Linn-Benton Community College
Winter 2014
WR 122 (3 Units)
English Composition: Argument and Style
CRN #38581
W 6:00p – 8:50p in BC-209

Instructor: Kristy Krumsiek			Office Hours: MW 2:00p – 3:30p (NSH-215)
Email: krumsik@linnbenton.edu	Phone: 760-953-2821 (text/voicemail – between 12:00p – 9:00p)

Required Texts/Supplies:
•	Bullock, Richard, and Francine Weinberg. The Little Seagull Handbook. New York: W. W. Norton & Co., 2011. Print.
•	Faigley, Lester, and Jack Selzer. A Little Argument. 2nd ed. Boston: Pearson, 2013.
•	Writing supplies (paper and writing utensils)
•	Pocket folder (to submit your assignments)
•	Internet access (for Moodle)
•	A flashdrive (to save your work)

Prerequisites: To be eligible for WR 122, you must have taken WR 121or its equivalent and passed with a “C” or better.

ADA Compliance: If you need accommodations for a learning disability or physical limitation, please speak with me immediately and provide appropriate documentation as soon as possible.

Course Description and Introduction: According the LBCC Course catalog, WR 122 “emphasize[s] the logical means of developing ideas in argumentative essays, thesis statements and reasoning. Includes logic, style, and research.” 

Each day, we try to persuade others to adopt our point of view on any number of topics: assure a parent or spouse that we really didn’t see the stop sign; persuade an instructor to take a late assignment; or convince voters to approve a revision to a current law. Knowing that you already have some level of persuasive skill, this course has been designed to improve those skills in the following areas:
•	Understanding arguments, including critical thinking and reasoning
•	Analyzing arguments, including detecting missing elements and evaluating
•	effectiveness
•	Creating written arguments through planning, researching, drafting, and revising
•	Developing persuasive strategies
•	Avoiding logical fallacies
***Since this is a course about persuasion and (sometimes) disagreement, we must each do our part to show respect for and to one another and our readers. Since we all want respect, we need to show respect – even to (especially to) those with whom we disagree.***

Course Objectives: After taking WR 122, students should successfully be able to:
•	Write effective arguments
•	Write an insightful critique of a persuasive message written by someone else
•	Adapt style of writing to fit the audience
•	Use research to support argumentative positions
•	Understand the power, uses, and misuses of persuasion in society

Coursework Expectations:
•	All assigned readings are read before class
•	All assignments and essays are submitted as a hardcopy, unless otherwise noted
•	All assignments and essays are submitted in class on the day they are due
•	All questions about expectations, assignments, or concepts are posed in a timely manner
•	You are engaged and undistracted during class and classroom discussions
•	In the case of an absence, you are responsible for getting notes from a classmate (make a friend). 

Essay/Assignment Basic Requirements: Important standards are to be met when handing in major and minor assignments in an academic environment. In this class, unless otherwise noted, all essays and assignments should comply with the following:
•	formatted to meet MLA standards including heading, headers, in-text citations, and works cited page when necessary.
•	written to a specific audience that is unfamiliar with your life, your assignment, and your readings
•	typed in Times New Roman 12 point font
•	double-spaced and formatted with standard 1” margins
•	printed and submitted as a hardcopy and digitally submitted to Turnitin in Moodle if required (see individual assignment prompts)
•	stapled (not folded, taped, paper-clipped, glued, etc) if multiple pages (use your pocket folder)
•	completed in a way that meets each essay or assignment’s key elements as noted in each prompt

Other Classroom Policies: The classroom is a learning environment and must be treated as such. This means that behavior that is disruptive to this learning environment will not be tolerated. This can include arriving late or leaving early, not turning your cell phone on silent or vibrate, answering texts or phone calls in class (step outside), being disrespectful to me and your fellow classmates, and talking while I or a classmate has the floor. Any of this behavior can result in you being asked to leave the classroom. 

