Outline

Overview

The persuasive power of the English language emerges from its richness and variation. This unit introduces students to rhetorical theory as a resource for the creative construction of meaning. Students will learn to discover topics, arrange ideas, and analyse the delivery of arguments across a variety of contexts. We examine print, visual media, political debates and engage in virtual exchanges with universities around the world.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Benjamin Miller, benjamin.miller@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Kirk Dodd, kirk.dodd@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Jiva Lamsal, jiva.lamsal@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Assignment	Short writing task 1: proposal Proposal	10%	Week 04 Due date: 26 Mar 2021 at 23:59	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Short writing task 2: research notes Written task	10%	Week 06 Due date: 12 Apr 2021 at 23:59	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Short writing task 3: outline Written task	10%	Week 07 Due date: 23 Apr 2021 at 23:59	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Short writing task 4: paragraphs Written task	10%	Week 10 Due date: 10 May 2021 at 23:59	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Online Portfolio Written task	20%	Week 12 Due date: 28 May 2021 at 23:59	1000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final essay Essay	40%	Week 13 Due date: 04 Jun 2021 at 23:59	1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

INTERPRETATION OF GRADES

This Guide indicates broadly the qualitative judgments implied by the various grades which may be awarded. These should be read in conjunction with the instructions and criteria for each task.

85%+ (High Distinction)

a deep understanding of material; nuanced analysis of focal texts or issues;
clearly presents a novel, critically supported argument;
indicates awareness of complexities and qualifications in argumentation;
demonstrates careful thought about an argument’s critical or historical context;
provides evidence of wide-ranging scholarly reading;
is properly referenced and well-presented.

The writing is characterized by creativity, clarity, and independent insight. A HD is distinguished from a D by an awareness of subtleties, nuances, and qualifications.

75-84% (Distinction)

an intelligent understanding of material; analyses issues appositely;
presents a well-argued, coherent case;
careful thought about an argument’s critical or historical context;
provides evidence of reading beyond what is strictly required for the task;
is properly referenced and well presented.

The writing is characterized by clarity and independent insight. A D is distinguished from a C by theoretical understanding and a range of intellectual enquiry.

65-74% (Credit)

evidence of independent reading and thinking about issues and their contexts;
clear understanding of relevant critical considerations and conceptual issues raised by a unit of study;
quotes and summarises to support analysis;
attempts a critical or theoretical argument;
is clearly and effectively written and adequately referenced.

A C is distinguished from a P by independent discussion, clarity of writing and an attempt at critical argument.

50-64% (Pass)

evidence of having read and thought about relevant texts or issues;
there may be errors, tangents, or a lack of clarity about the argument;
some critical analysis, often overshadowed by summary or paraphrase;
quotation for illustrative purposes only;
may present simplistic comment or unsubstantiated assertions;
is adequately expressed though there may be some weaknesses in this area;
may contain some referencing errors.

Below 50% (Fail)

Work may fail for any of the following reasons:

no evidence of having read course material or assessment instruction closely;
sloppy, inconsistent presentation; quotation without analysis; overuse of summary and paraphrase; excessive generality in answering a question;
inappropriate expression; writing style that is difficult to understand; incoherent general structure; inadequate referencing;
late submission of work without extension.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Module 1.1.1: Orientation Lecture	Online class (1 hr)
Week 01	Module 1.1.2: Orientation Activity	Online class (1 hr)
Week 02	Module 1.2.1: Introduction to Rhetoric	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.2.2: Journeys to Sydney	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.2.3: Your journey to WRIT1001	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Module 1.3.1: Rhetorical Appeals	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.3.2: Rhetorical Fallacies	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.3.3: Rhetorical Analysis (via zoom)	Online class (1 hr)
Week 04	Module 1.4.1: Milk (online screening)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.4.2: Rhetorical Situations	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.4.3: Overcoming Assessment Difficulties	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Module 1.5.1: Rhetoric and Research	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.5.2: Evaluating Scholarly Sources	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 1.5.3: Using Sources (Paraphrase, Summary, Quote) (via zoom)	Online class (1 hr)
Week 06	Module 2.6.1: Parts of an Argument (Classical and Rogerian)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.6.2: Branches of rhetoric	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.6.3: Outlining an Essay	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Module 2.7.1: Structure of Argument (Toulmin)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.7.2: Toulminian Analysis	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.7.3: Thesis Statements (via zoom)	Online class (1 hr)
Week 08	Module 2.8.1: The Form of Paragraphs	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.8.2: Features of Paragraphs	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.8.3: Introductory Paragraphs	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Module 2.9.1: Theorising Critical Thinking	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.9.2: Analysing Critical Thinking	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 2.9.3: Body Paragraphs (via zoom)	Online class (1 hr)
Week 10	Module 3.10.1: Ten Canoes (online screening)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.10.2: Intercultural Rhetoric	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.10.3: Concluding Paragraphs	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Module 3.11.1: Ethical Style	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.11.2: Writing a Critical Reflection	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.11.3: Online Portfolio (Milk)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Module 3.12.1: Academic Style	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.12.2: Interdisciplinary Writing	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.12.3: Online Portfolio (Ten Canoes)	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Module 3.13.1: Editing as a Professional Practice	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.13.2: Essay Feedforward	Lecture (1 hr)
	Module 3.13.3: Academic Writing Style (via zoom)	Online class (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance/Participation: For the purposes of WRIT1001, participation in online discussions counts as attendance. According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to participate in 90% of their classes. If you participate in less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold. Please contact your tutor or coordinator if you need to vary your attendance/participation in the unit – we will try to find a solution that suits you and helps you complete the unit requirements.
Lecture recordings: All lectures in WRIT1001 will be delivered by audio/powerpoint/video recordings and will be made available to students on the LMS. Students must ensure they make time each week to watch/listen to recordings and complete lecture activities.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately one hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction. For this unit, the best preparation is completing readings from the reading list and attempting scholarly readings about rhetorical concepts.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed via Canvas.

It is expected that you will complete one reading per week to build an understanding of rhetorical concepts. You will also need to refer to scholarly articles about rhetoric (from the reading list and your own independent research) to complete the assessments in this unit.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. communicate competently and confidently in writing across a range of modalities and contexts
LO2. demonstrate an increased awareness of how to produce effective arguments
LO3. understand more about essay conventions in academic contexts
LO4. construct written arguments appropriate for multicultural audiences
LO5. edit your own work and the work of others effectively and consistently.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Student feedback has been very positive for the style and quality of feedback given throughout the unit - to this end, we will continue to deliver a mix of audio, email, and in-text feedback on your work throughout the semester. Following the online delivery of the unit in semester 1 2020, students requested that zoom meetings be added to the tutorial schedule, which has been done for semester 2 2020. Some students have asked for some weighting to be placed on online activities (eg, 1 mark per online activity). Other students enjoy the fact that the online activities are unweighted - a space for trial without punishment! To balance these opinions, there are two online activities that form part of the Online Portfolio task (week 10 and week 11) that are weighted, while other weeks are not assessable.

Additional information

As a writing unit student, you will find excellent support via the Writing Studies Drop-in Service. You can book free, one-on-one sessions with a student writing mentor via the following site:

https://sydney.edu.au/students/arts-and-social-sciences-writing-support.html

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

WRIT1001: Writing and Rhetoric: Academic Essays

Semester 1, 2021 [Normal day] - Remote

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect