Spring 2023 Rhetoric Course Descriptions

RHETORIC 102

RHET 102 01 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Davis, Evan R. | TR 10:00 AM-11:20 AM; Morton Hall 113
AI and Creativity
“As artificial intelligence (AI) technology continues to develop, so too do the ethical implications of its use. This course explores the ethical implications of AI-created images and text, such as the Dall-E app that creates images from textual descriptions. We will consider the impact of AI on society and the individual, and debate the morality of creating AI-generated images and text. Is it ethical to create images of things that don’t exist? What are the implications of creating artificial intelligence that can generate its own images and text? As we explore these questions, we will also consider the impact of AI on the creative arts, and whether AI-generated images and text can be considered art in their own right.”

The previous paragraph is in quotation marks because the course instructor did not write it. OpenAI’s GPT-3 did. Students will experiment with AI text and image generators, research the controversies they have prompted, and write papers about the practical and ethical implications of these new tools.

RHET 102 02 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Williams, Allyson | TR 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Morton Hall 120
Place, Conflict and Identity
In this course we will explore the relationship between place and identity, a relationship that one might describe as symbiotic: sometimes place and identity prove mutually beneficial; other times the two struggle against one another as in a competition. We will begin our study with that place we each call home, looking at its influence on the formation of our identity. Leaving home behind, we will venture to places both near—a city center and a countryside—and far—divided places of the past and today, in particular, Palestine and Israel, Northern Ireland, East and West Germany. In such places we will look at how identity can construct walls literally and figuratively. From the writers and artists who have occupied these places and who have claimed that their experiences in these places formed their identities, you will gain a greater understanding of the power of place. As you respond to their works—their poems, essays, short stories, and visual art—you will hone your research skills, refine your writing style, and develop rhetorical and analytical skills.

RHET 102 03 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Celeste, Mark | MW 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Morton Hall 224
This semester we will learn how to effectively summarize, evaluate, and synthesize multiple sources in order to develop a critical perspective and advance a thesis of our own. Through multiple writing assignments we will learn to approach writing as a process: i.e., research and invention, drafting, peer review, and revision and editing. Along the way, we will learn concepts and guidelines for rhetorical appeals, argument and counter-argument, organization and paragraphing, research and citation, and style.

Building upon the skills of RHET101, RHET102 will focus on three main areas: (1) skills and processes for writing research papers, (2) principles and practices of academic citation, and (3) guidelines and heuristics for style. The skills and strategies we learn and practice in RHET102 will also help prepare us for the Rhetoric Proficiency Examination.

Our theme for the semester is “digital divides”: through our reading and writing we will enter into urgent debates about the relationship between technology and society. As humans and machines communicate with increasing speed, frequency, and (in some cases) fidelity, how has that networked transfer of information reshaped our world? We will grapple with topics such as the role of digital currency, the bias of algorithms, the cognitive impact of search engines, the right to digital privacy, the autonomy of online content creators, and more.

RHET 102 04 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Celeste, Mark | MW 2:30 PM-3:50 PM; Morton Hall 224
This semester we will learn how to effectively summarize, evaluate, and synthesize multiple sources in order to develop a critical perspective and advance a thesis of our own. Through multiple writing assignments we will learn to approach writing as a process: i.e., research and invention, drafting, peer review, and revision and editing. Along the way, we will learn concepts and guidelines for rhetorical appeals, argument and counter-argument, organization and paragraphing, research and citation, and style.

RHET 102 05 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Williams, Allyson | TR 2:00 PM-3:20 PM; Morton Hall 320
Place, Conflict and Identity
In this course we will explore the relationship between place and identity, a relationship that one might describe as symbiotic: sometimes place and identity prove mutually beneficial; other times the two struggle against one another as in a competition. We will begin our study with that place we each call home, looking at its influence on the formation of our identity. Leaving home behind, we will venture to places both near—a city center and a countryside—and far—divided places of the past and today, in particular, Palestine and Israel, Northern Ireland, East and West Germany. In such places we will look at how identity can construct walls literally and figuratively. From the writers and artists who have occupied these places and who have claimed that their experiences in these places formed their identities, you will gain a greater understanding of the power of place. As you respond to their works—their poems, essays, short stories, and visual art—you will hone your research skills, refine your writing style, and develop rhetorical and analytical skills.

