WRTG 1150Prof. Kupetz
Fall 2007ENVD 1B50A
Sec 055: MW 4:30-5:45KTCH120Ext. 5-4674
Office Hours:MW 11-12:
Put several […] voices together, with each voicing its own special assertion, let them act upon one another in co-operative competition, and you get a dialectic that, properly developed, can lead to views transcending the limitations of each.
Kenneth Burke, "Rhetoric-Old and New"
Purpose
Whether you have written argumentative essays for college admission, zealously magic-markered a protest poster for a march or rally, or attempted to charm your parents into letting you break curfew, you were responding to a rhetorical situation—and your success or failure at persuading your audience was directly related to the amount of rhetorical awareness you had. Writing 1150: First-year Writing and Rhetoric is a course designed to be an introduction to the rhetorical practices most common in college-level academic writing. You will develop your rhetorical awareness by reading critically, writing extensively, and revising exhaustively, thus empowering you to approach your academic career and professional life as one who is capable of recognizing and employing “the available means of persuasion” for your own ethical ends.
Required Texts
Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. (WR)
Program for Writing and Rhetoric. Knowing Words: A Guide to First-Year Writing and Rhetoric. Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2006. (KW)
Useful Links
The Owl at Purdue. 1 Jan 2007. PurdueUniversity. 27 Aug 2007. <
A Writer’s Reference Companion Site. 1 Aug 2007. Bedford/St. Martin’s. 27 Aug 2007. <
Grading Requirements
Attendance & Participation10%
Assessments10%
Presentations 10%
Sudden Essays (3, 10% each)30%
Research Essay20%
Argumentative Essay20%
Schedule
Aug 27 / M / Introduction to the Course;Syllabus;
Active Reading.
Aug 29 / W / Chapters 1-3 (KW1-22);
“Appendix A—PWR Course Policies” (KW133-137);
“Planning” (WR 3-12).
Sept 3 / M / Holiday: No Class.
Sept 5 / W / Modes of Writing Discussion;
“Writing Paragraphs” (WR 23-36);
“Revising” (WR 17-22);
Visual Argument (CU Learn);
“September 11 Tattoos” (CU Learn).
Due:Self-Assessment.
Sept 10 / M / Birkerts, Sven. “States of Reading” (CU Learn, e-Reserve);
Tyson, Lois. “Affective Stylistics” (CU Learn,e-Reserve).
Due: Hacker Diagnostic Quiz A <
Sept 12 / W / “Identity: or, who do you think you are?” (CU Learne-Reserve);
Dubus, Andre. “Witness” (CU Learn e-Reserve).
Sept 17 / M / Sentence-Level Skills Group 1: Parts of Speech (WR 491-502);
Sentence-Level Skills Group 2: Pronouns, Antecedents, & Agreement (WR 187-197; 491-3).
Sept 19 / W / Sacks, Oliver. “Water Babies” (CU Learn, e-Reserve);
“Workshops and Revisions” (KW 23-32).
Due: E-Exercises B1-3 to B1-7 (Hacker Site: Grammar Exercises > Basic Grammar).
Sept 21 / F / Sentence-Level Skills Test #1 (CU Learn > Assessments).
Sept 24 / M / Peer Review;
Workshop: Sudden Essay #1.
Due:Sudden Essay #1 First Draft (copies for workshop).
Sept 26 / W / Individual Conferences.
Oct 1 / M / Sentence-Level Skills Group 3: Subordinate Clauses (WR 505-506, 237-238, 263-264).
Due:Sudden Essay #1 Finals.
Oct 3 / W / Sentence-Level Skills Group 4: Sentence Types, Coordination & Subordination (WR 507-508, 112-119; 208-209).
Due: E-Exercises S5-1 to S6-3 (Hacker Site: Grammar Exercises > Sentence Style).
Oct 5 / F / Sentence-Level Skills Test #2 (CU Learn > Assessments).
