Fall 2011

University of North Carolina, Greensboro

Department of English

Gary Lim
Telephone: 334-5477
Office / hours: McIver 112 / MWF 1.00-2.50 / EN 102.1
Class hours / location: MWF 10.00–10.50 in Foust 111
Email:

ENG 102.1: Composition II—Arguing with Animals

"Animals utter different voices; none can speak—for this is the characteristic of man, for all that have a language have a voice, but not all that have a voice have also a language." (Aristotle, The History of Animals)

This speaking-intensive composition course focuses on animals and "animal-issues." Over the course of the semester, we will read diverse texts that feature animals in a range of rhetorical contexts. The first section of the course, "Animal Encounters," invites you to think about how various authors use language to describe encounters with all manner of non-human animal life. Next, in "Animal Rights," we will examine how rhetoric has been used to petition on behalf of and against animal welfare. The third section of the course, "Topical Animals," will allow us to practice using animals in argument in a series of debates. Finally, we will think about how animal depictions have often been used to govern the boundaries of what we call "the Human." Through informal speaking activities, debates, formal presentations, and writing projects,we will speak and write about what it means to interpret animal voice and silence through human language.

Course Objectives

To advance and extend students' knowledge of oral argumentative discourse, and apply this knowledge as a mode of learning how to write, do research, and engage in inquiry.

To advance and extend students' appreciation for writing and speaking as public and community-based processes through the activities of drafting, peer review, and revision, as well as individual and small group oratory exercises.

To introduce students to the principles of invention, arrangement, styles, memory, and delivery in oral presentations.

To help students to develop the habit of synthesizing, versus reporting on or simply summarizing source information in both oral and written communication.

Texts

The following text must be obtained from the UNCG Bookstore

  • Babb, Jacob et. al. Techne Rhetorike: Techniques of Discourse for Writers and Speakers (ISBN 9780738046693)

I have uploaded all other readings to Blackboard. Make sure that your university computer account is active so that you can access these materials. You should download or print each article BEFORE class, bringing the relevant ones to class according to the schedule. You will be penalized in the class participation category for not having (electronic or paper) copies of the articles. Do not wait for the night before or during the day of class to download articles. Create a folder for this course on your laptop so that you can download and organize the readings well ahead of each class session when you have a reliable access to Blackboard.

Attendance Policy

You are allowed three absences without any penalty to your final grade. With the fourth absence, your final course grade will drop by half a letter grade (e.g. a B becomes a B-). With six or more absences, you will fail the course. No distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences. In the event that you have a genuine crisis (such as serious illness or a death in the family), you should notify me and contact the Office of the Dean of Students (336 334-5099). This office will work with you (and your instructors) so that you receive the academic support for continued enrollment. You are, by state law, allowed two excused absences due to religious holidays, which do not count toward your total. If you plan to miss class because of religious holidays, you must notify me in advance of your absence.

Assessment and Grading

Attendance and participation (7.5%)

Quizzes (7.5%)

Speaking

30-second words (5%)

Two-minute talks (5%)

Debates (10%)

Formal presentations (12.5%)

Writing

Paper One—Reflecting on animals—3 pages (7.5%)

Journal entries—4 x 400 words (10%)

Paper Two: On debate topic—4 pages (10%)

Paper Three: Cultural uses of animals—5 pages (12.5%)

Peer-review

Of 30-second words / Two-minute talks (2.5%)

Of debates (5%)

Of presentations (5%)

Detailed assignment prompts containing instructions and guidance will be distributed as the semester progresses.

Academic Integrity

“Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the following five values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Violations include, for example, cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification, and facilitating academic dishonesty. If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated” (from UNCG’s Academic Integrity Policy). To ensure that you understand the university’s policy on academic integrity, review the guidelines and list of violations at < I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. I expect you to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy. Assignments that violate the Academic Integrity Policy will receive an F.

Disabilities

Students with documentation of special needs should arrange to see me about accommodations as soon as possible. If you believe you could benefit from such accommodations, you must first register with the Office of Disability Services on campus before such accommodations can be made. The office is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215, and the office is open 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday. Telephone: 334-5440; e-mail: .

Laptop Policy

Laptops may be used in class only to take notes pertaining to our class or to view documents on our Blackboard website. Any student who uses a laptop for any non-classroom activity during class time will not be allowed to use a laptop in class again. To be perfectly clear: one violation means no laptop use.

