English 101C: CRITICAL THINKING AND COMPOSITION

Instructor: Mark Brosamer
Office: Building 8, Room 8309
Phone: (510) 659-6249
email: mbrosamer@ohlone.edu

COURSE OVERVIEW:
Welcome to English 101C, a composition course designed to continue the work in reading and composition begun in English 101A. This course will focus on critical thinking, persuasive writing and the study/use of rhetoric. In this class you will learn to analyze and formulate arguments and to develop essays which try to persuade the reader.  In essence, this course is all about having (or pretending to have) an opinion about a particular topic, transforming this personal opinion into an objective, logical argument, and presenting this argument to an imaginary but intelligent reader.

I realize that most of you are working as well as going to school, and that you are busy people. This is fine, but remember that you have enroled in a difficult, college-level course that is going to demand a great deal of effort from you. Essentially this course is about learning to entertain  and negotiate differences of opinion, and the success of our meetings rests upon the liveliness with which you disagree with each other. We will be kind and attentive, tolerant of views different from our own; we will listen, encourage, advise and applaud our fellow classmates' efforts--but we must articulate our individual world views or there is nothing to say. If you don't have an opinion, make one up; if you agree with what is being said, play the devil's advocate. All that I ask is that you come to class awake, well-fed, having done the homework and ready to participate in what's going on. This done, you'll have no trouble enjoying yourself and doing well in this course.
 
 
PAPERS:
You will write four papers outside of class (these must be typewritten) and you will also have two in-class examinations. Late papers will not be accepted.

ATTENDANCE:
It is essential that you attend class regularly. It is Ohlone College policy that if you miss more than four classes during the semester you may be dropped from the course. Arriving late to class or leaving early is not appreciated.

PRESENTATION GROUPS:
Depending on the semester, I may assign groups which will be resonsible on a randomly-selected day to lead the class in a discussion of that day's reading. These groups are designed to get students talking/thinking about the reading, and creativity is welcomed. A grading sheet will be distributed indicating what kinds of criteria I use to grade the presentation.
 

 Grading

Essays    50% Midterm    10% Homework/presentation/quizes    10% Final Exam    20% Class participation    10%   Total  100%

Sample Schedule

(This is just a sample and should not be used as a reference if you've lost your syllabus.)

Week 1
Introduction. What is argument?
Diagnostic writing

Week 2
Discuss rhetoric in advertising (bring magazine to class)
Terms: claim, support, warrant, credibility, etc.

Week 3
More on Claims
Discuss and begin argument summary

Week 4
Discuss definition of terms
Argument summary due
Select essays for Presentation Groups

Week 5
Read part one of essay on "Sex and Violence in Popular Culture"
Discuss and begin Definition Essay
Finish "Sex and Violence in Popular Culture"

Week 6
Induction, Deduction and Logical Fallacies
Definition Essay Due
Sample of Hitler's use of rhetoric

Week 7
Audience: Read "Letter From Birmingham Jail"
Practice for Midterm
Discuss group presentations

Week 8
Midterm Examination; bring 2 blue books
Group Presentation: Read, ìThe Case for Tortureî

Week 9
Discuss Argument Analysis
Read ìA Proposal to Abolish Gradingî
Group Presentation: Read, ìAnimal Research Saves Human Livesî and
ìWhy We Donít Need Animal Experimentationî

Week 10
Read handout (Abortion article and student essays)
Work on Argument Analysis
Group Presentation: Read, ìActive and Passive Euthenasiaî
Argument Analysis Due

Week 11
Group Presentation: Read, ìSex Educationî
Discuss Argument Paper #1

Week 12
Group Presentation: Read, ìPeople Like Meî
Read article on UFO abductions

Week 13
Rough Draft of Argument Paper #1 due (two copies)
Group Presentation: Read, ìA Modest Proposalî
Argument Paper #1 due

Week 14
Group Presentation: Read articles on Immigration
Discuss Argument Paper #2

Week 15
Group Survival Project
Work on Argument Paper #2
Rough Draft of Argument Paper #2 due

Week 16
Read Plato (Part 1)
Read Plato (Part 2)
Argument Paper #2 due

Week 17
Finish Plato
Prepare for Final Examination
 
 
 
 
 

Some writers on writing...

In the beginning was the Word--in the end just the Cliché.
 
      Stanislaw J. Lee
 

We often refuse to accept an idea merely because the tone of voice in which it has been expressed is unsympathetic to us.

       Nietzsche
 

The ideal view for daily writing, hour on hour, is the blank brick wall of a cold storage warehouse. Failing this, a stretch of sky will do, cloudless if possible.
       Edna Ferber
 

Convince yourself that you are working in clay, not marble, on paper not eternal bronze: let that first sentence be as stupid as it wishes.

       Jacques Barzun
 

This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon I put it back again.
        Oscar Wilde