English 1B, Composition, Argument, and Rhetoric
Course Syllabus

The following is a syllabus for a class offered  at the University of California, Riverside

Instructor : P. Aaron Potter

In addition to class time and office hours, I can be reached through my mailbox in the English department, or through my e-mail.

Course Description :
Defend yourself! We are all constantly bombarded with advertisements, opinions, editorials and arguments which are intended to convince us that we must buy, vote, think, or behave in a particular manner. In an academic setting it is even more vital that, as readers and as writers, we are in command of the tools necessary to understand, evaluate, and forward positions on a variety of topics. Whereas in English 1A the focus was on the basic elements of composition, in English 1B the focus is on argument, persuasion, rhetoric, and the other tools which writers use to bring readers into sympathy with the author’s position. The methods and approaches which will be encountered in the readings, class discussions, and writing exercises are meant to expand your arsenal, allowing you to establish, support, or refute positions through your writing.

Required Texts :

Course Requirements :
Students are responsible for arriving in class on-time and prepared, which includes responsibility for all assigned readings on the dates indicated in the schedule. All papers and drafts of papers are due at the beginning of class on the due date indicated. In addition, occasional in-class exercises and quizzes will be assigned, and are factored into the final grade as indicated below. It should be noted that showing up for class on time and prepared is considered *minimally* adequate behavior for a college-level class, and thus merits a *C* grade. Active participation in classroom discussion is essential to earning a higher grade in the participation category.

Grading:

Class Policies:

Class Schedule

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