CMS 415: Rhetorical Criticism
T/Th1-2:15, LAB 469
Dr. W. Atkins-Sayre
Spring 2011
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Instructor information:
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Office: LAB 475
Phone: 601-266-4271
Email:
Web site:
Office Hours: M/W12-1 (in Speaking Center), T/TH 11:30-12:30 (in LAB office), and by appointment
(please email me to set up a time)
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Readings:
Karlyn Kohrs Campbell and Susan Schultz Huxman, The Rhetorical Act: Thinking, Speaking, and Writing Critically, 4th ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2009).
Readings available on Blackboard course site.
Course goals:
This course is an introduction to critical analysis of rhetoric, designed to enhance students' ability to function as effective critics and consumers of public discourse. Specifically, we will focus on understanding variables of situation, audience, and rhetor and how they influence the production and reception of persuasive messages. Case studies of significant rhetorical acts will be used to introduce important concepts. A wide range of issues will be covered through case studies, including several controversial issues in U.S. history such as the Vietnam War, slavery, the civil rights movement, feminism, religion, and race relations. Students will be expected to develop an understanding of the nature and function of rhetoric in various forms as a pragmatic tool that is used by rhetors to influence receivers' perceptions of symbolic reality.
Course objectives:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of rhetoric and rhetorical criticism
2. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze rhetorical texts
3. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and focus on one topic in writing assignments and present ideas in an organized, logical, coherent, and compelling form.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and focus on one topic in speaking assignments and present ideas in an organized, logical, coherent, and compelling form.
5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use Standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling and usage.
Course requirements: You will find additional information about these assignments on the course website.
Exams (2@20%): Exams will consist of essay, short answer, and identification questions.
Rhetorical analysis papers (2@20%):2,500 word (~10 page) analysis papers
Presentation (20%): 9-10 minute formal presentation based on your second paper.
Course policies:
1. Participation: I expect all individuals to participate in class discussions, assignments, and exercises. The course cannot succeed without that participation. Consequently, you need to read the assigned materials on the assigned days and come to class ready to interact in discussion or activity. I also encourage you to participate in your class grade throughout the semester by keeping track of grades and making appointments with me if you are concerned.
2. Late work: All written assignments will be due at the beginning of class on the assigned day. Paperswill be considered late if received after that time. Late papers incur a penalty of one letter grade (10 points) per calendar day. Exams will only be allowed to be taken or speeches to be given late if you have made prior arrangements with me.
3. Attendance: I expect you to be in class everyday and on time. Absences will affect your course grade (half a letter grade for more than 3 absences). It is your responsibility to find out what happened on all missed days. Any assignments will be due on the due date at the beginning of class regardless of your absence (unless we have reached an agreement).
4. Grievance procedure: If you are dissatisfied with a grade (after carefully reading instructor comments), you will need to submit a typed argument explaining why you disagree with the grade. The paper should specifically mention why you disagree with the grade and use support (textbook, class notes, etc.) where appropriate. This paper will need to be given to me within one week after receiving the grade. I will then read the argument and respond either in writing, via email, or in a meeting.
5. Classroom rules: Please turn all cell phones off upon entering this class. Please be on time to class; I often make announcements that you will need to hear. Please do not start to pack up your belongings early. Do not read newspapers, text message, etc., during class. In short, be considerate.
6. Computer proficiency: Students enrolled in this course must have Internet access available to them, including email and web page access, and have the basic knowledge needed to efficiently use these Internet technologies. All course assignments will be posted on the course web site. You will be responsible for retrieving documents (syllabus, review sheets, exam questions, etc.) from the course web site. Please become familiar with the web site early in the semester so that you know where to find the necessary information. Problems with computers or printers do not excuse you from meeting deadlines. Please note that failures of technology (e.g., “my computer crashed,” “the file won’t open,” “the lab printer was broken,” etc.) will not lead to an extension of the deadline. Please do all that you can (by backing up files, giving yourself plenty of time to print, having back-up plans, etc.) to prevent these tragedies.
7. Academic Honesty
From the 2007-2008 Southern Miss Undergraduate Bulletin:
Plagiarism is scholarly theft, and it is defined as the unacknowledged use of secondary sources. More specifically, any written or oral presentation in which the writer or speaker does not distinguish clearly between original and borrowed material constitutes plagiarism.
Because students, as scholars, must make frequent use of the concepts and facts developed by other scholars, plagiarism is not the mere use of another’s facts and ideas. However, it is plagiarism when students present the work of other scholars as if it were their own work.
Plagiarism is committed in a number of ways:
1. reproducing another author’s writing as if it were one’s own
2. paraphrasing another author’s work without citing the original
3. borrowing from another author’s ideas, even though those ideas are reworded, without giving credit
4. copying another author’s organization without giving credit
Plagiarism is a serious offense. An act of plagiarism may lead to a failing grade on the paper and in the course, as well as sanctions that may be imposed by the student judicial system. Refer to the plagiarism tutorial on the Southern Miss libraries website ( for more advice about avoiding plagiarism.
