Northeastern
State University
College
of Liberal Arts
Summer
2009 syllabus for
COMM
4623 and COMM 5623
Rhetoric
of WomenÕs Movements
(last updated 06.29.09)
Professor: Amy Aldridge Sanford,
PhD
Office: SH
351 Ext.:
3608
E-mail: aldridga@nsuok.edu
Office Hours: See Contact Info on
Webpage
Webpage: http://arapaho.nsuok.edu/~aldridga/
Facebook:
Amy Aldridge Sanford
Meeting Times and
Place: June 8-July 2;
Mondays-Thursdays; 9-11:40 a.m.; SH 229
Your professorÕs
philosophy of education: I am a
facilitator of learning. The participants in any given classroom enter
with different paradigms and truths. I aid in the exploration of those
truths. I do NOT believe that the instructor is THE holder of Truth;
therefore we must all participate to co-construct knowledge and create
synergy. When a student starts to feel uncomfortable in his/her existing
paradigm that means s/he is growing as a scholar. My desire is that
all of my students feel the joy of discomfort from time to time.
Grading
Philosophy: "A
grade (is) an inadequate report of an inaccurate judgment by a biased and
variable judge of the extent to which a student has attained an undefined level
of mastery of an unknown proportion of an indefinite amount of material."
(Author Unknown)
I prefer intrinsic motivations, and
therefore, am not a fan of letter grades. I believe this extrinsic reward
is too often the only motivation for students to complete assignments. A
college education should be viewed as a privilege and an opportunity to become
learned and scholarly. However, until there is a better system, grades
will be assigned in this class. Work that meets the minimum requirements
of an assignment, is completed on time and displays
average involvement with the course content is deserving of a ÒC.Ó Higher
grades are awarded to work that goes above and beyond the minimum standards to
produce papers and presentations that reflect superior intellectual effort,
excellence in critical analysis and overall creativity in the approach towards
any given assignment. In other words, grades are earned in this
class. An ÒAÓ is attainable but will require far more than minimal effort.
Required Text:
Kolmar, Wendy K. and Frances Bartkowski. (2005). Feminist theory:
A reader. Boston: McGraw Hill. ISBN:
0-07-282672-X.
Recommended Text:
Foss,
Sonja K. (2004). Rhetorical
criticism: Exploration and practice. (3rd ed.) Waveland Press. ISBN: 1577663187.
Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). (5th ed.)(2001). American Psychological
Association. ISBN: 1557987912.
Description of
Course: This is a special topics course
on the rhetoric of artifacts surrounding womenÕs movements from Pre-Suffrage to
present day. It will be taught like a graduate seminar course. Emphasis will not be placed on lecture, but on class
discussion, co-construction of knowledge, and critical thought by the students.
Pre-requisites: Officially there are no pre-requisites for this
class; however, a course in rhetorical criticism will be helpful to you.
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the course, you will haveÉ
Articulated
a definition of feminism, therefore placing yourself in the discourse;
An
understanding of U.S. womenÕs social movements and waves since the late 19th Century;
Read and
rhetorically critiqued artifacts (i.e., literature, television, speeches,
movies, etc.) significant to said movements;
Written a
rhetorical criticism about an artifact related to womenÕs movements;
Presented
your final paper to your classmates; and
Attended
class regularly and participated in academic discussions.
Attendance:
An attendance sheet will be passed out
at the beginning of every class period. NOTE: You are absolutely,
positively 100% responsible for signing the attendance sheet each class
period. If you are late, you must get the sheet and sign it after classÉ
ÒI forget to sign itÓ or ÒIÕm sure I was thereÓ will not be sufficient to
document your attendance at the end of the semester.
