INSTRUCTOR  Owen M. Williamson, MA  

In case of absence, or if class is ever cancelled due to circumstances beyond Instructor control, students are still expected to complete and submit all assignments shown on this Calendar page if possible.

Week 13: April 18-22, 2011

Organization report due by Thurs., April 21 to class dropbox.

Monday:

Discuss Intellectual activities (e.g., lectures, debates, panel presentations, campus conference, etc.). [Academic success strategies]

Rhetoric of class, ethnicity and gender.  [Applies to theme / discipline] [Critical thinking]

 

Activity/assignment addressing individual roles and responsibilities in groups. Reference this to Final Project experience.

Ethics. [Critical thinking]

Test-taking strategies.

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Wednesday:

• Work Group 1 will discuss Progymnasma 13 (Defend / Attack a thesis.)
• QUIZ: "The five-year test." (I.e., In each of your classes, what really counts is not the grade you get this semester, but rather, what you will know, understand and be able to discuss and apply on that subject five years from now.) Respond in two full paragraphs:
  • a. Is this test valid or not? Why?
  • b. How does it relate to the semester thesis?

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Friday, April 22.  No class.

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Monday:

1. Read Kennedy (click for link), 124-127 (example). 

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   Wednesday:

   None.

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   Friday:

   1. Do Progymnasma 13. . [Applies to theme / discipline]

   2. KTEP reports. [Academic success strategies—note taking] [Critical thinking]

 

 

 

This and all progymnasmata must be completed and posted by Apr. 27!  

Progymnasma 13: Defend / Attack a thesis.

(Arguing "Ab ultrumque partes")

Instructions: This requires TWO DIFFERENT brief compositions. In your first short composition, passionately attack the following statement, and in your second, passionately defend this same statement:

In order to earn a final grade of "A" ("EXCELLENT") in this course,  a student must have gone the “extra mile” in researching, learning, and preparing for tests and assignments,  proving he or she knows more about the subject of the course than what the instructor demanded or taught.

Both your attack and your defense must each cover all of the following factors, one by one:

1. Legality (is it legal, constitutional, or in accordance with UTEP regulations?);
2. Justice (is it fair to the student?);
3. Expediency (is it the correct thing to do at this moment?);
4. Practicability (is it practical or doable to apply this thesis at this time?);
5. Decency (is it the decent, humane, caring or civilized thing to do?);
6. Consequences (describe the good consequences if your arguments are accepted, and the bad consequences if they are rejected).

Your introduction paragraph should consist only of your thesis sentence,  Use an essay format, but number your points if you wish. Your final paragraph (conclusion) should very briefly: a. discuss the positive consequences of accepting your arguments, and b. show the bad consequences if they are rejected. No additional introduction or conclusion is needed. Do not use the five-paragraph format.  Do not use silly or ridiculous arguments!  Be sure to use pathos in each composition. Carefully follow the example provided in Kennedy (click for link) for style and length of each composition.

E-mail omwilliamson@utep.edu

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