Syllabus
Fall 2016
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Assistant Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:30-3 and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Dr. Alexandra Hidalgo, Assistant Professor
Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures
Office: 265 Bessey Hall
Office Hours: Tuesdays 1:30-3 and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Course Goals And Outcomes
This course aims to familiarize you with the history of rhetorical thinking across a number of cultures and to help you begin to develop an understanding of the kinds of questions and methods utilized in historical research in our field. In order to do so, you will:
- Engage with various approaches to historical scholarship, from historiography to postcolonial questionings of established narratives about the past.
- Become familiar with some of the key ideas produced throughout the history of rhetoric by Western, Indigenous North American, Latin American, and Africa/African American cultures.
- Through your study of the different approaches to rhetoric provided by each culture, you will develop a richer and more complex understanding of how rhetoric operates, not just in the West, but around the world.
- Craft your own definition of rhetoric based on what you’ve learned in this course and on your own experiences both in and outside academia.
Required Texts
You will need to purchase one text:
This Bridge Called My Back, Fourth Edition, Writings by Radical Women of Color, edited by Cherríe Moraga and Glora Anzaldúa. Publisher: SUNY Press (March 1, 2015)
Other readings are PDFs available on our D2L website. There are also links to online content available on our course calendar.
This Bridge Called My Back, Fourth Edition, Writings by Radical Women of Color, edited by Cherríe Moraga and Glora Anzaldúa. Publisher: SUNY Press (March 1, 2015)
Other readings are PDFs available on our D2L website. There are also links to online content available on our course calendar.
Assignments
Text Responses (20%)
You will write four 1,000-1,200-word responses where you compare two class texts, selecting one issue/concept/idea brought up by both of them and analyzing how each text deals with it.
Due Date: Anytime between 9/6 and 11/29. You need to submit your response by d the day we’re discussing the readings you’re addressing.
Historical Context Presentation (30%)
In pairs you will create a 20-minute Powerpoint/Prezie presentation in which you provide some information about the historical period/culture we are studying that day. You and your partner will research that time period and situate it for the class before we begin our discussion of the day’s texts.
Due Date: it varies, depending on which period you choose.
Defining Rhetoric Essay and Presentation (50%)
You will write a 15-20-page paper in which you provide a one-to-two sentence definition of rhetoric. You will then, using the sources we’ve read in class and any others you deem necessary, explain why you believe rhetoric should be defined that way. On the last day of class you will give a 6-8 minute presentation where you share your definition with class and provide a summary of why you chose to define rhetoric that way.
Due Date: The presentation is due by class time on 12/6. The essay is due by midnight on 12/11.
You will write four 1,000-1,200-word responses where you compare two class texts, selecting one issue/concept/idea brought up by both of them and analyzing how each text deals with it.
Due Date: Anytime between 9/6 and 11/29. You need to submit your response by d the day we’re discussing the readings you’re addressing.
Historical Context Presentation (30%)
In pairs you will create a 20-minute Powerpoint/Prezie presentation in which you provide some information about the historical period/culture we are studying that day. You and your partner will research that time period and situate it for the class before we begin our discussion of the day’s texts.
Due Date: it varies, depending on which period you choose.
Defining Rhetoric Essay and Presentation (50%)
You will write a 15-20-page paper in which you provide a one-to-two sentence definition of rhetoric. You will then, using the sources we’ve read in class and any others you deem necessary, explain why you believe rhetoric should be defined that way. On the last day of class you will give a 6-8 minute presentation where you share your definition with class and provide a summary of why you chose to define rhetoric that way.
Due Date: The presentation is due by class time on 12/6. The essay is due by midnight on 12/11.
Attendance and Collegiality
We will be doing things during every class meeting that cannot be replicated outside the classroom, as a result I expect you to be there for every session. If you are unable to attend class for some reason, make sure to let me know in advance so you can try to make up some of what you’ll miss. I’ll do my best to make you want to come to class and make class worth your while. In exchange, I expect you to come to class prepared and to contribute to our activities and discussions.
The best way to understand these texts and their significance to the field and to your own intellectual development is to read them, to talk about them, and to listen to the ways in which others understand them.
Please be respectful of fellow members of the class as you join in our discussions of the texts and be open to others’ interpretations. Even if you don’t agree with what others are saying, different perspectives will help you refine your own ways of thinking about an issue.
The best way to understand these texts and their significance to the field and to your own intellectual development is to read them, to talk about them, and to listen to the ways in which others understand them.
Please be respectful of fellow members of the class as you join in our discussions of the texts and be open to others’ interpretations. Even if you don’t agree with what others are saying, different perspectives will help you refine your own ways of thinking about an issue.
Evaluation of Work and Participation
You need to complete all course assignments in order to pass this class. You should submit your work on time. Late work will only be accepted if you consult with me prior to the class period in which it is due. Because this is a graduate course, I will not grade your work but I will provide written and oral feedback. Please meet with me if you’re concerned about your performance in the course.
Services and Resources
MSU Writing Center: 432-3610. 300 Bessey Hall. The MSU Writing Center is the primary writing resource on campus. You’ll also find satellite centers in several campus locations including the main library.
MSU ESL Lab: 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries
Purdue OWL: Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
MSU ESL Lab: 353-0800. 714 Wells Hall. The ESL Lab assists international students with writing in a second language.
MSU Learning Resource Center: 202 Bessey Hall. This center offers individualized assistance to help students develop successful learning strategies and study habits.
MSU Libraries
Purdue OWL: Purdue’s Online Writing Lab provides information about writing, such as how to use MLA and how to plan and structure your texts.
Americans with Disabilities Act
In order to receive any accommodation for any disability, students must first register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The RCPD will request appropriate documentation and make a determination regarding the nature of the accommodation to which a students is entitled. The RCPD will then give the student a “visa” that specifies the kind of accommodation that may be provided. It is then the responsibility of the student seeking accommodation to present the visa to his/her instructor.