The emphasis on performance and participation
in this class requires close attention by students and the instructor to
attendance. You are allowed three hours of unexcused absences (i.e.,
three unexcused absences for a MWF class, two unexcused absences for a T Th class, or one three hour session in the summer or with
an evening class). For every one hour of unexcused absence over the
limit, 2% will be deducted from your final grade. Absences will be
excused only under the following circumstances:
o
Absence
while under a doctorÕs care (written documentation required);
o
Absence
due to participation in an authorized college activity (advance notification
and written documentation required);
o
Absence
due to attendance at legal proceedings requiring your presence (advance
notification and written documentation required); and/or
o
Absence
due to the death or serious illness of an immediate family member (written
documentation required).
I consider an excused
absence one in which the absence is beyond your control. (For example, the time
of a check up or a dental appointment can be controlled). I will
not excuse an absence in which you have to take somebody else to the doctor,
hospital, dentist, court, etc. That is why I give you the three unexcused
absences. Use them wisely. I think good attendance is very
important. Documentation is due by the last day of classes before
finals week. An excused notes will
only excuse one day of absence unless a memo is attached explaining why
multiple dates should be excused.
Missed/Late
Assignments:
If you
miss class, please consult with one of your fellow students for the notes
and/or homework. You should contact me AFTER you have tried contacting
multiple classmates multiple times.
Assignments
are due at the beginning of the hour. It is late after that.
If you
miss a class the day an assignment is due, you must get the work to me BEFORE
class. ÒI got your address wrongÓ or Òmy e-mail wasnÕt workingÓ will not
be accepted as reasons for late assignments.
If work is accepted late, it will be 10% off for every day it
is late. There are some exceptions for excused absences.
Your
computer crashing, printer not working, etc. will never be accepted as excuses
for late work. It is your responsibility to begin work early enough to
accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
Class Participation: You are expected to attend class regularly and be prepared
so that you may intelligently discuss assigned material. Proper
preparation means reading the assigned chapters and completing daily
assignments. Warning: I have been known to count students absent
when they are not prepared for class.
Food and Drink:
Feel free to bring food and drink to
class. Just be sure to dispose of it properly when you are finished.
Classroom
Climate: The success of this
course is directly related to the sense of community that we will develop in
this classroom. Participation is essential to this process. I
encourage you to share your views and listen to those of others. Debate
and discussion are an important part of the learning process. While there
will no doubt be disagreements, I expect the members of this community
(including myself) to challenge ideas in a manner that reflects respect and recognition
of opposing viewpoints without attacking individuals.
Visitors in the
Classroom: We may have visitors in our
classroom from time to time. Please make them feel welcome.
Encourage them to participate if they would like. Let them know that we
are happy to have more voices in our classroom.
Outline of
Course: All of the following
assignments and point totals are considered tentative and may change over the
course of the semester due to your progress and interests. The electronic
readings (password: aldridga) provided here are
for educational purposes only. We will use them for teaching,
scholarship, research, criticism, and comment. You cannot financially
profit from these works.
|
Unit |
Readings |
Movies/Activities |
Due |
|
INTRODUCTION TO THE CLASS |
|
What is a Feminist?;
Syllabus; Name Tents; I was a Teenage Feminist |
|
|
WHAT IS FEMINIST THEORY? WHAT
IS FEMINISM? |
K&B: ÒReading Feminist TheoryÓ
(pp 2-6); #1 Treichler and Kramarae;
#6 Delmar, #7 hooks; Treckel |
|
Due 6/9: RR1 (K & B readings & Treckel) Due 6/10: RR2 (Foss) Due 6/11: Defining Feminism essay (see below) |
|
A BRIEF HERSTORY |
|
|
Due 6/11: RR3 (GenderSpeak) |
|
FIRST WAVE 1792-1920 |
K&B: ÒIntroductionÓ (pp 62-63);
