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Unit outline_

WRIT1001: Writing and Rhetoric: Academic Essays

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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 English and Writing
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
Lecturer(s) Benjamin Miller, benjamin.miller@sydney.edu.au
Kirk Dodd, kirk.dodd@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation group assignment In-class presentation (weeks 12-13)
Group presentation during timetabled tutorial
20% Multiple weeks
Due date: 23 Oct 2023 at 23:59

Closing date: 03 Nov 2023
1000 words equivalent
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO1 LO4 LO5
Assignment Short writing task 1: Biography and proposal
written task
10% Week 04
Due date: 21 Aug 2023 at 23:59
500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO3 LO1
Assignment Short writing task 2: Draft paragraph
Written task
10% Week 08
Due date: 18 Sep 2023 at 23:59
500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO1 LO5
Assignment Short writing task 3: Thesis statement and research plan
Written task
10% Week 08
Due date: 18 Sep 2023 at 23:59
500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO5 LO3 LO2 LO1
Assignment Final essay
Essay
40% Week 11
Due date: 16 Oct 2023 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Short writing task 4: Politics of citation
Written task
10% Week 13
Due date: 03 Nov 2023 at 23:59
500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2 LO1
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

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.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Ongoing 13A: Assignment preparation (SWTs and Essay) Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
13B: Assignment preparation (presentation and reflection) Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 01 1A: Introduction to WRIT1001 Lecture (1 hr) LO1
1B: Our Journeys to Sydney Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Week 02 2A: Cultural Rhetorics Lecture (1 hr) LO1
2B: Proposing a topic for research Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
2C: Lived experience and university culture Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3
Week 03 3A: Classical rhetoric and canons Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO4
3B: Rhetorical traditions Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
3C: Identifying rhetoric in the world around us Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 04 4A: Rhetorical analysis: Branches and appeals Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
4B: Rhetorical fallacies Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
4C: Rhetorical analysis Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 05 5A: The structures of argument Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
5B: Outlining arguments Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
5C: Essay outlines Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 06 6A: Argument statements Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
6B: Evaluating argument statements Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
6C: How to use argument statements in an essay Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 07 7A: Critical thinking in academic culture Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
7B: Features of essay paragraphs Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
7C: Identifying/improving features of essay paragraphs Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 08 8A: Artificial Intelligence in the writing process Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
8B: Evaluating and editing AI-generated writing Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
8C: Challenges and possibilities of AI and academic writing Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Week 09 9A: Editing - Rewriting and the rhetorical situation Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
9B: Editing - a practical guide to editing your own work Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
9C: Editing workshop - identifying your goals, highlights and challenges Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Week 10 10A: Social rhetoric - editing the work of others Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
10B: Social rhetoric: a practical guide for editing the work of others Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
10C: Presentation practice Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 11 11A: The politics of citation Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4
11B: Understanding feedback on academic writing (SWT2/3 feedback) Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
11C: Evaluating the politics of your own citations Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 12 12A: Reflecting on WRIT1001 Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
12B: Writing a 'critical reflection' Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO5
12C: In-class Presentation Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 13C: In-class Presentation Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance/Participation: 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. For students studying WRIT1001 RE (remotely), participation in zoom tutorials and online discussions counts as attendance. For students studying WRIT1001 CC (on campus), tutorial participation counts as attendance.
  • Lecture recordings: All lectures in WRIT1001 will be delivered live on campus. Recordings will be made available to students on the LMS (Canvas) by Wednesday morning. Recordings provide a study resource and a backup for rare occasions students cannot attend lectures. Assignments and tutorials proceed on the understanding that students have reviewed lecture content.
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately two hours study and attendance for each credit point a unit accredits. Eg, for a 6cp unit, students should spend approximately 12 hours working on content and assignments each week of semester. For this unit, the best preparation for each week’s tutorial, in addition to completing lectures and online activities, is completing readings from the reading list.

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.

You must complete one reading per week. 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 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.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

The unit of study has been redesigned in 2023 to interweave discussions about classical and cultural rhetorics. New material on artificial intelligence and academic integrity has been incorporated. As the University moves to in-person teaching in semester 2 2023, the course has been reorganised to improve the role of tutorials in supporting assessment completion. Unit material and activities have been designed to show students the importance of their own contributions to academic rhetoric and communication.

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.