RHET 102 06 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Euteneuer, Jacob | TR 8:30 AM-9:50 AM; Pannill Center 106
Play and Games, Writing and Research
Can writing be fun? Could you turn your research into a game? One area of our life that modern technology has greatly expanded is our capacity to play games with anyone, anywhere. In this class, students will take a critical look at games and play, analyzing how digital games are made, who plays them, what stories they tell, and what makes the medium of games unique. Building off the skills learned in RHET 101, students will perform rhetorical analysis, exercises in style, and academic research into how games depict, critique, and reinforce ideals related to race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. Students will research a topic for a semester-long project culminating in a research paper and playable, text-based game. Ultimately, students will gain the ability to effectively integrate and cite research to craft persuasive and expressive arguments.

RHET 102 07 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Conceatu, Marius | TR 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Morton Hall 113
“Be yourself!” they say. But how will I know how to do that when I have trouble being with or by myself? Some need to be around people and noise in order to avoid confronting their thoughts, fears, doubts, and other emotions. For others, true creativity and productivity are possible only in solitude. Being alone and liking it is often considered extreme behavior. Those who like being by themselves can be misunderstood, since license for aloneness is reserved for geniuses, eccentrics, and hermits. During a pandemic that has forced us to limit our physical interactions or even isolate from others, let us reexamine what thinkers, authors, and artists have pondered for a long time: the benefits and inconveniences of being alone. Through a variety of fiction and non-fiction pieces, we will gain an understanding of other authors’ experience of loneliness, aloneness, solitude—and of the differences between these states—and discuss how these authors write about themselves. Building upon the bases laid by Rhetoric 101, the course continues to help you develop well-argued essays, conduct research, and hone your own personal style through the study and practice of rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices.

RHET 102 08 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Davis, Evan R. | TR 2:00 PM-3:20 PM; Morton Hall 113
AI and Creativity
“As artificial intelligence (AI) technology continues to develop, so too do the ethical implications of its use. This course explores the ethical implications of AI-created images and text, such as the Dall-E app that creates images from textual descriptions. We will consider the impact of AI on society and the individual, and debate the morality of creating AI-generated images and text. Is it ethical to create images of things that don’t exist? What are the implications of creating artificial intelligence that can generate its own images and text? As we explore these questions, we will also consider the impact of AI on the creative arts, and whether AI-generated images and text can be considered art in their own right.”

RHET 102 09 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Gleason, Sean | TR 2:00 PM-3:20 PM; Pannill Center 105
In this course students learn and practice the skills they need to write well. The course emphasizes reading, clear thinking, composing, revising, and editing, and in the process prepares students for other courses that demand careful reading, thinking, and writing. The course also provides a foundation of skills necessary to pass the Rhetoric Proficiency Examination. Prerequisite: for Rhetoric 101, none; for Rhetoric 102, Rhetoric 101 or consent of the Director.

RHET 102 10 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Rouse, Miranda | TR 10:00 AM-11:20 AM; Johns Auditorium 207

In this course students learn and practice the skills they need to write well. The course emphasizes reading, clear thinking, composing, revising, and editing, and in the process prepares students for other courses that demand careful reading, thinking, and writing. The course also provides a foundation of skills necessary to pass the Rhetoric Proficiency Examination. Prerequisite: for Rhetoric 101, none; for Rhetoric 102, Rhetoric 101 or consent of the Director.

RHET 102 11 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Buckley, Emmett | MWF 9:30 AM-10:20 AM; Wilson Center 201

In Rhetoric 102, we will build on the foundation established in Rhetoric 101 and continue developing a sense of our own writing styles. We will work on documenting our sources clearly and communicating persuasively in researched essays. In this course, we will examine writing (along with other media) that is concerned with the natural world. We will examine the work of artists, scientists, journalists, essayists, nature documentarians, and climate activists. What kinds of arguments do they make, and how can we respond to them? How do different ideas about nature lead to different arguments about how people should interact with it? We will spend time considering these questions and more, all while managing information with a developing sense of rhetorical style.

RHET 102 12 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Malyszek, Chelsie | MWF 10:30 AM-11:20 AM; Pannill Center 105
The Seasons
This course will bring you all four seasons in one semester. While we will necessarily start with winter, we will focus too on spring, summer, and fall. We will read essays and short stories about the seasons, and even experience seasons through music and visual art. We will explore not only how the seasons transform our literal surroundings, but also how they inspire us to notice details, look for signs of change, and celebrate time passing. As we watch the seasons turn, you will turn into a seasoned writer by developing your skills in writing researched essays and by refining your writing style. Each week, we will focus on new tools to refine this style—tools like sentence rhythm, emphasis, and variety; proper research and citation, using the logic of persuasion, and finding the right words.

