This page uses frames, but your browser doesn't support them.
Here is the basic material for this webpage:
 |
Political Writing and Real World Problems: The Rhetoric of the
News |
Stanford University Program in Writing and
Rhetoric |
Alyssa J. O'Brien, Ph.D. Autumn Quarter 2001 |
COURSE OVERVIEW:
PWR 3-02 (CN:
20796) |
Mon, Wed, Fri 9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. |
Location: 200-230;
Soon to be Meyer 220
|
PWR 3-03 (CN: 20797) |
Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. |
Location: 200-230;
Soon to be Tech Fridays in Meyer 220 |
Often we're encouraged to read the news as objective reporting of current
events, but the rhetoric of the news in fact frequently shapes our understanding
of real world problems. In this course, we'll examine the written and visual
rhetoric of political writing in print media and on the Internet. What
rhetorical strategies change political policies, characterize controversial
events, sway personal opinions, and present real world problems to various
audiences? Gary Thompson's essay on Internet reactions to the Oklahoma City
Bombing will bridge our consideration of print and electronic media. We'll also
read essays by Jonathan Swift and Audre Lorde as examples of persuasive appeals
concerning important political issues. You'll select your own topic of interest
and produce a research proposal as the foundation for the final, research-based
essay. We'll look at recent issues of campus newspapers and online news articles
to study research-based proofs, stylistic variety, effective arguments, and the
role of rhetoric in arrangement and delivery of particular views. Selecting the
best examples to use as models, you'll write a paper presenting multiple
positions on your topic; in this rhetorical analysis, you'll consider the ways
in which the rhetoric describing an event shapes a reader's opinion and how the
selection of pictures influences a reader's interpretation of the content. Two
case studies in Thompson's book, opposing treatments of the earthquake in Japan
and propaganda in the health care debate, will demonstrate rhetorical effects in
the news as well as connections between visual and verbal rhetoric. As you work
on the culminating research-based argument, you’ll shape an investigation of
sources into an annotated bibliography, and we'll consider how writers such as
Virginia Woolf and Gloria Anzaldúa incorporated research in their political
writing. We'll end the quarter with multimedia presentations of your research.
DETAILED
TERM SCHEDULE:
REVISED for the Sixth Edition
Note: This schedule
lists the in-class activities for each meeting, so you should come prepared to
participate fully either by having completed the reading/writing assignment or
by having selected the texts for our collective consideration.
Anytime I ask you to “Bring in Examples,” you should find something
of interest to you, print a copy and include your name, the date, the source,
and the course info at the top of the printout/copy you bring to class.
Note also that the schedule is tentative. Some of the due dates may
change as we get into the quarter and establish a pace for the class. Also,
additional specific reading assignments may be announced in class at each
meeting. Thus, you should bring this syllabus with you to each class meeting and
add/revise assignments as they are given. If you are absent, it is your
responsibility to find out the assignment for the next class.
CU= Current Issues and Enduring Questions
Introductions
Friday, September 28
·
Introduction to the Course;
Introductions as a Class
·
Distribution of Syllabus, Lorde
essay, and Research Proposal Assignment
Week
1 – Identifying a Research Problem
Monday, October 1
·
Discuss Jonathan Swift, A Modest
Proposal (CU pp. 179-186)
·
Lesson in Rhetoric: Persuasion
(Read CU pp. 59-87) and Analyzing an Argument (CU pp. 133-137)
·
In-class: Analysis/Discussion in
groups:
What
are the rhetorical elements in this proposal (Purpose Methods, Persona)? How
does it work as persuasive political writing? (Persuasive Appeals of Logos,
Ethos, Pathos)
·
Research Prompt: What equivalent
contemporary rhetorical pieces are in the news media today?
Wednesday,
October 3
·
Discuss Audre Lorde, The
Transformation of Silence into Language and Action (handout)
·
Discuss Katha Pollitt: “It Takes
Two: A Modest Proposal for Holding Fathers Equally Accountable” (CU pp.
152-155)
·
Lesson in Rhetoric: The Rhetorical
Situation: Persona and Audience (CU pp. 194-198; 206-209)
·
In-class: Analysis/Discussion in
groups (What are the rhetorical elements in these proposals?
Consider persona, audience, and context.
How does each piece work as persuasive political writing?
What equivalent contemporary rhetorical pieces can you find in the news media
today?)
Friday,
October 5: Tech Fridays
·
Due:
Research Proposal plus Commentary/Comparison/Reflection (bring in 3
copies)
·
For more help developing an idea,
see “Getting Ideas” (CU pp. 187-193.)
