Topic outline

  • General

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    Miro

    We will be using Miro, a collaborative online whiteboard, for our discussions. The board will be the same throughout the course but we will add to it as we go along. You may need to create an account when you first access the board in which case you can use your university email address.

  • Week 1: What is rhetoric?

    'The School of Athens', a fresco by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael.

    Introduction

    Plato famously described rhetoric as 'the art of enchanting the soul'. This course will introduce you to the principles of rhetoric and train you to apply them to both written and spoken texts. Over the next twelve weeks, you will engage with and produce a variety of materials, such as political speeches, debates, and argumentative essays.

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    Aliquam et felis ac lacus laoreet rhoncus. Praesent congue, enim eget placerat lobortis, turpis metus elementum ex, sed aliquam lorem nisi id turpis. Donec tristique nunc ac diam aliquet pulvinar. Ut quis quam nunc. Nulla at dictum arcu. Vivamus quis tincidunt justo. Proin accumsan odio nec eros volutpat consectetur. Mauris vitae tellus lacus. Cras eu pulvinar nibh. Pellentesque accumsan pretium lorem sit amet tincidunt. Vivamus congue magna et turpis pulvinar, ut sagittis quam maximus. Mauris aliquet hendrerit ligula at tempus. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Donec lacinia interdum dapibus.

    Miro

    Go to Miro and look at the section for week 1. There will be three tasks, one to be done before our tutorial on Wednesday and two that you do not need to do until afterwards. 

    • Collaborate Ultra icon
      Week 1 Online Tutorial Collaborate
      -
      Our first synchronous online tutorial will focus on establishing a joint understanding of what rhetoric is, when and where rhetorical methods can be helpful but also what some of the critical issues are that we will be discussing over the next nine weeks. For task 1, answer the questions, add your own and/or comment on other students' posts before the tutorial.
    • Page icon
      Week 1 Resources Page

  • Week 2: Rhetorical Analysis

    An allegorical woodcut showing Rhetoric enthroned between Prudence and Invention.

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Phase 1: Writing

    1. Select one of the texts your peers submitted on Miro.
    2. Write a short (300-500 words) rhetorical analysis. Use the criteria you decided on as a group last week.
    3. Submit your analysis by Tuesday, 6pm. 
    Phase 2: Peer-review

    1. You will be randomly assigned three texts by other students. Write a short feedback paragraph for each analysis using the criteria table. 
    2. Submit your feedback by Thursday, 6pm.
    Phase 3: Editing

    1. Read the feedback you received for your rhetorical analysis. 
    2. Edit your text to incorporate the feedback.


  • Week 3: Orthophony and Body Language

    A woodcut of people engaging in Japanese rhetorical art.
    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    • Find an example of someone delivering a speech (e.g. on YouTube or Social Media).
    • What do you notice about how this speech is delivered? Can you identify aspects of the speaker's articulation or body language that you find noteworthy (either for positive or negative reasons)?
    • Share the speech and your thoughts on it on Miro by Wednesday.
    • Watch at least three speeches that your peers have shared and comment on them.
    • Summarise your observations in a collaborative list of dos and don'ts in the course glossary.

  • Week 4: Self-reflection

    A print by Bernard Vaillant showing Socrates looking in a mirror.

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    • Find a written speech or text on a topic you are passionate about.
    • Take a video of yourself as you deliver it. You can use a webcam or your phone camera. Remember the list of dos and don'ts you compiled last week! Pay attention to your articulation and body language.
    • Rewatch it and take notes on what you could improve. If you would like, you can also share it with other students to get external feedback.
    • Reflect on the exercise and discuss it with the rest of the course on Miro.

  • Week 5: Generating Ideas and Arguments

    Colourful artwork by David Tremlett in the National Gallery, London.

    'Drawing for Free Thinking' by David Tremlett in the National Gallery, London. Source: Wikimedia Commons

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities
    • Watch Elizabeth Gilbert's TED talk on creativity.
    • Read a few of the articles on idea generation techniques.
    • Find at least one method yourself and add it to the course wiki by Wednesday.
    • Pick one of the methods and use it to generate ideas for one of the prompts on Miro.
    • Share your ideas with the course on Miro. 
    • Use your ideas to deliver a short speech (1-3 minutes) on the topic you chose. Try not to write an entire text but instead note down any important keywords or arguments you want to mention. 
    • Record yourself and rewatch the recording like last week. Take notes on what you would like to improve. Again, you can share your recording with other students to get more feedback. 

