SCIENCE AND THE SELF, Dawn Colley
How does one understand the “self”? How do personal experience and mediated information shape this understanding? To what extent does “insight” inform perception? In this section of WRTG 3030, we will use these questions as a starting point for a larger consideration of how identity is constructed and how science responds to that construction. Focusing the greater part of our study on rhetoric, we will examine how language is used and abused, for what audience the argument is intended, and to what end the language is crafted. Along with shorter homework assignments, students will engage this study through two formal essays, a creative project, and a class presentation. Objectives for this course include honing critical thinking / reading abilities, understanding why language succeeds and why it fails, and learning how to use this knowledge in writing.
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EXPLORING SCIENCE COMMUNICATION, Rebecca de Wind Mattingly
Description: In this course, we will investigate what constitutes scientific writing for both scientific and ordinary audiences as we practice composing analyses of existing scientific texts, annotated bibliographies and proposals for extensive research in our fields of study. We will cap our experience with spoken presentations, practicing giving talks that make sense to both scientists and non-scientists. We will also engage with our inquiry through other, shorter assignments and quizzes, and we will use a peer-reviewed, workshop approach to composing arguments for a variety of audiences as we talk about what earns writing the label of “scientific.”
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SCIENCE OF SHOPPING, Erik Ellis
What are the social, ethical, and environmental implications of how we shop and consume at the mall and at the supermarket? What are the benefits and drawbacks of applying science and technology to shopping and agriculture? In this section of WRTG 3030 students will explore these and similar questions by writing two rhetorically sophisticated analytical, argumentative essays. For the first essay, students will draw upon the work of retail anthropologist Paco Underhill, as well as various other writers and critics, to analyze a local commercial space. For the second essay, students will draw upon the work of Michael Pollan and others to analyze the social, ethical, and environmental implications of the food choices they make. Each essay will involve a series of interrelated reading, writing, and critical-thinking exercises and will show significant attention to purpose and audience. This is a workshop-based course that will focus, above all, on student writing.
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INNOVATION AND ETHICS, Don Eron
The purpose of this course is to intensify your critical thinking, writing and speaking skills, in the practice of argument and analysis, while applying your disciplinary expertise to social and public policy issues in science and technology. In addition to bi-weekly essays, we will have two or three major assignments in which you will identify a specific issue, stake out a supportable opinion on the issue, and develop your opinion over the course of the communication. The purpose of these communications will be rhetorical; in other words, your purpose will be to persuade, and to do so by conveying meaning through concise, precise, highly readable language. Successful rhetorical strategy is almost always dependent upon recognizing the assumptions and understandings of your audience; in this class we will presuppose an intelligent lay audience probably far more likely than you to be skeptical of technological claims.
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ESL TOPICS IN WRITING, Dr. Andrea Feldman
ESL Topics is a section of WRTG 3020, 3030, and 3040 that is intended for non-native speakers of English who wish to enroll in an upper-division writing course. The course is taught as a rigorous writing workshop using advanced readings and materials, emphasizing critical thinking, analysis, and argumentative writing. Course readings focus on cross-cultural communication in the arts, business, and scientific fields. Assignments will be tailored to meet the needs and interests of individual students.
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ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Lynn Gingrass
This course is designed to improve the reading and writing skills of students in the science and technology fields. The class will be conducted in both lecture and workshop formats, and we will place particular emphasis on clarity, organization, focused revision, proofreading, and the basics of grammar and mechanics. Coursework will entail written responses to essays concerning a variety of social and ethical issues, with special attention to the analysis of differing values, perspectives, and audiences. Many students majoring in engineering or the sciences think their writing inadequate; this course will demonstrate that the task of framing an issue and developing a position based on evidence and sound reasoning is not only well within their abilities, but that the effort can in fact be pleasurable. Coursework will include a minimum of three papers, and an oral presentation.
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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY: ARGUING THE ISSUES, Dr. Ryan Hediger
This course will focus on issues that are subject to debate regarding science and technology. We will read essays arguing for opposing sides on these issues, discuss and debate these essays in class, and then articulate our own positions in argumentative essays. These essays will undergo peer review and workshopping as a fundamental part of the coursework. You will have some role in selecting which issues we will work on. The final unit of the course will highlight the ethics of technology use. We will also include work on grammar throughout the semester. Our objectives include becoming better critical readers, distinguishing between description and argument, and taking audience into account as we write. Workload will include three longer, formal papers, several shorter essay assignments, and other shorter assignments, including quizzes on our readings.