Note: I reserve the right to use TurnItIn.com to verify the accuracy of a paper. You will submit electronic copies of your papers and I may choose to run them through TurnItIn.
Disabilities
If a student has a disability that qualifies under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires accommodations, he/she should contact the Office for Disability Accommodations (ODA) for information on appropriate policies and procedures. Disabilities covered by ADA may include learning, psychiatric, physical disabilities, or chronic health disorders. Students can contact ODA if they are not certain whether a medical condition/disability qualifies.
Address:
The University of Southern Mississippi
Office for Disability Accommodations
118 College Drive # 8586
Hattiesburg, MS39406-0001
Voice Telephone: (601) 266-5024 or (228) 214-3232Fax: (601) 266-6035
Individuals with hearing impairments can contact ODA using the Mississippi RelayService at 1-800-582-2233 (TTY) or email Suzy Hebert at .
Paper/Speech Grading
The following grading scale will be used for paper/speech grades:
A+= 98A=95 A-=91 B+=88 B=85 B-=81 C+=78 C=75 C-=71 D=60 F=50
Speeches and papers are graded according to the guidelines posted on the course web site.
Course Grading
The following grading scale will be used for the course:
90 and above=A80-89=B70-79=C60-69=D59 or less=F
Support for Writing and Speaking
Keep in mind that you have support for both speaking and writing on the Southern Miss campus. For free, one-on-one tutoring in writing and speaking, visit the WritingCenter and the SpeakingCenter. The WritingCenter is located in Cook Library. For more information about their services, visit the web site: I encourage you to consider using the WritingCenter, regardless of the strength of your writing. They will help strengthen your written argument.
For help with your presentations, you should plan to visit the University of Southern Mississippi Speaking Center. The Center is a free peer-tutoring center, focused on improving students’ oral communication through consulting. Consultants (undergraduate and graduate students) meet one-on-one with students, at any stage of the speech-writing process, working on organizing, outlining, developing, and delivering speeches. The Center offers speaking handouts, a speaking library, and practice rooms to practice and record your speeches. For more information about the center, visit it at:
Cook Library 117
601-266-4965
Tentative Daily Schedule
Date / Topic / ReadingIntroduction to Rhetorical Criticism
T, Jan 18 / Introduction to course
Th, Jan 20 / What is rhetorical criticism? / Chap. 1
T, Jan 25 / Descriptive analysis / Chap. 2
Th, Jan 27 / Descriptive analysis, cont’d. / JFK speech (web site), PETA ads (web site)
T, Feb 1 / Rhetoric and praxis / Read textbook prologue (pg. xviii)
Historical Context and Rhetorical Problem
Th, Feb 3 / Introduction to the rhetorical problem / Portion of Campbell and Burkholder (Blackboard site)
T, Feb 8 / Problems of audience / Chap. 8
Th, Feb 10 / Audience, cont’d.
Rhetorical texts due for paper #1 / McCain speech (web site)
T, Feb 15 / Problems of subject and purpose / Chap. 9
Th, Feb 17 / Subject and purpose, cont’d. / Stanton speech (pg. 221)
T, Feb 22 / Problems of the rhetor
Paper drafts due / Chap. 10, Obama race speech (on web site)
Th, Feb 24 / Paper #1 due—in class discussion about papers
Resources for Rhetorical Action
T, Mar 1 / Uses of evidence / Chap. 4
Th, Mar 3 / Uses of argument / Chap. 5
Mar 8 and 10 / Spring Break
T, Mar 15 / Uses of argument, cont’d. / Robert Kennedy speech (web site)
Th, Mar 17 / Exam #1
T, Mar 22 / Uses of organization / Chap. 6, Rice speech (pg. 153)
Th, Mar 24 / “Professionalizing your Presentations: Tips for Capstone Students” / In Speaking Center
T, Mar 29 / Language, tone, and persona / Chap. 7
Th, Mar 31 / Language, cont’d. / Douglass speech (pg. 182)
T, Apr 5 / Genre and occasion / Chap. 14, Obama speech on Tucson (web site)
Types of Rhetorical Action
Th, Apr 7 / Visual rhetoric / Chap. 12
T, Apr 12 / Visual rhetoric, cont’d. / Class examples and analysis
Th, Apr 14 / Mediated rhetoric / Chap. 13
T, Apr 19 / Social movement rhetoric / Selection from Stewart, Smith, and Denton (on Blackboard)
Th, Apr 21 / Exam #2
Evaluating Rhetorical Action
T, Apr 26 / Standards for evaluations—Malcolm X speech
Rhetorical texts due for paper #2 / Chap. 11, Malcolm X speech (pg. 256)
Th, Apr 28 / Evaluation, cont’d.
T, May 3 / Final discussion about rhetorical praxis
Capstone presentations / In Speaking Center
Th, May 5 / Workshop day
Paper drafts due
Speech outline drafts created
Th, May 12 / Final exam period: Paper #2 due/presentations
Final speech outlines due (by email) on Tuesday, May 10; Speaking Center visit due by noon on Wednesday, May 11 / 10:45-1:15, in Speaking Center
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