WRITING AS CRITICAL THINKING: SUSTAINABILITY

BH 303 | Section 1278 | 10:30-11:20 AM TTH | Erica Raines | edr3884@truman.edu | Office: Baldwin 306 | Office
Hours: 9:30-10:30 AM TTH (and other times by appointment) | Final Exam May 2nd @ 9:30-11:20 AM
COURSE OVERVIEW
Through the exploration of sustainability in relation to the self, the environment, and the community, students will read relevant articles across disciplines
to foster discussion, critical thinking, and develop their identities as writers.
Understanding the complex relationships between writers and their experiences, situations, locations, purposes, and audiences will challenge the traditional notion of academic writing to inspire effective communication and meaningful additions to the discussion of sustainability.
QUESTIONS OF THE COURSE
How does writing initiate change?
How do people use language to talk about the environment?
How does audience influence writing?
What characterizes effective writing?
How can I use scholarly sources to support my own ideas?
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
Understand and analyze the rhetoric used to make meaning of the natural world, human relationships to
that world, and societal and individual interpretations involving sustainable issues
Research a topic in relation to student interest while including academic sources
Recognize and emulate the writing process of experienced writers
Meet the needs of readers with varied expectations and backgrounds by using appropriate style and
mechanics
Understand the importance of intellectual and academic honesty, including accurate, critical, and clear
quotation and citation of the work of others
Develop writing stamina and confidence through low-risk writing assignments
Collaborate and revise with peers to discuss, brainstorm, write, and revise writing
Self-reflect on progress and ideas shared throughout the course
REQUIRED TEXT
All texts in this course are provided through the online classroom website. In addition to reading texts,
we will also watch films and listen to podcasts. Therefore, a reliable Internet connection is vital. It is highly recommended that you have a tablet, laptop, or some other type of large hand held device in order to
read and bring the readings to class.
TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Since most of the resources and texts for this course will be online, I encourage you to bring your devices to class. However, I find it extremely distracting and harmful to the classroom environment when
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you misuse your device in class. I would define misuse as going on Facebook, working on other assignments for other classes, checking email, Buzzfeed, Twitter, etc. If an issue arises where you are disrupting
your learning and the learning of others because of such misuse, it will directly reflect on your community building grade.
INSTRUCTOR COMMITMENTS
You can expect me to be:
On time
Prepared for class and meetings
Flexible
Responsive to emails
Open-minded and respectful
A learner
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
I expect every student to:
Be prepared
Check email regularly
Be an active participant in the class
Have access to reliable Internet and computer access.
Open-minded and respectful
Visit the Writing Center at least once, if not more. Trumans Writing Center (McClain 303) employs a staff of well-trained and highly skilled writing consultants. Whether youre at the beginning of the process (what to write about?) or nearing the end (how to make this essay as strong
as possible?), the Writing Center is a great resource for writers of all abilities
Engaged learners
COMMUNITY BUILDING
All ethics evolved so far rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of
interdependent parts.- Aldo Leopold
Think about the communities that are you involved in. Maybe you just joined HvZ or a sorority/ fraternity on campus? What are some characteristics of these communities? Open, energetic, active,
engaged, intentional, communicative, respectful, and curious describe members of a strong community. This class is also a community that you are now involved in. Leopolds quote above defines
community as a collection of interdependent parts. In order to foster discussion, writing, and
learning in this course you must play an active part by exhibiting the characteristics listed above.
ATTENDANCE
The success of this class depends on discussion, collaboration, and in-class activitynot on my lectures, which will be few and brief. Therefore, plan to be on time and prepared to actively engage in
class. For each class you are prepared and present, you will receive 5 points. For every unexcused absence, you will miss 5 points.
If you need to miss class for an official, University-sponsored activity, show me a written notice from the coach/director/other responsible faculty or staff member and make arrangements in advance to complete any assigned work.
DEADLINES

