UN1015-R01 Syllabus

Rhetoric and Composition: UN1015 - R01
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Course Syllabus & Policies
Course Details:
Meeting Days: MWF Time: 9:05am-9:55am Location: Walker 144
Instructor Information:
Richard L. Ward
Office Hours (by appointment):
Contact me with any scheduling conflicts.
“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
Benjamin Franklin
Course Description & Overview
In this class, you’ll examine and interpret communication practices and apply what you learn to
your own written, spoken, and visual compositions. While writing is the core focus of our class,
you will also practice composing in other modes, as well. Class projects will ask you to attend to
audience, purpose, and context. You will produce texts over a series of drafts in order to hone
your skills as a thoughtful multimodal communicator.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
● recognize and use several strategies for producing and interpreting persuasive texts that
are appropriate for a particular context, audience, and purpose;
● know how to develop an organized text in written, aural, and/or visual modes and
demonstrate a basic understanding of the conventions of a genre or discipline;
● develop carefully crafted arguments informed by research, critical reasoning, and
persuasive techniques
This course is designed to meet two of Michigan Technological University’s Student Learning
Goals: Communication (Goal 5) and Information Literacy (Goal 6). To learn more about these
learning goals, please see the rubrics posted at
http://www.mtu.edu/assessment/program/university-learning-goals/
Required Readings & Other Materials
Johnson-Eilola, Johndan. Changing Writing: A Guide with Scenarios, 1st ed. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014.
Email: richardw@mtu.edu Phone: (906) 487-0925 Office: Walker 149
Monday – 1:00pm-3:00pm Wednesday – 12:30pm-
2:30pm
Friday – 1:15pm-3:15pm

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The Purdue OWL & their guide for MLA 7 can be found at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl
Other assigned readings will be posted in Canvas
Assignments & Grade Distribution
Your course grade will be determined by the number of points you earn out of 1000 total. The
1000 points are broken down as follows:
Responses (100 pt.)
Responses of at least 300 words to readings will be assigned regularly; they must be turned in
via Canvas. Late work is accepted for a reduced grade—I'd rather have you do the work late than
not at all—but your Professionalism grade (see below) will suffer if work is habitually late.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay (150 pt.)—due Monday, February 1st
A 1,500-word essay that identifies the rhetorical elements of a multimodal text of your choosing.
This essay will be written in multiple drafts.
Research Process Portfolio (150 pt.)—due Monday, February 29th
A collection of documents that traces the steps of your research for the researched argument
essay.
Researched Argument Essay (200 pt.)—due Wednesday, March 30th
A 2,500-word essay that uses the findings of your research to develop a thesis on an unsettled
question or issue. This essay will be written in multiple drafts.
Multimodal Project (200 pt.)—due Friday, April 15th
A multimodal “text” that persuades an audience using a combination of aural, visual, and/or
written modes of communication.
Final Portfolio (100 pt.)—due Friday, April 22nd
A digital collection of your best, final efforts at the four major course assignments: Rhetorical
Analysis, Research Process Portfolio, Researched Argument Essay, and Multimodal Project,
submitted in separate files. The portfolio will also include a written reflection statement.
Professionalism (100 pt.)
Includes the quality completion of readings, discussions, in-class and homework activities,
informal writing assignments, project drafts, summaries of two on-campus cultural events
during the semester, and peer review exchanges.
NOTE: This semester, the Research Process Portfolio and Researched Argument
Essay will be submitted as part of our yearly assessment of the general education
program. This means that in addition to submitting these assignments to me for
grading, you will be required to submit them to LiveText through a link on Canvas
(I will provide you with more details about this process later in the semester.) If
you wish your work to remain anonymous, make sure to remove any identifying
information from the documents prior to submitting them to LiveText. You must
submit these two assignments to LiveText for assessment before the end of the semester in order
to receive your grade for the course—failure to do so will result in an “I” (incomplete) grade in
the course, until the assignments have been submitted.

