Course Information

Course

• Number: ENGL 353
• Title: History of Rhetoric
• Term: Spring 2020

Course Description

The History of Rhetoric is designed to introduce students to the study of rhetoric from the clasiccal period until the end of the 19th century.

Updated COVID Assignments

These are the assignments that will make up your grade in this class.

Turn-in Procedures

All assignments will be turned in on eCampus to the appropriate drop box under the “Assignments” sidebar link. Do not bring a printed copy or email me your assignment.

Assignment Values

Assignment	Due Date	Value
Attendance	Ongoing	10%
Short Paper 1	02/21	30%
Project Proposal	04/08	10%
Project Artifact	04/28	20%
Creator’s Statement	04/28	30%

Assignment Descriptions

Short Paper 1

Over the course of the semester, you will be asked to write three (3) short (3-4 page) papers in response to course discussion and the readings we are doing in class.

Papers should be formatted using 12pt, Times New Roman font and double spaced with 1-inch margins.

Pick a passage in one of the texts we have read for class. A passage could be a portion of a dialogue (3-4 paragraphs) or a paragraph or even a single sentence, but not an entire text or sub-division of a text. Discuss the stylistic, thematic, and imagistic content of this scene, while also connecting these issues to larger themes within the text itself.

This paper uses internal evidence only (or primarily). You will be quoting material from the section in question and then discussing the style, theme, or imagery of the passage as it relates to the larger theme of the work.

You may need to do some additional historical or etymological research, especially as we are working with texts in translation. Additionally, consulting commentary or footnotes, especially on the Plato texts, will prove helpful.

De Copia Project

This project responds to our mini-seminar on Erasmus’s De Copia over the final five weeks of class. The project asks you to create an artifact (see below) that responds to some aspect of Erasmus’s text and a creator’s statement that explains to what aspect of De Copia your project responds, after you have submitted a proposal.

Project Artifact

I use the term “artifact” because it sounds more formal and academic than “thing” but I want to keep it vague to allow you to respond how you want. An artifact could be a video, a digital project, a paper collage, origami, a series of journal entries, fan fiction, drawings, a painting, or even a traditional research essay. But it need not be any of those things. Rather than continue to analyze the history of rhetoric, I want you (or your group, if you choose to work in groups) to think about how to use the rhetorical tradition, as discussed by Erasmus and others that we have read this semester, as a living source of inspiration.

The important thing about grading criteria for this portion of the assignment: I am less concerned with you producing something polished (or even finished), so much as I am interested in how you go about thinking about Erasmus and rhetoric and how you choose to think about embodying that connection.

This semester, it is important that you make something digital so you can turn it in remotely. If you were to, say, build a life-size butter sculpture of Erasmus, I would want you to turn in a video of you demonstrating the sculpture as your artifact. The digital requirement should not limit your creativity, but I want you to remember it as you propose your project.

Creator’s Statement

Due at the same time as the artifact, this is your chance to explain how your project relates to Erasmus or some other aspect of the rhetorical tradition. This should be a three to four page traditional paper describing both what you did and why you did it. In explaining why, I want you to show me you understand something important about rhetoric, so quote from our readings and offer some summary of some of the theories we have discussed.

Project Proposal

Due first, I am asking for a one page statement detailing your plan: what you intend to make and a brief explanation of why. I will offer feedback on your project, hopefully suggesting ways you might improve and where you might want to pare back on your analysis.

Updated COVID Schedule

Week 1

Fri 03/27

• Read pp 295-355 in De Copia PDF
• Watch Background Videos
• Watch Abundance of Expression Videos

Week 2

Fri 04/03

• Read pp 572-649 in De Copia PDF
• Watch Abundance of Subject Matter Videos
• Watch Afterwards Videos

Week 3

Fri 04/10

No Class

Reading Day

Week 4

Fri 04/17

• Work on Project Proposals
• Project Proposals Due

Week 5

Fri 04/24

• Work on Project
• Consult Professor via Slack

Asking Good Discussion Questions

This is a list of tips for formulating good discussion questions as part of your rhetorical term presentation.

I have sourced this list from “We Aren’t Here to Learn What We Already Know” by Kyla Wazana Tompkins.

