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last.updated 9.13.11

Scottish Common Sense Realists I

Purpose

The composition course in the American academy has a direct lineage to the Scottish academies and the Scottish Common Sense Realist's influence on rhetoric. By discussing their rhetorical philosophies and their influence, we will have a better understanding of writing pedagogy in our current age.

Before Class

• Read Campbell pp. 139-141, 145-150, 172-197, 205-226 [Rhet]
• Read Whately pp. 273-275, 279-302, 388-396 [Rhet]
• Read Horner "The Roots of Modern Writing Instruction" [Rhetoric Review, 8.2]
• Submit the Proposal to the instructor as an Word document email attachment by the beginning of class.

Freewrite

Go into Campbell and Whately's rhetorics and pull out a quote from each rhetorician that you see modern composition instructors applying in their classrooms. Reference the quote and explain the connection.

Lecture–The Origins and Impact of the SCSRs

The instructor will talk a little about the origins and impact of the Scottish Common Sense Realists.

Discussion: Scottish Common Sense Realists: Campbell & Whately

• How questions, comments and/or concerns do you have about the readings for this week?
• What are the main principles of Campbell and Whately's respective rhetorics? On what points do they overlap? disagree?
• How do you see this rhetoric informing current writing classroom practices?
• What is Horner's argument in her history? According to Horner, how was writing pedagogy in eighteenth century Scotland informed by the realists? What progressive pedagogies that she describes do you see today?