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WRITING ABOUT SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: ARGUING THE ISSUES, Suzanne Hudson
Students will write three papers, engage in one oral debate, respond to reading assignments, study the mechanics of documenting sources, and study techniques for conveying meaning through concise, grammatically and mechanically correct language. Two of the papers will be analytical—the evaluation of a current technology and a cause/effect analysis. The third paper will be an argument about an ethical issue. Students will prepare for the third paper by debating the issue orally. The course objectives are to enhance the student-scientist's ability to communicate effectively with a lay audience about scientific issues, to think and write critically about these issues, and to heighten awareness of the ethical implications of scientific advancements.
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ESL WRITING ON SCIENCE AND SOCIETY, Catherine Lasswell
Sections: 800, 801
This course satisfies the core curricular upper division writing requirement for students who use English as their second or subsequent language. The course focuses on descriptive, analytical and argumentative writing on various topics and in a range of writing genres related to the students' major fields of study. Particular emphasis is placed on the rhetorical approaches and structures of the students' home languages as they relate to those of English. Students read, write, critique, revise, discuss, and present orally on their writing, using computer technology and WebCT. This course is not a standard ESL or "learn English" course; it is a regular section of WRTG within which second language students receive specialized instruction for using English along with the instruction about writing and rhetoric.
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ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY, Tim Lyons
Using both fictional works and actual experiments, students will investigate the moral questions that arise in scientific and technical work. Students will learn to frame an issue, bring forth evidence, demonstrate its relevance, and respond to counter-arguments. Throughout, they will ask whether one should follow a course of action instead of merely whether one can do so. They will learn how to aim their writing at different audiences, distinguish between description and analysis, and shape their analysis into a well-formed argument. In order to sharpen their critical thinking skills, they will learn how to reduce abstractions in both writing and thinking. They will receive some instruction in basic grammar, and even more instruction in learning how to read their work as others will read it. Workload: 3 major papers (6-10 pages); 2-3 shorter papers (3-6 pages); miscellaneous short assignments.
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SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: DO THE RIGHT THING, Dr. Paul Murphy
This course will focus upon contemporary ethical issues specific to the sciences and engineering. We will read and discuss a number of essays on these issues, as a preliminary step towards engaging with the issues with both analytical and argumentative essays. Coursework will include a number of shorter assignments, generally critical responses to published essays, and will include two larger projects: an argumentative essay, in which you will take a reasoned stance on an issue, and a student project proposal, which very likely takes into account your stand on a particular issue. Particular attention will be given to the basics of grammar and mechanics, and the role of audience in composing an essay.
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CULTURAL HISTORY OF SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY, Tony Ruiz
This course is a study of the rhetorical (and cultural) process by which the meaning of "science" and "technology" has been constructed. Readings are selected from a variety of periods and genres, with emphasis upon the early to mid 20th century when the modern discourse surrounding these areas first emerged in Western thought and expression. We will consider the implications, both social and ethical, of rhetoric, the art and craft of persuasion, in our study. In keeping with the workshop model, critical thinking, persuasion, and oral presentation skills will be deepened by practice in our weekly discussions, group exercises, and peer reviews of your writing. Course work includes three major essay sequences, with several short papers and quizzes on readings.
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COMMUNICATING IDEAS, Tory Tuttle
In your work you will be expected to communicate your ideas on science and technology to others both within and outside of your field. This course will help you improve your critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills so that you may communicate your ideas effectively. You will complete short assignments as you react to readings on current issues of science and technology. In addition, you will give an oral presentation and complete three major written assignments of analysis and argument. For each assignment, you will analyze the values and expectations of the audience, frame an issue, and develop a stance based on evidence and sound reasoning. Through revision and participation in workshop you will learn ways to communicate your ideas effectively in clear, highly readable language. You will not only gain familiarity with professional business documents, but also learn to apply your disciplinary expertise to broader social and ethical issues.
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SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL AND LAY ARGUMENT, Don Wilkerson
As a semester-long project, you will write ONE of the following: an essay on science, technology and public policy; a preliminary draft of an honors thesis; a post-UROP paper; a UROP, Capstone or other research proposal; an engineering or product licensing proposal; a curriculum reform proposal. You will choose a topic and genre, and then compile an annotated bibliography. Midway through the semester you will begin drafting your paper. At the end of the term, you will convert your paper into a 10-minute PowerPoint presentation. While you are doing preliminary research for your project, you will write a brief essay on ONE of the following topics: research ethics, professional ethics, creativity in science or engineering, truth in science, the social effects of technology. This essay will prepare you for your term project by teaching you how to define terms, clarify unstated assumptions, present evidence in support of an assertion and respond to likely objections.
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