This course is grounded in the rhetorical analysis of "controversies," broadly defined. It is divided into three units, each one requiring some sort of outside research. The first two units are devoted to rhetorical analysis; they are mostly descriptive and allow students to become familiar with what is being said and how. The third unit is devoted to advocacy; having become familiar with the controversy, students now take a position within it and produce an informed argument for that position.
Unit 1:
Describing a controversy and mapping the various positions within it
In this unit, students detail the history of their controversy, map out the central positions held in regard to it, examine the stakes of each position, and explore the ways in which the positions are interrelated (dependent on one another). The major assignment for this unit requires analysis and description, not evaluation or argumentation.
Unit 2:
Analyzing a position within a controversy
In this unit, students will analyze a specific position within their chosen controversy. After summarizing what the writer says, noting the central claims and key evidence, students will analyze how the argument is put together as well as why the writer has made specific rhetorical choices. Students may also discover and describe significant disagreements among others who advocate this same position. The major assignment for this unit requires analysis and description, not evaluation or argumentation.
Unit 3:
Advocating a position within a controversy
In this unit, students situate themselves within the "map" of the controversy that they have constructed and produce an argument that advocates a particular position using the persuasive strategies analyzed and studied throughout the semester.
To register for RHE 306 or RHE 309S, most students need to take a placement test called the College Board SAT II: Writing Test (SAT II: WR).
Other relevant tests include:
The SAT II: WR Requirement
The College Board administers the SAT II: Writing Test at test centers on nationwide test dates five times each year. The University's Measurement and Evaluation Center (MEC) also administers the test during all regular summer orientation programs and before each class registration period. Currently, the nationally-administered SAT II: WR consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and a 20-minute essay, while the version of the test UT Austin offers consists of only multiple-choice questions.
If you took the SAT II: WR while in high school, you need not take the SAT II: WR again. But if you did not , you should register to take the SAT II: WR as soon as possible. You can take the test only once on the UT Austin campus. You may, however, repeat it at a College Board test center as many times as you like if you want to try to earn a higher score. The University will honor the highest of the scores.
The SAT II: WR test offers an opportunity for you to earn credit for RHE 306. This credit fulfills degree requirements just as if you had taken RHE 306 and received a passing grade. Credit by examination does not, however, count as credit earned in residence, which may affect you if you are a transfer student and need to earn a specified number of credit hours at UT in order to graduate. Graduating seniors should also remember that they must earn 24 of their last 30 credit hours in residence at UT.
Current information on earning credit by examination for RHE 306 is available from the Measurement and Evaluation Center's RHE 306 page.
Petitioning for RHE 306 Credit
Be aware that credit earned by examination will not automatically appear on your record. To receive credit, you must file a petition at least one semester before you graduate. When you complete the brief petition form, available at both the Main Building and the MEC, you may choose to receive credit with or without a grade. If you choose credit only, a "CR" will appear in the grade column on your transcript and the course will not affect your grade point average. Even if RHE 306 fulfills a major degree requirement, you can claim "CR" instead of a letter grade when you earn credit by exam.
Students who place out of RHE 306 but would still like to take an introductory composition course are eligible for RHE 309S.
Exemptions from the SAT II: WR Exam
You may be exempt from taking the SAT II: WR if you meet one of the following criteria:
The rules concerning exemption, placement and credit by exam that we outline in this section apply to the majority of students at UT; however, a few students follow different procedures.
Taking the SAT II: Writing Test on Campus
If you want to take the SAT II: WR on campus, you will purchase your test admission ticket at the MEC's Ticket Office, located in the northwest corner of the ground floor of Jester Center. Admission tickets are usually available on the test date, as well as on the day before.
Detailed handouts describing the SAT II: WR, as well as the placement tests that the MEC administers for other academic departments, are available at the Measurement and Evaluation Center at 2616 Wichita Street. If you have questions about scheduling or scoring, call the MEC at 471-3032, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.
On any given date, the MEC may use a number of sites to administer the same examination. If you arrive late or without your admission ticket, the examiner will not admit you. Remember to bring
If you're a non-native English speaker and didn't attend high school in the U.S., you need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), before you can enroll in any version of RHE 306 or RHE 309S. (You do not have to take the SAT: WR.)
