FYW 101-B: Writing and Inquiry

University of Tampa
Department of English and Writing
Identity and Writing
Fall 2014
Jose A. Aparicio
Instructor Information
Office: N/A
Office Hours: Hours: By appointment only.
Email: japaricio@ut.edu
REQUIRED TEXTS AND SUPPLIES
-Harris, Muriel. The Prentice Hall Reference Guide, 8th edition.
-Will we use a combination of on-line sources, including, but not limited to:
Writing Commons, a free open text on-line: http://writingcommons.org/
-A notebook to take notes
-Loose-leaf paper to complete in-class writing
-Basic folderyou will be responsible for keeping and archiving all the graded work that is returned to you.
FYW 101 COURSE DESCRIPTION
Writing and Inquiry invites students to explore questions and think of themselves as writers, constructing
answers rhetorically in academic and community contexts. During the writing process, students will
consider their own and others perspectives on a variety of vital personal, historical, philosophical, and
social issues. Students will also practice appropriate use and critique of technology, using digital sources as
support for their arguments and grounds for further inquiry. In this seminar, students learn to craft and
pursue their inquiries as they engage in inventing, arranging, and revising their writing and presentations
both individually and collaboratively. Taking their experiences and their peers perspectives as credible
sources of knowledge, students will expand their inquiries beyond the personal into complex discussions in
academic, literary, and public textual forms. Students will also practice appropriate use and critique of
technology, using digital sources as support for their arguments and grounds for further inquiry. Students
must complete FYW 101 with a grade of C or better to register for AWR 201.
This course will focus on the intersection between writing and identity. Identity stems from the stories we
tell ourselves about ourselves, from the choices we make, including the rhetorical choices we make in
writing, through the consumer choices we make, the people we vote for, and we are also able to construct
identity through writing: what we chose to write about and how we chose to write about it. The way we
write and those choices we make are constantly changing and fluid, so we will re-visit this theme at the
end of the semester to come up with a workingbut not definitivedefinition of identity and the
manners in which narrative and text out in the world helps us understand our selves. We are living in an
era of constructed identities: the people we present ourselves as on social media outlets. Since identity is
such an important concept, I want the course to reflect a constant challenging of what identity means.
Writing and reading helps us build our identities, influencing what and how we think. An introductory
writing class will allow us to confront the beliefs we hold close because of identity. In other words much as
identity, the writing process of inventing, drafting, and revising represents our subject lives as we revise and
reconsider out positions and beliefs.
We will write four major essays in our course (each a thousand words in length): a critical reflection
essay, a textual analysis essay, a rhetorical analysis essay, and a civil/social engagement essay. We will
also have a final exam essay that will be written in class during the final exam period. Each of the essays

will constitute a course unit that will revolve around the process of inventing, arranging, revising, and
delivering the major essay, and each of the essays themselves will revolve around a topic that relates to
identity in some form or another. Thus, over the course of our semester you will get an opportunity to
reflect upon your own composing processes and to study strategies that will help to improve those
processes. With each course unit you will sharpen your understanding of the writing process and revise
your composing methods to make them more efficient and, hopefully, to understand yourself and your
place in the world better. Ultimately, this course will be about what good writing does: how it begins with
good reading; how it intersects with our contemporary moment and particular situation; how it brings
together a constellation of voices and texts in a complex and coherent way; and, finally, how that
constellation contributes to the formation of new constellations, conversations, texts.
FYW 101 COURSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
FYW 101 will
Guide students in the cultivation of rhetorical habits of mind that engage an ongoing inquiry into
the texts of their worlds.
Help students to articulate and organize their ideas clearly through discussion, oral presentation,
and writing.
Encourage analyses of a variety of visual and written genres and their rhetorical construction, as
well as the links between form and purpose, and invite critically reflective responses to the texts
students read and write.
Present the conventions of usage designed for different meanings and contexts.
Familiarize students with the processes of researching with integrity, evaluating sources, and
documentation Introduce students to the importance of technology literacy, enhancing their
continued use and evaluation of digital media.
Develop rhetorical analysis through peer review of student work.
Engage students in analysis, composing arguments, and other forms of academic and public
discourse.
Introduce multiple approaches to revision, and assist students in the development of productive
revision processes that work best for their purposes and learning styles.
Make the classroom relevant through student-centered research that promotes civic literacy and
social engagement both in and out of academia.
Foster aesthetic awareness and appreciation for nuances of language usage and the careful crafting
of eloquent written language.
Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of FYW 101, a student should
demonstrate rhetorical awareness including understanding of genre, purpose, audience;
demonstrate critical thinking through writing;
demonstrate an understanding of the multiple processes and strategies involved in writing,
including drafting and revising in response to feedback from other readers and writers;
demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and evaluate other writers texts;
offer useful, constructive feedback for the purposes of revision;
demonstrate the ability to identify, choose, and use effective writing techniques (e.g., summary,
narration, description, comparison) within specific contexts;
demonstrate attention to the conventions of standard written English and of academic prose;
demonstrate an understanding of the role of research in academic writing, including locating and
evaluating appropriate sources;
demonstrate the ability to integrate and appropriately document outside sources in his or her

