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ENGL 206 A 23: Rhetoric in Everyday Life
MW 9:30 - 11:20
JHN 111
What is this Course About?
ENGL 206 Rhetoric in Everyday Life is an introductory rhetoric course that examines the strategic use of and situated means through which images, texts, objects, and symbols inform, persuade, and shape social practices in various contexts. Topics focus on education, public policy, politics, law, journalism, media, digital cultural, globalization, popular culture, and the arts
GE Requirements:
English Composition (C)
Writing (W)
Course Description:
The course is designed to critically immerse learners in the contemporary rhetorical practices of a variety of political, cultural, and professional situations. The course presumes that our world is richly rhetorical—that is, that the world works by way of persuasion. It contends that texts (be they textual, auditory, visual, digital, or material) enormously inform the world and that skillfully producing and analyzing persuasive texts is a crucial means of taking part in global society. As learners, you will be:
- provided with a set of interpretive tools and strategies
- become a more adept reader of contemporary public discourse
- develop effective argumentation skills for a variety of
public contexts - engage with the kinds of discourses that proliferate in the world
Why Should I take this Course?
Rhetoric is central in understanding the role of citizenship. Its connection to a host of different concepts and issues such as science, law, labor, and social relations renders it integral to civic and professional life. Through the study and practice of rhetoric, students learn to critique historical and contemporary public discourse, considering the stylistic and persuasive devices that make particular pieces of rhetoric effective. Additionally, students develop skills in written and oral composition, learning to craft messages that account for specific audiences in specific rhetorical situations. Additionally, students reflect on the larger implications of rhetoric, considering the relationship between discourse and reality, the cultural and ethical power dynamics of communication, and the ways that any public discourse reflects its historical and social contexts.
What Will I learn?
- theory—understand major theories of the dimensions of rhetoric
- inquiry— explore, experiment with, and invent a variety of writing genres in which original ideas combine with suitable and effective expression.
- practice—persuasive written, oral, and visual arguments, organize ideas and language effectively to address specific readers and meet specific purposes
You will need these Resources
- Rhetorical Theory
- TheHistory and Theory of Rhetoric: An Introduction, 7th edition, by
James A. Herrick (select pdfs available in canvas) - Pdf Readings uploaded in Canvas
Instructor
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Josephine Walwema, PhD |
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How Will I learn?
Each week will constitute a new unit and related activities containing a combination of the following elements:
- Informal and formal writing assignments
- Reading responses
- Peer Review & Group Work
Successful course completion requires access to and reading the current course resources and materials, actively participating in discussions, group projects, and completing all assignments.
What are the Writing Expectations?
Canvas. All coursework will be completed via the course canvas page. Please plan to log into Canvas daily.
Communicating with the instructor Please reach out to me via Canvas or UW email. Avoid using your personal mail for coursework purposes.
Collaboration. Working with others is a hallmark of civic engagement. Learn and apply strategies for successful teamwork and collaboration, such as:
- responding constructively to peers’ work
- soliciting and using peer feedback effectively
- managing team goals and conflicts constructively
Research. Understand and use various research methods and sources to produce quality documents, including:
- analyzing historical and contemporary contexts
- locating, evaluating, and using print and online information selectively for particular audiences and purposes
- triangulating sources of evidence
Writing in Context. Analyze cultures, social contexts, and audiences to determine how they shape the various purposes and forms of writing, such as persuasion, organizational communication, and public discourse, with an emphasis on:
- writing for a range of defined audiences and stakeholders
- negotiating the ethical dimensions of rhetorical action
Project Management
- understand, develop, and deploy various strategies for planning, researching, drafting, revising, and editing documents both individually and collaboratively
- select and use appropriate styles and technologies that effectively and ethically address contexts and audiences
- build ethos through voice, evidence documentation and accountability
Course Evaluations
In the last week of the term, you will have an opportunity to complete surveys about the quality of instruction you have experienced in ALL of your courses including this one. I hope you take the time to complete them because they are an important form of feedback.
Student evaluations of teaching play an important role in the review of faculty every year. Still, we recognize that student evaluations of teaching may be influenced by unconscious and unintentional biases about the race and gender of the instructor. Studies show that women and instructors of color are systematically rated lower in their teaching evaluations, even when there are no actual differences in the instructors or in what students have learned.
As you fill out the course evaluations please keep this in mind and make an effort to resist stereotypes about professors.
Take time to focus on the content of your course and teaching practices of your instructors (the assignments, the course text, the in-class material) and not unrelated matters (the instructor’s appearance or mannerisms).
Thank you
Assignments
All assignments are due on the dates indicated and will be available the week prior and submitted through Canvas. Never via email. If you anticipate that your assignment will be late, please reach out to me ahead of time so we can work out some accommodation. You will find that I am quite accommodating, but you must please ask for an extension if you need one. The assignments are broken down in these modules:
- Histories & Definitions of Rhetoric -- writing to learn assignments
- Everyday Rhetorics -- the Encomium
- Rhetorical Trajectories -- group projects
- Final Research Project
In addition to these formal assignments, there are several writing to learn assignments. These kinds of writing-to-learn activities are short, informal, and low-stakes writing tasks that help students think through key concepts or ideas presented in a course. These writing tasks will be held in class as group projects and are weighted towards the final grade. If you are absent when a writing to learn activity is taking place, you forfeit the grade for that task.
