In the second half of the Rhetoric of Advertising, we will continue our focus on advertising-as-argument, shifting our discussions to more complex issues: how ethnicity is represented in commercial advertising; how marketers respond to and create teen culture; how fashion magazines contribute to self-image problems in young women; and, how ads can be used to market not only consumer goods, but also opinions.

In addition to the Bedford Handbook, which you purchased for PWR1, the following texts are required for PWR2:

• Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, & Joseph Williams, The Craft of Research Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1995
• Joseph Gibaldi, MLA Handbook for the Writers of Research Papers 5th edition. NY: Modern Language Association, 1999

Class attendance & participation

As you know from last quarter, I expect you to be on time and attend all our course meetings, conferences and peer reviews; according to PWR policy (refer to last quarter's syllabus or to the Policies & Resources link on the website for the official attendance policy), three absences may jeopardize your standing in the class (also keep in mind that being late three times counts as one absence). If you do miss a class, you must make it up and you still must also turn in any work due that day on time. Please keep the lines of communication open: if you know in advance that you'll miss class, let me know; conversely, if you unexpectedly need to be absent (because of illness, family emergency, etc.) let me know as soon as possible so we can determine a make-up plan for the work that you miss.

Since we have a small class, class discussion is an important facet of the learning experience and I have no doubts that you will continue to contribute actively to our conversations. Remember, however, to be respectful of your classmates; negative or demeaning remarks - even if you mean them in a "good-spirited" way - don't have a place in our classroom.

Panfora

This quarter, even more than last, we will be moving toward a paperless classroom. Consequently, almost all of your assignments will be turned in through Panfora (you'll download them to your PERSONAL WORK folder) rather than in paper form. We'll also be using Panfora occasionally as a forum for discussion, although rather than focusing on an Ad-of-the-Week, your Panfora participation will be geared primarily toward additional peer review. Please note, however, that we will have a new forum address for this quarter: http://panfora.Stanford.EDU/Forums/PWRrhetad2_win_03/. This address is directly linked the Panfora button on the homepage.

Writing Assignments

This class is all about The Research Paper; although we'll continue discussing advertising on and off throughout the quarter, most of your attention will be focused on producing a 10-15 page research paper on the topic of your choice. We'll be working toward this goal for the next ten weeks, and you'll be asked to produce a series of writing assignments - some graded, some not - designed to facilitate the research process. During the course of the project you'll produce a research proposal, an abstract, an annotated bibliography, a critical review of a scholarly article, an outline, two drafts of your research paper, and a final revision. You'll also give a presentation at mid-quarter on your topic and will produce an advertisement for your paper during the last week of class.

Assignments (& % of grade):
Participation (in-class & on Panfora) = 10%
Informal assignments (library worksheet; proposal; peer review sheets; abstract & preliminary bibliography; first paragraph & outline; first draft; second draft; reflection letters) =15%
Expanded proposal - 5%
Annotated Bibliography - 5%
Critical Review - 5%
Presentation - 5%
Revision - 50%
Op-Ad - 5%

During the first week of classes, you will receive a booklet detailing the research project assignments: all the assignments also will be posted on line. It is important that you follow all directions on the assignment sheets; papers will be marked down if they do not complete the assignment correctly - or if they are late. In addition, you're responsible for making additional copies of your work at various times during the quarter for peer reviewers and for ensuring that your reviewers receive those copies. All written assignments should be archived in your PERSONAL WORK space on Panfora at the time they are due; these postings should contain a relevant subject title and should be posted as a Microsoft word attachment.

 

Despite the fact that most of your submissions will be electronic, you still need to follow a standard academic format. You need to use 12 point font, use 1 ½ or double spacing, and include a title page and page numbers for any paper over 2 pages in length. You must turn in your second draft and your final revision of your research paper in paper form as well as electronic.