FIRST YEAR WRITING AND RHETORIC - WRTG 1150 - Fall 2008 (Aug. 25-Dec. 12)
University of Colorado at Boulder, Program for Writing and Rhetoric
Sec 001 (MWF 8 am, MUEN E114), Sec 007 (MWF 9 am, DUAN G1B35), Sec 015 (10 am, MUEN D439)
Dr. Rosalyn H. Zigmond, Instructor
Office hours: MWF 11:00-11:50 a.m. and by appointment
Environmental Design Bldg. (ENVD) 1B74 – Enter NW corner of building; office is downstairs
Mailbox in Program for Writing and Rhetoric lobby
Office phone/voice mail: 303.735.5654
(preferred communication)
The purpose of office hours is for us to discuss your writing and progress in class. If you have questions, don’t know how to start, aren’t sure if you’re on the right track, or would like feedback on a draft before you submit it, please see me. While it is best to schedule an appointment, it is not necessary.
Required Texts & Resources
Knowing Words - publishedby CU’s Program for Writing and Rhetoric (PWR)
- This text explains objectives and organization of the PWR, contains helpful writing resources, and shares student writing examples that facilitate discussion and learning.
Everyday Writer (3rd ed.), Lunsford, A.
- This text is a comprehensive handbook that explains strategies of rhetorical analysis and inquiry, including critical thinking and reading, mechanical conventions, and research writing; it also contains an informative section on evaluating and composing argument and persuasion; available at CU Bookstore.
Scholarly articles for research
- These articles will comprise your own research on culture as you deem appropriate for your writing and argumentation. You will be expected to evaluate sources you encounter in your research in terms of their rhetorical situation, audience and purpose, and author’s credibility; available at CU Bookstore.
Web sites pertaining to writing and rhetoric
- These sites enhance our learning to write well and effectively for a variety of rhetorical situations and discourse communities, such as disciplinary, professional, and civic constituents. You will be expected to visit these sites and apply their content to our activities.
WritingCenter
Meet one-to-one with a writing consultant for sound advice at any stage of your writing process. Services are free to all CU students, faculty, and staff.
Appointments
Location Norlin Library,Room E-156.
Information or call (303)735-6906
Teaching Philosophy & Instructor Agreement
As your instructor, I will coach you through the semester to improve your critical writing, reading, and thinking skills with a variety of instructional technologies, meet the objectives the University of Colorado has established for this course, and meet your needs as developing writers. My role is that of facilitator, guide, and evaluator. I will assess your work and assign grades accordingly. Please discuss grades or other class issues with me when they arise so we can enjoy a constructive learning experience together.
Course Overview, Objectives, Rationale
First Year Writing and Rhetoric will help you develop as self-directed, mature, confident writers as you accomplish the following learning objectives. Evidence of mastering these objectives will be assessed in your writing projects, reflective writing, and classroom discussions. This extensive list will be used as criteria for discussion during our workshops.
- Deepen your rhetorical knowledge.
a)Demonstrate evidence of the rhetorical situation, audience and purpose in your writing.
b)Use voice, tone, format, and structure as dictated by the rhetorical situation of your writing, deepening your understanding of the relationships between various forms and appropriate content in your writing.
c)Learn sophisticated ways to communicate successfully to your readers by identifying their needs.
d)Write and read texts in different genres (formal and informal) for specified discourse communities (professional or disciplinary, according to your interests).
- Deepen your experience in the writing process.
a)Write multiple drafts of each project.
b)Develop and experiment different strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing, and proofreading for indepth and collaborative writing projects.
c)Constructively critique your writing and your peers’ writing.
d)Use a variety of technology in the research and writing processes.
e)Evaluate sources for use in composing a successful argumentative text (i.e., accuracy, relevance, credibility, reliability, and bias).
- Deepen your mastery of writing conventions.
a)Select appropriate formats for different writing tasks and rhetorical situations.
b)Apply correct genre conventions including fundamental structure, paragraphing, tone, and voice to indepth writing projects.
c)Honefeatures such as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling in indepth writing projects.
- Demonstrate comprehension of content knowledge at the intermediate level through effective communication strategies.
a)Compose a message for a specific audience and purpose.
b)Communicate to audiences within a specific profession or discipline.
c)Adapt content and style to meet the needs of different audiences and rhetorical situations within different professions or disciplines.
- Demonstrate competency in critical thinking: ability to examine issues and ideas and to identify good and bad reasoning in a variety of fields with differing assumptions, contents, and methods.
a)Information acquisition – identify and differentiate questions, problems, arguments.
b)Application – evaluate the appropriateness of various methods of reasoning and verification; state position or hypothesis, give reasons to support it and state its limitations.
c)Analysis – identify stated and unstated assumptions; assess stated and unstated assumptions; critically compare different points of view.
d)Synthesis – formulate questions and problems; construct and develop cogent arguments; articulate reasoned judgments.
e)Communication – discuss, defend, and criticize alternative points of view in light of available evidence.
f)Evaluation – evaluate the quality of evidence and reasoning; draw appropriate conclusions.
- Demonstrate competency in written communication: ability to write clearly and concisely.
a)Information acquisition – find, select, and synthesize information from appropriate primary and secondary sources.
b)Application – apply knowledge of syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling; use appropriate vocabulary, formats, and documentation for different writing tasks.
c)Analysis – critique own and others’ work.
d)Synthesis – integrate own ideas with those of others.
e)Communication – convey a primary theme or message in a written text; use a variety of research tools, including current technological resources.
f)Evaluation – clarify ideas and improve the quality of a written paper by using feedback.
- Demonstrate competency in critical reading.
a)Information acquisition – recognize the different purposes and types of modal writing
b)Application – read newspapers and journals to track current events and issues; extract main points from texts and presentations; research topics using the web and other technologies; demonstrate comprehension of material by applying it to a written report, oral presentation, or group discussion.
c)Analysis – summarize or interpret a author’s point of view in written or oral format.
d)Synthesis – interpret material by connecting own experiences to what is read in written or oral format.
e)Communication – use logic, reasoning, content analysis, and interpretative skills when reading printed or published materials; convey the essence of read material to others by paraphrasing or citing in written o oral format.
f)Evaluation – select texts that are credible and appropriate sources fro written or oral case building; identify common fallacies in presentations and written texts; compare the value or relevance of information obtained from different sources.
Assignments Points Grades
Personal Philosophy15______
Visual Critique 25______
Research Proposal10______
Critical Inquiry25______
News Analysis20______
Library Tutorial 5______
Readingsand handouts in class may involve frequent short reflective writing assignments.
Research & Information Literacy
According to the Association of College and Research Libraries (2008), information literacy is the following:
“Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning. An information literate individual is able to:
- Determine the extent of information needed
- Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
- Evaluate information and its sources critically
- Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
- Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
- Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally”
For more information, go to
- Library Tutorials – use of instructional technology via CU’s library site, RIOT, located at You must earn at least 50% on each tutorial to receive full credit; no partial credit will be given.
- Library Seminar – use of instructional technology in a mandatory, interactive seminar designed to help you hone your research skills will be held in Norlin Library on the 3rd floor research computer lab in room E303. Date to be confirmed.
Technologies
This course has an online component with CULearn to promote our community of writers online as well as in class. As the course progresses, you will receive further instructions on how to access these online tools. We will also use email, online research, and Norlin Library’s instructional technologies, including RIOT, to accomplish the aforementioned objectives in our writing assignments. Helpful writing resources include The Purdue Online Writing Lab ( and Writing at CSU (
Assignment Descriptions & Course Focus
The writing projects in this course follow Piaget’s theory of genetic epistemology, the developmental progression of how we build knowledge and make sense of the world around us. This course is a writing workshop that includes lecture, demonstration, and discussions of readings.
Personal Philosophy Statement (Self)
The claim/thesis here must state some aspect of your philosophy of living. What is important to you? It should reflect the values and beliefs that make your daily activities meaningful, productive, and valuable. The introduction includes a specific quote (and author) that inspires your philosophy, the body paragraphs discuss examples that illustrate your claim, and the conclusion synthesizes the points you made and inspires your readers to live a fruitful life.
Audience: high school students – literary audience
Purpose: to teach a life lesson
Length: 2-3 pages
Visual Critique (Local)
The claim/thesis here must argue for the essential meaning of a political cartoon pertaining to any topic in Colorado, your choice. What is the artist implying? Why are you making the inferences you are? The introduction includes a detailed description of the visual, nature of the debate and who’s involved, and your claim. The body paragraphs must address individual aspects of the cartoon, what they mean, and why; you should also address other perspectives on the meaning of this visual and either acknowledge or refute them. The conclusion must synthesize your points and inspire your readers to think about your interpretations of the cartoon.
Audience: your undergraduatepeers – academic audience
Purpose: to evaluate the merit of a cartoon
Length: 3-4 pages
Attachment:cartoon
research Proposal
Research proposals argue why a research project, a.k.a. Critical Inquiry, will meet a need or solve a problem. The introduction paragraph should explain the problem or need and for whom; it should also contain a viable research question. The body paragraph should explain how you plan to conduct your research—the sources you’ll explore, the main points of the final document, and the rhetorical situation of the Inquiry (audience and purpose). The concluding paragraph should address and refute counter perspectives to the proposed inquiry and close with a strong argument on the necessity of this research.
