CO 300 Writing Arguments

Spring2017

Contact information:

XXXX

348 Eddy Hall

Email: XXXXX (Use email as primary contact.)

Office Hours: M/W/F 12:00-1:00

Course Description

In CO300 Writing Arguments we will explore the rhetorical contexts of academic and public argument by reading about key issues in rhetoric (such as, revision, Toulmin analysis, Rogerian argument, mediated argument, and multimodal argumentation). We will alsoanalyze and write a variety of argumentative texts in various modes, including both those related to the objective of the argument (e.g. inquiry, persuading, convincing), and to the form of communication (e.g. text, sound, still and moving image). Through this process we will extend our rhetorical knowledge, experience in writing processes, and mastery of writing conventions. We will compose messages for specific audiences and purposes, and adapt their content and style to respond to the needs of different audiences and rhetorical situations. CO300 emphasizes:

  1. Critical reading of texts about the rhetoric of argument as well as critical analysis of sample arguments.
  2. Understanding and practicing various modes of argument composed for a variety of contexts and audiences.
  3. Writing processes with a special emphasis on accessing and evaluating sources from databases, peer critique, reflection on writing processes, and revising & editing.

Required Materials

  • Essentials of Argument 3rd edition
  • Rhetorical Readings for Advanced Writers 2nd Edition

CO300 is a gtPathways Course: The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has approved CO300 for inclusion in the Guaranteed Transfer (GT) Pathways program in the GT-CO3 category. For transferring students, successful completion with a minimum C- grade guarantees transfer and application of credit in this GT Pathways category. For more information on the GT Pathways program, go to

Written Communication Competency―Criteria for WrittenCommunication

Competencyin written communication is a student’s abilityto write andexpress ideas across avarietyofgenres and styles. Writtencommunication abilities develop overtime through layered, interactive,and continual processesand experiences across thecurriculum.

Student LearningOutcomes(SLOs) Students should beable to:

1.EmployRhetorical Knowledge

a.Exhibit a thorough understandingofaudience, purpose, genre,and context that is responsive to thesituation.

2.DevelopContent

a.Createand develop ideas within the context of thesituationand the assignedtask(s).

3.Apply Genre and Disciplinary Conventions

a.Apply formal and informal conventions of writing, including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices, in particular forms and/or fields.

4.UseSources and Evidence

a.Criticallyread,evaluate,apply,and synthesizeevidenceand/orsources in support of aclaim.

b.Follow anappropriate documentation system.

5.Control Syntax andMechanics

a.Demonstrate proficiency with conventions, including spellings, grammar, mechanics, and word choice appropriate to the writing task.

Advanced Writing Course (GT-CO3)―Content Criteria

  1. Extend Rhetorical Knowledge
  2. Usetextsfromrhetoric, discoursestudies,communication,orrelateddisciplinestoextendunderstandingofrhetoricalconceptstothe disciplinethatis thefocusofthecourse.
  3. Developsophisticatedstrategiesforcriticalanalysisof disciplinaryor specializeddiscourse.
  4. Learn moresophisticatedwaysto communicateknowledgetoappropriateaudiences.
  5. Apply reflective strategies to the synthesis, communication, and creation of knowledge.
  1. Extend Experience in Writing
  2. Hone recursive strategies for generating ideas, revising, editing, and proofreading for disciplinary or specialized discourse.
  3. Critique one’s own and other’s work, including the work of professional writers and/or scholars.
  1. Extend Critical and Creative Thinking
  2. Reflect on the implications and consequences of context.
  3. Incorporate alternate, divergent or contradictory perspectives or ideas within one’s own position.
  4. Extend and complicate the consequences of the stated conclusion.
  1. Use Sources and Evidence
  2. Select, evaluate, and synthesize appropriate sources and evidence.
  3. Use discipline-appropriate criteria to evaluate sources and evidence.
  1. Extend Application of Composing Conventions
  2. Select and adapt genre conventions including structure, paragraphing, tone, mechanics, syntax, and style for disciplinary or specialized discourse.
  3. Use specialized vocabulary, format, and documentation appropriately in more extensive or in-depth writing objects.

Course Policies:

Attendance and Participation:

This course is designed partially as a workshop course—this means that your presence affects not only yourself, but also the peers who will be in your various working groups. Ideas, strategies, and writing techniques that are presented in the course generally build upon each other, so missing class is a surefire way to end up lost and confused. After three absences your grade will be affected unless additional absences have occurred as result of university sanctioned travel. Frequent tardiness will also affect your grade for the course—the beginning of class is the time set aside for going over course goals and future assignments. Students coming in late disrupt the class and miss important information. After your three allowed absences your final, overall, grade will be docked two points per additional absence. However, absences resulting from university sanctioned travel do not count toward your allowable threeabsence. Please see the university approved absence policy:

Homework/Participation Assignments—these are activities designed to help you process key terms and strategies for the course. You must complete ten of these to receive full credit for the course homework. You may skip three homework assignments without penalty. In order to receive credit for a homework assignment you must publish the homework to canvas before the beginning of class, attend class, and participate in the related activity.

Late papers: All formal writing assignments must be turned in on time, and complete. Late work will result in a lower grade for that particular unit.

Workshops: Peer revision workshops are an essential component of this course. Pay particular attention when a workshop for a formal writing assignment comes due. These are worth 10% of the grade for each unit.

The Writing Center: I encourage all students to use the Writing Center, located in the basement of Eddy Hall. If you are on campus this semester, you should take advantage of this resource. The tutors in the Writing Center are available to help you with your writing, to provide feedback on your work as it progresses, or simply to talk with you about ideas you have for a paper. Although the Writing Center tutors do not proofread papers, they are quite happy to work with you to improve your proofreading and editing skills. If you bring one of our assignments to the Writing Center, be prepared to talk about the assignment (you'll find the assignment sheets on the Web and I'll also hand them out in class) and the thinking you've done so far about the paper. The Writing Center is a superb resource -- you'll certainly benefit as a writer and as a student if you make regular use of its services.

Grades: Your grade for the course will be based upon the following breakdown:

Unit IAnalysis/Response

Kairos/Argument Analysis20%

Visual Argument Analysis10%

Unit II Position/Inquiry20%

Unit IIIAdvocacy Campaign30%

Homework Assignments10%

Quizzes and Final Exam 10%

Reminder: After your three allowed absences your final, overall, grade will be docked two points per additional absence unless additional absences are explained by university sanctioned events or travel.

Plagiarism: This course will adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy of the Colorado State University General Catalog and the Student Conduct Code.We will discuss what constitutes plagiarism before we begin using sources. Make a note that plagiarism is cheating, and grounds for failure.

The academic community requires ethical behavior from all of its participants. For writers, this means that the work we claim as our own must truly be our own, not a translation of a previously published piece. At the same time, you are not expected to come up with all new ideas. It is expected that you—like all writers—will build your thinking and reasoning upon the work of others. You are expected, however, to credit those contributions and to clearly indicate the boundaries of your own thinking. Failure to do so in the university can result in unpleasant consequences, including reprimands such as lowered grades, failure, or even dismissal.

Plus/minus grading: This course uses plus/minus grading.

Open door policy: Please feel free to email me, or drop by my office during office hours if you have any questions/concerns about the course. You should also feel free to drop in if you are particularly excited or interested in something that comes up in class, and would like to follow up on the discussion. Email is the best choice here as we will be moving offices this summer.

Sexual Harassment: CSU’s Student Sexual Harassment and Violence policy, following national guidance from the Office of Civil Rights, requires that faculty follow CSU policy as a “mandatory reporter” of any personal disclosure of sexual harassment, abuse, and/or violence related experiences or incidents shared with the faculty member in person, via email, and/or in classroom papers or homework exercises. These disclosures include but are not limited to reports of personal relational abuse, relational/domestic violence, and stalking. While faculty are often able to help students locate appropriate channels of assistance on campus (e.g., see the CSU Health Network link below), disclosure by the student to the faculty member requires that the faculty member inform appropriate CSU channels to help ensure that the student’s safety and welfare is being addressed, even if the student requests that the disclosure not be shared.

For counseling support and assistance, please see the CSU Health Network, which includes a variety of counseling services that can be accessed at: the Sexual Assault Victim Assistance Team is a confidential student resource that does not have a reporting requirement and that can be of great help to students who have experienced sexual assault. The web address is

Students with Disabilities:

Students who require other learning arrangements should see me after class or during my office hours as early in the semester as possible.