Weekly Microthemes (500 words weekly, 25% of final grade)
These short papers are turned in 48 hours before class meets and are shared electronically with all seminar members. Seminar members spend time reading these short papers prior to class, and they provide fodder for class discussion. Each week, one student will be responsible for synthesizing these papers and launching class discussion
Book or Article Review (1500-2000 words, 20% of final grade)
Once during the semester, each student will review a text chosen from a list at the beginning of the semester, to be presented on a set date. Reviews are 5-7 pages and shared with seminar members. Each week, a different seminar member presents a review in class (book reviewers are not responsible for a microtheme that week). Books for review must be chosen from the list below. The dates and books go together:
The Two Cultures, by CP Snow – January 23rd
Excitable Speech, Judith Butler – April 16th
The Rhetoric of Rhetoric, Wayne Booth – February 13th
The Electronic Word, Richard Lanham – March 26th
Inessential Solidarity, Diane Davis – March 19th
Moving Bodies, Debra Hawhee – March 5th
The Realm of Rhetoric, Chaim Perelman – February 6th
Publics and Counterpublics, Michael Warner – February 20th
The Ethics and Politics of Speech, Pat Gehrke – January 30th
Toward a Civil Discourse, Sharon Crowley – February 27th
Deliberate Conflict, Patricia Roberts-Miller –April 9th
Final Paper (4500-5500 words, 45% of final grade)
Students will engage in an extended research project of their own choosing related to the course material. In addition to the research papers, which will be discussed over the course of the semester, students will present an abbreviated version of their research (15 minutes) at the last class meeting. Students will determine the precise nature of their research projects in individual consultation with the instructor.
Final Exam (written, during exam period, 10% of final grade)
As preparation for the comprehensive exams and as a review, there will be an in-class essay exam.