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Personal Technology Policy
While I recognize students’ need for educational and emergency-related technological devices
such as laptops, PDAs, cellular phones, etc., using them unethically or recreationally during
class time is never appropriate. That said, using your electronic device to take notes and do in-
class work is encouraged; however, this will change if the device distracts other students or
myself. Once again, the use of your devices is subject to the professionalism grade below.
Attendance
Your unwavering attendance is both required and expected. Decisions about papers will be made
in class and your grade for Professionalism (see below) depends significantly upon regular
attendance. Missing more than three class sessions will result in a grade penalty of minus one
letter grade for each day missed over three, and missing more than six class sessions will result
in failing the course.
I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. Please note that if you miss
class, I will not re-teach the material to you during office hours and any work we do in class
(e.g., peer review) cannot be made up. If you do miss class, I would suggest discussing any
missed materials with your classmates.
That said, however, I’m not a complete monster. I do understand that there are times when
extenuating circumstances (such as a death in the immediate family or sudden incapacitating
personal injury) do arise. In these cases, I will refer to Michigan Tech’s policy on attendance
found here:
http://www.mtu.edu/deanofstudents/academic-policies/attendance/
Grading Scale
Final grades correspond to the following percentages:
Letter
Grade
Percentage Letter Grade Percentage
A 93% – 100% C 70% – 75%
AB 87% – 92% CD 65% – 69%
B 82% – 86% D 60% - 64%
BC 76% – 81% F 0% - 59%

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Professionalism
A significant portion of your grade is based on the professionalism you demonstrate toward the
course and its content, toward me, and toward your fellow students. Conduct that influences
professionalism includes but is not limited to the following:
• Your willingness to engage the texts and issues associated with the course in the spirit of
learning more about yourself and the world you live in.
• Your ability to respect a diversity of opinion as demonstrated by conducting yourself in a
civil manner and by refraining from interruptions and ridicule of others.
• Your ability to listen and participate during class.
• Your ability to offer relevant, on-topic commentary.
• Your ability to arrive at class or a conference on time and prepared. This requirement
includes obtaining the textbook by the first day of class.
• Your ability to focus on class during class time. Habitual entrances and exits during class
sessions will result in a grade penalty, as will holding private discussions or texting
during class and disruptions arising from cell phones, watches, pagers, and the like.
Exception: if your cell phone rings to a song from the 1980s, you will receive extra credit.
• Your ability to avoid complaining and asking questions whose answers have already been
provided (e.g., “Can I make up the quiz?” and “What is the response for next time?”).
• Your ability to let me know ahead of time if you have to miss an appointment or
conference.
• Your attendance at and brief (~250-word) summaries of two on-campus cultural events
during the semester. These events may be lectures, plays, concerts, art exhibits, or other
occasions. They may not be events whose primary purpose is entertainment or an
athletic contest; ask me if you’re not sure if an event qualifies. Be sure that your
summary demonstrates that you stayed for the duration of the event.
You may be asked to read and discuss issues from perspectives that may disturb your moral
and/or religious prejudices. While I do not intend to influence your opinion, make you
purposefully uncomfortable, or otherwise grade you on your perspectives, you may find some
material too personally offensive to maintain high standards of intellectual pursuit and honesty.
If you think your views will interfere with your ability to conduct yourself professionally in this
course, we’ll need to schedule a meeting and discuss it.
Late or Missing Work
Late or partially-completed homework assignments will significantly impact your
professionalism grade, such as “Responses” listed above. However, late essay and project drafts
impact your grade in two ways: your professionalism grade AND the essay or project grade
itself. These types of assignments submitted ONE (1) day (starting the instant it is considered
late on Canvas) after the due date will receive a reduction of a letter grade, and it will lower
another letter grade by day TWO (2), and yet another letter grade on day THREE (3). This
means that, if you turn your paper in three days late, the very best grade you could hope for will
be a D. If your assignment is four (4) or more days late of the due date, you will receive a
ZERO (0) for the assignment. Students must turn in complete, final drafts of ALL major
assignments in order to receive a passing course grade.

