ENG 218 – PERSUASIVE WRITING: COURSE SYLLABUS

“Persuasion is often more effectual than force”

-Aesop

 

Instructor: Colin M. Griffin

M/W/F: 2-250, B Building Room 108

Office Hours: M 10-12 & W/Th 12-1:30

Telephone: 1(234) 567-8901

 

Course Description & Goals

This course aims to examine how various texts can (and do) influence audiences to think and act in certain ways. Samples of texts covered in this course include commercial and political advertising, film documentaries, historical speeches and war propaganda. Students can expect to analyze existing texts in said categories, as well as to create and discuss their own. Students will engage with research as they uncover how the contexts of time, audience, genre, and others affect persuasive capacity. While the core course projects are mainly written essays, students should also expect to periodically display what they are learning through visual, oral, and tactile compositions.

 

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

• compose developed, cohesive and logical argumentation in a variety of media
• analyze the persuasive tactics employed in historical and contemporary texts
• critically consider how their individual opinions are formed and influenced
• apply their knowledge of persuasion and persuasive writing to relevant real-world contexts
• display in their compositions an awareness of contemporary conversations of ethics and social justice

 

Required Texts*

Rogers, William. Persuasion: Messages, Receivers, and Contexts. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print.

 

*Supplemental texts will be made available by the instructor as needed

 

Grading Breakdown

Advertisement Analysis: 20%

Political Analysis: 20%

Propaganda Analysis: 20%

Collaborative Debate: 10%

Semester Evaluation: 20%

Class Citizenship: 10%

A 90-100 B 80-89 C 70-79 D 60-69 F Below 60

 

Project Descriptions*

*These descriptions are brief representations of course projects. More detailed explanations will be provided as we begin to work on each assignment

**Detailed weekly schedules will be provided by the instructor. These schedules, much like this syllabus, are tentative and may be adapted to meet student need. These schedules will be distributed at the beginning of each unit (four-week block) and will cover the course of that unit.

 

Advertisement Analysis (20%)

For this assignment, students will compose 750-1000 word analyses of a visual commercial advertisement of their choosing (print or digital). These analyses should clearly state the purpose of the advertisement, and discuss what/how persuasive tactics are being used to accomplish that purpose. Students are always encouraged to comment on the effectiveness of the tactics used, and may elect to propose and justify alternative means of persuasion that they feel would be more effectual. A more detailed assignment sheet will be provided.

 

Political Analysis (20%)

For this assignment, students will select a recent (10 years old or less) pre-election campaign advertisement or debate and compose a 1000-1250 word analysis. Students will be expected to research the candidate(s) and the historical contexts surrounding the period in question. Students will consider the key issues being presented, and how the ways in which they are addressed attempt to impact perception of the candidate. Students are always encouraged to comment on the effectiveness of the tactics used, and may elect to propose and justify alternative means of persuasion that they feel would be more effectual. A more detailed assignment sheet will be provided.

 

Propaganda Analysis (20%)

For this assignment, students will use research and course readings to analyze one of three (3) well-known propaganda artifacts from American history. These analyses will be +/- 1500 words and will assess the message the artifact conveys/how it elects to convey that message. Students will pay special attention to intended audience and historical/cultural influence. Students are always encouraged to comment on the effectiveness of the tactics used, and may elect to propose and justify alternative means of persuasion that they feel would be more effectual. A more detailed assignment sheet will be provided.

 

Collaborative Debate (10%)

One week of class (three class meetings) will be dedicated to the facilitation of collaborative debates. Students will be divided into groups, and will work together to argue their stance against opposing viewpoints. Groups will be assigned one week prior to debate week, and students are encouraged to use that time conducting research and organizing their thoughts. Students are also expected to include at least one visual aid of their choosing to supplement their spoken claims. The instructor will provide more detailed information.

 

Semester Evaluation (20%)

At the end of the semester, students will compose a text (in a media of their choosing) that aims to persuade their instructor as to what grade they deserve for the course. Students will justify their proposed grade by discussing what they have learned throughout the semester and how their past works express that. Proposals for media choices must be submitted to the instructor two (2) weeks prior to the last day of class. Written submissions will be no less than 1500 words. Length equivalency in regards to other media choices will be determined through conversation between the student and the instructor. A more detailed assignment sheet will be provided.

 

 

Keep in mind that late work (without proper documentation) will not be accepted. Projects will be due by the start of class on the date indicated on your weekly schedule, unless otherwise noted by the instructor.

 

Attendance Policy

This class requires that everyone be present and actively engaged for it to run efficiently. If voices are missing from the discussion, it limits our ability to engage with new and differing perspectives. Subsequently, students are expected to attend all scheduled class meetings. Students who miss more than four (4) class meetings will lose 10 class citizenship points for each exceeding absence. Keep in mind that this category is 10% of the overall grade. Should you need to miss a class meeting, please inform your instructor ahead of time so that you can be provided with any materials/updates that you would otherwise miss.

E-mail Policy

I will only engage in e-mail communications from University email addresses. PLEASE do not send me e-mails from Yahoo, Gmail, or equivalent account providers. Please allow me 24 hours to respond to e-mail messages. I WILL NOT respond to e-mail received after 5pm on Friday afternoons until 8am the following Monday.

I am your instructor. Please refrain from the use of “text-speak” in e-mail communications with me. This helps to ensure that messages are clearly conveyed and that all involved parties stay on the same page.

I advise you to check your email at least twice a day to ensure that you stay current with any updates that concern this course. “I didn’t get the e-mail” is not a legitimate excuse.

Technology Policy

Modern advances in digital technologies greatly enhance what we are able to accomplish in the classroom learning community. With this in mind, the use of technology for academic purposes is wholly permitted by this course. This DOES NOT mean that technology is needed for every aspect of this course. Non-academic use of technology, or use of technology when it is irrelevant to the tasks we are performing, is not permitted. If you are caught using technology irresponsibly in this course (i.e. texting, Facebook, etc.) you will lose all participation points for that course meeting. You may or may not be warned by your instructor when this occurs because, as adults, you are expected to be wholly aware of your behavior in the classroom. Some class activities may require the use of technology and, in these cases, you will be informed ahead of time. Provisions will be made to ensure equal accessibility in instances where use of technology is necessary.

Class Citizenship

Being engaged with this class does not simply mean attending; it means being a part of a developing and connected learning community that respectfully allows for the expression of opinions without fear of their reception. This classroom will ALWAYS be a safe space for student voices, and aggressive or discriminatory behavior will in NO WAY be tolerated. Violations will be taken seriously, and may result in removal from the course or other disciplinary action. Students are to respect the views of their peers regardless of differences of opinion, as considering the perspectives of others is a vital aspect of the learning process.

 

ADA Statement

(Insert University-specific ADA statement here)

 

Inclement Weather Statement

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