Course Expectations

Introduction to Rhetoric

Annotation

Discussion of "Doomsday Fears and Modern Life"

Claims, Reasons, and Warrants

Introduction to Thoreau

1. Familiarize yourself with the course by reading the course description. Then answer the questions on the questionnaire page in an email to amills@ccsf.edu.

2. Read pages 3-29: Chapter One and the first half of Chapter Two of The Rhetoric of Argument. Stop right before the section "Building Arguments with Other Positions in Mind."

Print, read, and bring the "Claims, Reasons, and Warrants" handout.

3. Read the summary assignment. Then read section 46a on annotation in Rules for Writers. Annotate for homework credit "Doomsday Fears and Modern Life."

4. First blog post: If you are enrolled in the class, you should have purchased CompClass access (see the course description). Use your access code to log on to CompClass. Your blog has been automatically created.  At the top left under "Blogs," click on your name to access it.  I encourage you to upload a picture to help us create community as a class.  To add a photo, click on the "profile" link.

Note: if you are trying to add the class you will be allowed to type and print your blog entry and bring it to class to turn in. Once you add, you will need to purchase CompClass access right away.

Assignment: For your first blog post, choose one complex and perhaps confusing sentence from "Doomsday Fears." Quote the sentence and then analyze it in depth in your own words. Discuss its probable meaning and any questions that remain in your mind about it. If the sentence includes a historical reference, look it up (Wikipedia is all right for this purpose) and explain it. You do not need to understand everything about the sentence to write a good blog post, but you need to show thoughtful, careful attention to sentence structure, vocabulary, and the sentence's context. Feel free to discuss your reactions or questions about "Doomsday Fears" more generally once you have analyzed your sentence.

Discussion of Thoreau

Introductions

Review of MLA format

Grammar peer review

Final Draft: 3 copies of summary of "Doomsday Fears" (Recommended: look at the summary grade sheet to see how it will be evaluated.)

Read the foreword and introduction (xxi-xxxi) to American Earth

Read and annotate for homework credit the bio and excerpts of Thoreau's writing on pages 1-2 and 9-25 of American Earth. You may want to consult the annotations and pictures on the Thoreau eserver website.

Note: If you have not yet been added and thus have not bought the book, you can print and read from the Thoreau eserver website. Start with the paragraph labeled 19 in section 1C and continue to the paragraph labeled 10 in the section 1D. Then read from section 16 of chapter 2 to the end of that chapter.

Bring Rules for Writers

Discussion of the reading

Ethos: authority and credibility

Grammar version: Summary of "Doomsday Fears." For review of correct MLA document format, see section 7 in Rules for Writers. (View it on CompClass if you haven't purchased a hard copy yet). For review of in-text citations, see 54b and 55a.

Read and annotate "Huckleberries" by Thoreau, pages 26-36 in American Earth and also annotate "Song of the Redwood-Tree" by Walt Whitman in American Earth (65-70).

In a CompClass blog post, respond to one of the Thoreau readings.

In a second CompClass blog post, respond to "Song of the Redwood Tree."

Comment on three classmates' blog posts.

Read the second half of Chapter Two: "Building the Case: Logos" on pages 29-37 in Rhetoric, as well as 48-64 on ethos and pathos in Rhetoric.

Discussion of the reading

Definition analysis

How to do error logs

How to fix word choice and preposition errors

Bring Rules for Writers to class

Blog post on ethos in Thoreau: How does Thoreau attempt gain our trust and establish his own credibility and specifically his reasonableness? Which of the strategies mentioned in the Rhetoric reading does he employ? What does his choice of strategies reflect about his ideas and attitudes? How successful are the strategies? Give examples and quote at least twice.

Print and read the Definition Analysis Essay assignment. Bring it to class.

Read and annotate for credit Chapter 6: Definition in Rhetoric.

Read and annotate "The Ecology of Magic" by David Abram (815-834). In your annotations, identify any elements of a definition essay as explained in Rhetoric.

Complete your first error logs (follow these instructions carefully and submit by email.)

Read and annotate the excerpt from A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold (266-294) as well as the essay "Everything is a Human Being" by Alice Walker (659-670). In your annotations, identify any elements of a definition essay as explained in Rhetoric.

Blog post: Respond in any way you wish to A Sand County Almanac or "Everything is a Human Being." Quote at least twice and write 200 words.

Fallacies

Definition analysis essay discussion

Strategies for in-class essays

Do the reading on fallacies in Rhetoric pages 65-71. Then identify the fallacies you find confusing so we can go over them in class. There will be a fallacies quiz on 3/8.

Write down examples (real or invented) of three different types of fallacies. Bonus: find examples of fallacies in Leopold, Walker, or Abrams.

Choose and reread the excerpt you will analyze in your essay: Leopold, Walker, or Abrams. Reread the essay assignment and then read the definition analysis questions and begin to brainstorm and do prewriting.

Blog post: Answer one or more of the definition analysis questions in relation to the excerpt you will write about.

Definition analysis essay outline or prewriting: Come to class with at least 3 pages of notes, outline or draft for your definition analysis essay. (If you are ready, this could be an outline with topic sentences and supporting details in full sentences. You may want to download this outline worksheet and type directly into it.) 

Meet in the Batmale 301 computer lab for the midterm in-class essay exam and fallacies quiz

Read the three sample definition analysis essays that I posted on the CompClass homepage (This counts as a homework credit. I can check through CompClass that you did it).

Prepare for the midterm in-class writing. You are asked to write at least 750 words of your definition analysis essay. You can bring an outline with topic sentences and supporting details in full sentences. You may want to download this outline worksheet and type directly into it.

Comment on 3 classmates' blog posts, especially those that discuss the same excerpt you will write about. If a blog post already has three comments, further comments on it don't count for homework credit. That way everyone will get at least three comments. You can do extra comments on any post you like.

Prepare for the quiz on fallacies

Meet in the Batmale 301 computer lab next week

Peer review of rough drafts

The research paper

Discussion of the reading

Causal analysis

3 printed copies of the rough draft of the definition analysis essay. Must be at least 6 pages for full credit.

Read and annotate "Millions Join Earth Day Observances Across the Nation" (484-488) and come prepared to discuss it as a definition argument.

Read and annotate the Rhetoric chapter on causal analysis (179-209).

Then read and annotate "The Tragedy of the Commons" (438-450) and come prepared to discuss it as a causal argument.

Print and read the Proposal/Research Paper instructions and start thinking about possible topics of interest.

Causal analysis and global warming

Discussion of the sample research papers

Discussion of Field Notes

Grammar review

2 printed copies of the final draft of the definition analysis essay (content version). Must be at least 6 pages.

Read the sample research papers posted on CompClass.

Blog post: Do a little research on topics that interest you, either on the web or in the library periodicals databases. Then write a blog post in which you explore at least three possible topic. Discuss why each topic interests you and what you have learned out about it so far. Describe and link to at least one reputable source for each possible topic.

Read and annotate the preface and the first two chapters of Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert. What rhetorical strategies do you notice?

Bring proof of any extra credit lab visits that you want to count toward your midterm grade.

*Guest speaker: a former student who has transferred to a UC*

Focused research topics

Evaluation arguments

The presentations

Sign up for your presentation date

1. 1 printed copy of the grammar version of the definition analysis paper.
2. Do some more research and investigation into your possible research topics. You may also want to look over your classmates' blog posts for more ideas. Refer back to the solutions paper instructions. Is your topic focused? Print and read the "Focused Research Topics" handout. Bring it to class. As needed, go through this Research 101 lesson and complete the Bedford tutorial "How do I refine my research question?"online.
3. Blog post: research paper topic: Write a paragraph describing your topic and the material you will cover in your solutions paper. Make sure your topic is sufficiently narrow to cover in a 10-12 page paper. Make sure it is broad enough to have relevance and interest for your audience.
4. Read 45-90 in Field Notes from a Catastrophe by Elizabeth Kolbert
5. Read the Rhetoric chapter on evaluation arguments (229-257).

Guest speaker: Avinash Kar of the Natural Resources Defense Council

Evaluation arguments

Field Notes

Get ready for the guest speaker, attorney Avinash Kar! Learn a little about his organization, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Health Program he works in. Read at least three of Avinash Kar's blog posts about antibiotics in livestock. Reflect on the ethos, pathos, and tone of the writing as well as on the content. What strategies did Mr. Kar use to reach his audience and ultimately to defend his proposals? Then post your reactions on your blog and include at least one question you want to ask in class.

