course.goals
materials
assignments
grading
attendance
electronica
ethics
disability
instructor
kevin eric depew
office bal 313
phone 757.683.4019
e.mail kdepew@odu.edu
web.page http://www.odu.edu/~kdepew
office hours tu & th 12:00-2:00 & by appt.
quick
links
calendar
directory
listserv
email
resources
English 669 is a graduate course that has been designed to teach you about major rhetorical theories from the eighteenth-century to the present, as well as their application to current writing pedagogy. We will begin the semester studying ideologically modern rhetorics and the early twentieth-century pedagogies that these rhetorics influenced. During the latter half of the semester, we will examine rhetorical theories that are more postmodern; we will consider how these theories are being applied and can be applied to current instructional practices.
Specific objectives for course include...
- studying and understanding various rhetorical theories from the last three hundred years that have informed writing pedagogy over the last one hundred and fifty years
- examining others' application of these rhetorical theories, as well as exploring your own
- learning some of the genres and expectations that will facilitate your professionalization
- giving you the opportunity to produce rhetorically informed documents that can be used beyond this course
Required
The
Rhetoric of Blair Campbell and Whately (Landmarks in Rhetoric and Public
Address)
Editors:
James L. Golden, P.J. Corbett
Southern Illinois University Press (April 1, 1990)
ISBN: 0809316021
The Origins
of Composition Studies in the American College, 1875-1925: A Documentary
(Pitt Series in Composition, Literacy and Culture)
Editor John C. Brereton
University of Pittsburgh Press (October 1, 1995)
ISBN: 0822955350
Rhetoric
and Reality Writing Instruction in American Colleges, 1900-1985 (Studies
in Writing and Rhetoric)
Author: James A. Berlin
Southern Illinois University Press (February 1, 1987)
ISBN: 080931360X
Race Matters
Author: Cornel West
Vintage; Reprint edition (March 29, 1994)
ISBN: 0679749861
There will be three major assignments for this course; these assignments have been designed to give you documents that you can use for academic and professional purposes after this course.
Proposal with Annotated Bibliography [100 points]
For this assignment you will begin doing preliminary research for the conference paper. In this proposal you will argue for the viability of your project and support this argument with a short annotated bibliography.Conference Paper with Abstract and Presentation [200 points]
You will get practice preparing for and delivering a conference presentation. By addressing a rhetorically-grounded problem, you will develop a 250-word abstract, write a conference length paper, design a hand-out, and deliver a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation.Methodological/Pedagogical Plan [200 points]
You will end the semester by proposing a plan for either the pedagogical (e.g., teaching composition, teaching professional writing, tutoring) or methodological (e.g., future research project, thesis) application of rhetorical theory.
Three Means of Failing the Course Related to Major Assignments
- Not completing a major assignment
- Major assignments will be given no credit if the assignment is not turned in prior to the instructor returning the respective assignment to the class. This becomes the equivalent of not completing a major assignment
- An act of plagiarism (or other forms of academic dishonesty)
Other Assignments
Each week I want you to focus on completing the assigned readings and reading these works carefully. For each day I will provide some questions for us to examine that we will use to focus our inquiry. However, I encourage you to bring your own experience with the text into our discussions.
If it becomes clear that the readings are not being done, the instructor reserves the right at any time in the semester to assign weekly written responses to the aforementioned questions. The instructor may also assign other minor assignments if they seem necessary to help the students comprehend the material.
I will be looking for evidence of each student's progress towards professional level work. More specifically I will be looking for evidence of...
- well supported and "original" arguments that address a relevant problem
- an understanding of rhetorical theory and current discussions of its application
- addressing your audience appropriately, including fulfilling generic expectations
- prewriting and planning
- professional quality work, in terms of mechanics, design, and protocol
Grade Scale
Your final grade and assignments will be graded on the following point scale* :
| A =92-100 % | A -= 90-91.9 % | B+ = 87-89.9 % | |
| B = 82-86.9 % | B- = 80-81.9 % | C+ = 77-79.9 % | |
| C = 72-76.9 % | C- = 70-71.9 % | ||
| F = 0-69.9 % |
*
= The instructor reserves the right to adjust this scale based on the
students' performance throughout the semester. Any adjustments will 1)
apply to the entire class and 2) never deny a student the grade that she/he
earns based upon this posted scale.
attendance
Students are required to attend every class. If you miss a class, for whatever reason, you are responsible for making up any missed work.
