English 472 Rhetorical Studies Arizona State University Fall 2005

Dr. Katherine Heenan	Office Hours: T 10 - 11, W 10 -12, Th 2 - 3
E-mail: K.Heenan@asu.edu	& by appointment
Phone: 5-8881	Class Meets: T Th    12:15 – 1:30 in Coor L1-80
Office: LL 309B	Line #05355

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This course will begin by examining the ancient history of rhetoric before turning to its more recent history and its probable future. The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with a broad overview of rhetorical studies. In particular, we will read texts that appear at crucial moments in the rhetorical tradition: the pre-modern, including the question of what is rhetoric, the historical roots of rhetoric, the significance and purpose of rhetorical theory and the relation between rhetoric and philosophy; the moderns, including the relation between enlightenment and modernity; and the postmodern, including the question of what is postmodernity, sexual difference and postmodernism, and questions of effectivity and performativity.

This course will engage you in the reading and discussion of the works of major rhetorical theorists both ancient and modern. If you do all the reading and attend class on a regular basis, at the end of the semester you will have a basic understanding of the rhetorical tradition and an understanding in depth of contemporary trends.

REQUIRED TEXTS:

• Course Readings available from the ASU Library’s Electronic Reserve
• Herrick, James. A History and Theory of Rhetoric

There are also several required readings that can be accessed through my webpage. In addition, that page includes a number of additional resources that will assist you in developing a thorough understanding of the materials for the course.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

 All assignments must be completed in order for a student to pass the course with a C grade or higher. It is expected that all participants will have read carefully all the essays assigned for each meeting.

Overview:

Each student will be required to:

• read carefully and respond in writing and in class on a regular basis to selected works by rhetorical theorists;
• produce two descriptions of her/his writing project, and
• craft a final paper of approximately 7-10 pages

Specifics:

Reading Responses and Participation:

Once during the semester, each student will post an abstract of an assigned reading or sets of readings to the course webboard. A sign-up sheet will be distributed in week two. The abstract will be word processed, double-spaced in no more than 1-2 pp and will contain the following information:

* author/title of the essay
* the central question(s) raised in the essay/book
* the central claim/assertion/thesis of the essay/book
* crucial subordinate claims of the essay
* relationship to other critics/theorists in the conversation
* key words
* points of contact with your writing project

The rest of the class will then post a response to the abstract on the course webboard . These virtual discussions will form the basis for our classroom discussion. Students are expected to come prepared every day to participate and to advance the conversation about these readings. 

Paper:

A carefully crafted critical or theoretical essay that focuses on/is grounded in a rhetorical artifact, event, or text(s) of your choice or a theoretical question. The paper will be completed in three stages.

1. No later than the Thursday of the fourth week, each participant will turn in a brief (3-4 double-spaced, typed pages) description of a rhetorical artifact, event, or text (or intimately related set of texts) or theoretical question(s) that she or he will work with this semester. After describing the text(s), identify and discuss briefly your central critical or theoretical questions as you approach the text(s) as a rhetorical-critical theorist. Also, if applicable, attach a previous effort.
   
2. No later than Thursday of the 10th week of the class, each student will turn in a description (3-4 pp. double-spaced, typed) of the theoretical material that the writer aims to make use of in examining her/his artifact or question.
   
3. The final essay of 7-10 pages will be due in my office on final exam day. Writers should follow the scholarly and writing conventions outlined in the current MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (you may negotiate the use of an alternative style manual if you are not an English major).

Your final grade will be calculated using the +/- system. That is, you will receive final grades—if you deserve receiving them—of A+, A-, B+, B-, and C+ etc.

Attendance and Participation:
Because so much of your learning will take place in class, you must attend class and participate on a regular basis to receive credit for this course. Attendance is a requirement and any absences over 4 will result in a lowered grade for the course. Also, students who are chronically late to class, leave early, sleep through class, engage in off-task activity, or are not prepared to participate in the day's class work will be penalized for each such occasion and these penalties will adversely affect the students’ final grade.

I encouraged each of you to speak with me at any time about your projects and your standing in the course, but at any rate, each of you must visit me in my office at least once during the semester to discuss her/his project.

CLASS CANCELLATIONS:

If I cannot attend class for some reason, I will try to contact you via-email or have a colleague post a sign indicating the class is cancelled. However, if neither of these options is possible, you should wait for me in the classroom for fifteen minutes. If I do not arrive after that time, you may then leave and assume class is cancelled for the day.

GRADING:
Reading abstracts, webboard discussions and class participation	40%
Final Paper (includes descriptions, 10% each, final draft 40%)	60%

CLASSROOM PROTOCOL:

We will spend much of our class time in discussions. A portion of some classes may also include lecture. Regardless of the class format, you are expected to be prepared, to listen, to contribute, and to participate in an appropriate fashion. Among other things, this means:

• no off-task use of your computer (e.g., no personal e-mail, Web surfing, or other computer based activities that are not specifically course related)
• computer monitors are to be turned off during class discussions, lectures, and announcements or when otherwise directed
• do not print files during class time unless otherwise directed
• personal communication devices (cell phones, beepers, and other devices) must be turned off for the entire class period. Unless you are part of an emergency on-call organization--Fire Department, Police Department, EMT, etc.), you should not and will not receive calls during class. 

LATE WORK:

Generally speaking, I expect all work to be turned in on time except in the most extreme circumstances. However, as a rule, I try not to penalize students for late work when something unexpected prevents completion of a particular assignment on time. Do note, however, that you must receive permission to turn in a late assignment without being penalized; if you fail to do so, your will be awarded an E for that assignment. Also note that I will never give permission to turn in an assignment late on the day it is due. So if you come across a problem, talk to me ahead of time. Also, you may not email me a copy of your paper unless prior permission from me has been received.Neither late reading abstracts nor late participation in the webboard discussions will be accepted.

Withdrawals: University deadlines

Course Withdrawal Deadline	Oct 28th (in person) 30th (ASU Interactive & Sundial)
Complete Withdrawal Deadline	Dec 6th

DISABILITY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS:

ASU complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for equal access to education at ASU, please contact Disability Resources for Students at 480-965-1234. Please feel free to discuss the special accommodations with all of your teachers.

PROBLEM SOLVING:

All of us struggle with our limits, and I sometimes suspect that no one is more conscious of that than students in writing requirement courses. Keep in mind, as you set your priorities, that I am very moved by students who visibly struggle with their limits.

I encourage you to also see me during office hours, e-mail me, or make an appointment anytime you wish to discuss issues connected with this class and/or your performance. Students frequently tell me that the most helpful feature of the class was coming to my office and discussing their writing projects and/or classroom concerns. Please discuss concerns with me while we still have options. I tend to be generous with students who take the initiative to consult with me about concerns while they are still `situations,' i.e., not-yet-crises, and downright testy with those who permit things to slide until a crisis is unavoidable.