All assignments must be submitted before the term’s last date of instruction and in any case not after the submission date for the final project.
Submitting Assignments to Canvas
Assignments are considered to be submitted when they are fully uploaded to Canvas. On Canvas, the due time is 11:59 pm. Do not wait until the last minute to submit an assignment, because uploads may take some time and you might miss the submission deadline.
If you cannot submit an assignment to the Canvas dropbox because it is locked, please DO NOT email the assignment to me or submit it as an attachment to a comment. While I can read these, I cannot offer feedback on assignments submitted in this way or use any associated grading rubric, and thus the assignment WILL NOT be graded.
Late Work Policy
All assignments have deadlines. An assignment or discussion is considered late if it is not posted by the stated deadline. Late work may be accepted up to 24 hours after a due date, except where otherwise indicated (typically, the final assignments of the semester must be submitted by the specified due date/time and no late submissions are accepted). Exceptions are made to this policy only in rare circumstances; for example, for a long illness. Please contact me regarding this.
If you anticipate that your assignment will be late, email me before the assignment due date to request an extension for the assignment deadline.
The request for extension should be sent in the form of an email from the Canvas inbox or student’s UW email account and includes: (1) a rationale for the request (i.e. why the student is not able to submit on time) and the specific assignment the student is requesting to make up. The final decision associated with the assignments and deadlines is at the discretion of the instructor.
Please keep an eye on each as the course progresses. If you need more time to complete an assignment, please contact me via your Canvas Inbox feature before the actual deadline.
Grading Policy
Assessment will mostly be based on general completion of the course assignments, your ability to apply the concepts we discuss in class, and engage with in the readings. You will also be assessed on overall progress and a thorough final report.
The starting grade in this course is a 2.0. This grade requires completion of all assignments while meeting the minimum requirements. For each assignment in which you demonstrate exceptional awareness of course concepts and skills beyond the minimum requirements and expectations, this percentage will increase. Conversely, for assignments that you fail to meet the minimum requirements and expectations, this percentage will decrease. Therefore, if the expectations for an assignment are unclear, please email me so we can work together to ensure your success. There will be rubrics and points attached to each assignment to help you earn your desired grade.
Refer to this Grading Chart for Details.
Academic Integrity
The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/
Here's what you can do to cover yourself against plagiarism or collusion:
- At any stage of your writing, keep your drafts, notes, papers, and research materials. If a question of plagiarism arises, you'll have a paper trail ( paper trails protect you in a variety of academic, public, and work-related contexts)
- Don't use editing services.
- If you need additional help with your writing, contact the University Writing Center, UW Writes, where trained professionals are there to help you without colluding in plagiarism.
- Last but not least, ask me if you have any questions about honesty.
Notice to Students - Use of Plagiarism Detection Software
Notice: The University has a license agreement with SimCheck, an educational tool that helps prevent or identify plagiarism from Internet resources. Your instructor may use the service in this class by requiring that assignments are submitted electronically to be checked by SimCheck. The SimCheck Report will indicate the amount of original text in your work and whether all material that you quoted, paraphrased, summarized, or used from another source is appropriately referenced.
Technical Assistance
Technical Assistance All technical support is provided by IT Connect:
- 📧Email: help@uw.edu
- ✆ Phone: 206-221-5000
- 💻Online: Send us a question
- 👤In-person: Walk-in locations
- Service Status
Add/Drop. Please advise yourself of the university deadline dates for dropping the course.
Access and Accommodations
Your experience in this class is important to me. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.
If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.
Religious Accommodations
“Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form.
The PWAC's Anti-Racist Pedagogy
Racism is defined as "an institutionalized system of economic, social, political, or cultural frameworks that ensure one racial group regardless of intent maintains power and privilege over almost all aspects of life. Any attitude or behavior used to explain or justify bias or prejudice against racial or ethnic groups on the basis of perceived inferiority" (Michele Norris, 2024)
The Program in Writing Across Campus (PWAC) is committed to engaging with anti-racist pedagogies. These pedagogies may take various forms, such as curricular attention to voices, communities, and perspectives that have been historically marginalized inside and beyond academic disciplines; inclusive classroom practices; discussions of racism; and consideration of other forms of prejudice and exclusion. We believe that countering the cultures and practices of racism in an academic institution is fundamental to developing a vibrant intellectual community. The PWAC is happy to talk with you about your questions as well as to support student-led initiatives around anti-racist work, and we invite you to contact PWAC Program Director Megan Callow. If you’re interested in how teachers of English as a professional community have taken up anti-racist work, check out the National Council of Teachers of English Statement on Anti-Racism to Support Teaching and Learning.