Due: RIOT #1 & RIOT #2.
Oct 8 / M / “Researching” (WR 293-320);
Discuss Research Questions.
Due: RIOT #3 & RIOT #4; Working Research Question.
Oct 10 / W / Library Visit
Oct 15 / M / Research Lab (DUAN G116).
Oct 17 / W / “Community” (CU Learn,e-Reserve);
Rodriguez, Richard. “‘Blaxicans’ and Other Reinvented Americans” (CU Learn,e-Reserve);
Leonard, Andrew. “You Are Who You Know” (CU Learn,e-Reserve);
Social Mapping.
Due: Research Paper Proposal.
Oct 22 / M / Sentence-Level Skills Group 5: Dangling & Misplaced Modifiers (WR 99-105, 199-203, 495);
Workshop: Sudden Essay #2.
Due:Sudden Essay #2 Drafts (e-mail to group by 6 p.m. Oct. 21, 2007).
Oct 24 / W / Sentence-Level Skills Group 6: Passive Voice, Active Verbs (WR 140-143, 225-228, 501);
Workshop: Annotated Bibliography.
Due: Sudden Essay #2 Final Drafts
Oct 26 / F / Due: E-Exercises S3-1 to S3-4, W3-1 to W3-3 (Hacker Site: Grammar Exercises > Sentence Style, Word Choice).
Oct 29 / M / Sentence-Level Skills Test 3.
Due: Annotated Bibliography Final; E-mail Research Essay Drafts by 6 pm.
Oct 31 / W / Workshop: Research Essay Drafts.
Nov 5 / M / Workshop: Research Essay Revised Drafts.
Nov 7 / W / Small-Group Conferences.
Nov 12 / M / “Entertainment” (CU Learn,e-Reserve);
Roiphe, Katie. “Profiles Encouraged” (CU Learn, e-Reserve).
Due: Research Essay Final.
Nov 14 / W / Types of Arguments.
Nov 16 / F / Due: Sudden Essay #3 (Submit via CU Learn).
Nov 19-25 / Thanksgiving.
Nov 26 / M / Orwell, George. “Why I Write” (CU Learn, e-Reserves);
Workshop: Argumentative Research Paper Introductions (copies for workshop).
Nov 28 / W / Workshop: Argumentative Research Paper Full Drafts (copies for workshop).
Dec 3 / M / Workshop: Argumentative Research Paper Revised Drafts (copies for workshop).
Dec 5 / W / Presentations.
Due:Argumentative Research Paper Final Portfolio.
Dec 10 / M / Presentations.
Dec 12 / W / Presentations.
WRITING
The Essays:In this course, you will write three“sudden essays” (short essays, 300-400 words) as well as two longer, research-based essays” (1000& 1500 words respectively). Each essay you write, regardless of word count, will undergo a guided process of invention, organization, drafting, revision, and final preparation. For sudden essays, you will choose specific topics based upon general prompts derived from the reading that we will complete in class. If you reference in-class readings in your sudden essays, you must cite your sources.
Research Paper: You will write a 1,000-word research paper that explores a self-directed topic. Your purpose is to inform the reader about a particular issue and to present multiple viewpoints on the issue in an objective manner. To accomplish this, you will write a proposal, conduct academic research, prepare an annotated bibliography, and compose a series of drafts that culminate in your final product.
Argumentative-Research Paper: You will write a 1,500-word argumentative-research paper that builds substantively on your research paper. Using the central issue in your research paper, you will write a paper that argues a particular point of view in order to achieve a particular purpose (to make the reader think differently, to make the reader take action, etc.).
Miscellaneous Writing Assignments:Any additional, brief writing assignments will be evaluated as homework and counted toward the Attendance & Participation grade.