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NOTE: This rule can be modified simply by notifying me BEFORE the date the assignment is
due and giving me a valid reason for its tardiness.
University Policies
Michigan Tech has standard policies on academic misconduct and complies with all federal and
state laws and regulations regarding discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990. For more information about reasonable accommodation for or equal access to
education or services at Michigan Tech, please call the Dean of Students Office, at (906) 487-
2212 or go to
http://www.mtu.edu/ctl/instructional-resources/syllabus/syllabus_policies.html
Plagiarism
Plagiarism, which Michigan Tech defines as “knowingly copying another's work or ideas and
calling them one's own or not giving proper credit or citation,” is a violation of the academic
integrity policy: <http://www.admin.mtu.edu/usenate/policies/p109-1.htm>. In this class, we
will discuss the practical and ethical aspects of source attribution so you can learn how and why
to avoid plagiarism in your academic work. It is crucial that you take care to acknowledge the
sources of your written, audio, or visual material in this and other classes. Instances of
plagiarized work will be handled according to university procedures, which includes a reporting
of the incident to the Office of Student Affairs.
Assessment
Student work products (exams, essays, projects, etc.) may be used for the purposes of university,
program, or course assessment. All work used for assessment purposes will not include any
individual student identification; therefore, students should remove their names, teachers'
names, course and section identifiers before submitting work for assessment.
Disability Services
If you have a disability that could affect your performance in any class or that requires an
accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact your instructor or
Disability Services at 487-1494 as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be
made. http://www.mtu.edu/deanofstudents/students/disability/
Veterans / Military
Veterans and active duty military personnel with special circumstances (e.g., upcoming
deployments, drill requirements, disabilities) are welcomed and encouraged to communicate
these, in advance if possible, to their instructor(s).
http://www.mtu.edu/registrar/students/veterans/
The Office of Institutional Equity http://www.mtu.edu/equity
Equal Opportunity, Discrimination, or Harassment Statement
http://www.admin.mtu.edu/admin/boc/policy/ch5/

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Disclaimer
This syllabus is subject to change by the instructor.

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Schedule of Classes, Readings, and Response Questions
Date
Jan. 11
Monday
What's Happening
Introductions and
Syllabus Review
What's Due
Nothing Due
Jan. 13
Wednesday
Discuss Rhetoric:
What is rhetoric?
Introduction to PACT
Read Chapter 1: “Building a Framework for Reading and
Writing” and “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.
Response 1: Discuss Dr. King’s use of PACT. Be sure to
include his ethos, pathos, and logos
Jan. 15
Friday
Approaching Writing
Situations
Discuss Thesis
Statements
Read Chapter 2: “Approaching Writing Situations” (pages 31-
43)
Response 2: Exercise 3 (p. 46) in Changing Writing
Jan. 18
Monday
MLK Jr. Day Recess/
No Class
Nothing Due
Jan. 20
Wednesday
Discuss “Structuring
Your Texts”
Discuss Outlining
Read Chapter 4: “Structuring Your Texts” (pages 75-93)
Response 3: Exercise 4 (p 100).
Jan. 22
Friday
Workshop of Outlines
and Thesis Statements
Thesis and outline of rhetorical analysis essay due in class and
due on Canvas by 11:59:59 pm
Jan. 25
Monday
Peer Review of Drafts
Sign Up for
Conferences
Full draft of Rhetorical Analysis Essay due by class. Bring a
copy to class for peer review.
Jan. 27
Wednesday
Conferences/ No Class Email revised draft to instructor one day prior to conference.
Jan. 29
Friday
Feb. 1
Monday
Exploring a Potential
Research Topic
Asking the Right
Questions
Read Chapter 6: “Managing Writing Projects”
Response 4: Exercise 1 (p. 152)
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
ESSAY (FINAL DRAFT) AND REFLECTIVE WRITING
DUE ON CANVAS BY 11:59:59 PM

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Feb. 3
Wednesday
Winter Carnival
Recess/ No Class
Feb. 5
Friday
Winter Carnival
Recess/ No Class
Feb. 8
Monday
Library Session
Class held in room 244
of the library
Library Tutorials: Watch “Selecting Library Resources” video
tutorial; familiarize with the Tutorials before Library Instruction
Session http://www.mtu.edu/library/research/tutorials/
Response 5: Summarize the video “Selecting Library
Resources.” NOTE: Late responses for this assignment will
not be accepted!
Feb. 10
Wednesday
Introduction to
Research Logs
Response 6: Review the image on Canvas and discuss the
kairos that could have led to the creation of such a document.
Feel free to use google to learn more on woman suffrage in the
1800s!
Feb. 12
Friday
Library Session
Discuss “ Getting
Information and
Writing from
Research”
Research Workshop
Class held in room 242
of the library
Read Chapter 7: “Getting Information and Writing from
Research” (omit pages 164-173)
Feb. 15
Monday
Evaluating Sources &
Writing Annotations
Signature Assignment – Research Process Document: Find
and read at least two sources and bring to class.
Read Chapter 9: “Revising Your Texts” (pp. 225-239)
Feb. 17
Wednesday
Discuss “Revising
Your Texts”
Peer Reviews
Research Logs due in class for peer review

