2014 WPA Outcomes Support in Everything s an Argument. Rhetorical Knowledge

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1 Rhetorical Knowledge Learn & use key rhetorical concepts through analyzing & composing a variety of texts Gain experience reading and composing in several genres to understand how genre conventions shape and are shaped by readers and writers practices and purposes Develop facility in responding to a variety of situations and contexts, calling for purposeful shifts in voice, tone, level of formality, design, medium, and/or structure Understand and use a variety of technologies to address a range of audiences Match the capacities of different environments (e.g., print & Chapter 1, Everything Is an Argument (pp, 3-27) establishes the central elements of the rhetorical situation. Chapter 6, Rhetorical Analysis (pp ) further develops these concepts and teaches students how to analyze a rhetorical analysis and compose their own. Each chapter offers dozens of written, visual, and multimodal texts to analyze, in both the guide portion and the thematic reader. Everything s an Argument provides engaging readings across genres, from academic essays and newspaper editorials to tweets and infographics. Respond boxes throughout each chapter (example: pp ) invite students to think critically about the material, and each selection in the thematic reader is followed by a set of questions for reflection. (For more genre variety, Everything s an Argument with Readings also contains a five-chapter thematic reader with additional multimodal genres, including student posters, professional reports, scholarly journal articles, and radio interviews.) Each chapter on a specific type of argument ends with project ideas (e.g., p. 263), giving students detailed prompts to write their own arguments of fact, arguments of definition, evaluations, causal arguments, and proposals. Chapter 13, Style in Argument (pp ), addresses word choice, tone, sentence structure, punctuation, and figurative language, with engaging examples of each. Chapter 16, Multimedia Arguments (pp ), addresses how new media has transformed the array of choices for making arguments. This chapter teaches how to analyze multimedia arguments, how multimedia reaches audiences, and how to create multimedia arguments through Web sites, videos, wikis, blogs, and social media. Chapter 14, Visual Rhetoric (pp ) discusses the power of visual rhetoric and how students can use visuals in their own work. Chapter 15, Presenting Arguments ( ) includes 1

2 electronic) to varying rhetorical situations material on incorporating various media into presentations and Webcasts. Chapter 16, Multimedia Arguments ( ) analyzing the evolving landscape of argument across media platforms. Chapter 17, Academic Arguments ( ) covers the conventions of academic arguments. Critical Thinking, Reading, & Composing Use composing & reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, & communicating in various rhetorical contexts Read a diverse range of texts, attending especially to relationships between assertion and evidence, to patterns of organization, to interplay between verbal and nonverbal elements, and how these features function for different audiences and situations Locate & evaluate primary & secondary research materials, including journal articles, essays, books, databases, & informal Internet sources Use strategies such as interpretation, synthesis, response, critique, and design/redesign to compose texts that integrate the writer s ideas with those from appropriate Throughout Everything s an Argument, students are invited to delve deeper into current issues in the world around them, considering the various arguments presented in tweets, newspapers, scholarly papers, court rulings, and even T-shirts. Everything s an Argument guides students in asking critical questions about these contexts and learning how to respond to and create their own compositions. Chapters dedicated to central types of argument explain how students might best approach each writing situation. The chapters close with a guide to writing arguments of that type: Chapter 8, Arguments of Fact (pp ) Chapter 9, Arguments of Definition ( ) Chapter 10, Evaluations ( ) Chapter 11, Causal Arguments ( ) Chapter 12, Proposals ( ) Chapter 16, Multimedia Arguments ( ) Chapter 7, Structuring Arguments (pp ), examines making claims and using evidence to support those claims. It delves into the structure of Rogerian and Toulmin arguments, showing how different argument types work for different writing situations. Each Guide to Writing features sections on Formulating a Claim and Thinking about Organization (e.g., 200 and 202), emphasizing the use of evidence and the structure of the argument. Chapter 18, Finding Evidence (pp ), covers locating evidence from print, electronic, and field research sources. Chapter 19, Evaluating Sources ( ) addresses how to assess those sources effectively. Chapter 19, Using Sources, provides detailed explanations of summary, paraphrase, and quotation and when to use each approach (pp ). The chapter discusses framing or introductory phrases and signal verbs, and it presents multiple ways to connect source material to a student s own ideas, by establishing a context, introducing a term or concept, 2