writing.
Attendance Policy
Attendance is mandatory. This class will not rely on lectures, which means you need to participate in
classroom activities. Furthermore, you are required to be present a minimum of 80% of the time, which in a
class that meets twice a week such as this one, means you are allowed 4 absences before you will be unable
to pass the class (two tardies15 minutes late or morewill equal one absence). I cannot stress this
enough: YOU WILL FAIL THE COURSE IF YOU MISS 5 (FIVE) DAYS.
You will be responsible for making up work; I will not e-mail you to remind you, or see to it that you
make up any missed quizzes, response notes, or essays. You are responsible for following the schedule
and making up whatever you miss in class, and you will have to let me know (through e-mail) that
you have made up the late assignment.
Students who anticipate the necessity of being absent from class due to the observation of a major religious
observance must provide notice of the date(s) to the instructor, in writing, by the second-class meeting.
Should an examination or the due date for an assignment fall on one of these dates, YOU will make
arrangements with me for a make-up exam or an alternate date for submission of written work. Aside from
these extenuating circumstances, I do not make a distinction between excused and unexcused absences.
You are allowed to miss four days for whatever reason you want without having to explain it to me,
but if you are not here, then you are not learning.
OTHER FYW 101 COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Course Interruption Notification
In case of any adverse condition or situation that could interrupt the schedule of classes, each student is
asked to access the University of Tampa homepage (www.ut.edu) for information about the status of the
campus and class meetings. In addition, please refer to your class Blackboard page (ut.blackboard.edu) for
announcements regarding assignments. You are responsible for accessing this information.
ADA Compliance
If there is any student who has special needs because of a disability, please go directly to the Academic
Center for Excellence in North Walker Hall. You may phone 813-258-7251, or e-mail jdelvalle@ut.edu to
report your needs and provide documentation of your disability for certification. Jennifer Del Valle is the
associate director of the Academic Center for Excellence, Student Disability Services. Please feel free to
discuss this issue with me in private if you need more information.
Academic Integrity and the Question of Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs when a person represents someone elses words, ideas, phrases, sentences, or data as
ones own work. When submitting work that includes someone elses words, ideas, syntax, data or
organizational patterns, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate
and specific references. All verbatim statements must be appropriately acknowledged. To avoid a charge of
plagiarism, a person should be sure to include an acknowledgment of indebtedness and reference to these
sources directly in the text clearly associated with the material being cited and in a bibliography or works
cited page (this policy does not apply to a works consulted list where the source might not have been
incorporated into the students text). Plagiarism can be said to have occurred without any affirmative
showing that a students use of anothers work was intentional. Please review the full Academic
Integrity Policy at http://www.ut.edu/provost/.
If an essay is plagiarized, it will receive an F and depending on the severity of the offense, you could fail
the course and be referred to the Provost office for further disciplinary action.

GRADING POLICY
The course has four unit essays, and each one counts for 150 points total. Included in that 150 points are
drafts (50 points); additionally, short papers and discussion post (worth 200 points in total) will build
toward your larger unit essay and developing writing and thinking skills. Drafts will count for 50 points,
and final drafts will account for the other 100 points for each unit essay. The course will also require
numerous informal writing assignments, for example in-class invention exercises, like freewriting, online
writing work, like Discussion Board postings, and editorial responses to work from your peers. Also, the
course will include a final exam, which is an essay written in class during the final exam period. Students
compose, write, and edit an essay based on one of four questions designed by instructors and distributed
ahead of time. The final will count for 100 points of your total grade. Here is the breakdown:
You will be graded on a point system where you earn points towards your grade. At the end of the term, all
points in the course (1,000 points total) will be added up and grades will be distributed as follows: A+ (9601000), A (930-959), A- (900-929), B+ (860-899), B (830-859), B- (800-829), C+ (760- 799), C (730-759),
C- (700-729), D+ (660-699), D (630-659), D- (600-629), F (599 and below).
Unit 1:Narrative Essay (Draft 50+Final 100)................................
Unit 2: Textual Analysis (Draft+Final)..........................................
Unit 3: Rhetorical Analysis (Draft+Final).....................................
Unit 4: Researched Argument (Proposal+ Final).. .
Discussion Post.......
Final Exam......
Participation..................................................................................
Total.......