#9 Wollstonecraft; Griffin K&B: #11 Stanton; #13
Truth; #17 Anthony; #19 Douglass K&B: #27 Jones; Tonn & Kuhn |
The
story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton & Susan B. Anthony I also recommend a great docu-drama: Iron Jawed Angels |
Due 6/15: RR4 (Intro, #9, and Griffin) Due 6/17: RR5 (11, 13, 17, 19) Due 6/18: RR6 (27, Tonn &
Kuhn) Due 6/18: Proposal due for final paper |
|
SECOND WAVE 1963-1975 |
K&B: ÒIntroductionÓ
(pp196-197); #42 Friedan; #44 NOW; #45 Freeman |
Guest Speaker: Betty Ridge
(10:30) |
Due 6/22: RR7 (Intro, 42, 44, 45) |
|
1975-1985 |
K&B: ÒIntroductionÓ (pp
290-291); #74 Gilligan; choice from Part V |
Free to beÉyou and
me If time: Stepford Wives (1975) |
Due 6/23: RR8 (Intro, #74, choice) Due 6/24: Outline for final paper due Due 6/25: RR9 (Dow, Stepford
Wives) |
|
THIRD WAVE 1985-1995 |
|
Due 6/29: RR10 (Faludi, Fatal
Attraction, Gamber) |
|
|
1995-today |
K&B: ÒIntroductionÓ (pp
530-531); #95 Bikini Kill, #100 Baumgardner &
Richards; Caddes |
The Vagina
Monologues Wife Swap |
Due 6/30: RR11 (Intro, 95, 100, Caddes) Due 7/1: RR12 (Fairclough, Wife
Swap) |
|
FINAL PAPER: PRESENTATION |
|
|
Due 7/2: Final Paper Presentations |
|
FINAL PAPER |
|
|
Due 7/16: Final Paper due |
Grading:
Defining Feminism
Essay (20%): In an essay not to exceed 2
pages (double spaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman, at most 1Ó margins), define what
feminism is to you. Feel free to draw on the assigned readings and the
movie from the WHAT IS FEMINIST THEORY? WHAT IS FEMINISM? section of the above schedule. You may also quote from
additional sources. In addition to defining feminism, you must answer one
question: According to your definition of feminism, are you a
feminist? Please include a bibliography of any sources used.
Reading Responses
(20%): Reading responses are
reflections you have on the reading (focusing particularly on artifacts and
rhetorical devices since this a rhetoric class). They should be one to
two pages and thoroughly thought out. Mark up your book/articles while
you are reading and discuss the most interesting things to you in your reading
response for that chapter. Reading responses should include brief summaries of
the text (be sure to use page numbers when directly quoting from the readings),
your analysis of the material, and examples when appropriate. This will
add depth to your responses. At the end of your response, write some possible
discussion questions. Students will be chosen at random to share their
responses and lead the class in discussion. This will also affect your
participation grade.
Final Paper (30%): You must choose an artifact (e.g., book, play,
website, speech, movie, television show, song, poster) and write a feminist
rhetorical criticism about that artifact. You should model your paper
after the rhetorical criticisms you have read in class (see Griffin, Tonn & Kuhn, Dow, and/or Fairclough).
Graduate studentsÕ papers should be at least 14 pages in length (not including
cover pages and reference pages). Undergraduate papers must be a minimum
of 8 pages (not including cover pages and reference pages). They should
be formatted in APA style (i.e., double spaced, 12 point TNR font, 1Ó
margins). Ideally IÕd like to see some of your papers submitted to a
scholarly conference. Please pay attention to deadlines throughout the
semester pertaining to this paper.
Final Paper
Presentation (10%)
In a 6-8 minute speech, educate your
audience with the material you gathered in your final paper. This gives
your cohorts an opportunity to learn from your research efforts and rhetorical
criticism. Remember, you are the expert in this room on your particular
topic. You will be required to submit both an outline and bibliography
before your presentation. You may only use the outline during your
presentation. Please see the rubric for the grading criteria.
Visiting the Communication Lab (ext. 2875) will help your performance.
Class Participation
(20%):
Students will receive a zero (no
credit), 5 (half credit), or 10 (full credit) during each class to represent
his/her participation during that class session. Simply talking
does not guarantee full credit for class participation. Students are
expected to make intelligent verbal contributions to the class. A
studentÕs discourse should reflect his/her knowledge of the text and his/her
ability to synthesize that knowledge with further theoretical implications and
application.