Comment on three of your classmates' blog posts on research paper topics. What is interesting to you about their topics? What questions would you encourage them to ask as they research? What will you hope to learn from their presentations?

Continue researching and do a blog post on your research paper sources: List and link to at least 5 sources you intend to use in your research paper, including 3 that come from print publications (but which you may have found through online databases). For each source, write at least two sentences summarizing its content and relevance to your paper. Use the ideas about ethos from Rhetoric to explain why you think it is a credible source.

Annotate the Rhetoric chapter on proposal arguments (283-312)

Annotate 93-149 (this time you only need to write something on at least every fourth page) in Field Notes from a Catastrophe

Proposal arguments

Discussion of outlines

Discussion of the readings

Outline of your research paper. Thesis, topic sentences, and supporting details should all be in full sentences. You need at least six body paragraphs for the outline. (Optional: If you want a template for an outline, download this outline worksheet. Add additional paragraphs as needed.) Alternately, you can choose not to do an outline but do at least three pages of another kind of prewriting, such as brainstorm or notes.

Read and annotate at least every fourth page of 150-199 in Field Notes from a Catastrophe

Blog post on Field Notes from a Catastrophe. You can choose what to focus on. Here are some ideas to get you thinking: Which aspects of Kolbert's style and which sections of the book are compelling to you and why? What ideas do you question? What rhetorical techniques are not fully effective? Are you convinced at the end that our civilization is in the process of destroying itself?

Read both and annotate one of the following:

• "The Flora and Fauna of Las Vegas" by Ellen Meloy on pages 793-808
• "Fecundity" on 531-549

Presentations

Peer review of rough drafts

3 copies of your rough draft of the research paper (worth two homework credits, must be at least 10 pages in regular format)

Definition Analysis Paper error logs due: see Error logs instructions

Presentations

Discussion of the readings

Peer grammar review

Research paper final draft, including the Works Cited page. See the Works Cited Help Page for a template and links. You can polish the Works Cited page in the grammar version.

Read the excerpt from Planet of Weeds on pages 874-897.

Blog post on "The Flora and Fauna of Las Vegas," "Fecundity" or Planet of Weeds. You might choose to compare "Fecundity" and Planet of Weeds.

Presentations

Final exam topics

Research paper grammar version (1 copy)

Read the final exam topics

Choose an essay or essays of at least 10 pages total that we haven't read from American Earth, annotate it, and write a blog post on it in which you introduce us to its ideas and style and respond in whatever way you choose.

Presentations

Discussion of outlines

Reflections on rhetoric

Blog post on one of your classmates' presentations. Write about one that no more than one other person has discussed yet. That means you'll need to browse your classmates' posts before beginning your own. If two people have already written about a particular presentation, choose another one. Discuss the main ideas of one presentation and reflect on what was memorable, controversial, or striking to you. What further questions or thoughts does the presentation leave you with? What did the speaker do particularly well?

Annotate "Blessed Unrest" and "The Thoreau Problem" on pages 961-974.

Choose your text and the strategies you will focus on in the final exam. Do an outline or two pages of prewriting (Optional: If you want a template for an outline, download this outline worksheet.)

Meet in the Batmale 301 computer labfor the English 1C final exam.

Bring any extra credit proof.

Final homework credit: Download and fill out the anonymous 1C Evaluation Form. You will turn it in (folded) and I will check off that you did it. I never read the evaluations until well after I have turned in the final grades.

Revise your outline and prepare for the final exam. You can bring the following:

• Readings
• Your outline (topic sentences, thesis, and quotations or other supporting details)
• Your notes (no 3 sentences in a row that end up in the essay)
• A dictionary (optional)
• Rules for Writers (optional)

Optional: If you would like to try to improve the grade on one of your essays from the semester, If you would like to try to raise your grade on one of the papers, you can bring the new version to the final exam in a folder with the graded essay and grade sheet with all my comments. 

Optional: If you would like feedback on your final exam and/or revision and/or last error logs, I would be happy to give it. Turn in a self-addressed, stamped envelope with sufficient postage for me to mail the papers to you. Enclose a note to me explaining what kind of feedback would be useful to you. Otherwise, you can pick up your final exam and revision at the beginning of Fall semester.

Have a great summer!