Syllabus

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. 1. Read, analyze, and evaluate a variety of primarily non-fiction, diverse texts for content, context, and rhetorical merit with consideration of tone, audience, and purpose.
  2. Apply a variety of rhetorical strategies in writing unified, well-organized essays with arguable theses and persuasive support. A minimum of 5000 words of formal writing will be required.
  3. Develop varied and flexible strategies for generating, drafting, and revising essays.
  4. Analyze stylistic choices in their own writing and the writing of others.
  5. Write timed/in-class essays exhibiting acceptable college-level control of mechanics, organization, development, and coherence.
  6. Integrate the ideas of others through paraphrasing, summarizing, and quoting without plagiarism.
  7. Find, evaluate, analyze, and interpret primary and secondary sources, incorporating them into written essays using appropriate documentation format.
  8. Use style, diction, and tone appropriate to a diverse academic community and the purpose of the specific writing task; proofread, edit, and revise essays so English grammar, usage, and punctuation do not impede clarity.

Grading Policies

Forms of Evaluation:

Weekly Assignments (56%) *Late Policy applies

Consistent completion, analysis and reflection of course content is demonstrated through a variety of weekly assignments. Late policy of a reduction by 5% can be applied to these assignments.

Meetings with Kelly (7.5%) No late policy.

As part of your responsibility in research teams, you will meet with me in person or over Zoom to problem-solve, review project content and requirements, and discuss team dynamics. One meeting is required for each project for a total of 3 meetings over the semester.

Peer Review (6%) No late policy.

Besides being a course objective, analyzing the stylistic choices in your own writing and the writing of others is an essential academic and information consumption skill. 3 focused peer-reviews are assigned.

Research Projects 30% No late policy.

Three group research cycles produce a variety of products. Student projects are evaluated based on five main criteria: the overall product in terms of design and presentation, quality of research, application of the rhetorical situation, participation, and responsibility in your designated role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

Artificial Intelligence tools are fundamental to the production, reception, and distribution of information. At the same time, Ai tools are disrupting institutions, including education, industries and foundational concepts like plagiarism and intellectual property.

Because we study the production, reception and distribution of information and knowledge, this class is a learning environment where we are free to play with and examine Ai tools. Freedom comes with responsibility. We will also be transparent with how and why we use those tools so we can have conversations about how to define intellectual work and how to create guidelines for the future of humanity. The previous statement is not hyperbole. We, in this unique historical moment, are creating definitions, boundaries and guidelines that will literally serve as a foundation from which humans’ relationships with technology will be built.

We have two guiding principles for our work together:

As ethical content creators, we are transparent and honest about our use of Ai tools because we are trying to figure out where intellectual work ends and Ai-generated content begins; therefore, we must have honest communication around effective and ethical use of these tools.

We do not waste each other’s time with copied and pasted content. We can create a situation where Ai tools are interacting with Ai tools (faculty uses Ai to evaluate content that students used Ai to generate); or, we can privilege the purpose of higher education–to genuinely explore ideas so that students can learn how to become leaders within your chosen communities.

If for some reason a student chooses not to abide by these principles, administrative action may be taken.

Ai Transparency Statements are required of most assignments.

Tentative Schedule*

*Quantity of assignments are subject to change; as a result, the total possible points are subject to change. Please plan accordingly

Butte Academic Policies

Attendance Guidelines – California Education Code requires attendance must be taken for the first two weeks of regular classes for census. Faculty need to have clear policies describing their withdrawal procedures.

Academic Integrity – Students are encouraged to discuss homework problems with others but need to produce assignments that are a result of their own independent effort.

Academic Accommodations and DSPS – Students will have academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, services and/or instruction provided through a DSPS approved academic accommodation plan. If you believe that you may need an accommodation in this course because of a disability, please contact DSPS.=

Student rights and privileges — As members of a democracy, we must assume that all perspectives have value, even if we choose to resist those perspectives. I assume we will all listen to and respect the sacred practice of freedom of speech.

My job is to teach each of you how to most effectively express your opinions; it is not my job to dictate those opinions.

Student Resources

Drop Policies

Participation and Attendance:

Federal law requires active participation if a student is to continue to receive financial aid. I define active participation as the submission of one assignment each week. Students who miss the requirement two weeks in a row without contacting the instructor may be dropped. See the Butte College Attendance and Academic Integrity page Links to an external site.for more information on attendance, grades, drop and withdrawal deadlines, and so forth. Because I have no way of knowing who is using financial aid, this policy applies to all students—bottom line, just talk to me.

THE ROADRUNNER