Plagiarism: Using the words and/or ideas of others without giving credit is academic theft and has severe consequences including a failing grade. A repeat offense will result in being dropped from the class or a failing grade for the class. This class may require you to submit some or all of your essays to Turnitin through Moodle to detect plagiarism. If you ever have questions about plagiarism, do not hesitate to ask me or the tutors in the Writing Center. 

Late Work and Make-Up Work: You may submit either the ad analysis or the annotated bibliography up to one week late from the due date with no consequences. Save this for an emergency. I do not offer extra credit.

Points Breakdown:
•	In-class Activities						150 points……………30%
•	Advertisement Analysis: Essay & Presentation		75 + 25 points………..20%
•	Annotated Bibliography					100 points……………20%
•	Problem Proposal (Final)					150 points……………30%
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
		Total 							500 points………….100%

450-500 points = A
400-449 points = B
350-399 points = C
300-349 points = D
299 points and below = F

Campus Resources
•	Conferences with your teacher: Please visit with me throughout the term with interests, questions, problems, or concerns.
•	Library
•	Writing Helps: A cooperative writing service including ESOL, Writing Center, Writing and Study Skills Labs and more.
•	Writing Center and OWL (Online Writing Lab): Writing Center assistants and peer tutors will provide assistance (not correct your work or write it for you!) with specific paragraph and essay assignments.

Course Schedule
Week 1: Jan. 8th 
•	W – Introduction to class; review syllabus; Argumentation and Persuasion; MLA formatting review
o	Read “Chapter 1: Making an Effective Argument” (Faigley 1-10)
o	Read “Chapter 2: Analyzing an Argument” (Faigley 11-44)

Week 2: Jan. 15th

•	W – Groups; Analyzing an Argument; Analyzing Visual and Audio Rhetoric; Ad Analysis Prompt
o	Read “Chapter 3: Writing an Argument” (Faigley 45-71)

Week 3: Jan. 22nd

•	W – Groups; Claims & Warrants; Peer Workshop: Bring one draft of essay
o	Read “Annotated Bibliographies” (Bullock 54-8)
o	Read “Evaluating Sources” (Bullock 77-80)
o	Read and complete “Proposal Abstract” (Moodle)
o	Read “Proposal Abstract” (Bullock 60)

Week 4: Jan. 29th 
•	W – Presentations; Brainstorm proposal topics; Annotated Bibliography Prompt; DUE: Advertisement Analysis & Presentations
o	Read “Chapter 5: Researching an Argument” (Faigley 127-42)
o	Read “Chapter 6: Documenting an Argument” (Faigley 143-79)

Week 5: Feb. 5th

•	W – Groups; Finish Ann. Bib. if necessary; Research and Documentation: Search, Evaluate, Cite; DUE: PROPOSAL ABSTRACT
o	Read “Chapter 4: Constructing an Argument” (Faigley 72-126)
o	Read “A Modest Proposal” (Moodle)

Week 6: Feb. 12th 

•	W – Groups; Forms of Argumentation; Peer Workshop: Bring one draft of annotated bibliography
o	Read “Integrating Sources, Avoiding Plagiarism” (Bullock 82-92)

Week 7: Feb. 19th 

•	W – Groups;Plagiarism; DUE: Annotated Bibliography

Week 8: Feb. 26th
•	W – Groups; Pitfalls in Argumentation: Fallacies and Unbalanced Persuasive Appeals
o	Read “Fallacies Activity” (Moodle)

Week 9: Mar. 5th 

•	W – Groups; DUE: FALLACIES ACTIVITY; Peer Workshop: Bring one draft of essay
o	Work on your final essay

Week 10: Mar. 12th 
•	W – Groups; celebration; DUE: Problem Proposal

Week 11: Mar. 17th 
•	M – 1:00p in NSH-215 – Problem Proposal receives an automatic 10% deduction if submitted between its due date and this time.