ENGL 101B F22 Dehghani

ENGL 101B: “Introduction to Rhetorical Studies”

Monday-Wednesday, 11:30-12:50 Morteza Dehghani

Office Hours: By appointment Email: m6dehgha@uwaterloo.ca

Course Description:

(From the Calendar): An introduction to the study and practice of persuasion, including the history and theory of rhetoric, the structures and strategies of arguments, and the analysis of texts and artifacts.

This is an introductory exploration of the field of rhetorical studies. Classicist George Kennedy defines rhetoric as “the energy inherent in emotion and thought, transmitted through a system of signs, including language, to others to influence their decisions or actions.” We will be examining a few of the central concepts and theories in the field of rhetorical studies. We will start the course with ancient rhetoric and will then shift our attention to, mainly, contemporary approaches to the study of the field, examining, along the way, popular culture. We will at the same time apply our knowledge of the rhetorical field in designing a project called Rhetoric for the Public.

Texts and Readings:

  • Sellnow, Deanna. The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture: Considering Mediated Texts. Third edition. SAGE, 2018. All chapters are available on the course Learn site and can also be accessed through UW library.

  • Other readings will be available on the course Learn website, under Content. Further readings may be assigned later in the term in class.

Marking Scheme

  • Self-assessment quizzes on attendance and engagement, in class and on Learn: (30%)

  • Critical/analytic individual paper (15%)

  • Take-home tests x 2. (10%)

  • Research and project (Rhetoric for the Public): (45% total)

    • Pitch: 5%

    • Final group project design 15%

    • Final group project presentation 10%

    • Final individual paper 15%

Weekly Discussions and Reflections. Weeks 2-11 (10 weeks), 30%

Weekly post prompts and reflection questions will ask you to think about the assigned materials and reflect on your own experiences. These questions and prompts are posted to the Learn discussion forum usually on the first day of the week they are due. You are expected to post your own response to these prompts, as well as to participate in ongoing discussion by responding to others’ posts and reflections. You are also expected to maintain an active presence in class and on Learn. You will

self-grade your engagement and contribution weekly. Write around 250-300 words for these posts and reflections. You should respond to at least one post or reflection on the boards. Please see the syllabus and Learn discussion forums for due dates. You have a whole week to write and submit these. At the end of the week, after completing these posts/reflections and attending classes you go to the Quizzes section, under Submit, and complete the self-assessments. Most of our in-class activities will be done in groups. You can draw on your discussion posts and reflections in these class discussions if you write them before class time. Attendance is mandatory. Please complete the readings and come to class prepared to contribute to class discussions by commenting, asking, critiquing, discussing the course material.

Take-Home Tests: 10%

You will take two take-home tests on terms, concepts, theories and philosophies covered in the course. You will have access to questions and submit your answers within an 80-minute window when you can access and answer the questions, and submit them. Answers will be submitted to Learn and you will be assessed and graded there.

Individual Paper 15%

You write an essay of around 1500-2000 words in which you compare and contrast any two texts on the syllabus. This is not a summary essay. You should aim to be critical, and discuss/assess the contribution of the texts to the field of rhetorical studies. Use MLA style book. 12-point Times New Roman or Garamond font. Double spaced please. There’s a dropbox on the course site where you can submit your essay.

Final Project: Rhetoric for the Public 45%

Design : You will choose a rhetorical approach/perspective (or more) of your choosing, translating them into a project for your chosen public audience. The aim is to translate the critical and analytic literature we learn throughout the term into an inventive, a creative artifact, building on the theories and philosophies of rhetorical studies. Choose a topic/theory/concept/approach that really fascinates you! You will pitch your topic (type, topic, platform, audience and of course the reason why this is important/relevant) to me in week 9. For the pitch, you will meet with me and discuss the topic, audience, and style you have chosen. You will receive 5% for the pith. You will identify your audience - who are you communicating to? How does this topic matter most for them? What genre or platform or form is the most appropriate way to reach this audience? you can choose to design a website, or work on performance art, write a children’s book, make a video or podcast, campaign something, or even make a game. These projects can be educational, a call to action/invitation, or a campaign. You can alternatively choose to design a piece of advertisement. All projects should be submitted along with the script.

Presentation: In the last class, you will present your final project to class. You talk about the process of design, using rhetorical vocabulary, explain how the project is related to rhetorical studies, what audience you are targeting, and possibly engage the audience. Every member of the group will present and the labour division should be equal. Your presentation will be assessed for both its delivery and design.

Individual Paper: This is the individual component of the final project. You are expected to write a clear, well- organized paper, detaining the project you have designed, explaining how the project is rhetorical, using the readings of the course but also incorporating research from outside of the course readings. Aim to write around 2000 words.