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The deadlines are in place to keep you writing and learning with the class. I understand that there
may be a time when you will need extra time to complete an assignment. If you are in need of an
extension, please send me a formal email at least 3 business days in advance. Once I receive your
request I will respond as soon as possible.
ADA STATEMENT
It is my job to accommodate you in any way possible, abled or disabled. If you have a disability for which
you are or may be requesting an accommodation, contact the Disabilities Services office (x4478) and me
as soon as possible. (http://disabilityservices.truman.edu/teachers.asp)
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
If you submit the ideas or work that someone else wrote as your own, I will submit an academic dishonesty report. I follow the Universitys policy on academic honesty- take a look here.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION
PLACE Narrative
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
RESEARCH PROJECT
ACTION LETTER
LETTERS
ATTENDANCE (30 days @ 5 pts. each)
COMMUNITY BUILDING

100 PTS
175 PTS
200 PTS
100 PTS
225 PTS
150 PTS
50 PTS

(10%)
(17.5%)
(20%)
(10%)
(22.5%)
(15%)
(5%)

=1000 points total

WEEKLY WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
LETTERS1: n. a written, typed, or printed communication
Every week you will write a letter sharing your ideas on the class readings, discussions, and your individual writing process. Some weeks you will have a prompt to respond to in your letters, other weeks you
will be able to choose what you write about. No matter the topic of your letter be creative, personal,
honest- be yourself. Some weeks you may be asked to print off your letter so I can make copies for the
entire class to read and respond to. Other weeks I may respond to you personally or as a class in a letter.
My response may include snippets from the letters I received from you, so be prepared to have your
writing shared with the class. If you do not feel comfortable sharing a particular letter or writing with the
class, put DO NOT SHARE at the top of your paper. Check the LETTERS RUBRIC for letter expectations.
JOURNAL:
For the duration of this semester you will be encouraged to keep a journal. Your journal will be a place
for you to reflect on assignments, activities, readings, and discussions in class, as well as a personal
space for you to write outside of the classroom environment to develop yourself as a writer and critical
thinker. Your journal is your own personal writing and reflective space, be creative.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:

1 Inspired by Toby Fulwilers Writing Back and Forth: Class Letters

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PLACE Narrative:
In our exploration of the places we inhabit, we are beginning to understand the value and relationship
between the writer and their environments. Through a self-introductory narrative begin to give your
readers a sense of a place that is important to you. (3 PGS)

ENVIRONMENTAL RHETORIC: n. the study and practice of how individuals, companies, industries, writers, public media, communities, and societies use language to define, craft, persuade, and understand the environment
and human interactions with that environment.
What do Rachel Carson, oil companies, Edward Abbey, Al Gore, the Sierra Club, and logging companies
have in common? They all understand the power of language to initiate action. Through a rhetorical lens,
you will describe and analyze the rhetoric used to craft, define, and understand the environment conveyed by the source of your choice. In examining how the rhetorical devices of pathos, logos, ethos, and
kairos are used, you will unearth the rhetoric behind the text and images used to market and define the
environment. Your analysis should: (1) Describe the environmental message being conveyed; (2) How the
text and images portray that message; and (3) Why this message does or doesnt present an effective
rhetorical stance. (5 PGS)
RESEARCHING ECOLOGICALLY
For this project we are going to take a different perspective on the traditional research paper. So far in
the semester we have been reading, discussing, and writing about the interconnectedness between language and the environment. After choosing a topic that you are personally interested in (can be related
to sustainability, but it is not limited to this topic) you will use an ecological approach to your research by
including multiple perspectives and voices in order to persuade your reader. (6-7 PGS)
ACTION LETTER
All semester we have been discussing the power of language to initiate action. After researching and
writing about your topic for your research project, now you can take your sources and ideas and apply
them to a real-life scenario. Using your sources and understanding of rhetoric, you will write a letter to a
local representative about an issue that you are passionate about (I would recommend it is a topic
related to your research project). We will be mailing these off after they have been graded and revised.
(2 pages single spaced)
DUE DATES
PLACE NARRATIVE - Tuesday JAN 26th
RHETORICAL ANALYSIS - Tuesday FEB 23rd
RESEARCH PROJECT - TBA
ACTION LETTER - TBA
*** due dates will be discussed at a further date

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