English 6166
Rhetorical Theory
Spring 2013

Course Description and Purpose

The course surveys a variety of Western perspectives on language and discourse from ancient Greece to postmodernity. Texts of European rhetoric theorize the West's beliefs about the nature and importance of speech and writing, the production and substance of knowledge, the arts of communication, and the social practices as well as institutions (schools, family, religion, government, etc.) that language "articulates." To help us explore and situate how foundational and later major thinkers of Western civilization formulated and presented their ways of understanding concepts, such as good, evil, love, courage, and even varieties of European "common sense," through discourse, we will read Plato's Phaedrus, Aristotle's On Rhetoric, St. Augustine's On Christian Doctrine, Descartes" Discourse on Method, Nietszche's Use and Abuse of History, Barthes' Mythologies and Elements of Semiology, Derrida's Positions, Lyotard's Postmodern Condition, and shorter readings from Umberto Eco, Jean Baudrillard, Nietszche, and Jameson. This theory intensive course aims to privilege readings of "primary" texts in an attempt to read with the above major figures. Critiquing the above all-male, Eurocentric canon is greatly encouraged and an assumed goal for the course.

Text and Materials

Expectations

I expect students to be prepared to participate in class. At a minimum that means having completed the reading for the class meeting prior to coming to class and posting a reflection on Moodle (weekly). This is a graduate-level seminar that demands active, critical engagement with the texts. Although one's tastes and convictions, often mistaken as "opinions," are appropriate for personal ways of knowing, we will emphasize identifying (as accurately as possible) the author's meaning before rushing to evaluative comments on a work. Our personal experiences will help guide us in this endeavor by offering examples from school, work, media, life—our unique experiences—which we may use to enhance our understanding of a figure's work. In other words, our experiences should help us (re)think about a figure's work in ways that enhance our understanding. Although we shouldn't be to eager to uncritically consume or "buy into" a figure's ideas, we also shouldn't allow our experiences (in other words, biases) to shut us off from exploring a figure's work with an open (critically aware) mind.

Work Requirements

Students in this course are expected to be able to compose unified, coherent documents nearly free of mechanical, logical, or structural errors. The ability to read advanced college-level texts critically is also a requirement. I will provide additional requirements on the class website. The final exam period will be used as a presentation day for students' to present their rhetoric/al projects. Time (limits) will be based on enrollment. Our final exam day is Thursday, May 9, 2013 from 6:30-9:15 pm. Please let me know ASAP if there are any other exam conflicts with your schedules.

Assignments/Grade Distribution

• Midterm Mini-Rhetorical Analysis (10%)—Also known as the ethos, pathos, logos assignment
• Rhetoric/al Project (20%)
• Presentations (20%)
  • Leading/Supplementing Class Discussions
  • Rhetoric/al Project Presentations
• Moodle Responses (500 words, weekly) (25%)
• Participation (25%)
  Talk every single class...talk every single class...talk every single class...talk every single class...talk every single class......talk every single class......talk every single class......talk every single class......talk every single class......talk every single class......talk every single class...

All of these assignments must be completed to receive a passing grade in the course. Just because the assignments have percentage values associated with them does not mean you will pass the course if your missing assignments do not drop you below 70%. Remember, a final grade of 'D' at the MA level is failing.

Grading Policy

Your final grade is supposed to reflect your entire work for the semester and will be based on the percentages below:

Definition of A, B, C, D, and F Grades

Remember, your final grade is a combination of the five assignment areas above. An 'A' means your work was excellent—not mediocre, average, or just good. A 'B' means your work was good—not quite excellent but definitely above average and thoughtful. A 'C' means your work was barely adequate enough to satisfy the assignment—showing a lack of effort or thought for the assignment guidelines. A 'D' or 'F' usually means assignments were late, missing, or incomplete—often this work does not demonstrate appropriate college-level work for a 6000-level course.

Late Work

An assignment is due at the beginning of the class for which it was assigned. Honestly, there is no excuse for assignments being late in a 6000-level class, but I have a policy anyway: All late work will reduce the assignment by 10% (an entire letter grade) for each class period it is late. Late moodle posts will incur a 4% penalty, taking off from 25%. If you will not or cannot be in class on the day a paper assignment is due, you should make arrangements to get the paper to me via another student, turn it in early, or put it in my mailbox. I will not accept assignments attached to e-mails. Please discuss any problems you may have regarding attendance or late work before class if at all possible. Remember, you are responsible for making up all work missed. Something I've learned from past semesters is that if you don't turn things in on time early in the semester, you end up not turning other things in on time (or at all). Do your best to get all your work in to me on time. If you are absent, get the information from another student. Do not expect me to e-mail the class notes to you. Of course, never e-mail me and ask, "so...like, Dr. Toscano, man...did we...like...you know...do anything the other day in class?"

Participation

This is not a drill-and-skill type of course. I expect everyone to be involved in class discussions, which are extremely important for critical thinking. You must contribute to class discussions. Twenty-five percent (25%) of your grade is based on participation.