Class
Grievances: I am willing to meet
with you to discuss our class and/or particular assignments. I ask that
you please wait 24 hours after you have received a graded assignment to come
see me. Before we discuss your work, you are required to type out a
document detailing what particular elements of your work you feel merit
discussion.
Students with
Disabilities: If any member of the
class feels that he or she has a disability and requires special
accommodations, of any nature whatsoever, I will work with you to ensure that
you have a fair opportunity to perform in this class. Please advise me of
such disability and the desired accommodations at the close of the first class
period. Students with disabilities who need accommodations to achieve
course objectives should visit the Office of Student Affairs, Ext. 2120.
Plagiarism: According to WebsterÕs New Universal Unabridged
Dictionary (1983, 2nd Ed.), to plagiarize is Òto steal or pass of ideas or words
of another as oneÕs ownÉto use created productions without crediting the
sourceÉto commit literary theftÉto present as new and original an idea or
product derived from an existing sourceÓ (p.1371). Students in this
course will be responsible for authenticating any assignment submitted to the
instructor. If asked, you must be able to produce proof that the
assignment you submitted is in fact your own work. Therefore, it is
recommended that you engage in a verifiable working process on
assignments. Keep copies of all drafts of your work, make photocopies of
research materials, write summaries of research materials, keep logs or
journals of your work on assignments and papers, learn to save drafts or
versions of assignments under individual file names on computer diskettes,
etc. In addition to requiring a student to authenticate his/her work, the
instructor may employ various other means of ascertaining authenticity—such
as engaging in internet searches, creating quizzes based on student work,
requiring students to explain their work and/or process orally, etc.
NSUÕs policy on Academic Misconduct (from http://www.nsuok.edu/policies/academic/misconduct.html):
Academic misconduct includes cheating
(using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic
exercise), plagiarism, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of
examinations, intimidation, and any and all other actions that may improperly
affect the evaluation of a studentÕs academic performance or achievement, or assisting
others in any such act or attempts to engage in such acts. Academic misconduct
in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the University and
therefore is unacceptable and prohibited. Any faculty member,
administrator or staff member may identify an act of academic misconduct and
should report that act to the department head/college dean, Vice President for
Academic Affairs or administrative supervisor. Students violating the
standards of academic honesty are subject to disciplinary action including
reduction of a grade(s) in a specific course, assignment, paper, or project; a
formal or informal reprimand at the professorial, dean, or academic vice
president level; expulsion from the class in which the violation occurred;
expulsion from a program; or expulsion from the University.
Inclement
Weather/Disaster Policy: The following are basic premises for the inclement
weather policy at Northeastern State University:
1. Classes are expected to be held if at all possible.
2. It is the student's
responsibility to receive the information when weather is questionable.
3. Neither students nor faculty are expected to risk life
or limb.
4. Faculty members are
obligated to hold classes if the University is not closed, unless the faculty
member is unable to get to campus.
Policy: During times of inclement weather, decisions
concerning day classes will be made by 6:00 a.m. in order for the media to be
notified and for students to receive the announcement before they leave home.
Decisions concerning night classes will be made by 3:00 p.m.
The following media will
be notified regarding closing of the campus:
|
Radio
Stations |
Television
Stations |
|
KRMG 740 AM Tulsa |
KJRH Channel 2 Tulsa |
|
KAYI 107 FM Tulsa |
KOTV Channel 6 Tulsa |
|
KTLQ 1350 AM Tahlequah |
KTUL Channel 8 Tulsa |
|
KEOK 102 FM Tahlequah |
KFSM Channel 5 Fort
Smith |
|
KBIX 1490 AM Muskogee |
Cable Channel 99 Tahlequah |
Common courtesies:
Please
turn all cell phones/pagers on silent while you are in class. Check your
messages AFTER class and return the calls then.
Do not
pack up before I dismiss you. You never know when I may say something
important or give a last minute assignment. YouÕre going to want to have
that pen and paper handy.