close attention to one point of
view on a topic that you care about.
We will read an article on that topic.
Then we will summarize the author’s position and analyze it
rhetorically, to understand the author’s views and the author’s attempts to
persuade. The first essay will be this
summary and analysis (2-3 pages long).
Chapter
1: Argument: An Introduction Chapter
2: Reading Arguments Chapter
4: The Core of an Argument John Winthrop: “A Modell
of Christian Charity” (Handout). |
Essay # 1 Due:
Tues, Jan 30 |
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Jan 9-11 |
Tues: Intro to
the course and syllabus. Thursday: Read
pages 3-14 of Chapter 1. |
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Jan 16-18 |
Tues: Read
pages 22-32 of Chapter 2. Come to
class with a 250 word summary of the article on page 315, “Marking Earth Day”
(no longer than 250 words). Thurs: Read
pages 32-46 in Chapter 2. |
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Jan 23-25 |
Tues: Read
Chapter 4 and re-read the article you have been assigned to summarize and
analyze. Come to class with a typed
summary of that article no longer than 250 words. Thurs: Come to
class with two copies of a rough draft of your first essay: The Summary and
Analysis. |
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Unit
2 Jan
30-Feb 22: Responding to the Argument |
Once another
person’s position is clearly understood, then a successful response can be
made. In this unit of the course, we
will talk about strategies for responding in a convincing manner, so as to
persuade listeners or readers. You
will find and read another article on your selected topic. You and several partners will work together
to present your debatable issue to the class, helping us to understand it
from multiple positions. Then you will
write your own essay, defending your position and referring to the articles
you have studied. The oral
presentation is worth major homework credit.
The essay is one of your main four assignments for the semester, and
it should be 3-5 pages long, with appropriate citations and
documentation. Chapter
5: The Logical Structure of Arguments Chapter
6: Using Evidence Effectively Chapter
7: Moving Your Audience Chapter
17: Using Citing, and Documenting Sources |
Presentation
due at the scheduled time (to be announced) Essay #2 Due: Thurs, Feb 22 |
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Jan
30-Feb 1 |
Tues: Bring a
typed 2-3 page essay that summarizes and analyzes the essay you selected for
this first assignment. Be sure to
include (in your folder) the assignment sheet, your drafts, and any peer
reviews you received. Also, please
read chapter 5 in the textbook—about the logical structure of arguments. Thurs: We will continue with discussion of chapter
5. |
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Feb 6-8 |
Tues: Read
chapter 6 on “Using Evidence Effectively.”
Find and read one article that will be useful for your own argued
position on the issue you have selected.
Come to class with a typed summary of that article (50 words), a
description of the audience that you are going to try to persuade when you
write your own essay on this issue. We
will work in small groups to exchange sources and develop our positions on
the issues. Thurs: Read
chapter 7 on “Moving Your Audience.”
Type up planning notes for how you will convince your audience (using
the outline form given on pages 98 and 99 in the text). Bring the planning notes to class. We will
meet in groups again to prepare presentations for next week. |
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Feb
13-15 |
Tues: Small
group presentations. Thurs: More small
group presentations. Find another
article through research (web or library research) that you will want to use
in your essay. Print or photocopy that article and bring it to class marked
up to show what is of interest to you and what might be useful for your
paper. Read 63-67 in the chapter on
writing arguments (chapter 3). Then
use that explanation of a classical argument as a model for preparing your
paper for next class. We will spend time in class discussing how to cite and
document sources, so come to class with all the necessary source material for
your final paper (at least three articles).
Bring your planning notes, too, and any rough drafting that you have
done. Bring your handbook. |
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Feb
20-22 |
Tues: Come to
class with two copies of your rough draft for essay 2, as well as a separate
copy of the List of Works Cited. We
will do peer reviews in class. Thursday: Come
to class with the final version of your essay #2: Responding to the
Opposition. Be sure to include a
statement about the target audience (at the beginning of the paper or on a
separate page stapled to the front of the paper). |
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Unit
3 Feb
22-March 29: An
Evaluative Argument |
During this
section of the course, you will tackle a current trend that you feel strongly
about, and your goal is to present an evaluative argument about why this
trend is either good or bad. You will
prepare a 4-5 page paper, including researched evidence. You must address the arguments of the
opposition, referring to at least one article that reflects those other
views. We will also create speech
outlines for this project and work on visual aids that can help to illustrate
and convince. You will be expected to
make a brief oral presentation when turning in the paper. During this unit of the course, we will
take a short test on the principles of rhetoric. Chapter
14: Evaluation and Ethical Arguments Chapter
3: Writing Arguments (“Shaping your Arguments” on pages 63-70) Appendix
One: Informal Fallacies The Dalai Lama: Selections from Ethics
for the New Millennium. Aristotle:
A selection from Nicomachean Ethics (Website). |
Rhetoric Test:
Tues, Mar 8 Paper and
Speech due at sch |
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Feb
27-Mar 1 |
Tues: Read
pages 289-302 of Chapter 14: Evaluation and Ethical Arguments. Also, read the handout from the Dalai
Lama’s book Ethics for the New Millenium.