150 points
150 points
150 points
150 points
200 points
100 points
100 points
1000 points

LATE WORK:
Late work will be accepted but will suffer consequences. For the major assignments, your essay will
suffer a 10- point loss for every DAY it is late. If the essay is due Monday morning, it will lose 10 points
for every day that it is late so that if you turn it in on Thursday, you lose ten points for Tuesday and ten
points for Wednesday and your grade will drop 20 points.
Discussion posts, since they are so short, will get half credit for being late and will not be accepted after
two weeks.
PARTICIPATION (100 POINTS)
This class is yours, and your class will grow out of your own experiences with identity/subjectivity and with
how experiences have helped shape your lives; therefore, this class requires that you participate in sharing
your thoughts and ideas. If everyone is prepared for class, then we can have a classroom environment in
which all students feel free to say what they think, ask questions, object, criticize, request clarification,
return to previous subject matter, respond to someone else's response, etc. In order to foster this safe and
encouraging space for all of us to discuss what we read, write, and think, I ask that everyone put his/her
phone on silent and away and not fiddle with it during class. If phone use, checking e-mail, or other
distractions become a problem, then I reserve the right to have your lack of attention reflect your grade. I,
furthermore, reserve the right to deduct participation points if you are generally not paying attention,
participating, or not actively involved in class room activity.
Students who are clinically shy, or those whose best, most pressing questions and comments occur to them
only in private or outside of class, should do their discussing with me outside of class during office hours
through an appointment. Your ideas are goodtrust me. Dont be afraid to voice them or to use class

discussion to think out ideas. Dont be afraid to ask the class questionsquestions are always welcomed
since they usually spark great discussions.
In participation, as in the class as a whole, I follow David Foster Wallace, who says This [participating in
class in a respectful manner] does not mean we have to sit around smiling sweetly at one another for [four]
hours a week. In class you are invited (more like urged) to disagree with one another and with meand I
get to disagree with youprovided we are all respectful of each other and not snide, savage or abusive.
In other words, this class is not just a Find-Out-What-The-Teacher-Thinks-And-Regurgitate-It-Back-at-Him
course. Its not like math or physicsthere are no right or wrong answers (though there are interesting
versus dull, fertile versus barren, plausible versus whacko answers).
You are encouraged to engage the material in a critical, thoughtful manner and to consider all sides of a
reading. When I disagree with you, I might be playing devils advocate and disagree just to engage in a
Platonic dialogue in order to get you to think about your stance and come up with a more critical approach,
or I might genuinely disagreethe outcome to my pushing back on your comments are the same: I want
you to think critically and creatively about the works we read and about your approach to problems. Im
not here to give you answers; Im here to show you how to find your own. Therefore, dont take my
challenge personal but take it as a challenge for your thinking to grow.
Students will be evaluated over the course of the semester. At the end of the semester, the evaluations and
the overall performance are considered in terms of improvement or change.
Here is a very general idea of a range of performance evaluations:
C-/C: Student contributes (rarely), but comments show weak or no preparation or understanding of topic
C+/B-/B: Comments show satisfactory or adequate preparation and understanding
B+/A-: Comments show above-average ability to prepare, comprehend; comments are critical or
informative; comments are pertinent to the topic or advance the topic
A/A+: Comments significantly enhance or advance the topic of discussion
Don't hold back if you have something to offer or ask; active participation is desirable.
Good or excellent contributions are clear, pertinent, coherent, well-phrased, interesting, informative, or
connect or advance ideas expressed by others, or pose thoughtful or insightful questions.
Good contributions usually reveal that the student is engaged in the subject (beyond basically reading the
assignment) and has devoted some reflection or even investigation prior to the class discussion.
Showing appreciation and respect for peers is part of participating well and contributing to a supportive
academic setting.
Improvement: students showing marked change in performance will see that reflected in the final grade.
Thus, careful preparation, regular attendance, and participation are essential to success in this course.
Attendance/participation not only counts for 15% of your final grade, but also enhances all other grade
components.
Essays:
Papers are due at the beginning of class on the due date; they are to be submitted as an electronic text (as
an MS WORD document.doc or .docxonly) to Blackboard. No hard copies are required.
Late submissions of assignments will suffer a ten-point deduction for every class period they are late.
Students will receive my comments on a rough draft of at least 800 words. Using those comments,
students will revise the paper and submit a final draft of at least 1,000- 1,500 words. You will use MLAstyle documentation and formatting in your papers. Take the time to proofread your papers, and feel
free to come and show me rough drafts.
Communication:

If you are not clear about an assignment or have any concerns about the class, please feel free to contact
me. The best way to contact me is through e-mail. You need to make an appointment since I dont have
an office. I will make the time, however, so that you can come see me, and I will help you in any way I
can or direct you to someone who can help. I will try to be in class at least 20 minutes early, so you can
use that time to talk to me too. We can discuss the stuff we are reading, your paper, or anything else you
feel will be helpful.
Also, remember that if you would like some extra help, not only am I available but you can also go to the
Writing Center located in the library. If your paper gets a C- or lower, then you HAVE to come see me so
that we can discuss ways to improve.
Additionally, I encourage you to go to the writing center:
Saunders Writing Center
The Saunders Writing Center provides free tutoring to all students interested in improving their writing
abilities. The Center tutors will assist you with all aspects of writing. For example, they will help you learn
to identify paper topics and generate ideas for them, plan and organize drafts, and rewrite and edit your
papers. The Centers purpose is not to correct or proofread final drafts for you, but to help you learn
strategies that good writers use during the process of writing. Examples of papers are on file in the Center
for students to consult.
Students may visit the Center, located in Plant Hall 323, for assistance with any writing project for any
class. Hours are posted on the door. You may make an appointment (call ext. 6244) or simply drop by.
Blackboard
This class will utilize blackboard for homework updates, discussion post, class announcements, and for
turning in major essays. You are required to use the University of Tampas e-mail given to you, and you
should be checking it often.
DISCUSSION BOARD:
The discussion board will be used for you to develop writing and to get you to begin thinking about the
major essays. I will grade the boards less for grammar and more for content. These assignments should be
used for brainstorming, organizing, free writing, outlining, and preparing to write the major essays. You
should expect to write at least one post a week, usually around 300 to 450 words, with some weeks more
than once a week, and other weeks fewer posts. You will always have at least 48 hours to complete a post.
UNIT ONE: NARRATIVE ESSAY:
Your first major writing assignment will be a literacy narrative. In the coming weeks, well read several
autobiographical narratives both in class and at home. Your literacy narrative will be autobiographical,
and the topic will be, as the name suggests, literacy. For many of us, literacy suggests reading and the
ability to read. Your literacy narratives can move beyond learning to read, however. Literacy encompasses
a wide variety of topics, including language, books, writing and reading. Your literacy narrative will tell
of your experiences as a writer and/or reader. Your goals here, as Franz Kafka said of literature, are to
entertain and inform your readers and also to think critically about the role that literacy plays in your life.
The bigger point of this essay is to have you reflect on whom you are. As Chuck Palahniuk says: Your
handwriting. The way you walk. Which china pattern you choose. Its all giving you away. Everything
you do shows your hand. Everything is a self-portrait. Everything is a diary. You should become
conscious of the identity you decide to build every day. Here are a few possible topics:

A specific moment where you realized the potential of literature, such as a story or author that
really made you feel something
Teaching someone else to read
A time when you became interested in a certain type of writing (science fiction, journalism or
poetry, for instance)
A teacher that influenced how you viewed literacy
How and why you started journaling or keeping a diary

