Introduction to contemporary rhetorical theory and theories of the composing process. A closer examiniation of the linguistic structure of texts and their social and cultural contexts. Students will analyze the linguistic features of a number of texts and perform an extended analysis of a text of their choice. A study of contemporary theories of rhetoric and their application to understanding and critiquing various forms of persuasive discourse. Advanced problems in exposition, persuasion, rhetoric, and style.
Students write and discuss their own papers and analyze model texts.
Recommended for engineering students who desire a technical writing course. Examines the history and theory of cultural studies. Explores cultural studies' inderstanding of meaning as created and communicated in everyday life activities as diverse as music, dance, housework, education, and relations with the natural environment. Explores examples of popular culture in order to develop a critical appreciation of cultural rows. Considers the historical, social, political, and economic contexts within which popular culture derives its significance.