Welcome to English 15, one of three core required courses in rhetoric at Penn State University. These courses are required for all Penn State graduates - not because we wish to torment you with classes in communication production and analysis, but because rhetoric offers you techniques and insights necessary to all of the disciplines. Rhetoric is usually understood as a way of transforming the feelings, ideas and opinions of others, but you can also use rhetoric as an investigative tool∞ as well. For example, by studying the language and images used your field of study, you will learn a great deal about what that field of study takes for granted, which will help you learn to learn∞. In this course you will write for persuasion - you will attempt to move someone to do something, such as change their mind. And you will write for inquiry - by putting ideas into different contexts and forms, you will explore problems and find unexpected solutions. The first axiom of this course is: Think practically about what you are trying to do with words, images, sounds, smells, feelings, even chemicals∞. Composition is the practice of finding the right mixture for any given goal. Goal number one, of course, is survival.
By all accounts, we live in an ecosystem under stress and burgeoning with information. Multimedia composition will help you learn techniques of information and attention management. Information has been defined by scientist Gregory Bateson as "the difference that makes a difference", so you will be taught how to differentiate all of the information you browse and produce. The class will stress the importance of becoming an adept of information. Check out the Analog:DigitalProposal for background on how this class is changing in response to our shifting information ecology. By blogging five days a week, you will write much more than usual and develop new capacities as writers. Most importantly, you will learn to build a rhythm and a process for composing. By taking this process with you after the class is over, you will be prepared for a lifetime of composition in media not yet invented. Your Analog:FinalProjects - the equivalent of a 10-12 page paper - will be put into an Eportfolio∞, your personal webspace at Penn State.
In response to the infoquake, you will be offered some simple but very effective tools: Narrative, definitional argument, argument by analogy, evaluative argument, causal argument, proposal arguments, and tropes∞, tropes∞, tropes.∞
First Assignment:
Browse and buy Weston∞ text, McCloud∞
As always, read all of the links on the syllabus for that day. Such as this one:
DiscussionofIntellectualProperty
And this one:
Analog:ClassPolicies
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