Throughout your brainstorming, writing and revising process, keep in mind the elements of an
autobiographical narrative. Your literacy narrative should contain the following:
Descriptive and figurative language that gives the reader clear images of what you are writing
about
A plot-driven sequence of events connected over time
A relaxed, conversational writing style (This isnt a biology paper. This is you writing about
your own life.)
Tension created by the opposition of contraries
A description of how the events in your narrative made you the reader and writer that you are
today
A title
Complete sentences and correct grammar
Please keep in mind that I will not be the only one reading your essays. Since the initial drafts of this
assignment will receive in-class peer reviews on 9/10/2014, your audience will also be your classmates.
A final draft of your literacy narrative is due on 10/01/2014. Along with your final draft, you should turn
in your peer reviewed draft with annotations of why you did or did not take the peer review suggestions
into accout, and why or why not.
Requirements: All drafts and final essays must be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point
font. All margins should be one inch. Your final product should be 850-1,000 words in length. MLA style
should be used in this and all essays.
Important dates:
Sept. 08th Bring three copies of your first draft (at least 800 words) to class for peer review.
Sept. 10th Bring revised draft (to be emailed to instructor) to conference.
Sept. 22nd Final draft due to blackboard.
UNIT TWO: TEXTUAL ANALYSIS:
Each student will be required to write 1,000-1,500 word count paper, which analyzes and any works of
literature presented over the course of the semester. The paper requires the use of the secondary readings
we have covered in class for support, as well as at least two peer-reviewed source. (Total of at least three
sources for your essay, not counting the source text).
Students will write an essay exploring a social issue or cultural theme in two works of fiction, showing an
awareness of a possible range of interpretations. You are encouraged, but not required, to write on some
aspect of subjectivity or identity within the work of fiction you select (race, gender, class, etc.).The paper
must make appropriate use of relevant critical perspectives and formal literary terms. Students will
receive my comments on a rough draft of at least 850 words. Using those comments, students will revise

the paper and submit a final draft of at least 1,500 words. You will use MLA-style documentation and
formatting in your papers.
The following are stories that you can write on; some of these we will discuss in class; others will be
assigned as homework:
Sherwood Anderson Hands
Junot Diaz How to Date a Brown Girl, Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie
F. Scott Fitzgerald Babylon Revisited
Kate Chopin Desirees Baby or The Story of an Hour
Margaret Atwood Happy Endings
You will have to read and reread your chosen text to comprehend a meaning, and then go further to
make an interpretive claim about how that text creates meaning (presents race, gender, class, culture, etc).
To frame your claim, you will need to employ the close reading strategies we have been practicing in
class, and you will have to employ the same writing strategies of description, summary, and reflections
that you learned in the first essay. As a place to start, look for passages you find particularly puzzling or
disturbing: these complicated moments in the texts are the ones that usually have some important message
to display. You will then support your claim by citing textual evidence and independent analysis to show
how your claim is reflected in the narrative.
For this essay:
The student will write an analysis, which means that the text should be broken down into parts to see how
those parts work; for example, a mechanic takes an engine apart in order to see if all the parts are working
together correctly.
Keep in mind:
1. Plan, organize and compose narrative, expository, descriptive, persuasive, critical and research writing
to address a specific audience and purpose.
Elements of Composition
The student will engage in a writing process with attention to audience, organization, focus, quality of
ideas, and a purpose.
1. Generate, gather, and organize ideas for writing.
2. Develop a thesis and clear purpose for writing.
3. Make claims and use supporting details.
4. Arrange paragraphs into a logical progression.
5. Revise writing for clarity, coherence, smooth transitions and unity.
6. Apply available technology to develop, revise and edit writing.
8. Revise, edit and prepare final drafts for intended audiences and purposes.
C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage
Please keep in mind that I will not be the only one reading your essays. Since the initial drafts of this
assignment will receive in-class peer reviews on 10/01/2014, your audience will also be your classmates.
A final draft of your literary analysis is due on 10/15/2014. Along with your final draft, you should turn in
your peer reviewed draft with annotations of why you did or did not take the peer review suggestions into
account, and why or why not.

Requirements: All drafts and final essays must be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point
font. All margins should be one inch. Your final product should be 850-1,000 words in length. MLA style
should be used in this and all essays.
Important dates:
Oct. 1st Bring three copies of your first draft (at least 800 words) to class for peer review.
Oct. 6th Bring revised draft (to be emailed to instructor) to conference.
Oct. 15th Final draft due to blackboard.
UNIT THREE: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS:
Everyday you are bombarded with visual messages that try to convince you to form certain opinions. The
media knows the power of images in changing your mind, but are you aware of how these messages
function? Do you know how images are constructed to cause positive consumer response? Can you see
the hidden agenda in the form, style, and layout? One purpose of this unit is to increase your visual
literacy, that is, your ability to analyze images in order to understand their persuasive power (Ramage
et al. 203). By learning how to read the construction of an image, you will be better prepared to analyze
how people construct arguments in all formats.
Additionally, you will learn how to employ analytical and compositional strategies in your own texts to
create persuasive arguments by writing rhetorically, developing a clear and defensible thesis, supplying
strong supporting details, and employing effective appeals (e.g., logos, pathos, and ethos). Thus, you will
have the chance to analyze the elements of effective visual arguments and to strengthen your own writing
by learning the key elements of convincing analysis and argumentation. The final essay of this unit will
be to write a top-down thesis-driven, argumentative paper that analyzes a particular products
advertisement scheme. (Do not take a position, just present the strategies in place for each ad.)
Unit Objectives:
-

