Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric Ethical Digital Arguments / Spring 2021 - WR 13300-04, WR 13300-07
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Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric
Ethical Digital Arguments / Spring 2021
WR 13300-04, WR 13300-07
“Rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in
any given case all of the available means of persuasion.”
–Aristotle, in On Rhetoric, ~350 BCE
Patrick Clauss, PhD www.nd.edu/~pclauss/wr13300/
pclauss@nd.edu 574-631-1678 (My Office Phone)
213 Coleman Morse (My Office) 574-631-5427 (Writing Program Phone)
205 Coleman Morse (Writing Program Office)
COURSE OVERVIEW
Course Description
Approximately 2,500 years ago, when the Greek philosopher Aristotle composed his famous work On
Rhetoric, someone who wanted to influence others had a rather limited set of options: They could write a
letter, converse with a few friends, or perhaps even stand in a public place and shout loudly enough for all
to hear. Today, a communicator has a tremendous variety of options, including YouTube, Twitter,
Instagram, TikTok, text messages . . . the list goes on. As media have changed over the centuries, how
have the fundamental components and methods of messages themselves also changed? Also, what might
we learn about contemporary, digital arguments from an ancient text like Aristotle’s On Rhetoric?
Such questions will guide our work this semester. But first, a few words about argument itself: In everyday
speech, we typically use “argument” to mean some sort of quarrel with others. In WR, however, we will
use the term to mean the ways we use symbols, like language, to affect thinking and/or actions. When
advertisers try to persuade us to buy their products, they are, in a way, arguing with us. When a student tries
to convince her friend to share class notes, she too is arguing. When you compose essays for this class and
others, you are also arguing. In academic arguments, we reason with others by advancing claims, supporting
those claims with evidence, and considering counterarguments. But academic arguments involve more than
simply taking a position and supporting it; academic arguments also involve a sensitivity to the ways issues
are viewed by diverse audiences. Further, academic arguments adhere to important ethical standards: e.g.,
truthfulness, courage, judgment, accountability, and respect for others. Whether we are on campus or off,
arguments are all around us. And as members of the Notre Dame community, we have a special
responsibility to understand and practice ethical argument.
Course Goals
As we work together as a community of learners, we will
• investigate relationships among content, context, and form, considering how they affect, among other
things, an argument’s rhetorical effect and its probative value
• study various appeals, especially varieties of ethos, logos, and pathos
• explore claims, evidence, counterarguments, and inferences
• examine various methods of reasoning: e.g., deductive and inductive logic
• practice constructing, analyzing, and evaluating arguments across media (written, visual, audio, etc.)
• improve habits of clarity in composing sentences, paragraphs, and essays
• seek solutions to composing/revising challenges, particularly regarding development and organization
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Class Meetings
This semester, we will participate in a blend of in-person and online
meetings. Online sessions are reserved for class activities that involve
close interpersonal interactions, ones incompatible with social-
distancing safety measures. Unless noted, online sessions will be
scheduled to meet synchronously (live) at our regular class time. They
carry the same expectations for active participation as in-person
classes. For now, approximately 75% of our class sessions are
scheduled to take place in our classroom on campus, and approximately
25% of our class sessions are scheduled to take place online. Pending
last-minute issues or emergencies, online meetings will always be
announced in advance (in class, over email, and/or on our course website).
Overview of Assignments
Your final WR grade will be the result of your performance in these areas:
• In-Class Presentations: details to be announced
• Quizzes: both announced and unannounced
• Participation: class discussions, peer-review work, Writing Center visits, etc.
• Writing Exercises: no more than 14 (usually at least 1 page each, single-spaced; ~550 words)
• Argument Essays: no more than 5 (usually 4-6 pages each, double-spaced; plus a longer “research”
paper; ~20-25 pages total)
More details regarding all assignments will be provided in class and/or on the course website:
www.nd.edu/~pclauss/wr13300/
COURSE POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism is the use of another text or source without giving
proper credit—or any credit at all—to the writer of the original
material. Understand that all work in this class—exercises, drafts,
final copies, etc.—must be your own and/or must be properly cited.
To review Notre Dame’s Honor Code, visit honorcode.nd.edu.
Accommodations, Conferences and Help
If you have any questions or concerns not discussed in class, do
not hesitate to contact me. If you will need accommodations for
this course, please register with the Sara Bea Center for Student
Accessibility Services: sarabea.nd.edu. After you have discussed
your accommodation needs with the Sara Bea Center, we’ll all
work together to ensure your success in this course.
