Fall 2004
Instructor: Matthew Armstrong
Email: matty8a@yahoo.com
Office: McIver 136A
Office hours: TTH: 2:00-3:00 or by appointment
Rhetoric and Composition
Required Texts
Platform
Voices of Terror
Writing Matters
Course Objectives
This course is designed to provide you with fundamental rhetorical skills. As a citizen flooded with the everyday rhetoric of politics and product, you will need to know how an argument is being waged and how to respond intelligently. Just as important, as you prepare for the critical thinking tasks in your academic and professional careers, you will need to know how to form your own arguments. Toward this end we will read an extremely important and challenging novel (Platform) and undertake an investigation into the rhetoric of terrorism. I have chosen terrorism as the theme for this class because it is a subject which, perhaps beyond all others, shapes our current engagement with language and, thus, the world.
We will read and respond to terrorism as it is portrayed in movies, short stories, essays, advertisements, and the work of each other. We will analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of various rhetorical techniques and, through this process, develop our abilities to argue with intelligence and sophistication.
Learning Goals
Upon completion of this course you should be able to understand and utilize the basic principles of rhetoric. You will also broaden your knowledge of research resources here at UNCG. At the most basic level, I hope that you will leave this course as a student who is comfortable in the act of writing.
Assignments and Grade Distribution
Final Portfolio-60%
Attendance and participation-40%
Attendance
I pride myself on inconsistency and will alter assignments as we go. So it is extremely important that you show up. If you miss more than four (excused or unexcused) classes I will drop you from the class or fail you, depending on where we are in the academic schedule.
Participation
Participation involves two major sub-categories: Quizzes and discussion. Generally, I will announce if there is going to be a quiz, but if we’ve had one of those classes where no one has done the reading, it’s a pretty safe bet that the next class will open with a quiz. As far as class discussion, try to contribute as much as you can, even if it means writing down your questions prior to class and reading them to us.
Late Work
No late work.
Plagiarism
If you are using someone else’s ideas and are not sure whether or not you are plagiarizing, come see me. Otherwise I will consider it deliberate and act in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy as defined in the student handbook or at www.uncg./saf/studiscp/Honor.html
Writing Center
The Writing Center is located in McIver. It is open Monday-Thursday 9:00-8:00, Friday 9:00-3:00, and Sunday 6:00-9:00 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 334-3125. There are consultants there who will answer questions you may have about rhetoric, grammar, syntax, etc. However, they are not there merely to proofread.
Special Accommodations
If you have a disability that could affect your performance in this class, please contact me and/or the Office of Disability Services at 334-5440.
Fall 2004
8/16-Syllabus/Introduction
8/18-E-Reserve essay: Belief and Technique for Modern Prose.
8/20-online essay: www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,985375,00.html The
title of the essay is The Final Irony.
8/23-Voices of Terror-The Psychology of Political Violence (181-185)
8/25-VT-Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders(410-412) & Prairie Fire (163-165)
Personal Narrative
8/27-The Weather Underground (Movie)
8/30- The Weather Underground
9/1-Platform-1-37
9/3-Platform-38-59
9/6-No class
9/8-Platform-60-94 Movie Review
9/10-Platform-95-130
9/13-Platform-131-157
9/15-Platform-158-188
9/17-Platform-189-226
9/20-Platform-Finish
9/22-VT-388-409
9/24-Workshop Novel Topic Paper
9/27-Workshop
9/29-The Research Paper
10/1-Workshop
10/4-Workshop
10/6-Workshop
10/8-Editorials/Adverstisements VT Comparative Research Paper
10/11-No class
10/13- Workshop
10/15- Workshop
10/18- “ Editorial/Advertisement
10/20- “
10/22- “
10/25- “
10/27- E-Reserve Story-The Management of Grief
10/29- “
11/1- “
11/3- “
11/5- “ Short Story
11/8- “ Ethnographies
11/10- “
11/12- “
11/15- “
11/17- “
11/19- Poetry
11/22- “ Ethnography
11/24-No class
11/26-No class
11/29- “
12/1- Poem
12/3- “
12/6- Final Class-Portfolios due