|
Leslie D. Hannah Department of English University of Oklahoma
|
| Home |
Unit One: The Audience is Listening Task Analysis: Three tasks are required for the successful completion of Unit One. First, students must fully understand the Rhetorical Triangle and its three elements, and demonstrate their understanding by way of various writings and in-class worksheets. Second, students must understand the Toulmin schema for argumentation. Students will understand enthymemes and how they are used to initiate arguments. Students will learn to recognize data, qualifiers, claims, warrants, grounds, and backing as used in the Toulmin schema. Students will learn to limit and qualify their arguments. Students will learn how stated and unstated warrants establish a foundation for arguments. Students will learn how claims and warrants are supported with grounds and backing. Finally, students shall develop three micro arguments and one macro argument based on the Toulmin schema and employing the three elements of the Rhetorical Triangle. Students will use editing and revising skills learned in 1113 to peer critique their macro essays during in-class workshop sessions. Unit 1 Assignments and criteria for each The assignments for unit 1 are based on a policy argument; the policy to be argued is the absence policy included in the instructor’s class syllabus. Unit 1 includes 3 micro essays (word count 300 - 500) and 1 macro essay (word count 1,000 - 1,250). For all essays (micro and macro) use MLA style for production. Each essay is to be electronically word processed and use a 12 point font in Times, Times New Roman, Courier, or similar font style. The first micro essay will employ primarily PATHOS from the rhetorical triangle and utilize the Toulmin model of enthymemes to "argue" the absence policy, either pro or con, to a sympathetic audience—a friend or roommate. This will be an informal essay. The author will anticipate NO rebuttal of the stated position, but merely present a one-sided "argument." The second micro essay will present the exact same argument from a position of primarily LOGOS. This will be a semi-formal essay. The audience for this micro essay will be the absence policy’s enforcing instructor. The author should anticipate and pre-empt a rebuttal from a logical paradigm, but will offer no direct refutation, as this is still basically a "one-sided" argument. The third micro essay will present the exact same argument, but will target the university president as the audience. The argument here will be one of primarily ETHOS. Again, there will be no direct rebuttal, but the author should anticipate a contrasting ethical paradigm and attempt to pre-empt it. This will be a formal essay. The author will make an ethical appeal to the policy maker regarding the policy in question. The macro essay, or full essay, will appeal to a diverse audience and attempt to employ equally all three corners of the rhetorical triangle: PATHOS, LOGOS, and ETHOS. The macro will follow the Toulmin schema by advancing an enthymeme with its initial claim, then justifying the claim with a valid warrant, then support each with grounds and backing. The macro should anticipate rebuttals and attempt to pre-empt. The tone shall be formal, and all grammar, syntax, and rhetorical devices within shall reflect the formal tone. This macro essay shall require a minimum of three sources properly documented in MLA style and shall be approximately 1,000 to 1,250 words in length. Of the three sources, none are to be Internet sources. Rather, you may use up to two personal interviews and any combination of quotes from the articles in the course packet concerning attendance policies. |