The Department of Rhetoric and Writing offers RHE 306Q, a version of Rhetoric and Composition, especially for non-native speakers of English. Students who score lower than 600 on the TOEFL automatically qualify for RHE 306Q. Those who score between about 600 and 620 on the TOEFL may take the course when space permits.
In certain cases, non-native English speakers who are not international students may register for RHE 306Q. These students must have a score of 500 or below on the SAT II: WR and must consult DRW staff in Parlin 3 for permission to register.
The Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) is designed to help you succeed in college. The THEA is a state-legislated program that uses an exam to identify college-bound students who need further preparation in reading, math, or writing. The program then provides developmental instruction for those students whose test scores suggest that they would benefit from such intervention. For authoritative information on THEA, see < www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/tsi/index.html>.
THEA Requirements
Unless you are exempt from THEA (see below), you must take the THEA test before enrolling for college courses. Students who have already earned college-level credit from Texas public colleges (including credit by examination and transfer credit), but have not taken the THEA Test should contact the Texas Success Initiative Program office at UT in FAC, Room 33 (Phone: 512-471-8277).
THEA Test Registration Bulletins are available at Texas public high schools and colleges. At UT, you can pick up the bulletins from the Texas Success Initiative Program office in FAC 33, the Measurement and Evaluation Center, and the information desk in the Main Building. A fee is charged for the exam. The THEA test is offered every semester at over 100 locations in Texas, including UT.
If you have scores below the state-set standards on one or more of the THEA subtests, or if you did not take one or more of the subtests, you will be required to participate in skill development courses until your skills reach the state standard.
THEA Exemptions (from UT THEA Office information)
Students can be EXEMPT from THEA regulations by presenting official documentation of any of the following (exempting scores must be obtained in a single test administration):
Students seeking Texas Teacher Certification should discuss THEA requirements with the certifying college or university.
Students taking RHE 306 must register for the course during a term when they are eligible. Because so many first-year students attempt to sign up for RHE 306, the Department of Rhetoric & Writing restricts RHE 306 registration from semester to semester.
If you are not a first-year student or if you believe you should be granted special permission to register in a semester for which you are ineligible, consult the DRW staff in Parlin 3.
Eligible students may enroll in RHE 309S in any term it is offered.
The term "add/drops" refers to the procedure and time period for adding or dropping a course after you have initially registered through TEX. Consult the course schedule to find the day and times when you can call TEX to add or drop a course. If you make any changes that affect your tuition, the University will mail a check or bill to your permanent address.
Bear in mind, however, that adding a course late means that you will begin the semester already behind in your work. Although some adds are still possible until the twelfth class day, if you want to add a course after the official add/drop period is over, you will need to obtain permission from the department offering the course. You may also need your dean's approval. Because catching up in a writing class is particularly difficult, the Department of Rhetoric and Writing will not add students to classes-including RHE 306-after the first three class sessions.
Similarly, you may drop a course with fewer restrictions during the first weeks of class. Early in the semester, students sometimes need to withdraw from a class in order to change their schedules. Later, the most common reason for dropping a course is not being able to meet the course requirements-including attendance-because of illness or an emergency. Whatever the reason, dropping is an action that you must initiate. If you simply quit going to class, a failing grade will appear on your transcript at the end of the semester.
See your instructor or the staff of the DRW office in Parlin 3 if you have any remaining questions or concerns about your test scores or registration for first-year writing.
If you came to UT from another college or university, credit for RHE 306 often transfers automatically from your former institution through the admissions procedure. You should have no problem transferring a first-year composition course from another Texas public university or community college. When a first-year writing class taken at another institution won't transfer as credit for RHE 306, it might count as credit for a related writing or literature course.
Contact the dean of your college if you have not received RHE 306 credit for a class with similar requirements. That office can give you the form "Petition for Modification of Degree Requirements." You'll need to fill out the form, attach a copy of the syllabus for the writing course you completed, and submit both to the DRW in Parlin 3. If you don't have the syllabus, you can copy the description of the course from your college's course catalog. Catalogs from almost every American college and university are available in the Undergraduate Library.
