Overview
- Introduction to rhetoric, the theory and practice of persuasive writing and speech
- Will learn to construct and defend effective arguments
- Built around Harvard professor James Engell’s on campus course “Elements of Rhetoric”
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is divided into 3 types: Judicial (or “forensic”), deliberative (or “legislative”), epideictic (“ceremonial” or “demonstrative”).
Judicial Rhetoric - Discussion of a past action to evaluate whether or not it was just Deliberative - Rhetoric intended to persuade Epideictic - Used to celebrate or blame an individual, eulogies fall under this category
Speeches from MLK Jr., John F. Kennedy, Margaret Chase Smith, Ronald Regan, and more will be used to analyze rhetoric structure and style. We will discover how speakers persuade an audience to adopt their POV
Read more in Rhetoric
Learning Goals
By the end of the course you’ll be able to
- Define the term “rhetoric” and describe the origins and evolution of rhetorical practice
- List a variety of rhetorical devices used in writing and speaking
- Explain why writers and speakers employ these devices
- Identify an author’s argument and evidence used to support that argument
- Differentiate between an author’s argument and rhetorical technique
- Write an opinion editorial intendd to persuade an audience to adopt a particular point of view
- Write and deliver a speech intended to persuade an audience to adopt a particular point of view
Syllabus
- Course is an introducton to the theory and practice of Rhetoric
- Will learn how to construct and defend effective arguments in writing and in speech
- We live in a controversial time and it is of the utmost important that everyone has the knowledge on how to make an argument and analyze the arguments of others
- Anyone who wishes to convey their message to an audience will benefit from this skill
Course Outline
- Module 1: Introduction to Rhetoric
- Module 2: Civil Rights - Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Module 3: Gun Control - Sarah Brady and Charlton Heston
- Module 4: Introduction to Oratory
- Module 5: The Red Scare- Joseph McCarthy and Margaret Chase Smith
- Module 6: Presidential Rhetoric - John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan
- Module 7: Conclusion
- Module 8: Full Lectures (Optional)
Grading
- Op-Ed Final Draft (45% of Final Grade)
- Speech Final Draft (45% of Final Grade)
- Speech Feedback Survey (10% of Final Grade)
- Passing: 65%
Guidelines for Collaboration
- OK to discuss work and jointly develop a general approach to assignments
- OK to get hint from peers or course staff is stuck on an assignment
- Work out the details of the assignment yourself
- not OK to copy someone else’s submission
Discussion Forum
- Asking questions about course content and assignments
- Collaborating appropriately on assignments
- Starting discussions related to course content
- Commenting on course content, including giving feedback
#Guidelines
- Be polite
- Work together
- Post hints instead of answers
- Discuss questions consider possibilities
- Should not request or give out answers
- Use vote to agree with someone
Homework
- Problems are worth certain number of points
- Most problems have limited attempts (some more than 1)
- Some problems have hints (hints do not penalize you)
Nondiscrimination / Anti-harassment Statement
Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service.
Particularly in a course where you will be sharing strong opinions, please be sure to respect the opinions of others. Feel free to respectfully point out gaps in your fellow learners’ arguments, in order to help them strengthen those arguments. But remember to focus your feedback on their rhetorical technique, regardless of whether you share their point of view.