Communication Studies (COMS) 461:L01
History and Applications of Rhetoric
Fall 2008
Lectures: M/W 13.00 -13.50

Tutorials M/W 14.00-14.50

 

Instructor:	C. Sutherland
Office Location:	SS338
Office Phone:	403-220-4844
E-Mail:	sutherla@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:	N/A
Office Hours:	M/W 15.00-16.00 or by appointment

Additional Information

For the first three to four weeks, both lecture and tutorial hours will be used for lectures. For the next three to four weeks, both will be used for students' speeches. This pattern will be repeated until the end of term. It is therefore important to arrange to be present for both the lecture and the tutorial hour.

Course Description

A study of key rhetorical theories from their roots in the classical period to the modern age, with an emphasis on the development of theories in response to changes in the social, political and philosophical climate. Theories will be applied to the production of both spoken and written discourse.

A high standard of writing is essential for this course. If the writing in any assignment is unacceptable, it may be returned for revision before it is graded. Help with writing problems is available in the Writing Centre, SS110.

Objectives of the Course

To help students gain some knowledge of the history of rhetoric, to develop in them an ability to apply the methods of rhetoric to contemporary uses of discourse and to give them practice in both speaking and writing.

Textbooks and Readings:

Readings in Classical Rhetoric. Ed. Thomas W. Benson and Michael H. Prosser

Book of Readings prepared for this course.

Both texts available in the Bookstore

Assignments and Evaluation

Essay and Speech Script .15%. Due Wednesday September 24 AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Delivery of Speech. 5%. Due Sept 24 - Oct. 8.

Term Project: Proposal and Bibliography. 10%. Due Wednesday October 8 AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Term Paper. 20%. Due Wednesday November 12 AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Speech based on Term Paper. 5%. Due November 12-December 4.

Delivery of Speech. 5%. Due November 12-December 4

Final Examination Scheduled by the Registrar. 30%.

Class Participation. 10%.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: Yes

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre. Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines. Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research. For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be distributed in class.