After the Associate Director of the DRW has reviewed your request, the office will notify you of the decision, and you will return the form to the dean of your college. The entire process takes a few weeks, so allow sufficient time if applying for transfer credit affects your registration plans.
Although you can choose to transfer credit for RHE 306 from community colleges and other institutions, we strongly recommend that you plan to take the course at UT, if at all possible. The RHE 306 curriculum's emphasis on argumentation and critical reading is specifically designed to complement UT's upper-division course work. In addition, some UT courses-like Substantial Writing Component classes-assume that students are familiar with the rhetorical concepts that are taught in RHE 306, but which are not emphasized in many other schools' first-year writing courses.
Some instructors assign grades to each discrete essay, while others collect all your work in a portfolio and assign a grade to the portfolio at specific points during the semester. A third option used by some instructors is the Learning Record Online. Be sure to read your instructor's policy statement carefully so that you understand his or her method of collecting and evaluating your work.
Because RHE 306 and RHE 309S are writing courses, you will generally be evaluated on the quality of your written work. Make sure that you read each assignment sheet thoroughly and ask questions about any requirements that seem unclear. The major part of your grade will come from the final versions of the essays that you write, but you will also turn in drafts of your essays, write responses to your classmates' work and undertake various, short writing assignments. Some instructors give occasional quizzes or a midterm and final exam.
Students often ask how their instructors arrive at grades for papers. Informal studies of evaluation practices, in fact, show little variation in grading: a B in one class is likely to be a B in another class. So although individual instructors may have their own particular ideas about grading, they tend to have similar grading standards. In the DRW, uniformity in grading practices is further encouraged in grading workshops, in which new instructors study how others evaluate student writing.
Few instructors enjoy giving grades. Nevertheless, most recognize that grades are a necessary part of college life and try to evaluate student work fairly. If you have specific questions, you should feel free to discuss grades with your instructor. To make such discussions as pleasant and useful as possible, avoid asking your instructor to change your letter grade. Instead, inquire how you might improve your writing. You should also wait a day or two after a paper is returned before you approach your instructor about the grade. Re-read your essay, formulate specific questions about your work, and approach your instructor with an open mind.
Although different instructors and assignments may emphasize certain criteria over others, the following descriptions can help you understand the difference between a very good argumentative essay and an average one. If you have more specific questions about your instructor's expectations, talk to him or her.
C: To earn a C, your argumentative paper should, first and foremost, take a clear stand on one debatable claim and provide sufficient evidence to support that position. To accomplish this requirement, make sure your paper fulfills the assignment (type of argument, outside research, length, format, and so on) and give your paper a discernible structure, using transitions to help your reader move from one idea to another. The ideas you present should demonstrate that you understand the rhetorical concepts that your instructor has addressed in class. Moreover, show that you have responded actively and thoughtfully to peer responses and to your instructor's comments. If you use outside sources, summarize them accurately and employ them fairly. Grammatical and syntactical mistakes should not impede your readers' understanding of your argument.
B: To earn a B, first build on the skills needed to earn a C. In addition to making a clear argument, you might address a more complicated or challenging topic. You might employ a variety of rhetorical techniques that go beyond the specific requirements of the assignment and respond more directly to the concerns and values of your particular audience. Additionally, you might synthesize and evaluate outside sources in the service of developing your own claim. Finally, show that you understand the importance of word choice, voice, and style, in addition to grammatical competency.
A: To earn an A, you should continue to build on the foundations discussed above. Your thesis should be provocative, possibly addressing an issue from a perspective that most readers have not considered, perhaps even changing the way they look at it altogether. To construct such a thesis, investigate the full range of positions on your issue. Carefully examine the underlying assumptions, values, ethos , and use of evidence in your sources, instead of taking them at face value. As always, you should demonstrate your command of style, voice, mechanics, and usage.
If you receive a D on a paper, carefully consider the criteria listed above for a C. Instructors may give Ds to papers when writers, while demonstrating a general understanding of the topic and concepts, have not mastered some basic skills. If you misunderstand the assignment; show little understanding of the required rhetorical concepts; or ignore the technical requirements of topic, length, or format, your paper may receive an F. If you need help identifying problems in your writing, consult your instructor or the Undergraduate Writing Center.