• Make your discussion question simple, straightforward and jargon-free.
• Proofread your questions so that you catch grammar and spelling mistakes.
• Make your questions open-ended, i.e. not answerable with fact or by direct and immediate reference to the text.
• Make sure your question doesn’t rely on information the rest of the class doesn’t have, OR give the class enough information and background to be able to engage the question. Make sure the question is answerable to start with, i.e., is not vague and does not rely on facts or assumptions not addressable within the confines of our class conversation.
• Make reference to the text with quotes or page numbers: direct the class to look at a relevant passage, read it together out loud, and drill down into the writing and sentence structure itself to get at the problem you are looking at.
• A good discussion question reframes some of the problems of the text and then tries to get at internal logical problems and paradoxes or to think through the consequences, implications and applications of the theory.
• As such, questions about “experience” or “responses” or “feelings” tend not to be helpful questions – try to step back from personal responses and instead focus on the intellectual shape of the ideas and argument.
• Often we are tempted to ask the “what about” question: e.g., what about the people who are excluded from this theory? Although not an unreasonable question, asked in this manner this is not really a sophisticated question because it doesn’t open up conversation. The only answer to “what about” is: they aren’t there. More productive is to ask: how do the exclusions at the heart of this work facilitate certain conclusions, problems or paradigms, what are these paradigms and what happens when we consider this theory in a broader context? What would this theory look like if re-written from a different point in history, different assumptions about political economy, etc.?
• t’s not the worst idea to make sure you have some thoughts about how to answer your questions before sending them on to your colleagues. However, sometimes you are just really stumped and need to work through this question with your classmates. That’s okay too.
• Which brings me to: it is often smart and productive to write a preamble to a question. That preamble might be a short intellectual history of your questions, it might contextualize the text you are working with, it might scaffold the question you want to ask by referring to other texts or many points in the same text. Don’t make this preamble so long that no-one can excavate the original question, however. Also….
• If you can answer your question while you are writing it, you probably need to just state your point of view and move on to another, related, question.
• Sometimes you are stuck with an instinct, a hunch, a nagging feeling and a half-formed question and you simply can’t move forward without thinking about it out loud. Bring those seemingly half-formed thoughts to the class: we will figure the direction or shape of your question together.
• Finally: when you don’t get it, you don’t get it. Ask for help from the professor or your classmates, and feel free and supported in bringing your “I Don’t Get It” questions to class. We will all profit from these acts of intellectual humility and generosity.

Books

The majority of texts for this class are available online or, if not linked on the schedule, as PDFs available on our eCampus site.

Two required textbooks are available for purchase at the campus bookstore.

You must buy these two editions of Plato. Other translations will not be acceptable for class.

• Plato, Gorgias, Tr: Donald J. Zeyl, ISBN 0872200167
• Plato, Phaedrus, Tr: Alexander Nehamas & Paul Woodruff, ISBN 0872202208

Course Policies

These are the policies that govern our class. You are responsible for knowing the information on this page before contacting me regarding policy questions.

Student Visiting Hours

At the times listed in the sidebar throughout this site, I am in my office and it is your time to come talk to me about anything related (or unrelated) to class. This time is yours, I am not (supposed to be) doing anything else; you will not be interrupting me. If you have questions about class or have other questions I might be able to answer, please drop by.

Email Hours

I am available to answer email from 9:00am until 5:00pm Monday through Friday. Emails arriving outside of that time will be answered at my earliest convenience, but do not count on a quick answer to emails sent late at night or on the weekends.

Office Door

If my door is closed and it is not during office hours, please do not knock. I open my door when I’m available to chat outside of office hours, but close my door if I am working and cannot be disturbed.

Grading

Per university policy, I cannot discuss grades via email. Please visit my office hours if you would like to discuss your grade on an assignment.

Grade Values

• A 90-100
• B 80-89
• C 70-79
• D 60-69
• F 59 or less

These points will be weighted according to the point breakdown described on the Assignments page, which will determine your overall final grade.

Absences

Attendance in class is mandatory and is necessary for you to get what you need out of this course. You may have 2 unexcused absences. Every absence after 2 will result in a 5 point deduction from your attendance grade. I must have documentation (doctor’s notes, schedule for sports, etc) for excused absences. Please talk to me in advance if you have any extenuating circumstances.

Excused Absences

Student Rule 7 covers the cases in which absences will be excused and in which late work will be tolerated. The following conditions will be excused:

• Participation in an activity appearing on the university authorized activity list. (see List of Authorized and Sponsored Activities)
• Death or major illness in a student’s immediate family. Immediate family may include: mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, spouse, child, spouse’s child, spouse’s parents, spouse’s grandparents, stepmother, step-father, step-sister, step-brother, step-grandparents, grandchild, step-grandchild, legal guardian, and others as deemed appropriate by faculty member or student’s academic Dean or designee.
• Illness of a dependent family member.
• Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
• Religious holy day. (See Appendix IV.)
• Injury or Illness that is too severe or contagious for the student to attend class.
• Required participation in military duties.
• Mandatory admission interviews for professional or graduate school which cannot be rescheduled.
• Mandatory participation as a student-athlete in NCAA-sanctioned competition.
• In accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Texas A&M University shall treat pregnancy (childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy and recovery therefrom) and related conditions as a justification for an excused absence for so long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician. Requests for excused absence related to pregnancy should be directed to the instructor; questions about Title IX should be directed to the University Title IX Coordinator.

