SFSU Course Archive

Below are archived versions of completed weeks of instruction. Please refer to your main SFSU page linked on the menu bar above to find current lesson plans and course materials.

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Week 1

Course Introductions

Monday, January 24

REVIEW:

• Course Syllabus

• Argument Analysis Essay - Assignment Description

  • Sample Argument Analysis I

  • Sample Argument Analysis II

  • Sample Graded Essay

LESSON:

Course orientation & website introduction; Week 2 assignment description

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Week 2

Argument Patterns Overview

Monday, January 31

SUBMIT:

• Argument Analysis ESSAY (2 pp minimum)  (iLearn)

READ:

Everything's an Argument (EA): Chapter 1 "Understanding Arguments and Reading them Critically" pp 3-29

Business Communication (BC): Chapter 1 "Good Writing" pp 1-15

NYT Opinion Pages "Room for Debate"  (web)

REVIEW:

The Rules 

Proofreading Notes

Common Error Patterns

Quotation Integration Strategies

File Naming Guide

Formatting Template

MLA Citation Quick Guide

Essay Rubric Explanation

LESSON:

Types of argument & writing strategies overview

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Week 3

Unit 1 Introduction

Monday, February 7

READ:

EA Chapter 7 "Structuring Arguments" pp 135-142

EA Chapter 8 "Arguments of Fact" pp 164-185

Business Writer's Companion (BWC) selections:

• pp xxvii-xxxiv "Five Steps..."

• pp 3-6 "Audience" & "Collaborative Writing"

• p 33 "Preparation"

• p 35-38 "Proofreading" & "Purpose"

• p 39-40 "Revision"

• p 41 "Writing a Draft"

• pp 162-164 "Notetaking," "Paraphrasing," & "Plagiarism"

• pp 167-174 "Research"

• pp 310-311 "Conciseness"

STUDY:

"Rogerian Argument: Definition & Examples" | ThoughtCo  (web)

"What is Rogerian argument?" (YouTube)

• Arguments of Fact - Project Guidelines

  • Sample Project Presentation #1  (Prezi link)

  • Sample Project Presentation #2  (Prezi link)

  • Sample Project Presentation #3  (Prezi link)

LESSON:

Structuring Rogerian arguments of fact; Project overview & group selection

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Week 4

Project Workshop

Monday, February 14

READ:

BC Chapter 2 "Start-up Strategies" pp 18-20 only

STUDY:

• Project Narrative - Assignment Description

  • Sample Project Narrative 1

  • Sample Project Narrative 2

• Unit 1 Group Check-in Questions

REVIEW:

EA Chapter 7 "Structuring Arguments" pp 135-142

EA Chapter 8 "Arguments of Fact" pp 164-185

LESSON:

Start-up strategy practice: The Questioning Method

WORKSHOP:

Group project development

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Week 5

Project Workshop

Monday, February 21

SUBMIT:​

• Personal Project Narrative (1 p minimum)  (iLearn)

READ:

EA Chapter 15 "Presenting Arguments" pp 366-380

BC Chapter 6 "Presentations" pp 44-51

STUDY:

• Group Write - Assignment Description

  • Sample Group Write 1

  • Sample Group Write 2

• Oral Presentation Rubric

• Peer Evaluation Sheet

• Tutorial: Making Effective Presentations

• Tutorial: Presenting with Impact

WORKSHOP: 

Group project development

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Week 6

Group Presentations & Critique

Monday, February 28

SUBMIT:  

• Prezi presentation link  (Email)

COMPLETE: 

• Peer review survey response (one for each group presentation)  (iLearn)

PRESENT:

• Group Argument Pitches & Prezis

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Week 7

Skills Week: Business Forms: Cover Letters

Monday, March 7

SUBMIT:

• Cover Letter DRAFT (1 p min/max)  (iLearn)

• Group Write (6 pp min)  (iLearn)

READ:

BC Appendix B  pp 70-71 (pp 139-142 for print editions)

BWC "Application Cover Letters"  pp 261-265

STUDY:​

• Cover Letters | Purdue OWL  (web)

• Cover Letters | The Writer's Handbook  (web)

• Good letters vs Bad letters | Forbes  (web)

• Cover Letter Tips | Time  (web)

• "Incredible Cover Letters"  (YouTube)

• Sample Resumes & Cover Letters

• Cover Letter FINAL - Assignment Description

  • Sample Cover Letter

EXERCISE: Group work: cover letter revision

• Intuit Accounting Position Announcement

LESSON:

Cover letters: Principals and critique

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Week 8

Unit 3 Introduction: Definition-based claims & the Toulmin model

Monday, March 14

SUBMIT:

• Cover Letter FINAL (1 p min/max)  (iLearn)

READ & WATCH:

Toulmin Midterm Essay - Assignment Description

EA Chapter 7  pp 143-163 on Toulmin argumentation

EA Chapter 9 "Arguments of Definition" pp 197-223

Toulmin Argument  (YouTube)

STUDY:

The Toulmin Model - Reading A

The Toulmin Model - Reading B

Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample practice 1​

Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample practice 2​

LESSON:

Structuring arguments of definition & the Toulmin model

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Week 9

Monday, March 21

Spring Break - No In-class meeting this week  ​

 

 

Week 11

Workshop: Definition Arguments & The Toulmin Framework

Monday, April 4

READ:

NYT "Libel Law" opinion piece

NYT "Sex Education" opinion piece

• Toulmin/Definition practice work - NYT "Sex Education"

STUDY:

Definition/Toulmin - Exercise Description

• Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample Essay 1

• Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample Essay 2

GMAT sample questions

EXERCISE:

Group work: Outlining a Toulmin argument

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Week 12

Workshop: Definition Arguments & The Toulmin Framework

Monday, April 11

SUBMIT: ​

• Logical Fallacies QUIZ  (iLearn)

• Definition/Toulmin Exercise  (iLearn)

READ:

EA Chapter 5 "Fallacies of Argument"  pp 79-95

EA Chapter 6 "Rhetorical Analysis"  pp 97-130

Trump speech transcript  (web excerpt)

WATCH:

Analyzing Trump  (web)

10 Logical Fallacies  (YouTube)

Deduction & Induction  (YouTube)

STUDY:

15 Logical Fallacies  (web)

15 Common Logical Fallacies  (web)

Thinking Logically: Deduction & Induction  (web)

REVIEW:

Tips for writing timed essays

How to Write a Great Essay Quickly  (YouTube)

LESSON:

Logical fallacies practice & review

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Week 13

  Online midterm exam - No In-class meeting this week  

Monday, April 18

SUBMIT:

• Definition/Toulmin ESSAY (timed in course, 700 words min)  (iLearn)

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