RHET 102 13 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Williams, Allyson | MW 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Morton Hall 320
Place, Conflict and Identity
In this course we will explore the relationship between place and identity, a relationship that one might describe as symbiotic: sometimes place and identity prove mutually beneficial; other times the two struggle against one another as in a competition. We will begin our study with that place we each call home, looking at its influence on the formation of our identity. Leaving home behind, we will venture to places both near—a city center and a countryside—and far—divided places of the past and today, in particular, Palestine and Israel, Northern Ireland, East and West Germany. In such places we will look at how identity can construct walls literally and figuratively. From the writers and artists who have occupied these places and who have claimed that their experiences in these places formed their identities, you will gain a greater understanding of the power of place. As you respond to their works—their poems, essays, short stories, and visual art—you will hone your research skills, refine your writing style, and develop rhetorical and analytical skills.

RHET 102 14 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Buckley, Emmett | MWF 10:30 AM-11:20 AM; Wilson Center 201
In Rhetoric 102, we will build on the foundation established in Rhetoric 101 and continue developing a sense of our own writing styles. We will work on documenting our sources clearly and communicating persuasively in researched essays. In this course, we will examine writing (along with other media) that is concerned with the natural world. We will examine the work of artists, scientists, journalists, essayists, nature documentarians, and climate activists. What kinds of arguments do they make, and how can we respond to them? How do different ideas about nature lead to different arguments about how people should interact with it? We will spend time considering these questions and more, all while managing information with a developing sense of rhetorical style.

RHET 102 15 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Buckley, Emmett | MWF 11:30 AM-12:20 PM; Wilson Center 201
In Rhetoric 102, we will build on the foundation established in Rhetoric 101 and continue developing a sense of our own writing styles. We will work on documenting our sources clearly and communicating persuasively in researched essays. In this course, we will examine writing (along with other media) that is concerned with the natural world. We will examine the work of artists, scientists, journalists, essayists, nature documentarians, and climate activists. What kinds of arguments do they make, and how can we respond to them? How do different ideas about nature lead to different arguments about how people should interact with it? We will spend time considering these questions and more, all while managing information with a developing sense of rhetorical style.

RHET 102 16 Principles/Practice of Good Writing
Buckley, Emmett | MWF 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Wilson Center 201
In Rhetoric 102, we will build on the foundation established in Rhetoric 101 and continue developing a sense of our own writing styles. We will work on documenting our sources clearly and communicating persuasively in researched essays. In this course, we will examine writing (along with other media) that is concerned with the natural world. We will examine the work of artists, scientists, journalists, essayists, nature documentarians, and climate activists. What kinds of arguments do they make, and how can we respond to them? How do different ideas about nature lead to different arguments about how people should interact with it? We will spend time considering these questions and more, all while managing information with a developing sense of rhetorical style.

RHETORIC MINOR COURSES IN ADDITION TO 102

RHET 210 01 Public Speaking
Deal, Claire | TR 10:00 AM-11:20 AM; Pannill Center 105
A good person is a good citizen, and a good citizen is an ethical, confident speaker. Rhetoric 210 introduces students to the art of public speaking and civil discourse. Emphasis is placed on crafting intelligent and compelling arguments that unite, rather than divide, an audience. Over the course of the semester students deliver informative and persuasive speeches that incorporate foundational rhetorical techniques, theories, and figures of speech. In addition, students critique their own work and the work of their peers. Students’ final grades in the course reflect both oral and written work.

At the completion of the course, students should be able to:

demonstrate a working knowledge of the rhetorical principles of invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery
demonstrate an awareness of audience and occasion in speech preparation and delivery
incorporate the principles of invitational rhetoric in presentations and class discussions
develop a topic fully and effectively, using various types of research to support claims
employ appropriate use of eye contact, gestures, and vocal expression when speaking
critically review their own and their classmates' speeches
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening
use professional, gender-neutral, and inclusive language in interpersonal, small group, and public communication settings
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening

RHET 210 02 Public Speaking
Gleason, Sean | TR 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Pannill Center 105
A good person is a good citizen, and a good citizen is an ethical, confident speaker. Rhetoric 210 introduces students to the art of public speaking and civil discourse. Emphasis is placed on crafting intelligent and compelling arguments that unite, rather than divide, an audience. Over the course of the semester students deliver informative and persuasive speeches that incorporate foundational rhetorical techniques, theories, and figures of speech. In addition, students critique their own work and the work of their peers. Students’ final grades in the course reflect both oral and written work.