Audience: your instructor – professional audience
Purpose: to approve the parameters of your Critical Inquiry
Length: 1 page
critical inquiry (National)
The claim/thesis here must argue for a serious national issue that you have deemed vital for the future of the U.S. that you have already successfully proposed.Your goal is to convince readers that your perspective on a specific subject is sound and logical. It must also acknowledge others’ significant positions, acknowledging the reasons that others hold these ideas and positions, and refute them logically. The purpose of research in this inquiry is to support your opinions, not to rehash others’ research. The introduction contains your claim, covertly or overtly stated, and the nature of the debate. Body paragraphs contain documented points of support or counter arguments with refutations. The conclusion synthesizes your argument with the new knowledge gleaned from your research.
Audience: American voters, you decide age group – civic audience
Purpose: to persuade them logically
Length: 5-6 pages
Sources: At least 8, 4 of which are scholarly (significant reference lists)
News Analysis (Global)
The claim/thesis here must state your position on a global news story. Why is this important to you? It should reflect your stand on the issue and why you believe this way. The introduction includes a summary of the issue and your claim, the body paragraphs argue various reasons why you have taken this stand and refute common counter arguments, and the conclusion synthesizes the main points in your argument and inspires your readers to think seriously about your position.
Audience: people over 60 years old – civic audience
Purpose: to inspire concern in global issues
Length: 3-4 pages
Attachment:at least 3 news articles on the story
workshop PRESENTATIONs
During designated weeks (See Course Schedule for dates and group assignments), we will break into 3 groups of 6 writers each to critique drafts in writing workshops. On each day of the week, 2 different writers will share their drafts with the other members of the group so that each writer receives direct critical review of their work in progress. During these workshops, ask specific reader-based and writer-based questions of your peers designed to improve the quality of your product.
Everyone must bring 5 copies of their draft on Monday of the workshop week, which will be checked in; failure to do so will result in a loss of 2 points from course grade.
Paper Submission
No late papers!Computer problems do not excuse papers from being submitted at the beginning of class. Be sure to submit your paper in class on its due date; if you must miss class, you may email your paper to me on the day it’s due and bring a hard copy to the next class meeting. All papers must meet the following guidelines to receive full credit:
1-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12-point Times New Roman font
Stapled, not clipped. (I do not carry a stapler with me!)
Cover page with name of the assignment, course, date, and your name on final drafts
Name and page number in upper right corner of every page
Address the following questions in your writing:
Who is your audience and what is your purpose for writing?
How does the introduction orient the reader to the whole paper?
Does your paper have a clear thesis/claim/position/topic statement? Where is it?
Does each body paragraph support the main idea controlling the whole paper?
Is the support presented in a logical and discernable organization?
Have you acknowledged multiple perspectives in argumentative writing?
Does the conclusion leave the reader with an important point to ponder?
Attendance Participation
Attendance is critical to benefit from the full learning experience of this class. You are allowed 4 absences without any ramifications. On your 5th absence, and each absence after that, you will lose 2 points.Coming to class late or leaving early 3 times equals 1 absence. Open laptops and the sight or sound of cell phones may be counted as an absence.The 10th absence earns a failing grade.
However, if you have 2 or fewer absences, you will be rewarded with 2 extra credit points in your final course grade. An absence will be excused only with a signed note from a health care provider. Remember that the whole course is worth 100 points, so attendance affects your grade significantly.
Criteria for Evaluation
Please note the following criteria that will be evaluated for each project in addition to the objectives listed above:
Awareness of rhetorical situation: audience and purpose
Clear sense of writer’s intellectual engagement and conceptual clarity, even with complex ideas
Focused line of thought throughout the document
Serious, complete idea development
Proper presentation of genre
Orienting, engaging introduction
Provocative conclusion that synthesizes message
Argument with clear claim, logical support, acknowledgement or refutation of counter arguments
Clear central idea that anchors a logical organizational structure
Appropriate and correct integration of external sources
Unified paragraphs with clear topic and concluding sentences, directly supportive of thesis
Syntax appropriate for rhetorical situation
Fluent transitions between words, sentences, paragraphs, and sections
Conscientious word choice, appropriate for rhetorical situation
Correct use of punctuation, spelling, punctuation
Correct use of citation style
Checks in your drafts generally signal a mechanical concern (i.e., punctuation and spelling) and underlining signals word choice or sentential concerns.Please note that all grades are numbers, not letters. A grade of 5 out of 20, for example (5/20), means that the writing is below standard; it does not mean that you received 25% on the assignment.
Revision Policy
Each paper must be thoughtfully revised and submitted once. You must include a brief explanation of the changes you made in the revision, again, to heighten your awareness of your writing process. The highest grade earned on each assignment will be counted in your final grade, not an average of the grades. (See Course Schedule for deadlines of final revisions.)