Students will be able to identify compositional techniques used to evoke desired responses from
viewers (camera angles, distances, text layout, color, etc.)
Students will be able to analyze visual messages to determine the rhetorical purposes of the
message
Students will gain an awareness of the various value systems that are hidden in visual messages
Students will be able to differentiate between topic-driven and thesis-driven writing
Students will learn about the relationship between analysis and argument in academic writing
Students will be able to produce a thesis-driven, argumentative essay analyzing an ad
Students will be able to develop a clear, defensible thesis and provide details supporting their
analysis
Students will be able to identify and employ effective appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos (chapter
four)
Students will be able to write and revise their own work, as well as respond critically in peer
reviews

Assignment: You will select an advertisement or speech and perform a detailed analysis. The
advertisements may be selected from newspapers, magazines, or any other print or on-line source. You
may want to select an advertisement that is provocative and evokes a number of questions in your mind
about its aim and assumptions.
Through your critical analysis of the advertisement, you will develop a thesis-driven, argumentative
essay. This essay is not solely a description of the advertisement and the techniques used to create it; it is

also an analysis of the advertisementthe ads purposeand your ability to support your claims.
(Youre going beyond the superficialbeyond the pretty pictures and colors, although they too play a
role. Think of the cultural implications of the adespecially the older ones. What stereotypes are being
perpetuated? Are the ads creating/recreating a role of a particular gender or people?) There are a number
of sources that will be helpful to you in completing this assignment successfully including:

This handout: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/725/

This clip on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vJvivIzkDg
The criteria for grading which follow

Criteria for Grading:

-

Your final analysis will be graded with the following questions in mind:

Does the author develop a clear, central thesis statement?

Is the essay driven by the thesis rather than the topic?
Does the author provide adequate evidence to support his or her argument?
Is the authors argument persuasive and show attempts to appeal to logos, pathos and ethos?
Does the author show awareness of the rhetorical aim of the ad?
Does the author use Standard Written English (mechanics/usage/MLA formatting)?

Length/Format: The essay must be 1,000-1,2000 words in length, double-spaced, 12-point font, with oneinch margins around. The format should follow all MLA writing conventions for paragraphing, citations,
etc. The final paper will be turned in on-line.
Further reading for this assignment:
Writing to Analyze: Rhetorical + Visual Analysis Assignment
The goal of a rhetorical and visual analysis is not to analyze what a writer is arguing about concerning an
issue, but to analyze how the writer and creator of the visual is presenting the argument. Youll do this by
analyzing the use of rhetorical strategies. Using a text or a visual argument or advertisement, you will
provide an objective analysis of the strengths and weaknesses in the presenters use of ethos, logos, and
pathos within his or her textual and visual argument(s).
Content/Subject: Your analysis will consist of examining the four rhetorical appeals of kairos, ethos,
logos, and pathos.
Ethos deals primarily with credibility (Think of ethics). You will want to examine the authors
reputation, authority, and/or expertise. These factors as well as the argument being made will either
improve or detract from the writers credibility.
Logos is concerned with the logic of the writers argument (Think of logic). In considering the writers
use of logos, you will analyze issues such as the quality and quantity of supporting evidence. You may
also want to consider any bias that the writer might have toward the subject and the effect of that bias
upon the argument being presented. Is the writers reasoning sound? Do you identify any logical
fallacies? In short, you will want to address any weaknesses and/or strengths in the logic of the argument.
Pathos deals with emotion (Think of too much pathos as pathetic). You should identify any attempts on
the part of the writer to evoke a particular emotion from the audience. Additionally, you will want to
consider whether or not appealing to emotion is an effective strategy for the argument being discussed.
Kairos: Read this link: http://writingcommons.org/open-text/information-literacy/rhetoricalanalysis/rhetorical-appeals/595-kairos

Remember: Audience is an extremely important consideration for the writer; therefore, you also want to
determine the intended audience, and explain how and why you came to that conclusion. And, again, you
are not developing an argument that advocates in favor of or against the writers position/issuerather
YOUR argument should comment on the effectiveness of the visual or make an argument that arises out
of a cultural lens.
Finally, youll want to consider how the text and visual work together using these questions and other
ideas you come up with.

Which is the predominant focus, the text or the visual?

