English 101

Honors First-Year Composition

The Language of Politics: Election 2000

"Poets, priests, and politicians/

have words to thank for their positions/

words that scream for your submission/

and no one's jamming their transmissions . . . " The Police, 1980

Language and politics are innately interconnected. In this course we will examine the language being used and misused by the major presidential candidates and other political candidates at both the local and national levels. We will scrutinize the language of the candidates for doublespeak, jargon, inflated language, gobbledygook, and euphemism, and we will consider how the rhetoric of the campaign influences the election results.

Instructor:            Robert E. Rubin (Bobby)

Office:                    106 Oelman Hall

Hours:                    Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:15-1:50 and 4:00-4:50. Other hours by appointment.

Phone:                    775-4287

Email:                      robert.rubin@wright.edu

Classrooms:         Tuesdays 9:30-10:45 in 182 Millett

                                Thursdays 9:30-10:45 in 012 Library Annex

Texts:                     Eschholz, Paul, et. al. Language Awareness: Readings for College Writers. 8^th ed.

New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000.

                                Additional handouts and materials on library reserve.

Supplies:               3.5" DS, HD diskettes, IBM formatted/preformatted

                                Folders with 2 pockets

Classroom Policies:

1. Attendance is required. Miss class only if you have an emergency. Three absences = a final course grade of "F," regardless of your progress in the class. If you have a truly special set of circumstances, see me. Attend class on time. Two late arrivals to class will constitute one absence. I will begin class promptly at 9:30. You will find that I’m quite laid back in class, but with absences and tardiness, I am strict. Please make a mental note of this now.

2. All work must be completed and turned in at the beginning of class the day the work is due. No late work will be accepted. Do not wait until the last minute to print out your work. Printers are notorious for their ability to konk out at the most inopportune times.

3. Classroom courtesy is expected. Respect the rights of others to speak, and do not interrupt your classmates or your instructor.

4. All work must be word processed. Final drafts of essays must be laser printed (or printed on a high-quality ink jet printer, but not dot matrix) on high quality paper. Essays and other "formal" writing assignments must conform to MLA style guidelines.

Course Assignments and Requirements:

I. Reading Journal (25%)

Read the assigned selections, and write your reactions, whatever they may be, to each reading.

There is no specified length requirement, but you should try to deeply examine your reactions and express them in detail. Reading journals must be word processed.

II. Group Rhetorical Analysis and Presentation (25%)

In groups, you will examine the use of language by a particular candidate in general, or focus on a specific speech or advertisement. You will then write a 5-7 page paper analyzing the rhetoric of the candidate, speech, or advertisement.

Groups will present their findings to the class in a ten-minute presentation.

A handout describing this assignment will be provided.

III. Individual Portfolio (50%)

Near the end of the quarter, you will hand in a portfolio containing the following assignments, newly revised from their prior drafts. Each of the following requirements will be discussed in further detail in class. Handouts describing each assignment will be provided.

                A. Letter of introduction (1-2 pages)

                B. Political awareness narrative (2-3 pages)

                C. Profile of a candidate (4-5 pages)

                D. Two political ad critiques/analyses (1-2 pages each)

List of Reading Journal Assignments:

#1 Tuesday, 9/19: "The Writing Process" 1-14. "Writing from Experience" 15-23. "Writing from

Reading" 25-35. "Writing from Research" 37-62.

#2 Tuesday, 9/26: Malcolm X (63), Keller (69), Allport (243), Smith (264), Postman (415).

#3 Tuesday, 10/10: Lutz (498), Murphy (511), Cross (525), Orwell (539).

#4 Tuesday, 10/24: Jefferson (554), Lincoln (558), Kennedy (560), King (302).

Schedule*

WEEK 1

9/14: Introduction to the course. Writing communities, writing processes.

WEEK 2

9/19: Reading Journal #1 due. Discussion of readings.

9/21: Introduction to computer research.

WEEK 3

9/26: Reading Journal #2 due. Discussion of readings and political awareness narrative.

9/28: In class: work on political awareness narrative.

WEEK 4

10/3: Political awareness narrative due. 3 copies. Peer critiques.

10/5: In class: research for Ad critique #1.

WEEK 5

10/10: Reading Journal #3 due. Discussion of readings. Discussions of candidate profile.

10/12: Ad critique # 1 due. Candidate profile research.

WEEK 6

10/17: RESEARCH DAY-- NO CLASS. Extended office hours for conferences.

10/19: Candidate profile due. 3 copies. Peer critiques.

WEEK 7

10/24: Reading Journal #4 due. Discussion of readings. Discussion of group project.

10/26: In class: groups begin research and work on group project.

WEEK 8

10/31: Ad critique # 2 due. Discussion of ads and critiques. Bring ad to class!!

11/2: In class: groups work on group project.

WEEK 9

11/7: ELECTION DAY! VOTE! In class: Portfolio revising workshop day.

11/9: In class: groups work on group project.

WEEK 10

11/14: NO CLASS—CONFERENCES.

11/16: PORTFOLIO DUE!!

Tuesday, November 21: Group presentations. Final draft of group project due.

*Schedule subject to change. All changes will be announced in class. Additional assignments will be announced in class.