Rhetoric 102 Section 22: 12:30-1:50 p.m. MR Nursing 110

Prof. G. Steinberg Office: Bray 125A Office Phone: 771-2106 Office Hours: 11:00 a.m.-12:20 p.m. MR or by appointment E-mail: available through SOCS

TEXTBOOKS:
John D. Ramage and John C. Bean, Writing Arguments (4th ed.)
Gerald J. Schiffhorst and Donald Pharr, The Short Handbook for Writers (2nd ed.)
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION. The Rhetoric Program at The College of New Jersey consists of a two-course sequence designed to develop skills in writing, speaking, and listening; logic and critical thinking; and library research. The two courses are intended to support the college's comprehensive learning goals and outcomes, specifically those concerning effective communication. The courses are designed to teach students the effective communication skills they will need to succeed in college and beyond. The specific skills which the rhetoric program focuses upon are those directly related to the analysis and production of persuasive arguments, both written and oral.  This particular section is specifically for business majors and, as such, will often deal with business topics and focus on the basic conventions of business writing.
 

GOALS.  As my goals for this course, I want you

1. to perceive persuasion and argument primarily as a form of dialogue rather than as a form of debate or competition,
2. to improve your command of the basic conventions of business writing,
3. to develop a greater sense of responsibility for your own learning and work,
4. to develop your ability to read and listen critically and to write and speak clearly and effectively in standard English,
5. to develop your critical reasoning skills in the use of analogy, deduction, and induction,
6. to develop your ability to collect, analyze, and interpret information and to communicate the results to others, and
7. to develop your ability to make informed judgments concerning ethical values.

REQUIREMENTS.  This course consists of six graded assignments:

1. three argumentative essays (3-4 typewritten pages each),
2. a research paper (8-10 typewritten pages), and
3. two speeches (5-8 minutes each with at least one a "supported" presentation).

ATTENDANCE.  Regular attendance is a virtual necessity for successful completion of the work in this class. Class exercises and discussion constitute important, useful preparation for the course's graded assignments. If you miss a class, you will essentially lose out on that day's contribution to your preparation, since it is never really possible to reproduce or recapture the dynamics and flow of information for a missed class meeting (even if you get notes from someone). If, however, you positively must miss a class, I will expect you to find out what you missed and to come fully prepared -- without excuses -- to the next class meeting.
 

OFFICE HOURS.  My office is Bray 125A. My office hours this semester will be 11:00 a.m.-12:20 p.m. MR. If you cannot come to see me at those times, please feel free as needed to call my office (771-2106) or talk to me before or after class to arrange an appointment to see me at another time. You may also contact me by e-mail (through SOCS), or you may leave a message for me in my box at the English department offices (outside Bray 108).
 

ELECTRONIC RESOURCES.  An e-mail discussion list has been created for this course.  I may on occasion use this discussion list to send important announcements about class by e-mail.  You should therefore subscribe to the list and check your e-mail regularly for messages. To subscribe, send the message, "SUBSCRIBE FROSH-L your name" to listproc@list.TCNJ.EDU. After you have subscribed to the list, you will receive all messages sent to the list.  In addition, you may circulate messages to all the members of the list just by sending what you want to circulate to FROSH-L@list.TCNJ.EDU. (This is a great way to get in touch with your classmates, form writing groups, ask me or your classmates questions, and generally share information about class.)
 

COURSE SCHEDULE.  (This schedule is subject to revision at the discretion of the professor.)