ENGLISH 102Special Topics in Writing and

Speaking First Week Orientation

Course Objectives

• The overall goal of English 102 is to develop students‘ understanding of, and facility with practices of critical reading and writing in academic communities in a way that would enable them to deal with complex abstract notions, high level philosophical concepts, and sharpen their composition and rhetoric skills.

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Learn to develop original arguments (based on readings) for a range of academic purposes.

• Understand and respond appropriately to the critical elements that shape written

• communication situations, such as audience, purpose, and genre.• Demonstrate critical and evaluative thinking skills in locating, analyzing,

synthesizing, and using information in written communication.• Can effectively and critically speak about the opinions and ideas of

others using proper argumentation skills & persuasive skills • Practice and refine technical skills in areas such as grammar, mechanics,

and the documentation of source materials.• Can effectively moderate a class seminar using appropriate techniques

and strategies • Can actively participate in class seminars using discussion etiquette• Develop new vocabulary and word skills.• Expanded his/her grammar, syntax and sentence mechanics;• Expanded paragraph formulation to handle detailed analysis

Course Requirements and Grading Project 1: Analyzing ad campaigns (5%)• Project 2: Analyzing a literary text (10%)• Project 3: Annotated Bibliography (10%)

Project 4: Critical Research Essay (10%)• Self-evaluated presentation (10%)• In-Class Writing, Homework, and Quizzes (10%) • Weekly group presentation and discussion

facilitation (10%)• Daily Participation in group discussions (10%)• This is not a lecture course. It is expected that you will come to class ready to

discuss the assigned readings and will participate fully in any in-class activities.

• Final exam in writing & speaking: (20%)

What is Expected of students• Attendance and Participation• As this is a class based on seminar approach ,attendance

and active participation are crucial to passing this course.• Absence for personal reasons allowed is 4 times. Any

absence thereafter will result in a 3% deduction from your final class grade. If you manage to be absent no more than 3 times for the semester, it will be taken into consideration when issuing final grade and you’d be eligible for a grade boost

• 6 or more times of absence will result in failing the course.• Absence in the assigned days of class seminars counts as

double absence in addition to losing the class seminar points

• Being late for class more than 10 minutes will be considered as half absence .

• This is a highly collaborative course. There is an assigned reading and a group presentation every week.

• In case of missing a class, it is your responsibility to contact a classmate, and refer to the class mate to find out what you missed prior to the start of the next session.

Respect to class mates and instructor• Respect and Classroom Conduct:• It is a shared responsibility between

students and instructor to create a safe class room environment that is conducive to productive activity and thinking.

•  Disrespectful language of any kind either to class mates or instructor is absolutely unacceptable in this class and will not be tolerated.

• Showing respect to others’ opinions during seminars is mandatory

Plagiarism • Plagiarism and cheating are serious

matters. At minimum you will receive a ZERO for plagiarized work. Remember that lifting or cutting and pasting work from the Internet—even from unsigned sources or sites—constitutes plagiarism as much as does copying passages or essays from a published book or another student.

• ENG 102 student is expected to do all assignments in this class without cheating. Please do all your own work: it is the only way to improve your writing and critical thinking abilities.

Group work• Every week, a random group of students (assigned by the

teacher) will asked to collaborate together on a group presentation (based on an argumentative article)

• This will be a group effort, combining a presentation with leading class discussion. Y

• You will work in groups of three to prepare a presentation for the class that will involve leading your classmates in a discussion about the argument you have been assigned.

• Your classmates, then, are your audience, and they’ll be a knowledgeable audience, since they will have all read the article/ argument assigned for the week .

• Your group will be responsible for roughly 25 minutes of the class period. You will prepare a brief introduction, plan a set of discussion questions or interactive presentation that engages your classmates to respond, and (optional) provide a one-page hand-out that coordinates with your presentation .

• Or: Prepare an interactive PowerPoint presentation with the same introduction

Analyzing Ad campaigns assignment

Objective:• Identifying Propaganda Techniques in ads• Understanding and indentifying the logical appeals

(ethos, pathos, and logos) in print and video ads.• Presenting a critical response to the whole class

• For this assignment you will write a detailed rhetorical analysis on a single print or video advertisement selected from those on our course wiki or chosen freely from the internet. Then you’re requested to write a short critical analysis that addresses the following questions:

• • How does the advertisement attempt to persuade its

audience? Applying (ethos, pathos, logos appeals• What cultural assumptions are embedded in these

rhetorical techniques?

Responding critically to a literary text

•For this assignment, you are going to write an essay interpreting some aspect of a short story. Aim to convince readers that your understanding is insightful and can be supported by an imaginative reading of specific passages from the story.

•You are asked to write a critique on a short story because writing about literature will give you insight into both the ways writers use language and the ways readers interpret

meaning from language .• Suggested short stories:• O'Connor's “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” • Martin Amis, “The Last Days of Muhammad Atta” • Alice Walker “Roselily” :• Andre Dubus' “Killings”.

Writing analytical essayس

• The critical essay is an important academic tool that allows your knowledge to develop, because rather than being a personal opinion, the critical essay requires an in-depth analysis of a topic.

• A critical review of a text is a special type of critical essay where you analyse the fundamentals of a text and discuss and evaluate both the positive and negative features of it. In this assignment, you will apply the basic concept of the rhetorical situation.

Annotated Bibliography• Your annotated bibliography will help you

prepare to write your critical research essay. • To complete your annotated bibliography, you

will research and write about 6 sources that help you support a thesis text and to extend your knowledge of the rhetorical theory or practice you will investigate in your final essay. Your annotated bibliography should follow the example below. In each annotation you should (1) cite the text of your choice in perfect MLA format; (2) summarize the text or article; and (3) discuss how the text will help you to compose your reflective essay. students.

What is rhetoric?• Rhetoric is the Art of Persuasive

Language

• Writers and speakers use Rhetoric to convince readers and listeners to do something or to think something.

• Think of every time you want to get your way.  You are using rhetoric without knowing it!

Examples– When a lawyer tries to move a jury,

she is using rhetoric. – When a government produces

propaganda, it is using rhetoric.– When an advertisement tries to get

you to buy something, it is using rhetoric.

– When a scientist presents theories or results, she is using rhetoric.

– When you write your mom or dad an email, you are using rhetoric.

– When a teacher explains an abstract concept, he/she is using rhetoric

Introduction to persuasive appeals

• Watch this video • What do ethos, pathos, and logos

refer to?

Rhetorical TriangleWriter/SpeakerAppeal to Ethos

(Credibility of Writer)

Purpose/MessageAppeal to Logos

(Facts, Research, Data)

AudienceAppeal to Pathos

(Emotions, Beliefs, and Values)

Introduction to Rhetoric Class Activity (pair work)

• http://mrgunnar.net/files/Rhetoric%20-%20introduction%20activity.pdf