Unit 1
Thursday,  Aug. 27:  Introduction to the Course.

Tuesday,  Sept. 1:  Elements of Argument.   WA: Chapter 1, pgs. 1-23.

Thursday,  Sept. 3:  Introduction to the Summary.  WA: Chapter 2, pgs. 24-38.
St. M: Quoting, Paraphrasing, Summarizing, pgs. 486-492.

Tuesday,  Sept. 8:  Summary Cont'd.  WA: Chapter 2, pgs. 39-51.
CN: Crevecoeur, "Letters from an American Farmer," pgs. 40-51. Read carefully and take good notes to help you prepare for writing a summary of this excerpt.

Thursday,  Sept. 10:  All About Plagiarism. Class Meets at the Writing Center, Young Library, B108c
SB: Plagiarism, pgs. 7-10. These four pages provide examples of plagiarism. Study these examples and try to determine what factors constitute  plagiarism. Bring your questions, fears, and "what ifs" to class discussion.
St.M:  MLA Documentation, pgs. 516-563. Flip through this section of your handbook to become familiar with the conventions of MLA style documentation. Don't worry about trying to absorb it all at once: we'll spend all semester practicing MLA. Class discussion will focus on in-text citations  (signal phrase and parenthetical citation) and the Works Cited page. In particular, examine the sample essay starting on page 540 and notice how it  handles its sources. Look at the Works Cited page starting on page 561.

Unit 2
Tuesday,  Sept. 15:  Introduction to the Comparative Summary. Summary Due.

Thursday,  Sept. 17:  Comparative Summary Cont'd. CN: Thoreau's "Solitude," pgs. 111-117.  Keep Crevecoeur in mind as you read Thoreau's essay. You will be asked to compare the two essays in the comparative summary.

Tuesday,  Sept. 22:  Introduction to the Analytical Summary. Comparative Summary Due.

Thursday, Sept. 24:  Analytical Summary Cont'd.  WA: Do's "Choose Life!," pgs. 143-144. Analyze this article for strengths and weaknesses.

Tuesday, Sept. 29:  Introduction to the Annotated Bibliography. Analytical Summary Due.

Thursday, Oct. 1:  Library. No Class:  Instead, groups of students will sign up to meet the instructor at the library for tours
 and demonstrations.   Submit your Summary rewrite when you meet me in the library. SB: Library Material, 14-38.

Unit 3
Tuesday, Oct. 6:  Introduction to the Definition Argument. Annotated Bibliography Due. Also, Library Exercises Due.  WA: Chapter 4, pgs. 81-94.
 
Wednesday, Oct. 7:  Argument Analysis Workshops :  A workshop will be held for students who wish to rewrite the Argument Analysis assignment. The workshop will meet in my office (POT 1522) at 9:00 a.m. and will be repeated at 10:00 a.m. for folks who can't make the first workshop.

Thursday, Oct. 8:  Definition Argument. WA: Chapter 10, 198-217.
CN: Pinchot's "The Fight for Conservation," pgs. 162-168 and Burrough's "The Spell of Yosemite," pgs. 169-175. Try to identify definition claims in each author's essay. You'll discover that while Pinchot is very interested in making a definition argument about conservation, Burrough doesn't argue at all: he simple observes facts.

Tuesday, Oct. 13:  Definition Argument. Definition Argument Outlines Due. Quiz over Toulmin Vocabulary. For the purposes of the quiz, know vocabulary definitions and what supports what (i.e., know that warrants support reasons and claims, backing supports the warrant, etc.) Most of the class period will be conducted as a workshop for answering questions and fine tuning your outlines before you submit them.

Thursday, Oct. 15:  Definition Argument.

Sunday, Oct. 18: First Draft of Definition Argument Due by 1:00 p.m. under my office door (POT 1522). (You may, of course, submit it earlier.)

Tuesday, Oct. 20:  Definition Argument. I'll return the drafts of the Definition Argument and the lecture will address significant problems in the drafts.

Thursday, Oct. 22:  Definition Argument.

Unit 4
Tuesday, Oct. 27:  Introduction to the Causal Argument. Definition Argument Due.
Thursday, Oct. 29:  Causal Argument. Quiz over causal vocabulary. WA: Chapter 11, 228-245 and 253-257.
Tuesday,  Nov. 3:  Causal Argument. Toulmin Outline Due.   CN: Gore, 348-370.
Thursday, Nov. 5:  Causal Argument. CN: Di Perna, 371-381; Abbey 251-267.
Sunday, Nov. 8: Rough Draft Due by 1:00 p.m. under my office door (POT 1522). (You may, of course, submit it earlier.)
Tuesday, Nov. 10:  Causal Argument. CN: O'Rourke, 426-431; Pollen, 433-452.
Thursday, Nov. 12:  No Class. Instead, students may make conferences to discuss their drafts.

Unit 5
Tuesday, Nov. 17:  Introduction to the Prediction Argument. Causal Argument Due.
Thursday, Nov. 19:  Prediction Argument. CN: Callenbach, 322-347.   Bring 2 or 3 possible prediction theses to class. Read Callenbach's "Ecotopia" with an eye out for what he's predicting. Class time will discuss good topics for the prediction argument and begin to discuss handling opposing views.
Tuesday, Nov. 24:  Prediction Argument.  WA: Chapter 8. Quiz over Chapter 8.  Toulmin Outline Due.  The quiz will basically cover the entire chapter, with special emphasis on strategies for rebutting evidence and understanding how the degree of audience sympathy will affect your argument's structure..
Thursday, Nov. 26:     Thanksgiving Vacation: No Class.
Tuesday, Dec. 1:  Prediction Argument. Rough Draft Due.
Thursday, Dec. 3:  Prediction Argument. WA: Logical Fallacies, 421-434. Homework: WA: 433-34. Question 1a-j. The homework provides practice in identifying logical fallacies.
Tuesday, Dec. 8:   No Class. Instead, students may make conferences to discuss their drafts.
Thursday, Dec. 10:  Course/Instructor Evaluations.  Prediction Argument Due.
 
 

Click here to return to the Home Page.