General Document Guidelines: Hard copies of all written assignments are due in class onthe assigned dates at the assigned times. No late papers. None. Additionally, all written assignments are to be typed or word-processed, double-spaced, andsingle-sided with one-inch margins and page numbers. The first page should include the word count in the header. Paperclip or staple the pages together. Do not use titlepages; they are both wasteful and ugly. Do not use fancy fonts (Arial, Helvetica, andVerdana are standard) or inflated font size (12 pt is the norm, but 10 pt is alsoacceptable). Do not use increased margins; do not two-and-a-half or triple space—theassignments are based upon word count, so this does not solve any problems.
ASSESSMENTS
Sentence-Level Skills Quizzes (Open Book): Consult the syllabus schedule for Sentence-Levels Skills quiz dates and verify quiz availability on CU Learn. Those quizzes must be completed on the assigned days within the assigned times.
PRESENTATIONS
Sentence-Level Skills Presentation: Once during the semester, you will work with two other students to prepare and present a thirty-minute lesson on a particular set of sentence-level skills. Your purpose is to teach the class some aspect of sentence-level writing skills, which you may reinforce with handouts, in-class exercises, etc. The class will be tested on those skills, so your presentation must be professional, thorough, and accurate.
Argumentative Research Presentation: At the end of the semester, you will prepare and present a five-minute presentation based on your argumentative-research paper. Your presentation will focus on your argument and include any necessary background information or supporting evidence to bolster your claim for a general audience.
ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION
Attendance: Your regular attendance is expected. Accruing more than two absences will result in failure of the Attendance requirement; accruing more than four absences will result in failure for the course.It is your responsibility to contact me about work you might have missed during any absence, excused or unexcused.
Active Participation: The course relies upon discussion to make meaning. Your role is to come to class prepared, having read the text(s) completely and completed all assignments (including assignments that might not appear on the syllabus but have been disseminated in class), and then engage in daily, active participation. You are expected to speak; you cannot earn an “A” without in-class participation.
Peer Review: Peer review is an indispensable aid to the development of critical thinking and reading, as well as your editing and writing skills. By thoroughly examining another’s work, a writer further develops and hones his or her craft. We will conduct workshops of various styles and formats, which I will outline for you as we prepare to conduct them, and you are responsible for knowing the specific criteria for any given day’s workshop, as well as mechanical/logistical issues (i.e. how many copies of your essay you need to distribute and when, etc.
N. B.: We may utilize CU Learn to post essay drafts for individual download instead of distributing hard copies of each draft in class. In this case, it is your responsibility to print out all papers (single-sided, double-spaced), mark them thoroughly (see handout on Proofreading), and have them available for use during workshops. The “I was trying to save paper so I didn’t print them out” excuse will not work if you show up to workshop without your colleagues’ drafts (and it goes without saying that if you show up with drafts sans written comments, you will be docked in your A&P grade). Print. The. Drafts. Mark. Them. Up.
Classroom Decorum: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender, gender variance, and nationalities. In addition, please set all mobile phones to OFF, not Vibrate. I reserve the right to put an end to any distracting consumption. If you must ask a course-related question to a colleague, please do so as quietly and unobtrusively as possible. Further rules on decorum may be added as warranted.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability please submit a letter to me from Disability Services in a timely manner (during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances) so that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities (303-492-8671, Willard 322,
PLAGIARISM & ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
All students of the University of Colorado at Boulder are responsible for knowing and adhering to the academic integrity policy of this institution. Violations of this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council and those students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions from the faculty member involved and non-academic sanctions given by the Honor Code Council (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion).
In this course, any instance of academic dishonesty (including but not limited to plagiarism) will result in an F for the course and referral to the Honor Code Committee.
Please refer to to view the specific guidelines. If you have any questions related to this policy, please contact the Honor Code Council at .
RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES
Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please inform me of all conflicts at least one week in advance so we can make reasonable accommodations. See full details at <
FLEXIBILITY
Your professor reserves the right to amend this syllabus during the semester and apprise you of such changes in a timely manner.
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