Assignment Format
All out-of-class essays and most exercises must be typed. Student samples, provided on-line or as class handouts,
provide format details. All citations will follow informal MLA style, which I will explain in class.
3
Attendance, Participation, and Tardiness
Regular interactions with your classmates and me are key to your success in
this course. For this reason, I will take attendance for each class period,
whether held in-person or online. When possible, I will also offer options for
remote class participation. There still may be instances where you must miss
class (e.g., service to the University, emergency, illness, or daily health-check
symptoms). You are responsible for all work missed during any absence. If
you must miss class, I will do my best to help you stay on track, but I cannot
re-teach lessons in their entirety.
Given the challenges presented by COVID-19, you should prioritize your
physical and mental health. You will not be penalized for missing in-person
classes, and you are not required to provide a reason for your absence; I will
assume you have made a good faith effort to be with us. (Note that “I just didn’t
feel like coming to class,” or any variation thereof, is not a valid reason to miss an in-person class meeting.) You
are, however, responsible for communicating with me as soon as possible to ensure you stay on track.
One component of your overall course grade is a Participation Grade. If you fall asleep in class, spend your time
looking at your phone and/or texting, or are engaged in other forms of goofing around, your Participation Grade
will be affected. The Participation Grade’s effect on your final course grade will be announced at the end of the
semester. It is usually about 5% of the total course grade.
I require frequent, student-driven participation. This includes such things as asking questions, offering
comments or insights during discussions, volunteering to read aloud when we discuss sample essays, etc. These
have to happen on a daily or an almost-daily basis for an A in this category. Anyone can simply come to class.
That is usually pretty easy, but that is not A-quality participation.
The Participation Grading scale is as follows:
0-3 issues*: points up to “A” 5 issues: up to “C” 7 issues: points up to “F”
4 issues: up to “B” 6 issues: up to “D” 8 or more issues: 0
*Note that “issues” covers a variety of concerns: e.g., instances where you are late to class; you fall asleep, are
texting, emailing, or talking at inappropriate times; etc. If you frequently leave class for long stretches of time
or if you frequently leave class early your Participation Grade will be affected.
Sometimes, challenges beyond your control can affect your ability to be in class and ready when we start. I do
my best, however, to respect your busy schedule. I ask that you do the same for your classmates and me. It is
disruptive and annoying when students arrive late on a regular basis. Do your best to be on time, and if you are
late, talk with me after class. Working together, we can almost certainly find a solution.
Books and Other Required Resources
You will not need to purchase any books for this course. All materials will be provided on the class website, as
handouts in class, and/or via email. We will also read and discuss essays from Fresh Writing, but that resource
is online, and access is free: freshwriting.nd.edu.
You will need the following:
• a reliable computer, preferably a laptop (talk with me privately if this is a concern)
• an active Notre Dame email account
• a secure place to back up files (e.g., Google Drive)
• occasional access to a printer
• access to our Google Classroom account (details provided in class)
4 Class Decorum: In-Person and Online We all share the responsibility to maintain a campus free of discrimination, including any form of harassment. I value classroom environments that welcome all students, no matter their gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, ability, or sexual orientation. If you believe this standard is not being met, please contact me. Also, you are never required to agree with me or your classmates. You are, however, expected to be courteous, and your participation and attention should demonstrate your understanding of productive and civil rhetoric: careful listening, thoughtful acknowledgement of perspectives, and ethically constructed claims and counterclaims that focus on the quality of the arguments under examination, not on the perceived value of the people making them. In our discussions, your respectful opinions, ideas, questions, and other constructive contributions are always welcome and encouraged. All students are expected to demonstrate courtesy, respect, and professionalism in class, whether in-person or online. On days when class is held online, students are expected to be dressed appropriately, signed in at class time with first and last name, and microphones muted when not speaking. If you would like to mute your camera, please do so when appropriate. To minimize distractions, please close all other applications, store your phone out of sight, and silence messaging apps. Due Dates and Extensions Assignments are due at the start of class, and all due dates will be announced in advance (in class and/or on the course website). If you have not been granted an extension and I do not receive the assignment when it is due, that assignment’s grade is lowered one letter grade per day late. (Don’t wait until just before class to print.) If you arrive to class after I have collected an assignment, yours is late. If you need an extra day or two for an assignment, usually that is not a problem. You can ask in person, call me (574-631-1678), or send email (pclauss@nd.edu). Do so before the assignment is collected. Explaining why you need more time is not necessary, but you may be limited to no more than three extensions all semester. Also, extensions are not allowed for take-home quizzes, drafts, and peer-review work (e.g., when a draft is due for in-class work or handed in as an informal write). Exercises In addition to regular essay assignments, approximately once or twice a week you are required to respond to various assigned writing prompts. Writing Exercises are usually due the class after they were assigned—e.g., assigned on a Tuesday, due on a Thursday. More details are provided on the class website. Google Classroom and Submitting Assignments Most assignments will be turned in digitally, via our Google Classroom account. Please note that if you submit something hours or days before the deadline, I might start grading your work. For instance, say a Writing Exercise is due on a Thursday before 2:20 pm, but you finish and submit it on Tuesday night. If I see the Exercise in Google Classroom and have time on Wednesday, I might go ahead and grade it. Thus, do not submit or turn in anything until you are actually done with the assignment and ready for it to be graded. Once an assignment is submitted, you cannot change it. Thus, do not use Google Classroom as a place to draft, in other words. Submit work only when you are actually done.