Week

Date

Readings + activities

Assignments activities due

1

Sep 7

Hello and welcome, the syllabus, expectations, a

few nuts and bolts

  

2

Sep 12

Overview and introduction Sophists: Gorgias: Encomium of Helen.

Discussions and/or Reflections, self-assessment quiz. Due, Sep 18.
 

Sep 14

Plato

  

3

Sep 19

Sep 21

Aristotle: Rhetoric Cicero.

Chapter 2: Expanding

the Rhetorical Tradition.

Discussion and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due, Sep 25.

4

Sep 26

Sep 28

Chapter 1: What is Popular Culture and Why Study it? Also: Barthes: excerpts from Mythologies

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due Oct 2.
   

Chapter 3: A Narrative Perspective

  

5

Oct 3

Oct 5

Chapter 4: A Dramatistic Perspective

Burke, from Language as Symbolic Action, “Terministic Screens.”

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due, Oct 9.

Take-home test due on Oct 7. Due time TBD

    

6

Reading Week, No

Classes.

Reading Week, no

classes

Reading Week, no classes

this week

7

Oct 17

Oct 19

George Kennedy, “A Hoot in the Dark: The Evolution of General Rhetoric”

Chapter 5: A Symbolic Convergence

Perspective

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due, Oct 23.

Essay due Oct 23. Submit to Learn dropbox

8

Oct 24

Oct 26

Chapter 6: A Neo- Marxist Perspective

Orwell’s essays

Further readings posted to Learn

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due, Oct 30.

Groups formed for the final project.

9

Oct 31

Nov 2

Chapter 7: Feminist Perspectives Hélène Cixous, The Laugh of the Medusa Or an alternative reading.

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due, Nov 6.

Final project pitch due Nov

2. Groups submit a

paragraph or two to Learn.

10

Nov 7

Nov 9

Chapter 8: A Music Perspective

Further reading posted to Learn Content

Discussions and/or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due Nov 13.

11

Nov 14

Nov 16

Chapter 9: Visual Perspectives

Further readings posted to Learn

Discussions and/or Reflections. Due, Nov 20.

Take-home Test due on Nov 18. Due time TBD.

12

Nov 21 - Nov 23

Readings of the week posted to Learn.

Discussions and /or Reflections. self-assessment quiz. Due Nov 27.

13

Nov 28 – 30

No readings.

Final project workshopping in class.

Review of the course material.

  
 

Dec 5

Final project presentations

Final project design and presentation due in class due, Dec 5.

Individual essay due Friday

Dec 9.

University Policies

Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the office of academic integrity for more information.

Turnitin.com: Text matching software (Turnitin®) may be used to screen assignments in this course. Turnitin® is used to verify that all materials and sources in assignments are documented. Students’ submissions are stored on a U.S. server, therefore students must be given an alternative (e.g., scaffolded assignment or annotated bibliography), if they are concerned about their privacy and/or security. Students will be given due notice, in the first week of the term and/or at the time assignment details are provided, about arrangements and alternatives for the use of Turnitin® in this course. It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor if they, in the first week of term or at the time assignment details are provided, wish to submit the alternate assignment.

Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity, to avoid committing academic offences, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/ collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the Undergraduate Associate Dean. When misconduct has been found to have occurred, disciplinary penalties will be imposed under Policy 71 – Student Discipline. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71 - Student Discipline. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.

Grievances and Appeals

Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.

Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 - Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71 - Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 - Student Appeals

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

It is my intention to support the full participation of all students in the learning process of this class. AccessAbility Services (https://uwaterloo.ca/accessability-services/) provides academic support for University of Waterloo students who have both permanent and temporary disabilities. Students seeking accommodations can apply online and provide documentation from a qualified professional. You can also visit The AccessAbility Services office, located on the first floor of the Needles Hall extension (1401), for more information. AccessAbility Services collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the AS office at the beginning of each academic term. For all other kinds of issues or concerns that you feel might affect your performance in this class, please reach out by email or come and see me. I am happy to assist and talk with you.

Mental Health Support

All of us need a support system. The faculty and staff in Arts encourage students to seek out mental health supports if they are needed.

On Campus

Counselling Services: counselling.services@uwaterloo.ca / 519-888-4567 ext 32655 MATES: one-to- one peer support program offered by Federation of Students (FEDS)

Health Services Emergency service: located across the creek form Student Life Centre

Off campus, 24/7 :

Good2Talk: Free confidential help line for post-secondary students. Phone: 1-866-925-5454 Grand River Hospital: Emergency care for mental health crisis. Phone: 519-749-433 ext. 6880 Here 24/7: Mental Health and Crisis Service Team. Phone: 1-844-437-3247 OK2BME: set of support services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning teens in Waterloo. Phone: 519-884-0000 extension 213

Full details can be found online at the Faculty of ARTS website

Download UWaterloo and regional mental health resources (PDF)

Download the WatSafe app to your phone to quickly access mental health support information.