Type up a list of the values that the author holds, and another list of
values that he thinks that Americans (or westerners) hold. State how he views those Thursday: Read
the handout from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and
type up a description of his main claim and reason (or reasons). What is he trying to get us to see about
ethics? And how does his view of human
ethics compare to the Dalai Lama’s?
Similar or different? How? |
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Mar 6-8 |
Tues: Read the
Appendix One: Informal Fallacies (pages 426-434). Type up a description of one example of an
informal fallacy in the arguments that you hear around you during the week
(family discussion, TV, newspaper editorials, etc.) Then explain what is faulty about the logic
and why it could be easily defeated.
Also, think of one flawed argument that is used by opponents on the
topic you intend to cover for your next essay: Evaluating a Trend. Explain why it is flawed. In class today we will review the
principles of Rhetoric for a test on rhetoric. Thurs: Come to
class prepared to take a short test on rhetoric. Also bring three sources that will be
useful for your next paper: Evaluating a Trend. |
Rhetoric Test
taken on Mar 8 |
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Mar
13-15 |
Tues: We will
work in class on your essay evaluating a trend. There is no reading assignment. Come to class with at least three sources
and with your List of Works Cited.
Also please have the sources highlighted, to show what you are likely
to quote or refer to. I will come
around to see that you have done this. Thurs: Come to
class with two copies of a rough draft of your next essay: Arguing For or
Against a Recent Trend. Please also
have it available on the computer, either saved on your own P-drive or a
disk, or attached to an email that you can access. We may review each other’s
work on the computer. For next class(after spring break) bring a final draft
of your essay: Arguing for or Against a Recent Trend. Be sure to place it in a folder along with
your research sources (highlighted to show what you may have quoted). And be
sure to include in the folder: the assignment sheet, visuals that help with
the argument, and any peer reviews you received. You will be expected to present the
argument as a brief oral presentation before handing it in, so come with an
outline that will allow you to do that.
Also, come with any materials that you want to use in the oral
presentation: handouts, posters, PowerPoint material, etc. |
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Mar
20-22 |
NO CLASS, due to
spring break! Have fun. |
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Mar
27-29 |
Tuesday: Oral
presentations of your Trend Papers. Thursday: More
oral presentations. For next class
read pages 320-324 from Chapter 15: Proposal Arguments. Also read, pages 331-335. Come to class with a typed list of three
different problems that you might want to address in a written proposal, each
supported with two or three sentences that show why the problem is important
or urgent. Try to have at least one
example of a practical proposal and one example of a policy proposal (see
page 321). Also, read the proposal on
tipping hosts at a restaurant (pages 340-343), so that you can see one
student-written example of a proposal.
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Unit
4 April
3-26: A
Proposal |
To finish
this course, you will write a practical proposal that solves a problem which
concerns you. You might be able to
take another step with the issue raised in your recent speech. However, you are not required to stick with
your old topic. Whatever topic you select,
you will need to research a solution, write a plan, get feedback from your
peers, then construct a carefully supported proposal. You are required to quote from at least
three reliable sources. This essay is
3-5 pages long. Chapter
15: Proposal Arguments Chapter
16: Finding and Evaluating Sources |
Proposal due:
April 26 |
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April
3-5 |
Tuesday: No class. Thursday: Read pages 320-324 from
Chapter 15: Proposal Arguments. Also
read, pages 331-335. Come to class
with a typed list of three different problems that you might want to address
in a written proposal, each supported with two or three sentences that show
why the problem is important or urgent.
Try to have at least one example of a practical proposal and one
example of a policy proposal (see page 321).
Also, read the proposal on tipping hosts at a restaurant (pages
340-343), so that you can see one student-written example of a proposal. |
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April
10-12 |
Tuesday: Read
pages 336-339 on Proposal Organization and Drafting. Start looking for research sources that
might help with your proposal. Thursday: Read the section in Chapter 16 (“Finding
and Evaluating Sources”) that is about understanding differences in kinds of
sources (pages 362-367). |
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April 17-19 |
Tuesday:
Come to class with a typed letter that targets your audience for the
proposal, introduces yourself, and introduces the problem and solution in
general terms. Look on page 340 for an example of the introductory letter.
Also, come with a typed introduction to the proposal that defines the problem
for the targeted reader and presses home a sense of urgency and importance
about this problem. One to two pages
only. Thursday:
Come with two copies of a typed rough draft of the entire proposal. Include citations and a List of Works
Cited. Bring all sources with you. Also, bring all your assignments from the
whole semester, so that we can start to organize them into a final portfolio
due on the last day of class. |
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April
24-26 |
Tuesday: Bring a final draft of your proposal separately
to hand in. Attach to it (on top),
your revised introductory letter. Put
another copy of the proposal and letter into your portfolio, along with the
assignment sheet, the peer reviews, and your research sources (highlighted to
show what has been paraphrased or quoted).
If you want extra credit, bring an extra copy of the proposal and
letter, along with a stamped, addressed envelope, so that I can send it to
your target audience. This will be
worth the equivalent of one homework assignment. Bring the paper, the extra credit copy and
envelope, and your full portfolio of the semester’s work. We will work on the portfolio in class. Thursday:
Bring your finished portfolio and a smile!
This is the last day of class. |
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