3 sources developing a claim, highlighting differences, and avoiding patchwriting (pp ). Chapter 20, Plagiarism and Academic Integrity ( ), highlights the importance of acknowledging another writer s work. Chapter 22, Documenting Sources, ( ) concludes the research section of the book with a discussion of MLA and APA documentation, including a wide range of citation models in both formats. Processes Develop a writing project through multiple drafts Develop flexible strategies for reading, drafting, reviewing, collaboration, revising, rewriting, rereading, and editing. Use composing processes and tools as a means to discover and reconsider ideas. Experience the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes Learn to give and act on productive feedback to works in progress Chapter 17, Academic Arguments (pp ) stresses the importance of working through multiple drafts of a project, using revision and peer feedback to improve the document. Writing is a fundamental focus of Everything s an Argument, and students learn to critique their work and the work of others in almost every part of the book. The Guide to Writing specific arguments in each Part 2 chapter contains step-by-step advice on drafting, researching, and organizing, as well as peer review questions about the claim being made, the evidence provided for the claim, and the organization and style of the essay. The Guide to Writing also asks students to review their spelling, punctuation, mechanics, documentation, and format. Chapter 7, Structuring Arguments (pp ) provides a clear explanation for how to construct an argument and support it effectively, and it includes a brief annotated model from a classic text. Developing an Academic Argument (pp ) in Chapter 17, Academic Arguments guides students through the specific process of developing a paper in an academic setting, from selecting a topic and exploring it in-depth to entering into the conversation around the chosen topic. Many Respond questions have students work in pairs or groups to analyze rhetorical situations, arguments, or appeals. See p. 31, for instance. In Chapter 21, Plagiarism and Academic Integrity, students learn the importance of giving credit, getting permission to use the materials of others, citing sources appropriately, and acknowledging collaboration with their peers. The Guide to Writing specific arguments in each Part 2 chapter contains a Getting and Giving Response: Questions for Peer Review section (e.g., pp ) tailored to that argument type. These questions address the claim being made, the 3

4 Adapt composing processes for a variety of technologies and modalities. Reflect on the development of composing practices and how those practices influence their work. Knowledge of Conventions Develop knowledge of linguistic structures, including grammar, punctuation, and spelling, through practice in composing and revising. Understand why genre conventions for structure, paragraphing, tone, and mechanics vary. Gain experience negotiating variations in genre conventions. evidence provided for the claim, and the organization and style of the essay. Awareness of technology runs throughout everything s an argument, beginning in the first chapter with an exploration of arguments made via Twitter. A particular focus on multimodal arguments is made in Chapter 14, Visual Rhetoric (pp ), which covers how effective images can be and instructs students on incorporating them to achieve specific rhetorical purposes, and Chapter 16, Multimedia Arguments (pp ), which focuses on how technology offers new platforms and opportunities for composition, as well as some new pitfalls to avoid. This chapter provides students with tools for creating their own multimodal compositions. Everything s an Argument presents students with an important foundation in the purpose and history of rhetoric (e.g. Why We Make Arguments [pp. 6-12]; The Classical Oration [ ]) and thoughtfully reflections on how composition and argument have changed in an increasingly digital world (e.g. Old Media Transformed by New Media [362]; Conventions in Academic Arguments Are Not Static [384]) Chapter 13, Style in Arguments (pp ), covers sentence structure and punctuation. Chapter 17, Academic Arguments ( ), discusses drafting, revising, and editing. The Guide to Writing in each Part 2 chapter asks students to review their spelling, punctuation, mechanics, documentation, and format. The argument chapters in Part 2 address genre conventions, discussing how the approach and structure of a document adapts to its genre. Each chapter also includes a Guide to Writing and Sample Arguments, which highlight differing uses of sources and tone (e.g. Guide to Writing a Proposal pp ). Each of the Part 2 chapters offers a section on characterizing that particular genre (e.g. Characterizing Evaluation pp ) as well as a section to guide students to develop a paper in that particular genre (e.g. Developing an Evaluative Argument pp ). These chapters pay particular attention to the nuances and variations of differing purposes and approaches. For more genre variety, Everything s an Argument with Readings also contains a five-chapter thematic reader with additional 4

5 Learn common formats and/or design features for different kinds of texts. Explore the concepts of intellectual property (such as fair use and copyright) that motivate documentation conventions. Practice applying citation conventions systematically in their own work multimodal genres, including student posters, professional reports, scholarly journal articles, and radio interviews. Part 3, Style and Presentation in Arguments offers four chapters on how to design an argument, paying attention to how these choices will vary depending on the student s rhetorical purpose (e.g. Using Images and Visual Design to Create Pathos, pp ). The Considering Design and Visuals section (e.g., p ) in each Part 2 argument chapter acquaints students with common design features and formats of that type of document. Chapter 19, Using Sources, explores the topics of summary, paraphrase, and quotation and when each approach might be most appropriate (pp ). The chapter discusses framing or introductory phrases and signal verbs, and it presents multiple ways to connect source material to a student s own ideas by establishing a context, introducing a term or concept, developing a claim, highlighting differences, and avoiding patchwriting (pp ). Chapter 20, Plagiarism and Academic Integrity (pp ), shines a light on the importance of acknowledging the work of another. The section on MLA style in Chapter 21, Documenting Sources (pp ), provides guidance on how to get permission for copyrighted material (including internet sources) and how to navigate creative commons and fair use. It also offers an in-depth examination of in-text citations and Works Cited entries, with more than 50 examples of citation types and sample pages from a student essay. Chapter 22, Documenting Sources (pp ), examines intext citations and Works Cited entries for both MLA and APA style, with more than 50 examples of citation types and sample pages from a student essay. 5