Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
NOTE: All matters associated with this course are subject to change at the instructor's
discretion. Any changes will be communicated to students.
Course Description
The course presents an integrated approach to writing, reading, and critical thinking by
developing the grammatical, logical, and rhetorical skills necessary for university writing.
All classes work in a computerized learning environment. Students are taught basic
computer literacy and submit all work electronically and on paper.
Specific Assessments
1. Students will write a minimum of three (3) major argumentative essays in addition
to responses, thematic exercises, and other assignments, each focusing on
different theses and/or subjects and each written for different rhetorical purposes.
2. Students will write extended arguments as well as shorter responses,
observations, and critical evaluations, each utilizing effective organization,
mechanics, and thesis development.
3. Students will read and discuss selected examples of effective written
communication with an emphasis on determining how and why effectiveness is
achieved by the original authors. Additionally, students will share their writing in
open peer-review sessions conducted during class meetings or outside of class in
selected electronic contexts.
4. Students will document their claims and statements with credible source material
obtained through a combination of online and hands on research using appropriate
and approved materials. The inclusion of such research in student writing(s) will
be cited and documented using correct and complete styles approved by the
Modern Language Association.
Required Textbooks
The Aims of Argument: A Rhetoric and Reader
by Timothy Crusius and Carolyn Channell
Fifth Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2006
ISBN 0-07-321761-1
Fri 8/18: In-class: Course introduction and overview; Register for AWR and AA companion
websites (the AWR website includes an e-book)
Mon 8/21: In-class: Intro to Portfolio; Discussion of AA Ch. 1 and AWR Ch. 4
Wed 8/23 In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 2 and demo of AWR electronic resources
Assignments: Read AA Ch. 4 (pp. 60-86) and bring a magazine to class on Friday 8/25
(see Response #2 on p. 76)
Fri 8/25: In-class: Discuss AA Ch 4; Small group rhetorical analysis of emotional appeal in
magazine ads
Mon 8/28: Discuss Is Class an Identity? by Richard Ohmann (AA 763-765) and White
Poverty: The Politics of Invisibility by Bell Hooks (AA 772-777).
Assignments: Read Capital Punishment: Society’s Self-Defense by Amber Young (AA 54-
58).
Fri 9/1: In-class: Discuss AA Ch 3; Class Toulmin analysis of Capital Punishment: Society’s
Self-Defense by Amber Young (AA 54-58).
Assignments: Read AWR Handbook on MLA format and how to cite and create a works
cited page
Fri 9/15: In-class: Class discussion of grammar, format, mechanics, evidence, fallacies,
and plagiarism discussion (bring AWR Handbook)
Assignment: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Work on draft of Essay #1, due
Monday 9/18
Mon 9/18: In-class: First draft of Essay #1 due today. Peer reviews [students
exchange their paper with another student and respond to peer review
questionnaire to be provided]
Wed 9/20: In-class: Teacher conference and in-class writing on Essay #1.
Fri 9/22: In-class: Teacher conference and in-class work on Essay #1 revisions
Assignments: Continue work on Essay #1; Bring Visual Exercises CD to class Monday
Mon 9/25: Final draft of Essay #1 due; In-class: Work in Visual Exercises application in
class
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; Research image(s) to use for Essay
#2 and bring some to class
Wed 9/27: In-class: Small group discussions of images and analysis of arguments in
images
Assignments: Record an observation in your Portfolio; decide on image(s) for your Essay
#2 and bring to class on Monday [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].
Mon 10/2: In-class: Using the technology [Introduction to using MS Word, html, Power
Point or other tools]
Assignments: Start sketching main visual project components and argument analysis
Assignments: Complete first draft of Essay #2 due Wednesday 10/11; Bring hard
copy of first draft to class on ***
Wed 10/11: In-class: First draft of Visual argument due; Peer reviews in class
Assignments: Find information on a conspiracy theory or urban legend on the web and
prepare to discuss it in class.
**Thursday, October 19 is the last day to drop with a WP/WF.**
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 7 and The Clash of
Civilizations? by Samuel P. Huntington (AA 350-355), The Clash of Ignorance by Edward W.
Said (AA 355-358) and Ten Things to Know about the Middle East by Stephanie Zunes (AA
326-333).