Course Schedule

Date / Lesson / Preparation for this lesson
M 8/22 / Introduction
W 8/24 / Animal Encounters 1
Analyzing animals / Read Caxton, "The Feast of Tongues"; Dodson, "Understanding the Rhetorical Appeals" [TR 3]
F 8/26 / Animal Encounters 2
Using detail, making notes / Read Zacharias, "Buzzards"; Shook, "Reading for the Rhetorical Appeals" [TR 11]
M 8/29 / Animal Encounters 3
Learning to listen / Read Goodall, "Chimpanzees"; Adams, "Meeting a Gorilla"; Kortlandt, "Spirits Dressed in Furs?"
W 8/31 / 30 sec words /
Peer reviewing speech:
Speaker's Delivery
Essay one assigned / Review Zacharias, Goodall, Adams, and Kortlandt
Read Ensor, "Viewing Peer Review as a Rhetorical Process” [TR 111]; Benson, “The Writing Center: Where Writers Meet” [TR 144]
F 9/2 / Animal Encounters 4
Structuring writing / Read Gladwell, "What the Dog Saw"
M 9/5 / Animal Encounters 5
Speaking with detail / Read Raffles, "Cricket Fighting"
W 9/7 / Animal Encounters 6
Writing workshop for Essay one / Read Haraway, from The Companion Species Manifesto
Bring rough draft of essay one in hard copy
F 9/9 / Animal Encounters 7
Peer reviewing speech:
Speaker's Delivery / Read Carter, "The Courtship of Mr. Lyon" & "The Tiger's Bride"; Duncan "Evaluating Presentations"
M 9/12 / 30 sec words
Essay one due / Review Gladwell, Haraway, Raffles, and Carter
Print out and bring the "30 Sec Words Peer Evaluation" form
W 9/14 / Animal Rights 1
Reasoning with animals / Read Aristotle, from The History of Animals; Ovid, "Life of Pythagoras"; Augustine, from The Literal Meaning of Genesis
F 9/16 / Animal Rights 2
Adopting a discourse
Journal entry one due / Read Pliny, "Combats of Elephants"; Benthem, "Principles of Morals and Legislation"; Murrow "Thinking Animal Thoughts"
M 9/19 / Animal Rights 3 / Read Singer, "All Animals Are Equal"
W 9/21 / Animal Rights 4
Engaging arguments / Read Foer, from Eating Animals
F 9/23 / Animal Rights 5
Two minute talks; Peer review
Journal entry two due / Read Cohen, "If Animals Had Rights," "Why Animals Do Not Have Rights," & "The Moral Inequality of Species"
M 9/26 / Animal Rights 6
Questioning assumptions / Read Hearne, "What's Wrong with Animal Rights"
W 9/28 / Animal Rights 7
Making connections
Journal entry three due / Read Nussbaum, "The Moral Status of Animals"
F 9/30 / Animal Rights 8
Speaking controversy / Read Coetzee, "The Philosophers and the Animals"
M 10/3 / Two minute talks; Peer review
Journal entry four due / Review Hearne, Nussbaum, and Coetzee
W 10/5 / Debate Workshop 1: Format, roles of proposition and opposition / Researching the topic / Read Duncan, "Determining Your Purpose" & "Adapting Your Ideas and Evidence."
F 10/7 / Debate Workshop 2: Structure, strategy, rebuttals / Begin researching the topic that you have drawn for debate and for essay two.
Organize group meetings for debate preparation.
M 10/10 / Fall Break – No Class
W 10/12 / Informal Debate Practice
Essay two assigned / Read Pollan, "An Animal's Place"
F 10/14 / Instructor away at conference – No Class
M 10/17 / Topical Animals 1
Debate: "Factory Farming Should be Outlawed" / Read Mason & Finelli, "Brave New Farm?"; Stenholm, "The Animal Agriculture Industry"; Kopperud, "Modern Farming Is Humane."
W 10/19 / Topical Animals 2
Debate: "Hunting Has No Place in Modern Society" / Read "The Case Against Sport Hunting"; "Hunting Can Be Humane"; "Hunting Animals is Wrong."
F 10/21 / Topical Animals 3
Debate: "Using Animals for Medical Research Is Absolutely justified" / Read Haraway, "Sharing Suffering"; Osbourne, "Fuzzy Little Test-tubes"; "Introduction to Animal Experimentation."
M 10/24 / Topical Animals 4
Debate: "Zoos Do More Harm Than Good" / Read Maple et. al., "Defining the Good Zoo"; Regan, "Are Zoos Morally Defensible?" and Jamieson, "Zoos Revisited."
W 10/26 / Peer review essay 2
Debate Evaluation due / Bring rough draft of essay two in hard copy
F 10/28 / Topical Animals 5
Film: "30 Days" Season 3 Ep 3
Essay 2 Due / Read Laminack, “Rhetorical Analysis and Visual Media” [TR 131]; Burns, "Rhetorical Analysis and Film" [TR 138]
M 10/31 / How to Make a Human 1
Analyzing animals in culture / Read Fudge, "Visible and Invisible: Questions of Recognition"
W 11/2 / How to Make a Human 2
Speaking satire / Read Swift "A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms" [Chaps 1–6]
F 11/4 / How to Make a Human 3
Essay three assigned / Read Swift "A Voyage to the Land of the Houyhnhnms" [Chaps 7–11]
M 11/7 / How to Make a Human 4 / Read Fudge "Real and Symbolic: Questions of Difference"; Begin to research and draft presentation.
W 11/9 / How to Make a Human 5
Presentation Workshop / Read Adams, from The Sexual Politics of Meat Duncan, "Organizing Your Presentation," "Developing Effective Introductions …" & "Practicing, Polishing and Delivering"
F 11/11 / How to Make a Human 6 / Read Tuan "Dominance and Affection"
M 11/14 / Mandatory Conferences / Research, draft, and write essay three.
Bring rough draft of essay three / outline of presentation to conference.
Read Leuschen, “Asking Questions to find a Starting Point” [45]; Wooten, “Finding a Conversation to Research” [TR 89]; Benson “Researching Rhetorically” [TR 94]
W 11/16 / Mandatory Conferences
F 11/18 / Mandatory Conferences
M 11/21 / Formal presentations 1 Peer Review / 1. Post abstract of your own talk online.
2. Read abstracts and prepare questions for presenters.
3. Review readings from "Animal Rights" section of the course.
W11/23 / Thanksgiving – No Class
F11/25
M 11/28 / Formal presentations 2 Peer Review / 1. Post abstract of your own talk online.
2. Read abstracts and prepare questions for presenters.
3. Review readings from "Animal Rights" section of the course.
W 11/30 / Formal presentations 3 Peer Review
F 12/2 / Formal presentations 4 Peer Review
Complete Instructor Evaluation form
M 12/5
(Last Day of Class) / Essay Three due
Formal presentation evaluations due