There are two primary objectives for this course:

1) Throughout the quarter, students will be "writing papers communicating information and opinion to develop accurate, competent, and effective expression." While there are many approaches to writing, we will be approaching writing through the lenses of classical and contemporary rhetorical theory. In other words, we will be concerned with the various rhetorical strategies available to you as a writer such as increasing your audience awareness and working on style and clarity, hence the title of the primary reading listed below.

2) This course will also be an opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with different forms of academic news criticism. As citizens of a democracy, it's necessary to be able to think critically about the information provided to us by the press and our political leaders to ensure that we make informed decisions such as the one you will hopefully make in November.

Assignments:

Students will write two 4-5 page essays. Each student will also write a 4-5 page book review and lead a class discussion about the book s/he has reviewed with another classmate.

Primary Readings:

Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace-Joseph M. Williams (ISBN: 0321024087)

The Realm of Rhetoric-Chaim Perelman

Readings to be Reviewed and Presented by the Students:

The Presidency and the Rhetoric of Foreign Crisis-Denise M. Bostdorff The Press Effect-Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Paul Waldman Public Opinion-Walter Lippmann Public & Its Problems-John Dewey Why Deliberative Democracy?-Amy Gutmann and Dennis Thompson News as Hegemonic Reality: American Pop Culture and the Framing of News Accounts-Allan Rachlin Projections of Power: Framing News, Public Opinion, and U.S. Foreign Policy- Robert Entman When the Press Fails: Political Power and the News Media from Iraq to Katrina-W. Lance Bennett et al Covering Islam-Edward Said Islamic Peril: Media and Global Violence-Karim H. Karim No Questions Asked: News Coverage since 9/11-Lara Finnegan

*This list is subject to change.

Prerequisites:

While 281 has no formal prerequisite, this is an intermediate writing course, and instructors expect entering students to know how to formulate claims, integrate evidence, demonstrate awareness of audience, and structure coherent sentences, paragraphs and essays. Thus we strongly encourage students to complete an introductory (100 level) writing course before enrolling in English 281.