Instr:                 Julia Kruse
Office:              TBA
e-mail:              juliakruse@yahoo.com
Office hours:     by appointment.

Course Information:          MW  3:30-4:45,       BUS S231

Course Description

Writing, Rhetoric, and Culture is a writing-centered course designed to acquaint you with the basic principles of rhetorical analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of media discourse and culture.  Throughout the course, we will focus on contemporary discourse that surrounds us in daily life: speeches, films, newspapers, television, popular songs, and humor. You will be trained in applying methods of rhetorical analysis with a three-step approach: describe the discourse, consider the situation in which it occurred, and employ a certain analytical approach to make an evaluation. The goal of the course is to help you to become a rhetorical critic who understands theory and can apply it to provide insight into media and culture.

Readings
Foss, Sonja K. (1996). Rhetorical criticism: exploration and practice. Prospect Hights, IL: Waveland.
Various articles

Assignments
Song Critique (10%)
Speech Critique (10%)
Film Critique (15%)
Newspaper Critique (15%)
Final Critique (25%)
Exam (15%)
Class participation (10%)

Critiques
In the critiques, you are asked to apply the rhetorical principles discussed in the reading and in class to speeches, films, newspaper articles, songs etc.. The critiques should be 3-4 pages in length (typed, 12pt., double-spaced). In addition, the critiques should include a bibliography using an appropriate style (APA, MLA, or Chicago Style).  The critiques are due in class on the dates indicated in the schedule.  Late critiques will not be accepted.

Final Paper
In the final paper, you are to use an example of a contemporary rhetorical act of your own choosing and pick the most appropriate approach(es) of the ones discussed throughout the course in order to analyze and evaluate the rhetorical act. To be more specific, for the final paper, you may select a speech, or several speeches by the same speaker, a film or a genre of films, a television or newspaper discourse surrounding an issue, a song or a genre of songs etc. The choice of topics is open. You will briefly present your paper in class. As far as the approach is concerned, you can employ one approach, a combination of approaches, or a refinement of an approach. You should clearly state your methodological approach at the beginning of your
paper. In the analytical part of your paper, you must carefully back up your claims with material from the rhetorical act(s) under study.  The final paper should be 7-8 pages (typed, 12pt., Double-spaced). The final paper should include a bibliography using an appropriate style (APA, MLA, Chicago Style).  The final paper is due in class on the date indicated in the schedule.
Late papers will not be accepted.

Grading Scale:
100 - 90 = A
89 - 80 = B
79 - 70 = C
69 - 60 = D
59 - 0 = F

Attendance/Participation
Discussions are an important part of this course. Attendance and participation is thus crucial. There is no penalty for two unexcused absences over the course of the semester. For every class you miss after two, you will lose five points of your final grade. Six absences will automatically result in a failure. Note that tardiness is also considered detrimental to your grade. If serious complications arise, please come speak with me.

Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Anyone who attempts to represent someone else's work as their own or to cheat in any other manner will be given a score of zero, and a letter noting the offense will be sent to the Dean of Students.