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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
January 30 
REVIEW:
LESSON:

Course orientation & website introduction; Week 2 assignment description

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Week 2
Argument Patterns Overview
February 6
SUBMIT:

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

  • Canvas Profile (headshot & narrative)  (Canvas)

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
February 13
REVIEW:

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)

READ:

EA Chapter 7 "Structuring Arguments" pp 131-142

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)

LESSON:

Structuring Rogerian arguments of fact; Project overview & group selection

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Week 4
Project Workshop
February 20
READ:

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

STUDY:
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
February 27
SUBMIT:​
  • Personal Project Narrative (1 p minimum)  (Canvas)
READ:
EA Chapter 15 "Presenting Arguments" pp 366-380
BC Chapter 6 "Presentations" pp 44-51
STUDY:
WORKSHOP: 
Group project development

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Week 6
Group Presentations & Critique

March 5

SUBMIT:  

  • Prezi presentation link  (Email)

COMPLETE: 

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

PRESENT:

  • Group Argument Pitches & Prezis

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​Week 7

Skills Week: Business Forms: Cover Letters

March 12

SUBMIT:

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

  • Group Write (6 pp min)  (Canvas)

READ:

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

BWC "Application Cover Letters"  pp 261-265

STUDY:​

EXERCISE: Group work: cover letter revision

LESSON:

Cover letters: Principles and critique

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Week 8

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

March 19

SUBMIT:

  • Cover Letter FINAL  (Canvas)

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

STUDY:

The Toulmin Model - Reading A

The Toulmin Model - Reading B

Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample practice 1​

Definition/Toulmin Argument - Sample practice 2​

Sample 5  (Toulmin modeling review)

LESSON:

Structuring arguments of definition & the Toulmin model

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Week 10

Workshop: Definition Arguments & The Toulmin Framework

March 26
SUBMIT: ​

  • Definition/Toulmin Exercise  (Canvas)

  • Reading QUIZ  (in class)

READ:

NYT "Libel Law" opinion piece

NYT "Sex Education" opinion piece

STUDY:

Definition/Toulmin - Exercise Description

GMAT sample questions

EXERCISE:

Group work: Outlining a Toulmin argument

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Week 11

Workshop: Logical Fallacies

April 3
SUBMIT: ​

  • Logical Fallacies QUIZ  (Canvas)

  • Reading QUIZ  (In class)

  • Week 10 Definition/Toulmin Exercise REVISION  (Canvas)

READ & VIEW:

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

EA Chapter 6 "Rhetorical Analysis"  pp 97-130

Trump speech transcript  

WATCH:

Analyzing Trump

10 Logical Fallacies  

Deduction & Induction  

STUDY:

What is a logical fallacy?

15 Common Logical Fallacies  

Thinking Logically: Deduction & Induction

REVIEW:

Tips for writing timed essays

How to Write a Great Essay Quickly  

LESSON:

Logical fallacies practice & review

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