Policies

It's too bad that faculty have to have policies. But if we don't, students will always wonder why they didn't do well. Written policies prevent misunderstandings. I've written mine down; they're binding on you whether you read them or not. So there.

Rhetoric Doesn't Always Work

There are at least two classes of people largely unaffected by rhetoric:

1. Those who already have a strong opinion on the point you're arguing.
2. Those who are ignorant, indifferent, and/or stupid.

As for the folks in class #1, if they're against you you can't convert them, and life's too short to try. If they're on your side they won't help you forward your argument, because they'll turn off your audience.

This class generally includes very religious folks and very religious skeptics. It includes those with extreme political views. And it also includes those who've already made up their minds and who are hoping you'll provide THEM with evidence to support the decisions they've already made.

The folks in class #2 have their minds on anything other than what you're talking about. Or on nothing at all. Once you spot them, the best thing you can do for them is to ignore them, as they are doing with you.

I make the assumption that your audience includes a remnant of reasonable, intelligent people, who need a little help making up their minds. The study of Rhetoric involves collecting the tools you need for this worthy task. But the tools won't help you unless you focus them on that remnant.

I Play Favorites

I've been accused of "playing favorites." OF COURSE I PLAY FAVORITES! Anyone who says they don't is either a liar or clueless. Generally speaking, my favorites don't get better grades than everyone else while working less than everyone else. But my favorites will give me arguments I enjoy reading, hearing and responding to. Others will just make me work.

Do you want to be one of my favorites? Here's how:

1. Show some respect for the study of Rhetoric. This is asking a lot of students of engineering. Many of them are inclined to think they don't need rhetorical skills; that their technical skills are what will make them good engineers. And that's true: technical skills without rhetorical skills will make fine engineers that nobody notices or wants to work with.
2. Don't make your grade point average or your scholarship standing my problem. It's not. I don't give free "A's" or easy high grades. Again, this is a problem with engineering students -- struggling in Statics, Dynamics, Circuits, etc., they're hoping a non-major class will give that GPA a lift. Sorry. For me, this is an ENGINEERING class. You'll treat me as an engineering prof, and you'll keep your sob stories to yourself, or I'll find ways not to feel sorry for you.
3. Participate in class. This is a problem for many types of students. If you're a wallflower, and don't like to speak up, I sympathize with you -- but that's it. I give you many different ways to participate, and you must take advantage of some or all of them. It's 30% of your grade, and it's that way for a reason.

No Slackers

Nobody who tries in my class will fail. But if you're a slacker you'll get a slacker's reward. And if you plagiarize in my class, so help me I'll see you hang. I'll leave you twisting in the wind.

I Can Be Reasonable

If you can't make it to class, you just have to let me know. I will try to keep you caught up if you give me enough notice. If you have to hand in an assignment late and you have a good reason, you just let me know.

BUT... I like to give pop quizzes, especially when students are late to class. If four or five students are late, I will give a pop quiz where the first question is a "softball," so those who are there are rewarded and those who aren't are penalized. If four or five students are goofing off in class, same thing.

What Will Kill You in This Class

You have to hand in drafts of your major papers in this class. That's so I can look at them and help you to overcome problems. The worst thing you can do in my class is to ignore comments I make on a draft. If I go to the trouble of reviewing and commenting on a draft, and you don't address my comments, your grade will suffer. If you hand in a draft late, you will be responsible for my comments whether you have time to read them or not. You can screw up a hundred different ways, but the absolute worst thing you can do in my class is WASTE MY TIME.

It's Not All Bad News

I expect a lot out of you, and I'm sorry if that seems like bad news. But I do this once and that's it. Rhetoric really is fun and interesting. More importantly, it's useful. Not many of my students are sorry they took this class. I'm willing to bet you won't be sorry either.