Spring 2002 • English 573: Rhetorical Theory and the Analysis of Discourse • Susan Delagrange, instructor • Ovalwood 240 •
755.4235 (office) • Office hours: Monday-Thursday 10-11:15 •
delagrange.2@osu.edu http://www.mansfield.ohio-state.edu/ writing/delagrange.htm

last updated 5•17•2002

||goals||

My goals for the course, although I am certainly open to your shaping of the course goals to your interests, are:

articulating and exploring applications for rhetoric in the university and the world

practicing rhetoric in the service of the community

connecting the visual with the theory and practice of rhetoric

connecting and disconnecting rhetorics with technology

||background|| The course draws from several disciplines for its sources. The texts display that interdisciplinarity. We will be looking at traditional texts on rhetoric and rhetorical analysis, but we will also consider ideas and concepts from literacy; visual culture; communication and media; design; and technology as they intersect in various texts and genres.

||approaches|| This course mixes theorizing with practicing rhetorical analysis. Through the course, we will be discussing readings and issues. You may be interested in honing your critical skills, extending your range beyond literature, working toward a rhetoric concentration, or developing a rounded resume. As long as you intend to work and think hard, you will be able to meet your goals.

Because we are at differing levels of knowledge and interest, we will begin with an inventory of interests and expertise that will help me shape the course.

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||workload|| You will be responsible for completing the activities in the class, for doing the reading assigned, and for contributing to discussions.

1] Reading and discussion. Reading is key to the investigation of rhetoric and the analysis of discourse. There will be no exams. Instead, your work should involve the assigned readings in ways that let me know that you are engaged. Everyone will post weekly synopses of assigned and optional readings. (~30% of grade)

2] Technology use. Improving knowledge of electronic technologies is a class project. Everyone should improve in (or be introduced to) use of the internet, e-mail, web discussion boards, file transfer protocols, and simple web-authoring software. (~10%)

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||schedule|| [look for updates]

3] Community project. We will work in groups to evaluate and propose changes needed in a number of public rhetorical artifacts from local non-profit agencies. (~20%)

4] Research project. You will complete a final project that develops an issue or idea through scholarship, research, and/or construction. This idea can be theoretical, historical, critical, etc. Some ideas that you could pursue: (a) a rhetorical analysis of an artifact that demonstrates a thorough understanding of one or more theoretical perspectives; (b) investigation of texts for their assumptions and teaching about visual rhetoric; (c) an annotated bibliography on a particular area of rhetorical theory or analysis; (d) a web page or site that does any of the above. (~30%)

5] Public presentation. We will decide as a group whether to

• stage traditional oral presentations,
• hold several poster sessions, or
• do something wild and crazy. (~10%)

Because I will try to reward your best work, the percentages above are guidelines.

technology topic

inventory; orientation

web resources

Netscape composer

mapping

public discourse

e-mail

digital camera

scanning

web rhetoric

mapping

video camera