Please see me ASAP if you're concerned about your participation grade because you’re shy or if you don't understand these requirements. Telling me at the end of April that you didn't participate because you’re the quiet type or because you didn't understand what “thoughtful” meant will be too late. Even worse, e-mailing me after the semester is over to complain that participation isn't a "valid" class assignment is too late. The purpose of discussions is for students to have control over their own learning and to reinforce critical thinking generally and dialogic exchange of ideas specifically. I am willing to provide a quasi-alternative to supplement a student’s participation grade, but please note that discussion, which allows speakers to exchange ideas, is an extremely important component of critical thinking. One alternative is to do class reflections you post online. Please discuss this alternative with me early in the semester...like today!

Attendance

I will take attendance every day. It is very important that you attend every class in order to keep up with the work and reading. Your grade will be lowered after missing 2 classes. Your final grade will be lowered by a full letter grade for each day missed beyond 2 absences. After 4 absences you will receive a failing grade for the course. Please make an effort to come to every class on time. Don't just skip class because you feel you have two "free" days. Save your absences for emergencies. There are no such things as excused absences. Only students participating in UNCC sponsored activities (with the proper documentation) will not be penalized for missing class. I will ask you to request a meeting with the Dean of Students if you have situations that you feel should allow you an exception to missing more than 2 classes. Cars break down, parking is limited, students get sick, and traffic is brutal, but class still happens. Your participation may also be lowered for excessive tardiness.

Important Dates and Administrative Information

The syllabus schedule below has important dates marked.  Students are responsible for not only knowing course deadlines but also knowing UNCC deadlines (drop/add, billing, vacation, etc.). Please visit the following link for the registrar's calendar: http://registrar.uncc.edu/calendar.

Academic Integrity

All UNC Charlotte students have the responsibility to be familiar with and to observe the requirements of The UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity. This Code forbids cheating, fabrication, or falsification of information, multiple submission of academic work, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials (such as Library books on reserve), and complicity in academic dishonesty (helping others to violate the Code). Any further specific requirements or permission regarding academic integrity in this course will be stated by the instructor, and are also binding on the students in this course. Students who violate the Code can be punished to the extent of being permanently expelled from UNC Charlotte and having this fact recorded on their official transcripts. The normal penalty is zero credit on the work involving dishonesty and further substantial reduction of the course grade. In almost all cases, the course grade is reduced to "F." If you do not have a copy of the Code, you can view it on UNC Charlotte's Academic Integrity Web site at http://integrity.uncc.edu/. Standards of academic integrity will be enforced in this course. Students are expected to report cases of academic dishonesty they become aware of to the course instructor who is responsible for dealing with them.

If you try to pass off any work in full or part as your own without proper credit being given to the original source, you will receive an 'F' in this course.

You may also receive an 'F' in the course for other academic integrity violations specified on the UNCC Integrity Web site. Do not expect another warning--this is it. Please see me if you need further clarification regarding cheating, fabrication or falsification of information, multiple submission of academic work, plagiarism, complicity in academic dishonesty, or other violations of academic integrity. Again, so there's no confusion, you will most likely fail the course if you violate any part of the academic integrity code.

A Note to Students from UNC Charlotte's English Department, Statement on Diversity (April 2009)

The English Department strives to create an academic climate that respects people of varied cultural backgrounds and life experiences. As a community of scholars and teachers who study language, literature, and writing, we are committed to nurturing intellectual and aesthetic diversity. In all our activities, we invite participation by diverse groups, including, but not limited to, those who define themselves in the following terms: race and ethnicity; gender; political orientation; sexual orientation; special health needs; age; religion; country of origin; and socio-economic status. Finally, by fostering multiple perspectives in our coursework, we can help our students prepare to participate in our increasingly diverse society, as well as in the global community.

Disabilities Modification Statement

Students who have a condition that may impair their ability to complete assignments or otherwise satisfy course criteria are encouraged to meet with me to identify, discuss, and document any feasible instructional modifications or accommodations. Please inform me about circumstances no later than the second week of the semester or as soon as possible after a disability or condition is diagnosed, whichever occurs earliest. For information and assistance, contact the Disabilities Resource Center.

Statement of Academic Freedom

I strongly encourage students to use class as a place for free inquiry and intellectual growth. Although we as a class will not always agree or be comfortable with the views of others, every student has the right to his or her own tastes and convictions. I promise to be fair and always support your right to look at the world from your own position, but I encourage all students to branch out and consider multiple perspectives. I will not tolerate any harassment or abuse (emotional or physical) or any instance where others adversely affect students' learning.

Fretwell has an A/C problem. Occasionally this building gets closed and classes are canceled because it is too brutally hot to remain inside. If the A/C 'issue' (or other climate related control system) cancels class, continue to keep up with readings and assignments. We'll pick up where we left off on the syllabus when we return to class. This also goes for inclement weather. It's possible the one "snow day" of the year could fall on a day when we have class, so just continue with the readings and we'll catch up when we return to class.

Right to Make Changes

I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus when necessary to meet learning objectives, to compensate for missed classes, or to make our lives easier.

Schedule for Readings and Assignments
(have readings and assignments done before class)

All weekly Moodle posts are due on Wednesdays by 11:59pm.
That means 18 and a half hours before class meets that evening.

March 4-9 Spring Break
Midterm Grades Submitted by 3/1/2012