You are not only required to to attend every class, but you are required to come to class prepared. If you do not come to class prepared, you will be asked to leave the class with an absence. Therefore, it is recommended that you pay attention to the calendar.
- you
are allowed three absences, excused or unexcused. More than three
absences will result in failing the course.
- missing 1-15 minutes = tardy (will be noted when determining your final grade)
- missing 15-80 minutes = half absence
- missing 80-160 minutes = full absence
As a general rule, a student missing a class assignment because of observance of a religious holiday shall have the opportunity to make up missed work. Students must notify the instructor of anticipated absences before the absence occurs. Likewise, students who represent ODU at any official extracurricular activity shall have the opportunity to make up missed assignments, but the student must provide official written and/or email notification to the instructor no less than one week prior to the missed class(es).
Electronica refers to technology-related issues.
E.mail
Accounts
Having an email account
is required; a lot of information for this class will be exchanged via
email including some
assignment
submissions and class updates. You will want to establish a consistent
email account that you will use throughout the entire semester. To get
an ODU account go to OCCS.
You are responsible for making sure that files and messages are
successfully received by the instructor and your peers; other email providers
cannot provide this security.
LAN
Accounts
LAN accounts will
be necessary to use the computers in the computer labs throughout the
semester. If you do not already have a LAN account, please register for
one with OCCS.
Protecting
Your Work
Backup your document
files frequently. Also save all email transmissions for this course. Keep
your files on your home machine, floppy disks, cds, and/ or flash drives.
The excuse "that was my only copy" is not a valid one. Some
tips for protecting your work–and yourself are:
- Save all English 669 work until the course is over
- Maintain copies of drafts and work-in-progress
- Create folders on your hard drive and in your INBOX (email) for this class.
- Keep copies of your email messages related to the course as a record of your work. For all messages that you send to the instructor, you should either have the message sent to your "Sent" folder in your email account or cc: yourself the message so that you have a copy for verification
E.mailing
When emailing the
instructor or the class list make sure that you include a subject line
that includes the nature of the email. A subject line, such as "assignment"
is vague. Instead be specific and state whether it is a "assignment
submission," "need assignment clarification," or "assignment
problem."
Also use the priority setting rhetorically; in other words, make your email message stand out when you really need to draw the recipient's attention to your message. Do not use the priority setting on your standard assignment submissions.
Class
List
A list will be
set up to make announcements, exchange information, and discuss issues
raised in the class.
Electronic
Ethics and Respect
Electronic media allows
us some freedoms that print media does not allow. Consequently, it is
also subject to abuse. Please be respectful of your peers throughout the
semester by not displaying, viewing, or posting web pages, files, or emails
that may make others uncomfortable. Violations of this respect can be
considered harassment according to university
policy and will be handled as such.
As per the University's Honor Code, you must do your own original work in English 669–and appropriately identify that portion of your work which is collaborative with others, or which is borrowed from others, or which is your own work from other contexts. Whenever you borrow graphics, quote passages, or use ideas from others, you are legally and/or ethically obliged to acknowledge that use, following appropriate conventions for documenting sources. In English 669, the most serious form of academic dishonesty is to recycle another individual's major project under your own name.
If you have doubts about whether or not you are using your own or others' writing ethically and legally, ask the instructor. Follow this primary principle: If in doubt, ask. Be up front and honest about what you are doing and about what you have contributed to an assignment.
If you have a documented disability, make sure you register with Disability Services 757. 683.4655. Once you do so, feel free to talk to me about any special accommodations that you may need to fulfill the requirements of this course.
At the end of the semester, you will have an opportunity to evaluate the instructor and the course. This is very important for helping the instructor and the department access the course. Please take the time at the end of the semester to do these online evaluations.
last.updated 01.11.05