5
Grades and Weights
All assignments are “weighted,” and as the semester progresses, most essay assignments become worth more
on the grading scale. I will explain the system in detail in class; if at any time you are unsure how it works,
please ask. Failure to complete and submit all assignments may result in (a) the lowering of your course grade
by one letter grade and/or (b) failure in the course.
Health and Safety Protocols
In this class, as is the case across campus, we must comply with all University health and safety protocols,
including the following:
• Face masks that completely cover the nose and mouth will be worn by all students and instructors;
• Physical distancing will be maintained in all instructional spaces;
• Students will sit in assigned seats throughout the semester, which will be documented by
faculty for purposes of any needed contact tracing; and
• Protocols for staged entry to and exit from classrooms and instructional spaces will be followed.
We are part of a community of learning in which compassionate care for one another is part of our spiritual and
social charter. Consequently, compliance with these protocols is an expectation for everyone enrolled in this
course. If a student refuses to comply with the University’s health and safety protocols, the student must leave
the classroom and will earn an unexcused absence for the class period and any associated assignments for the
day. Persistent deviation from expected health and safety guidelines may be
considered a violation of the University’s “Standards of Conduct,” as articulated in du
Lac: A Guide for Student Life.
Office Hours
Most weeks, my office hours take place between 9:30 to 11:00 am on Tuesdays
and Thursdays (TR). However, I am also available at other times throughout the
week. If you have class or another conflict during my office hours, just ask. I am happy
to find an alternative time for us to meet.
This semester my office hours will take place primarily online, via Zoom or Google
Meet. However, if we can observe appropriate social distancing—e.g., sitting outside
on a beautiful fall day or meeting in some other safe venue—I would happy to meet
in person. More information about office hours (how to sign up, etc.) will be discussed
in class.
Privacy
To protect everyone’s privacy, the sharing of any learning materials from our course (including, but not limited
to, recordings of live meetings or class sessions, work from other students, pre-recorded course content, etc.) is
prohibited. Do not record class sessions for any reason without first securing written permission from me. The
intentional sharing of learning materials or private information from our course with external groups or
individuals, without the written permission of the instructor, represents a breach of trust and a violation of the
University’s Honor Code.
Title IX Statement
The University of Notre Dame provides services for those who have been affected by sexual assault, sexual
misconduct, dating or domestic violence, stalking and any conduct that creates a hostile environment. For help
and further information including contact information for on and off-campus resources, please consult
titleix.nd.edu/support-resources. As a faculty member, I am required to report to the University any
information disclosed to me about potential or suspected instances of sexual assault, sexual misconduct,6 harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, or conduct that creates a hostile environment. For more information, see dulac.nd.edu/community-standards/. The Writing Center Notre Dame Writing Center staff members are dedicated to helping you improve your writing. When you visit the center, a fellow Notre Dame student will help you by listening to your questions and concerns and talking with you about your ideas and work. Writing Center tutors consult with writers during all stages of the writing process—from understanding an assignment, to developing a thesis, to organizing the paper, to revising the first draft, to editing the final product. The tutors do not write or edit your papers for you. Rather, they help you develop effective rhetorical strategies for your written work. You are required to make at least one virtual visit to the Writing Center this semester. You are not limited to one visit, however, and may consult with the Writing Center multiple times. Failure to fulfill this requirement will affect your Participation grade. To learn more or to schedule a session, visit writingcenter.nd.edu.
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