292
Course description and objectives
Description
In this course, we'll take a broad look at some of the foundational issues of the discipline of rhetoric, beginning with theories of language and ending with technical and professional communication. In between, we'll dabble in social theory, new media, and the grammar of everyday life. This course is designed to strengthen your skills as a rhetorical "agent." Rhetoric is a living, breathing, active art, one that you already engage in every waking moment. All the materials that we cover shed light on the same basic processes of accessing, interpreting, and deploying the common grounds of meaning. Thus, the course is meant to unshackle your already-abundant rhetorical intelligence so that you will become a more engaged, articulate, savvy, persuasive, critical, and civil student and human being.
Objectives
In this course, you will learn how to:
- understand and apply the basic concepts in the discipline of rhetoric,
- practice these concepts in the analysis and/or creation of everyday texts,
- enhance your self-understanding of your own rhetorical practices in the new digital world, and enhance your awareness of the rhetorical culture in which you dwell.
This online course was developed by Dr. Andrew McMurry, with instructional design and multimedia development support provided by the Centre for Extended Learning. Further media production was provided by Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services.
Credits and Copyright University of Waterloo
Grade breakdown
The following table represents the grade breakdown of this course.
|
Activities and Assignments |
Weight (%) |
|---|---|
|
Introduce yourself |
5% |
|
Progymnasmata (10 x 6%) Students are required to complete 10 out of 11 progymnasmata |
60% |
|
Final essay |
35% |
Course schedule
IMPORTANT: ALL TIMES EASTERN - Please see the University Policies (/d2l/common/dialogs/quickLink/quickLink.d2l?ou=536174&type=content&rCode=uWaterloo-461265) section of your Syllabus for details
Module Readings Activities and Assignments End/Due Weight Date (%)
|
Module 1: Language - The origins of language and its limits |
Text: Language Matters: Chs. 1 and 2 |
Introduce yourself |
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Progymnasma 1: The fable |
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
||
|
Module 2: Language - Structure in language and the shape of thought |
Text: Language Matters: Chs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 |
Progymnasma 2: Structural analysis |
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 3: Language - Varieties of English and the language of identity |
Text: Language Matters: Chs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 |
Progymnasma 3: Micro-varieties of English eld work |
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 4: Rhetoric - Early literacy and the emergence of rhetoric |
Text: The Essential Guide to Rhetoric: pp. 3-31; 37-52; 58- 64 |
Progymnasma 4: What is truth Friedrich? |
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 5: Rhetoric - From classical to contemporary rhetoric |
Text: The Essential Guide to Rhetoric: pp. 53-57 Reading: Killingsworth, Appeals in Modern Rhetoric, pp. 1-10 |
Progymnasma 5: Baby, I'm lovin' it |
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 6: Rhetoric - Twists and turns in language and the power of metaphor |
Text: The Essential Guide to Rhetoric: pp. 65-73 Reading: Larson, Metaphors for Environmental Sustainability, pp. 2- 22 |
Progymnasma 6: The Hummer H4 |
Wednesday, June 24, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 7: Media - McLuhan and the laws of media |
Reading: McLuhan, "Communication: McLuhan's Laws of the Media", pp. 74- 78 Reading: McLuhan, "The Agenbite of Outwit" |
Progymnasma 7: The laws of media |
Thursday, July 2, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Review Progymnasma 8: McMurry's unplugged experiment |
||||
|
Module 8: Media - Communication in the digital era |
Reading: Carr, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" Reading: Major, "Thoreau's Cellphone Experiment" |
Progymnasma 8: McMurry's unplugged experiment |
Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 9: Media - Power of ideas and ideas of power |
Reading: Fairclough, Language and Power, pp. 73-83 |
Progymnasma 9: "Power in everyday life" eld work |
Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 10: Power - Language through the microscope |
Text: Language Matters: Ch. 13 Reading: Machin and Mayr, How to Do Critical Discourse Analysis, pp. 186- 206 |
Progymnasma 10: Analyzing discourse |
Wednesday, July 22, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 11: Power - Professional (mis)communication and ethics |
Reading: Katz, "The Ethic of Expediency" |
Progymnasma 11: The ethic of expediency |
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 11:55 PM |
6% |
|
Module 12: Power - Phronesis |
Reading: Wallace, Plain old untrendy troubles and emotions |
|||
|
Final Essay 35% |
||||
|
Progymnasmata: Students are required to complete 10/11 progymnasmata at 6% each for a total of 60% of the course grade. |
||||
Official Grades and Course Access
Official Grades and Academic Standings are available through Quest (https://uwaterloo.ca/quest/).
Your access to this course will continue for the duration of the current term. You will not have access to this course once the next term begins.
Credits and Copyright University of Waterloo