Course Description
This is an advanced course in
argumentative writing. We will concentrate on expository and argumentative
prose while studying classical rhetorical devices as well as more recent
conceptions of the writing process and discourse communities in contemporary
composition studies. Students will be engaged in “real world” writing
assignments that will require them to refine their ability to collaborate with
co-workers, assess their audience’s situation and needs, and write
appropriately for many different contexts.
The focus of this course is the students’ work with a local organization of their choice. They select a
written document produced by that organization–such as an internal newsletter
or a public relations website–and then analyze the particular rhetoric of
that document, identifying key terms and uses of language that foster
identification among members and thereby serve persuasive ends. Students then write an argument to that
community on a specific topic, using the analysis they produced earlier to
guide their rhetorical strategies and choices of language. Students are
required to submit their argument to their community (e.g. in the form of a
memo, proposal, or newsletter submission) and to include the response the
community gives them, which they then use to revise their writing into a
polished public document. The students’ work culminates in an additional final
paper in which they reflect upon their experiences working within their chosen
communities, upon the way discourse, ideology, and identity work to reinforce
community identification and involvement, and upon the effectiveness of their
attempts to persuade their community members.
Required on-line readings will be made available to students via an interactive course website.