Do they complement each other?
Does the visual add information that the text does not discuss?
How does the visual deepen understanding of the text?
Where is the visual placed in the text?
What would the text be like if the visual was missing?

Please keep in mind that I will not be the only one reading your essays. Since the initial drafts of this
assignment will receive in-class peer reviews on 10/29/2014, your audience will also be your classmates.
A final draft of your literary analysis is due on 11/10/2014. Along with your final draft, you should turn in
your peer reviewed draft with annotations of why you did or did not take the peer review suggestions into
account, and why or why not.
Requirements: All drafts and final essays must be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point
font. All margins should be one inch. Your final product should be 850-1,000 words in length. MLA style
should be used in this and all essays.
Important dates:
Oct. 29th Bring three copies of your first draft (at least 800 words) to class for peer review.
Nov. 3 Bring revised draft (to be emailed to instructor) to conference.
Nov. 10th Final draft due to blackboard.
UNIT FOUR: RESEARCH ARGUMENT:
For this essay, you will write a well-researched argument that takes a position on a controversial topic that
you chose, and I approve. Academic arguments are found in every discipline and in the workplace, if you
are an engineer, a business person, a scientist or another professional, you will be called upon to write
proposals, bids, ads, grants and other documents that make an argument in order to raise funds, win a
contract, get equipment for your laboratory, etc.. Merely picking a topic for this assignment illustrates the
topics important to you, revealing a bit of your identity.
Thesis Statement:
Your thesis statement should be centered on an argument and be clear, specific, and focused. You will
want to argue a point that is supportable but also is not something that everyone already agrees with. You
will want to be aware of the stakeholders in the argument. What is a stakeholder in any controversy? A
stakeholder can be identified as a group of people who stands to gain or profit from support of their
perspective, even if it is only in terms of status or achieving success in the debate. In your research, you
would need to find articles (both scholarly and mainstream press) that support or argue for AND against

your viewpoint and build a framework in your essay that supports your view and examines the counter
arguments brought by other stakeholders. Ideally, your argument will be sophisticated, in that it does not
just see two sides in black and white, but sees multiple opinions (or counter arguments), while firmly
supporting your own viewpoint.
Support or Evidence:
You will need to back up each claim you make within the argument. You will use your sources to build
credibility (ethos) and gain authority to speak as a writer on a particular topic. Your aim is to persuade
your audience, thus you must use credible sources to back up everything you say. You can use ethical,
emotional (ethos) appeals and your arguments should be logically organized and argued (Logos appeals).
Youll want to avoid logical fallacies within the argument. You will use both direct quotes, paraphrases
and will cite all your sources correctly in the text as well as prepare a Works Cited page to accompany the
essay.
Sources:
Your sources should be credible. You must cite at least four sources, at least two should come from
scholarly/peer-reviewed journals and the remaining should come from respected news sources. You
should show that you are able to evaluate credibility in the selection of your sources. Selected information
should always be relevant to the central argument as well as quoted or paraphrased correctly to support
each claim. They should also be well integrated into developed paragraphs and not just be dropped in but
contextualized.
Further reading on this assignment:
http://writingcommons.org/open-text/genres/academic-writing/arguments/182-classical-traditionalargument
Please keep in mind that I will not be the only one reading your essays. Since the initial drafts of this
assignment will receive in-class peer reviews on 11/17/2014, your audience will also be your classmates.
A final draft of your literary analysis is due on 12/03/2014. Along with your final draft, you should turn in
your peer reviewed draft with annotations of why you did or did not take the peer review suggestions into
account, and why or why not.
Requirements: All drafts and final essays must be typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point
font. All margins should be one inch. Your final product should be 850-1,000 words in length. MLA style
should be used in this and all essays.
Important dates:
Nov. 17th Bring three copies of your first draft (at least 800 words) to class for peer review.
Nov, 24th Bring revised draft (to be emailed to instructor) to conference.
Dec. 3rd Final draft due to blackboard.
FINAL EXAM:
TBA
COMMUNICATION:
If you are not clear about an assignment or have any concerns about the class, please feel free to contact me.
The best way to do so is through e-mail. Come see me, and I will help you in any way I can or direct you
to someone who can help. We can discuss the stuff we are reading, your paper, or anything else you feel

will be helpful. Additionally, you MUST use your official UT e-mail, and you MUST check Blackboard
daily. I didnt see it will not be accepted as an excuse.
Also, remember that if you would like some extra help, not only am I available but you can also go to the
Writing Center.
Saunders Writing Center:
The Saunders Writing Center provides free tutoring to all students interested in improving their writing
abilities. The Center tutors will assist with all aspects of writing. For example, they help students to
identify paper topics and generate ideas, plan and organize drafts, rewrite, and edit. The Centers purpose
is not to correct or proofread final drafts, but to aid in learning strategies that good writers use during the
process. The Center, in Plant Hall 323, is available for assistance with any writing project for any class.
Hours are posted. Students may make an appointment or simply drop by (ext. 6244).

