Rhetoric

While this might seem pretty obvious (given the name of the class), learning the basic concepts and power of rhetoric is a main goal of our course. Students should demonstrate the ability to argue persuasively for a position or claim, including the abilities to incorporate evidence, to analyze and explain evidence, to connect evidence to claims, to appeal to emotions, and to engage your reader’s trust and to demonstrate goodwill. Students should also demonstrate the ability to organize information persuasively and according to the priorities of rhetoric (such as clarity or emotional impact). Students should also demonstrate the ability to analyze arguments in rhetorical terms.

Writing Process

Writing involves much more than the final product you turn in when the deadline arrives. The writing process includes a range of activity that often begins with research and reading and continues from planning (perhaps through brainstorming, note-taking, outlining, etc.) through drafting to revision. It involves seeking, offering, and receiving feedback from peers and your teacher. In this vein, revision is a crucial part of the writing process in which writers evaluate their work, identify changes they wish to make in their argument and its structure, and even reconceptualize their argument in response to new information or circumstances. Students should demonstrate the ability to schedule, plan, draft, and radically revise their writing projects. Finally, the writing process–as related to our course interest in the self–is typically individual and best personalized; one of the goals of this course is to help you better understand what your style is: to heighten your natural strengths, to polish weaker areas, and to focus your attention on areas of interest and ability.

Digital literacy

In this class, we’ll engage with a lot of familiar (and perhaps some unfamiliar) digital tools. I hope everyone in this class picks up some useful everyday digital skills. At varying stages of the semester, you’ll also have the opportunity to play with and experiment with some more uncommon tools as you work on your projects. Another excellent way to rewrite this course strand is “digital play”; I want you to open your mind to the possibilities that writing digitally can offer (more than simply composing a paper in a Word document). Of course, we’ll also partner our digital writing with tried and true methods of writing (pen and paper!). As you proceed throughout the semester, I want you to think about how learning how to compose digitally is helping you persuade, communicate, and write more effectively.

Research

Research is a process of discovering useful, credible, and reliable sources of information or argument. Research is also a process of invention, or a way of preparing to write. Research connects your writing to a shared conversation, already taking place, but that will be enriched by your adding your unique perspective. Good citation practices enable your readers to follow this conversation; it shows your work, and allows your future readers to follow your involved process of ethical creation. In addition to providing appropriate citation in a requested style (such as MLA), students should demonstrate an understanding of research and citation as conventional practices belonging to respective communities, including our own class. Students should also demonstrate the ability to use the university library, search online databases, locate and distinguish different types of media. Finally, students should demonstrate the ability to incorporate sources effectively in their own writing through direct quotation, summary, and paraphrase.