Note About Excused Absences

In the event of a chronic illness or other sudden condition that will result in significant time away from class, please inform me of the situation before you return to class, so that we can work out how to handle the situation before it becomes an issue.

Late Work

Under Student Rule 7.4, I am under “under no obligation to provide an opportunity for the student to make up work missed because of an unexcused absence.” However, I do accept late work and will take off 5 points for every day late. A paper that would have received an 85% that was 3 days late will receive a 70%.

Extension Policy

Additionally, if you are falling behind on a project and feel that you are not going to finish on time, email me 24 hours before the assignment is due to request an extension. In this email, propose how many additional days you will need to finish the assignment. Requests for extension that do not contain this information will not be honored.

Technology

In the 21st century, it is unreasonable to accept “my computer died” as an excuse for late work. If you are working on assignments on a computer, please back up your work offsite. Sites such as Dropbox and Google Drive provide space for storing copies of your work; even a USB drive can be enough. I have recently started using BackBlaze and found it to be a great and inexpensive online, automated backup. Save multiple times throughout each work session to both your backup and your computer’s copy. In this class, I hold you accountable for making sure your technology is working correctly.

Title IX and Statement on Limits to Confidentiality

Texas A&M University and the College of Liberal Arts are committed to fostering a learning environment that is safe and productive for all. University policies and federal and state laws provide guidance for achieving such an environment. Although class materials are generally considered confidential pursuant to student record policies and laws, University employees – including instructors – cannot maintain confidentiality when it conflicts with their responsibility to report certain issues that jeopardize the health and safety of our community. As the instructor, I must report (per Texas A&M System Regulation 08.01.01) the following information to other University offices if you share it with me, even if you do not want the disclosed information to be shared:

• Allegations of sexual assault, sexual discrimination, or sexual harassment when they involve TAMU students, faculty, or staff, or third parties visiting campus.

These reports may trigger contact from a campus official who will want to talk with you about the incident that you have shared. In many cases, it will be your decision whether or not you wish to speak with that individual. If you would like to talk about these events in a more confidential setting, you are encouraged to make an appointment with the Student Counseling Service.

Students and faculty can report concerning, non-emergency behavior at http://tellsomebody.tamu.edu.

Academic Integrity

Aggie Honor Code. “An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.” It is the student’s responsibility to know the Aggie Honor Code and to understand what constitutes scholastic dishonesty and to avoid it all costs. Anything (particularly plagiarism and cheating on quizzes or projects) that appears to be a violation of the Aggie Honor Code will be reported to the appropriate authorities. For additional information please visit: http://aggiehonor.tamu.edu/.

Also, the following is a helpful resource for describing kinds and severity of plagiarism. Note this graphic is not from A&M, where rules may differ: http://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Infographic_Did-I-Plagiarize1.jpg

Students Needing Support Service

Texas A&M University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students. If you experience barriers to your education due to a disability or think you may have a disability, please contact Disability Resources in the Student Services Building or at (979) 845-1637 or visit http://disability.tamu.edu. Disabilities may include, but are not limited to attentional, learning, mental health, sensory, physical, or chronic health conditions. All students are encouraged to discuss their disability related needs with Disability Resources and their instructors as soon as possible.

University Writing Center

The University Writing Center (UWC), located in 214 Evans Library and 205 West Campus Library, offers one-on-one consultations to writers preparing documents, slides, or oral presentations. UWC consultations are highly recommended but are not required. Help is available for all of the steps of the writing and speechwriting process including assistance with brainstorming ideas, narrowing the topic, creating outlines or drafts, and presenting a speech to an audience. UWC consultants can help you practice your speech with a real audience or develop visual presentation aids like slides and handouts. Consultants can also help you improve your proofreading and editing skills. If you visit the UWC, take a copy of your assignment, a hard copy of your draft or any notes you may have, as well as any material you need help with. To find out more about UWC services or to schedule an appointment, call 458-1455, visit the web page at http://writingcenter.tamu.edu/, or stop by in person.

Diversity Statement

It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, culture, perspective, and other background characteristics. I encourage your suggestions about how to improve the value of diversity in this course.

Old Schedule

How To Read This Schedule: All readings will be completed before class on the date on which they are assigned. Anything in bold is work to be completed before class and brought with you on the day listed. Paper due dates, also in bold, indicate that the completed manuscript of your paper must be in the correct dropbox on eCampus before class starts on the day indicated.