At the completion of the course, students should be able to:

demonstrate a working knowledge of the rhetorical principles of invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery
demonstrate an awareness of audience and occasion in speech preparation and delivery
incorporate the principles of invitational rhetoric in presentations and class discussions
develop a topic fully and effectively, using various types of research to support claims
employ appropriate use of eye contact, gestures, and vocal expression when speaking
critically review their own and their classmates' speeches
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening
use professional, gender-neutral, and inclusive language in interpersonal, small group, and public communication settings
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening

RHET 210 03 Public Speaking
Rouse, Miranda | MW 2:30 PM-3:50 PM; Pannill Center 105
A good person is a good citizen, and a good citizen is an ethical, confident speaker. Rhetoric 210 introduces students to the art of public speaking and civil discourse. Emphasis is placed on crafting intelligent and compelling arguments that unite, rather than divide, an audience. Over the course of the semester students deliver informative and persuasive speeches that incorporate foundational rhetorical techniques, theories, and figures of speech. In addition, students critique their own work and the work of their peers. Students’ final grades in the course reflect both oral and written work.

At the completion of the course, students should be able to:

demonstrate a working knowledge of the rhetorical principles of invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery
demonstrate an awareness of audience and occasion in speech preparation and delivery
incorporate the principles of invitational rhetoric in presentations and class discussions
develop a topic fully and effectively, using various types of research to support claims
employ appropriate use of eye contact, gestures, and vocal expression when speaking
critically review their own and their classmates' speeches
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening
use professional, gender-neutral, and inclusive language in interpersonal, small group, and public communication settings
analyze and respond to live and recorded speeches
employ methods for reducing speech anxiety and techniques for improving listening

RHET 301 01 Creative Nonfiction
Malyszek, Chelsie | MW 12:30 PM-1:50 PM; Bortz - Cabell Room
This course is a combination of workshop and seminar that will help students refine their writing skills while learning about various nonfiction genres. In addition to composing their own original nonfiction pieces, students will also read and analyze a sampling of so called “creative nonfiction” in order to discover how one writes most effectively about complex issues and how writers develop a personal style and voice.

RHET 310 01 Advanced Public Speaking
Deal, Claire | TR 8:30 AM-9:50 AM; Pannill Center 105
This course, which builds on the foundations students acquire in Rhetoric 210, further develops students’ ability to engage thoughtfully and persuasively in public discourse by crafting and delivering persuasive arguments geared to specific audiences and occasions. Through extensive study of both classical and contemporary rhetorical techniques and theories, students learn to analyze rhetorical situations; to evaluate and incorporate evidence; to recognize and avoid fallacies in reasoning; to use inclusive, evocative, and effective language; and to deliver challenging arguments with conviction. The presentation of an argument in a public forum outside of the classroom is an integral component of the course. Prerequisite: Rhetoric 210.

RHET 360 01 Topics in Rhetorical Traditions
Florczyk, Steven | MWF 10:30 AM-11:20 AM; Pannill Center 107
American Rhetoric
What is an American, and why would anyone want to be one? In this course, students will consider various representations of the American character. In what ways has this idea encompassed notions both appealing as well as disagreeable? To what extent has it inspired diversity while also suggesting uniformity? What are we to make of explanations of American identity seemingly at odds with each other? Are Americans content oxymorons, as Walt Whitman suggests: “Do I contradict myself? / Very well then, I contradict myself”? Through written and oral analysis and interpretation of rhetorical strategies employed to represent the American persona, students will explore how influential figures have shaped this concept over time, from the colonial period to the present, as well as across social boundaries, including race, class, and gender.

RHET 370 01 Rhetoric and Culture
Euteneuer, Jacob | TR 10:00 AM-11:20 AM; Pannill Center 106
Games and Their Makers
In today's world, more people than ever have the opportunity to create and distribute content, art, and arguments. At the same time, we spend more time, money, and energy playing games than ever before. This class takes a dual approach to understanding how people make these persuasive objects and how people perceive them. First, it looks at the tools and contexts of making games and toys. Then, we will analyze how the limitations and the opportunities of the tools affect the process of making—who gets to make things, what people decide to make, and how people find and discover these things. Having both of these in hand, this class examines how play and games have shaped our culture and where things might go from here. Students in this course can expect to develop proficiency in several new digital tools and produce essays, projects and games detailing how those tools can be used to change how we see and think about the world.

RHET 481 01 Capstone for Rhetoric Minors
Euteneuer, Jacob | W 8:30 AM-9:20 AM; Pannill Center 105

RHETORIC 481. (1) CAPSTONE FOR RHETORIC MINORS. This course is required for students seeking to complete a minor in Rhetoric; students must enroll in Rhetoric 481 during the fall or spring semester of their senior year. Students read about and discuss argument and persuasions and attend and evaluate events sponsored by the Rhetoric program (or other departments or programs) that focus on the act of writing or speaking in the public square. During the semester, students demonstrate their own rhetorical skills by writing essays and by giving a speech in a public forum. This class enrolls only seniors who have declared a Rhetoric minor. Offered each semester.