  • Week 6: Improvisation

    An illustration of the Ohana debate by Honen Shonin Eden.

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities
    • Use this week's Miro board to discuss the criteria that you consider important when evaluating a speech that someone delivered with little preparation time. How does it differ from the criteria you decided on as a group in week 1?
    • Share a short prompt for a speech on Miro by Wednesday evening. Ideally, these should be topics that anyone would at least be aware of and should not require too much research (see the Miro board for examples).
    • In our synchronous online tutorial on Thursday, you will each draw one of the prompts. You will have ten minutes to generate a few ideas and arguments using the techniques we discussed last week before presenting them in a 1-minute speech. 
    • Take notes while other people are speaking using the criteria the course decided on earlier in the week and provide constructive feedback. 
    • As a group, summarise all of the feedback and add it to the course glossary.

  • Week 7: Rhetoric and Politics

    President Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter Meet at the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia to Debate Domestic Policy.

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    • Find an example of someone delivering a political speech and take notes on the rhetorical methods you can identify. 
    • Share the speech and your thoughts on it on Miro by Wednesday.
    • Watch at least three of the speeches that your peers have shared and comment on them.
    • Pick a political cause you care about and prepare a 3-minute speech. See the assignment section for more information.
    • Just as you have done in previous weeks, record yourself delivering your speech. Upload your recording to Moodle by the end of the week.

  • Week 8: Political Speeches

    Martin Luther King Jr. at a press conference at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.

    Martin Luther King Jr. at a press conference in Amsterdam

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    • Watch the recordings your peers have submitted and give them feedback using the criteria you decided on in weeks 1 and 6 but also taking into consideration what else you have learnt about performing a speech throughout the course so far. 
    • Submit your feedback by Tuesday evening.
    • Look over the feedback your peers have given you. How can you improve your text and the way you deliver your speech?
    • During our synchronous online tutorial on Thursday, each one of you will present an improved version of your speech. These will be assessed. You can find more information as well as the marking criteria here on Moodle under 'Assessment 1: Speech'.

  • Week 9: Summary and Review

    Painting depicting a lecture in a knight academy, painted for Rosenborg Castle as part of a series of seven paintings depicti

    A painting by Pieter Isaacsz depicting a lecture in a knight academy

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    Example 1

    Example 1

    Example 1



  • Week 10 + 11: Debate Prep

    A photo of the debating chamber inside the Scottish Parliament.The Debating Chamber inside the Scottish Parliament. Source: Scottish Parliament

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Activities

    Example 1

    Example 1

    Example 1


    Debate Teams

    Notion 1

    Team 1: 

    Team 2:

    Notion 2

    Team 3:

    Team 4: 

    Notion 3

    Team 5:

    Team 6:


  • Week 12: Debate and Feedback

    A print by Thomas Rowlandson depicting the Debating Society, Piccadilly.

    Sed auctor mauris sed sapien ullamcorper tempor. Morbi suscipit gravida neque sed lobortis. Aliquam at neque iaculis, dictum est ut, dignissim odio. In sed maximus neque. Proin ut sem eu elit cursus convallis. Nulla vitae facilisis quam. Nulla sit amet metus ornare, vulputate leo tristique, ullamcorper est. Nam at libero sit amet risus facilisis pulvinar. Phasellus eu tristique eros, euismod mattis orci. Integer elementum volutpat justo eu ultricies. Morbi malesuada justo at purus placerat, ut porttitor odio sodales. Nulla consequat, ante ut bibendum varius, ex dui gravida justo, non hendrerit quam eros ut neque. Ut et posuere enim, ac tristique risus. Pellentesque vehicula tellus turpis, ut commodo eros consequat ut. Ut nec ligula non ex venenatis porttitor eu ut tortor.

    Debates on Tuesday, 4th April 

    Groups 1 and 2: 1.30pm

    Groups 3 and 4: 2:30pm

    Groups 5 and 6: 3:30 pm