The Assignments: PICK AN ISSUE
You will choose one topic to work on individually throughout the course of the semester. This topic should be something you see as a regular part of your life—teaching, technology, politics, music, whatever. The only parameter is that it needs to be a topic that you are able to find people communicating about. In other words, if you can’t find articles or editorials or advertisements or brochures or websites or films or speeches about your topic, it is going to be difficult for you to proceed with your issue. You may find the assignments easier if it is something people tend to disagree about, but this is by no means a necessity for as we will discover, rhetoric is everywhere…not just in hotly contested issues. The issue papers, rhetorical criticism, and final project will ALL BE ABOUT THIS TOPIC, so pick something tolerable.

1. Assignment 1: Issue Papers (50 points each= 250 pts)
   These papers are very short analysis papers (1 page, double-spaced). You will be choosing a text to analyze, and will explore how the various rhetorical principles are at work within your text.
   

                           Paper #1: Kairos due 9/10
                           Paper #2: Commonplaces due 9/21
                           Paper #3: Logos due 9/26
                           Paper #4: Ethos due 10/3
                           Paper #5: Pathos due 10/10

2. Assignment 2: Rhetorical Criticism due 11/5 (draft) and 11/9 (final) (250 points)
3. Assignment 3: Group Work (150 points)
4. Assignment 4: Final Project due 12/7 (250 points)

 

 

The final 100 points for the class will be based on participation which includes in-class assignments, reading responses, engagement in class discussions, keeping up with readings, turning in assignments on time, participation in group work, and general respect for your peers (paying attention during class presentations, listening when your peers speak, etc.).