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Feb. 19
Friday
Peer Reviews
Sign Up for
Conferences
Research Process Portfolio: graphic brainstorm, topic,
research questions, at least four sources, and annotated
bibliography due in class for peer review
Feb. 22
Monday
Conferences/ No Class Response 9: After seeing some of the more common types of
fallacies in "Fallacies of Argument," think of at least one time
when you have seen one of them used. Do you feel as if it hurt
the argument as a whole? Why or why not?
Email revised draft to instructor one day prior to conference.
Feb. 24
Wednesday
Conferences/ No Class Response 10: Watch the first 1:50 seconds of the video
concerning "Deflate Gate." Reflect on what you read in the
previous assignment concerning fallacies, and think about it as
you watch the statement given by Tom Brady's agent. Discuss
the fallacies you see and give your thoughts.
Feb. 26
Friday
Writing the Research
Paper
Response 11: Watch the video “Even More Fallacies.” Search
Facebook or Twitter for an argument, screenshot it, and define
which of the three arguments listed in the video it pertains to,
and why. After learning about these different kinds of
arguments, have your own perspectives changed?
Feb. 29
Monday
Argumentation and
Evidence
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: RESEARCH PROCESS
PORTFOLIO AND REFLECTIVE ESSAY ARE DUE BY
11:59:59 PM
Mar. 2
Wednesday
Using Sources and
Avoiding Plagiarism
Response 12: According to the video “Understanding
Plagiarism,” what are some of the ways to avoid plagiarism?
Outline of researched argument paper due by 11:59:59 pm
Mar. 4
Friday
Spring Break/ No
Class
Mar. 7
Monday
Spring Break/ No
Class
Mar. 9
Wednesday
Spring Break/ No
Class
Mar. 11
Friday
Spring Break/ No
Class

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Mar. 14
Monday
Remixing Response 13: The video “10 Things I hate About
Commandments” is a great example of remix, a method for
combining elements from other sources and creating a new
project that conveys a new and different message. I want you to
analyze this video. Discuss how it utilizes the PACT principles
and discuss the rhetorical appeals that it conveys.
https://youtu.be/u1kqqMXWEFs
Mar. 16
Wednesday
Writing from Research Complete outline of final project due.
Response 14: John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address is one of the
most prolific and moving speeches in history. Watch the video
and write a response discussing his use of pathos and its effect
on so many people
Mar. 18
Friday
Peer Reviews
Sign Up for
Conferences
Draft of Researched Argument Essay Assignment due on
Canvas and in class.
Mar. 21
Monday
Conferences/ No Class Read Chapter 5: “Designing Visual Texts” (pp. 102-137)
Mar. 23
Wednesday
Conferences/ No Class Response 16: Read “Death to Paper” and analyze the argument
being made. Is it a logical argument? Do you see any fallacies?
Mar. 25
Friday
Conferences/ No Class Response 17: Visit “Where is Pine Point.”
http://interactive.nfb.ca/#/pinepoint Describe how to make
something like this using your argumentative essay.
Mar. 28
Monday
Designing Visual Texts/
Models & Genres
Multimodal Composition Proposals due
Mar. 30
Wednesday
Researched Argument
Wrap-Up
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: RESEARCHED
ARGUMENT ESSAY AND REFLECTIVE WRITING
DUE BY 11:59:59 PM
Apr. 1
Friday
Repurposing Text Response 18: Review the multimodal video and analyze it using
the PACT chart on p. 16. Also, discuss its structure and
rhetorical appeal.

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Apr. 4
Monday
Multimodality Response 19: Find a multimodal text that uses at least three
modes of communication and discuss how it uses PACT.
Apr. 6
Wednesday
Library Session
Multimodality
Class will be held in
library room 242
Sign Up for
Conferences
Draft of multimodal project for peer reviews due on Canvas and
in class.
Apr. 8
Friday
Response 20: Watch the video and tell me what you think. Can
you see this video as making a clear argument? If so, what is it
arguing for? Is it an effective multimodal text in what it is
trying to do?
Apr. 11
Monday
Conferences/ No Class All Cultural Events due no later than 11:59:59 pm
Apr. 13
Wednesday
Multimodality Portfolio drafts due in class
Apr. 15
Friday
Multimodality
Sign Up for
Presentations
SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENT: MULTIMODAL PROJECT
ASSIGNMENT DUE BY 11:59:59 PM
Apr. 18
Monday
Final Presentations Nothing Due
Apr. 20
Wednesday
Final Presentations Nothing Due
Apr. 22
Friday
Final Presentations
and/or Final
Reflections
Final written reflections due in class
Final electronic portfolios due

UN1015-R01 Syllabus

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