course.goals
materials
assignments
grading
attendance
electronica
ethics
disability
last.updated
8.05.07
instructor
kevin eric depew
office bal 4042
phone 757.683.4019
e.mail kdepew@odu.edu
AIM
kerdepew
web.page http://www.odu.edu/~kdepew
office hours t 2-3 & w 3-5,
& by appointment
quick
links
calendar
blackboard
(email, collaboration, and readings)
resources
In this course we will examine how the field of rhetoric–for better or for worse–has shaped composition studies. Tracing the history of this field, since its inception at Harvard University in the nineteenth century to the present, we will study the rhetorical paradigms–and their social and ideological foundations–from which composition pedagogy has been designed and justified. We will also assess how the field is currently articulating the composition classroom (as well as how others are trying to articulate it, i.e., institutional rhetoric) and the rhetorics (visual rhetoric, digital rhetoric, rhetorics of race and gender) informing new pedagogical possibilities.
In this course you will ...
- question whether there is/ should be a disciplinary connection between rhetoric and composition
- develop an understanding of composition as a discipline
- learn praxis as the relationship between theory and practice, especially in terms of rhetorical theory and the teaching of writing
- demonstrate an ability to analyze specific pedagogies or pedagogical tools for their rhetorical influences
- learn how to compose and prepare various types of conference presentations
- learn how to develop a conference presentation into an article
recommended prerequisites
English 664, English 720/820, English 760/860, or English 765/865
course.materials
The
Rhetoric of Blair, Campbell, and Whately [Rhet]
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 [Origins]
Editor John C. Brereton
University of Pittsburgh Press (October 1, 1995)
ISBN: 0822955350
Writing Instruction in Nineteenth-Century American Colleges [Writing]
Author: James A. Berlin
Southern Illinois University Press (February 1, 1984)
ISBN: 0809311666
Other readings will be retrieved from...
Teacher-for-a-Day (PhD: 50 points): Each of the PhD students will be responsible for developing discussion questions from and synopses of the assigned reading for one class period.
Project Proposal (50 points): Early in the semester, you will draft a proposal outlining how you will fulfill the course requirements. Not only do you get the opportunity to see if the work you want to do is feasible, the proposal gives you the opportunities to focus your inquiries for the semester and receive guidance from the instructor.
Progressive Annotated Bibliography (50 points): By reading above and beyond the assigned readings, you will have the opportunity to acquaint yourself with the fields of rhetoric and composition studies. For this assignment, you will find and annotate five academic articles about literacy instruction. Your research should be geared towards a problem or an assignment that you are interested in and informs the work you will do in the subsequent assignments.
Conference Paper & Roundtable Presentation (PhD: 150 points; 50 points): You will be given the professional opportunity to practice preparing for a conference. Due to time constraints you will compose an eight-page conference length paper (~20 minutes), but you will present a 5 minute roundtable position statement from this paper. Use your peers' feedback and questions to develop your conference paper for the article assignment.
Pedagogical Analysis (150 points): You will select an composition-oriented artifact (e.g., textbook, assignment, software) or experience (writing class, workshop) and explain the rhetorical and/or composition theories that inform its production.
Article Manuscript (200 points): Develop your Conference Paper/Roundtable Presentation into an article length manuscript.
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)
Major Assignments
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" work that responds to a specific context
- an understanding of theories related to rhetoric and composition, as well as the current discussions of their application
- an ability to apply said theories
- an ability to demonstrate a contribution to an academic discussion
- addressing your audiences appropriately, including fulfilling generic expectations
- professional and scholarly persona
- prewriting and planning
- professional quality work, in terms of mechanics, design, and protocol
Quizzes
While there are no quizzes scheduled for this course, the instructor reserves the right to introduce them into the schedule if it becomes apparent that the course readings are not being done.
Grade Scale
Your final grade (500 points for MAs; 700 for PhDs) and assignments will be graded using 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 % | D+ = 67-69.9 % | |
| D = 62-66.9 % | D -= 60-61.9 % | F = 0-59.9 % |
*
= 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 s/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 allowed the equivalent of the two absences, excused or unexcused.
More than two absences will result in failing the course. The
following criteria is used to determine equivalency:
- being late to class will be marked as a tardy and noted when your final grade is tallied.
- students who miss between fifteen and eighty minutes will receive a half-absence
- students who miss more than eighty minutes will receive a full absence
Attendance will be taken by sight, therefore, those of you who are not in the Gornto classroom will want to make an appearance throughout the class by making sure camera is upon you and that you contribute to the discussion. Choosing not to participate in a 700/800 level class is not an option; if you "hide" then the instructor reserves the right to give you only attendance credit for the camera time for which you are seen.
If you plan to be absent the day a submission is due, you are encouraged to make arrangements to submit the work before the class or to submit the work through email at the earliest possible time. The last day to submit work for credit is the first day that you return from an absence. As a general rule, a student missing a class assignment because of observance of a religious holiday or participating in any official extracurricular activity shall have the opportunity to make up missed work by following the guidelines above.
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 and Blackboard including some assignment
submissions and class updates. You will want to establish a consistent
email account that you will use throughout the entire semester.
Because Blackboard's "Send Email" function "talks to" your ODU account, it is recommended that you work with this account. At the very least, you are required to forward your ODU mail to the account you use most. 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. Also you will want to be aware that some evaluated course work will be returned via email; if you are concerned about other parties reading these messages, please develop an account that is dedicated to just you (or come talk to the instructor).
E.mailing
Protocol
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.
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, campus h-drive, and/or
flash drives. You can also email documents to yourself as a means of backing
up your work. The excuse "that was my only copy" is not a valid
one. Some tips for protecting your work–and yourself–are:
- Save all English 791/891 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
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 this class–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 this class, 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 assess the course. Please take the time at the end of the semester to do these online evaluations.