SCHEDULE:
This schedule is a basic outline, which means it can change. You are responsible for checking your
e-mail and keeping an eye out for blackboard posted updates.
General Breakdown of Semester:
HOMEWORK: will be assigned on a weekly basis, so you will be responsible for checking
blackboard and keeping up with all reading and writing assignments posted.
Week One (8/25 8/27): Introduction to course, diagnostic essay, introduction to project one - Reflective
/Narrative Essay
Week Two (9/01 9/03): NO SCHOOL 9/01Labor Day.
Continue introduction to project one, find topic, and begin work on first draft
Week Three (9/08 9/10): Draft one due, peer review
Week Four (9/15 9/17): Return draft one, begin work on second draft, introduce project two Textual
Analysis, start reading short stories posted on-line
Week Five (9/22 9/24): Second draft of project one due, in class essay, continue introduction of
project two, discuss short story
Week Six (9/29/06 10/01): First draft of project two due, peer review
Week Seven (10/06 10/08): Return draft two start second draft
Week Eight (10/13 10/15): Final draft of project two due, introduce project three Analyzing Ads
Week Nine (10/20 10/22): Continue introduction to project three, work on first draft
Week Ten (10/27 10/29): First draft of project three due, peer review
Week Eleven (11/03 11/05):, discuss grammar presentations, introduce project four Social
Engagement

Week Twelve (11/10 11/12): Final draft of project three due Continue introduction to project four,
begin work on first draft, grammar presentations
Week Thirteen (11/17 11/19): Turn in first draft of project four,
Week Fourteen (11/24 11/26): Work on final draft of project four
Week Fifteen (12/01 12/03): Final project due, wrap up semester
Week Sixteen: Final Exam TBD.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11/13- Thursday:
In-class:
Review outline of Rogerian argument: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8XPRwI2odU
Review handouts.
Review sample essay: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/kosterj/archives/WRIT102/rogeriansample1.htm
Review a sources credibility:
http://library.ucsc.edu/help/research/evaluate-the-quality-and-credibility-of-your-sources
sample: http://faculty.winthrop.edu/kosterj/archives/WRIT102/rogeriansample1.htm
http://faculty.winthrop.edu/kosterj/archives/WRIT102/rogeriansample2.htm
Review concise writing: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/concise.htm
If time permits, we will conduct a mock Rogerian discussion and analyze the discussion.
Homework:
Read: Prentice Hall Reference Guide, Section Research (pages 331-395)
First read: http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/annotated-bibliographies/
And: http://guides.library.cornell.edu/criticallyanalyzing
And: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/1/
And: http://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography
Then: Bring three sources to next class
Bring the Prentice Hall Guide to next class (on Tuesday).

11/18- Tuesday:
In-Class:
Review the readings on creating an annotated bibliography
Write one in class using the sources you brought in.
Review Prentice Hall grammar (18b, page128- 19f, page 134)
Apply what you just learned to your annotated bibliography.
Write an annotated bibliography for your second source.
Review a different grammar/style problem (20a, page 134 20e, page141)
Revise your bibliography.
-Discuss the final.
Homework:
Write: Go to Blog post write a 400-word annotation of a source that you did not annotate in class.
Begin to outline your Rogerian argument.
If you have not already done so: Turn in the final draft of your Ad Analysis through blackboards turnitin
link.
Write a 850 word rough draft of the Rogerian argument
Bring The Prentice Hall Guide
11/20- Thursday
In-Class:
We will begin class with a writing prompt.
Review: Prentice Hall section 32 Style versus Grammar (page 203-222)
Homework:
Write rough draftE-Mail me (japaricio@mail.usf.edu) the rough draft by
Saturday, 11/22
11/25- Tuesday:
In-Class:
Peer Review
Homework:
Write: Final draft
11/27Thursday
-No Class: Thanksgiving!
--Keep writing and revising
12/2- Tuesday

In-Class:
Review Final
FINAL ESSAY DUE AS YOU WALK IN TO CLASS
12/4 Thursday:
Final!