The writing you do in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing (DRW) courses must be your own. Passing off the work of others as your own can be either plagiarism or collusion. Both are scholastic offenses that the Department of Rhetoric and Writing will not tolerate. Be certain you understand what these terms mean.
This statement describes the acceptable and unacceptable forms of quoting and paraphrasing information in your written work and defines specific types of academic violations. You will sign and turn in to your instructor an agreement confirming that you have read and understood this policy, including the penalties for committing plagiarism or collusion. The DRW will keep your signed form on file.
Please read this statement carefully. Its detailed information can help you understand the need for documentation whenever you incorporate research into your papers. If parts of the statement are unclear, ask your instructor to explain them.
Plagiarism. The General Information Catalog of the University of Texas at Austin defines plagiarism as follows: "the appropriation, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another's work and the submission of it as one's own academic work offered for credit."
If you want to use words, ideas, or the structure of a selection such as the passage below from Harper's, you may do so correctly in two ways.
Medical costs will bankrupt this country if they continue on their current trajectory. And there are no data to demonstrate that improved management techniques will solve the problem. "Managed care" and "managed competition" might save money in the short run (though the examples of some other managed industries-such as the utilities and airlines do not inspire confidence). But the bulk of the savings achieved by Health Maintenance Organizations has been achieved by cutting back on expensive, unprofitable facilities such as burn centers, neonatal-intensive-care units, emergency rooms, and the like. In other words, HMOs conduct what amounts to a hidden form of health-care rationing-confident that municipal and university hospitals are still around to pick up the slack. (Gaylin 62)
From: Gaylin, Willard M.D. "Faulty Diagnosis: Why Clinton's Health-Care Plan Won't Cure What Ails Us." Harper's (Oct. 1993): 57-64.
You may quote from the passage directly, using appropriate citations and quotation marks, or (when the quotation is lengthy) indention. For example:
Willard Gaylin, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia Medical School, maintains that "medical costs will bankrupt this country if they continue on their current trajectory. And there are no data to demonstrate that improved management techniques will solve the problem" (62).
You may report the information in your own words, acknowledging Gaylin as your source and using an in-text citation to indicate the location of the passage:
Doctor Gaylin, for instance, does not believe that the improved management techniques proposed by the Clinton administration will solve the problem of rising medical costs, because the cost-cutting measures followed by HMOs under the current system will not be feasible when all Americans belong to such health collectives (62).
You may not simply change a few words or phrases and call the material your own, even if you acknowledge a source. The following passage based on Gaylin's original would be considered plagiarism, with or without an in-text citation or footnote:
Medical expenses will ruin America if we stay on our current path. There is no evidence that better management techniques will fix the trouble. "Managed care" may save some money today, but the way things are we will still pay for expensive, unprofitable care tomorrow.
You may not call the work your own if you change the language in the original passage but closely follow its organization, ideas, and examples. Most instructors would consider the following passage too much like Gaylin's original to be considered acceptable as a student's work:
Our country will go broke if it follows on its current path. And there is no information that says we can get out of this mess through better management. HMOs are successful today because they leave the county and teaching hospitals to fund costly, unprofitable specialized care (Gaylin 62).
Collusion. The current General Information Catalog of the University of Texas at Austin defines collusion as follows: "the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing academic assignments offered for credit or collaboration with another person to commit a violation of any section of the rules on scholastic dishonesty."
PENALTIES.?If you have any questions or doubts about the way you are employing sources or getting assistance in writing a given paper, consult your instructor before handing it in. The penalties for plagiarism or collusion can be severe. In all demonstrable cases of either offense, the DRW recommends that its instructors fail the student for the entire course, not just for the paper. However, the penalty in a given case is at the discretion of the individual instructor.
Your instructor must discuss any charge of scholastic dishonesty directly with you and may also refer you to the Chair or Associate Chair of the Department of Rhetoric and Writing. In most instances, a plagiarism or collusion case is resolved either in the meeting between student and instructor, or between instructor, student, and Chair or Associate Chair. If it is not, a student has a right to a hearing before a designated University official and a right to make an appeal to the Office of the Dean of Students.