·
In-class: Discussion of Internet
examples of Political Writing: Contemporary Equivalents in Political Rhetoric
(topic of choice; bring in URL and hardcopy of printout with your name and the
URL typed on it)
Week
2 – Rhetorical Analysis of the News Media
Monday,
October 8
·
Exchange Peer Reviews of Research
Proposal
·
In-class: Continue Discussion of
Internet Examples of Political Writing
·
Distribution of Rhetorical Analysis
Assignment
Wednesday,
October 10
·
Lesson in Rhetoric: Visual
Rhetoric: “Images as Arguments” (Read
CU pp. 88-102)
·
In-class: Discuss/Rhetorical
Analysis of Nora Ephron, “The Boston Photographs” (CU pp. 109-114)
·
Study Visual Rhetoric of the News
in Print Media/Magazines
Friday,
October 12: Tech Fridays
·
Study Visual Rhetoric of the News
on the Internet
·
In-class: Select images for
Rhetorical Analysis Project
Week
3 – Workshops and Collaboration through Technology
Monday,
October 15
·
Due: Rhetorical Analysis Drafts
(Bring in 3 copies)
·
In-class work: Peer Review Groups
Meet
·
Power Point show on Writing Groups
Wednesday,
October 17
·
In-class: Selected Student Essays
Analyzed
·
Lesson in Rhetoric: Multiple Sides,
Comparative Rhetoric: Discuss “Women in the Military” (pp. CU 522-526) and
“Casebook Current Issue” of class choice
Friday,
October 19: Tech Fridays
·
Due: Revised Rhetorical Analysis
Essay
·
Showcase Presentation of Visual
Rhetoric Images selected by the class
·
Distribution of Annotated
Bibliography Assignment and Research-Based Essay Assignment
Week
4 – Resources for Research and Conferences
Monday,
October 22
·
Library Tour/Research Workshop :
Meet in Green Library Foyer, in entrance behind red metal fountain
·
First
Set of Conferences begin today
Wednesday,
October 24
·
Lesson in Research: Read “Using
Sources” (CU pp. 218-224) and “Active Reading” (CU pp. 27-36)
·
Conferences continue
Friday,
October 26: Tech Fridays
·
National News on the Internet:
Bring in an example of a source you are using in your bibliography (bring in
hardcopy listing URL; your name; and attach a brief paragraph of annotation)
·
Lesson in Research: Information
Online, Evaluation of Sources, Taking Notes, Plagiarism, Compiling an Annotated
Bibliography (CU pp. 225-232)
Week
5 – Evaluation Paper/Annotated Bibliography
Monday,
October 29
·
Due: Annotated Bibliography
Drafts (Bring in 3 copies)
·
Lesson in Quoting and Documenting
Sources (Read CU pp. 236-259)
·
In-class: Discuss Theresa
Washington, “Why Trials Should Not be Televised” (CU pp. 260-276)
Wednesday,
October 31
·
Due: Revised
Evaluation/Annotated Bibliography
·
In-Class: Brainstorming session for
Creation of Website of Collective Information
Friday,
November 2: Tech Fridays
·
In-Class: Creation of Website of
Collective Information (posting Bibliographies on the web)
Week
6 – Drafting the Research-Based Argument
Monday,
November 5
·
Discuss Woolf handout in groups
(bring in contemporary equivalent from news media)
·
Due: Outlines of Research-Based
Argument (Read CU pp. 198-205)
·
In-class: Drafting Introductions
Wednesday,
November 7
·
Discuss Anzaldúa handout (bring in
contemporary equivalent from news media)
·
In-class: Emily Andrews, Outline
and Essay “Why I Don’t Spare ‘Spare Change’” (CU pp. 211-217)
·
Lesson in Argument: Thesis
statements and Writing the Paper (Read CU pp. 193-194; 233-237)
·
In-class: Integrating Sources
Friday,
November 9: Tech Fridays
·
Due: Research-Based Arguments
Drafts (3 copies; 10 pages minimum)
·
In-class: Developing Organization
and Conclusions
Week
7 – Revising the Research-Based Argument and Conferences
Monday,
November 12
·
In-class work: Peer Review Groups
Meet
·
Second Set of Conferences begin
today
·
Lesson in Argument (In-Class:
Analyze last year’s Boothe Prize Essays)
Wednesday,
November 14
·
Conferences Continue
·
Continue In-Class Analysis of last
year’s Boothe Prize Essays
·
Lesson in Revision
Friday,
November 16: Tech Fridays
·
Due: Revised Research-Based
Argument in a folder with all components
·
Distribution of Oral / Multimedia
Assignment
Week
8 – Technology Workshops for Oral / Multimedia Presentations
Monday,
November 19
·
Technology Workshops
Wednesday,
November 21
·
Open question session
·
In-class: begin collaboration
Friday,
November 23
·
No class: Thanksgiving Holiday
Week
9 – Collaboration Work on Multimedia Presentations and Conferences
Monday,
November 26
·
Lesson in Oral Delivery: Discuss
Martin Luther King, Jr. “I Have a Dream” (CU pp. 775-779)
·
Lesson in Print Delivery: Analysis
of Student-Selected Examples from Campus Newspapers
·
In-class: Collaboration Work
Continues
·
Third Set of Conferences begin
today
Wednesday,
November 28
·
Continue Analysis of
Student-Selected Examples from Campus Newspapers
·
Lesson in Electronic Delivery:
Study Internet Examples Selected by Students
·
In-class: Collaboration Work
Continues
·
Conferences Continue
Friday,
November 30: Tech Fridays
·
Continue Lesson in Electronic
Delivery: Study Internet Examples Selected by Students
·
In-class: Collaboration Work
Continues
Week
10 – Presentation of Multimedia Presentations
Monday,
December 3
·
Due: Presentation (Submit
Outline, Materials, and Reflection)
·
In-class: Presentations begin
Wednesday,
December 5
·
Presentations continue
·
Distribution of Portfolio Cover
Letter Guidelines
Friday,
December 3
·
Presentations end
·
Last day of class: Celebration!
·
Due: Portfolio Cover Letter
·
In-Class: Course Evaluations
Back to Top