jeanne.hamming
english.dept.
centenary.college
jhamming@centenary.edu
313.JAC
318.869.5082

english.101.b|Rhetoric.&.Culture
TR 2-3:15|113 JAC
office.hours: MW 3:15-4, TR 9:45-11
(or by appointment)

schedule (click here to view)

course.description

English 101: Rhetoric and Culture is a course in rhetoric and cultural understanding. For the purpose of this course, we will concentrate on two aspects of rhetoric. The first is argument. By argument, we mean the art of taking a position and then trying to persuade others to adopt that position. For college writing, argument stresses the rational evaluation of competing ideas, and so argument is also a form of inquiry. We aim to help you explore the ideas of others, discover or invent your own ideas, and then connect them to your audience. Our main vehicle for this exploration will be literary texts, including drama, poetry, non-fiction, and fiction.

The connection to your audience brings us to the second aspect of rhetoric: style, or the manner in which your arguments are presented. On the one hand, this means having a sense that there are various rhetorical devices that you may choose to present your arguments. You will encounter these devices throughout the course and, using them carefully, you can craft your own personal style. On the other hand, since you are trying to persuade others of your position, you need constantly to evaluate the effects of your arguments and rhetorical devices on your audience. This means consciously choosing devices that help you achieve your primary goal, which, again, is compelling others to adopt your position. You have to connect with your audience.

Though we have emphasized the order of ideas and their presentation through rhetorical devices, it is important to realize that good rhetoric is a kind of intellectual game. Good rhetoric is often playful, though it is serious play. Games are structured by rules, and success in a game usually means both knowing the rules and knowing how to take advantage of them. We learn games by playing: we experiment with what does and does not work. Great game players are highly inventive and creative: they discover and show us new ways to play. They strive to win, but winning is a consequence of playing well—and, very often, of playing well in collaboration with others.

Throughout the semester, you will learn many key concepts and terms related to rhetoric, argument, and literary analysis. For a full list of these concepts/terms, click here.

course.goals

All aspects of the course are participatory and interactive. This is not a "lecture" course. Students should come to class prepared to participate.

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. analyze a text and recognize how its rhetorical techniques convey a stance toward its subject matter.
2. draw connections among various texts and between the class texts and other cultural elements.
3. discover and develop their own arguments.
4. present their arguments in a persuasive, inventive written form.
5. demonstrate mastery of basic grammar, mechanics, and rhetorical style.

attendance

Please note the English Department Policy on Attendance: to be eligible to pass an English course, a student may miss no more than three times the weekly number of class meetings, regardless of the reason for these absences. This means that for classes like this one that meet two (2) times a week, students who have in excess of six (6) absences cannot pass the course. Frequent absences, even when they fall short of this absolute limit, will adversely affect your grade. Lateness counts as one half of an absence. Occasionally, convocations related to English 101 will be held at times other than our regular class meeting. Required convocations must be attended; not attending will count as an absence from class. Missing a required conference with me counts as an absence.

plagiarism

Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class, and any student suspected of plagiarism will be directed to the Honor Court. Plagiarism is when a student copies words or ideas from others--other students, a professor, or a source from a print or online source--without acknowledgment. If the source is quoted directly, there must be quotation marks and a paranthetical reference. If the source is paraphrased, meaning it is rewritten in the author's own words and sentence structure, acknowledgement and a paranthetical reference are still required. For further clarification on this issue, please consult the St. Martin's handbook or me.

grade.breakdown

2 Reading Responses (2pp; 5% each; 10%)
Paper #1 (4-5 pp) 20%
Paper #2 (4-5 pp) 20%
Paper #3 (4-5 pp) 20%
Final Exam 20%
Preparation and Participation 10%

papers

Papers are due in class on the dates indicated in the schedule. The grades on a late paper will be reduced by one letter grade for each class period that it is late and may receive no comments. All writing assignments must be completed in order to pass this course. (notice: each page of formal writing represents roughly 5% of your overall course grade so it is in your best interest to turn in thoughtful, polished writing!)

Every paper you submit should include a title and a list of works cited in MLA form. Refer to the St Martin's Handbook for an MLA guide.

Keep one electronic and one paper copy of all written assignments, originals and revisions. You may be asked to re-submit material at any time during the semester. For revised assignments, submit the original paper with my comments along with the revised copy.

"get out of jail free" card

To promote an atmosphere of personal responsibility and fairness, each student will receive one "get out of jail free" card at the beginning of the semester. In other words, the goal here is to encourage students to be conscientious about completing assignments, done right the first time, by their due dates. Each student may use his or her card one time (I will keep a record of who uses his/her card and when) to:

"buy" a 24-hour extension on an out-of-class assignment
"buy" an opportunity to revise an essay within two class periods for a better grade

Students may not use their card to get out of an exam or assignment, to excuse an absence, or to retake a quiz or exam. Students may not trade or sell cards to any other student.

revision

You will have ample time and opportunity to rethink and rewrite essays, and in some cases immediate revisions will be required. Revision is not merely correcting grammatical or mechanical errors. Rather, it is a comprehensive "re-seeing" of the writing project. In other words, it is the opportunity to think again about how best to accomplish your rhetorical and conceptual goals.

texts

Robert Atwan. The Best American Essays. 5th ed.
Cathy Birkenstein and Gerald Graff. They Say, I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing.
Andrea A. Lunsford. St Martin's Handbook 6th ed.
Alice McDermott. Child of My Heart.
Plumly, Stanley. Old Heart.
Shakespeare, William. All's Well that Ends Well. Arden Edition.
Selected handouts (provided)

schedule (click here to view)