I have read and understood all portions of the Department of Rhetoric & Writing's
Statement on Scholastic Responsibility.
Name (printed) ___________________________________________________
UT EID __________________________________________________________
Signature ________________________________________________________
Today's Date (MM/DD/YY) __________________________________________
Course ___________________________________________________________
Unique Number ____________________________________________________
Instructor ________________________________________________________
What is RHE 306?
RHE 306 is an introductory course in writing and argumentation. Credit for this course is required by all UT students. You can receive credit in RHE 306 in one of the following ways: taking the course, placing out of the course by taking the SAT II Writing Test, or transferring credit from another university or college.
How do I register for RHE 306?
Since 306 is required for all UT students, registration is handled in a more systematic fashion than other courses. Registration is based on the last digit of your social security number. Those with an even last digit will register in the fall and those with an odd last digit register in the spring. [This system is enforced for first year students only.]
I'm a transfer student who had to take six hours of writing courses at my previous school when I was a freshman. But UT requires only three hours of composition: RHE 306. What happens to my other three hours?
Those hours will ordinarily transfer in to UT as either "RHE 3hrs" or "RHE 309." If your second course transfers in as RHE 3 hrs (or "E 3 hrs") you can count those hours toward graduation or have them re-evaluated by the DRW or English department for more specific course credit (RHE 309 or, more rarely, E316, which is administered by the English Department). If the course transfers as RHE 309K, it automatically satisfies the substantial writing component requirement.
Can I count RHE 306 as a lower-division writing component course?
No.
I'm pretty sure I placed out of RHE 306, but I haven't received my SAT II or AP scores yet. Should I register for RHE 306 during my scheduled registration period?
Probably. You can always drop the course. It might be much harder to add RHE 306 later, especially in the fall semester.
If I don't place out of RHE 306 the first time I take the SAT II:WR, can I take it again?
You may take the SAT II:WR only once on campus at UT. But you may take it again at another off campus location.
I am a foreign student who needs more help with English. Will I get that instruction in RHE 306Q?
RHE 306Q is a writing course for students who are not native speakers of English. In it, you will cover many aspects of English grammar and mechanics. But it is not designed to teach you English. For more instruction in English, you should contact the International Office (471-1211), which can provide information on non-credit language classes for non-native English speakers.
I went to a high school in the USA, but my native language is not English. Am I still eligible for RHE 306Q?
In most cases, no. RHE 306Q is intended primarily for foreign students. However, you may petition in the DRW office (Parlin 3) for permission to take the course. We will consider your SAT II:WR. If it is comparable to the scores of students taking RHE 306Q, and if space is available, you will be permitted to register for RHE 306Q.
Can I take RHE 306 and E 316K in the same semester?
RHE 306 remains a prerequisite for E 316K so you are not able to take both courses in the same semester.
I've heard that RHE 306 Rhetoric and Composition is a flunk-out course. Is that true?
No. In fact, very few students fail RHE 306, and there are no grading quotas or curves of any kind in the course. The University and your instructors want you to succeed. Although RHE 306 is demanding, you will be in a small class (25 students or fewer) and receive plenty of support.
Should I buy my textbooks before the semester begins?
No. Wait until after the first class meeting. You will receive a policy statement listing the exact books you will need to purchase. Textbook choices vary from section to section, particularly in the fall and spring terms.
Why has E306 - an English course - now become RHE 306, taught by the Department of Rhetoric and Writing?
The course prefix "E" was a holdover from the day when the course was, indeed, taught by the English Department. But in June 1993, undergraduate expository writing courses became the responsibility of a new UT division focusing exclusively on writing and rhetoric - the Department of Rhetoric and Writing (DRW). Since then, the DRW has instituted a number of new composition courses, established one of the best writing centers in the country (UWC), and pioneered in the field of electronic technology. Some of the first writing courses to use the World Wide Web were taught in the DRW's Computer Writing and Research Labs (CWRL). The new RHE prefix for DRW courses appeared for the first time in Fall 2000.
Is it true that the penalty for plagiarizing even a draft of a paper in RHE 306 can be failure in the course?
Absolutely.