Mon 10/23: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 7 and The Clash of Civilizations? by Samuel P.
Huntington (AA 350-355), The Clash of Ignorance by Edward W. Said (AA 355-358) and
Ten Things to Know about the Middle East by Stephanie Zunes (AA 326-333); Discuss
Essay #3 project, due 11/8
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Start thinking about your topic for
Essay #3
Wed 10/25: In-class: Continued discussion of AA Ch. 7 and The Clash of Civilizations? by
Samuel P. Huntington (AA 350-355), The Clash of Ignorance by Edward W. Said (AA 355-
358) and Ten Things to Know about the Middle East by Stephanie Zunes (AA 326-333)
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Read AA Ch. 8 and The Velvet
Hegemon: How Soft Power Can Help Defeat Terrorism by Joseph S. Nye (AA 389-391), The
Bush Revolution by Ivo H. Daalder and James M. Lindsay (AA 391-398) and One Man’s
World by Noam Chomsky (AA 398-402).
Mon 10/30: In-class: Discussion of AA Ch. 8 and The Velvet Hegemon: How Soft Power
Can Help Defeat Terrorism by Joseph S. Nye (AA 389-391), The Bush Revolution by Ivo H.
Daalder and James M. Lindsay (AA 391-398) and One Man’s World by Noam Chomsky (AA
398-402).
Assignments: Record an Observation in your Portfolio; Choose possible topics for Essay
#3 and write a brief
Wed 11/1: In-class: Continued discussion of AA Ch. 8 and assigned readings; briefs on
paper topics due
Assignments: Refine paper topic and begin work on first draft
Assignments: Continue working on first draft; Bring hard copy of first draft to class on
11/8
Wed 11/8: In-class: First draft of Essay #3 due in Portfolio; Peer reviews of first draft
of Essay #3
Mon 11/13: In-class: Discussion of revision techniques and elevating style (bring AWR
Handbook); In-class writing on Essay #3
Wed 11/15: In-class: In-class writing on Essay #3; Second draft of Essay #3 due in
Portfolio by end of class period
Wed 11/22: In-class: Final draft of Essay #3 due in Portfolio; student evaluations of
course
Evidence supporting your claim(s) must be drawn from your portfolio and should
specifically demonstrate mastery of five course strands (rhetoric, research, technology,
collaboration, and critical thinking)you're your development across five dimensions of
learning (confidence and independence, skills and strategies, knowledge and
understanding, use of prior and emerging experience, and reflectiveness).
The final interpretation and assessment of your grade(s), however, remains the
responsibility of the course instructor.
The following grade criteria describe very general indicators for assessing your work and
progress in the course.
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.
Participation IN THIS COURSE does not include 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.
Major Assignments
Essay #1
An essay that presents an inquiry argument using the principles and criteria in The Aims of
Argument (Chapter 6). Essay should be 4-5 double-spaced pages using MLA format for
Works Cited.
Essay #2
An integrated textual and visual essay that examines and analyzes the argument of a visual
image (or images) using the criteria in Chapter 4 of The Aims of Argument. Your image
may come from the visuals in The Aims of 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.
Essay #3
An essay that presents a convincing or motivating argument using the principles and
criteria in The Aims of Argument (Chapter 7 or 8). This essay should be 6-7 double-
spaced pages and should use MLA format for all works cited.
Late Work
All drafts, including final, must be submitted when and as required in order to
successfully complete this course. Late assignments will suffer grade deductions, or may
not be accepted.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the
Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1,
Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the
university's Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are
available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are
available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-
6391).
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents' Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic
honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity
of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student
demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions
related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as
one's own work or material that is not one's own. As a general rule, scholastic
dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university's policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email
raises some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email
exchange. The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent
only to a student's U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email
from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university
personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean
of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the
rules and regulations.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational
opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in
room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to
6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to
5:30 p.m.
Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable
adjustments necessary to eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For
example, it may be necessary to remove classroom prohibitions against tape recorders
or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind. Occasionally an
assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an
oral presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with
mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or
university may need to provide special services such as registration, note-taking, or
mobility assistance.
It is the student's responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so
excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a
reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed
exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to
complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing
grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious
holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to complete
any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee must take into
account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief
executive officer or designee.