Welcome to CAS 105: Reason and the Political Imagination Spring, 2007 "Politics is more difficult than physics." - Albert Einstein

CRN 19983 Morey 402 Monday, Wednesday; 3:25-4:40

Instructor Contact Info Julie Langenbrunner [email protected] Office: College Writing Program Headquarters (down main hallway, last name outside cubicle) Office hours: Thursdays 1:00-2:00 or by appointment Mailbox: College Writing Program Headquarters (on left as you enter, last name underneath)

Course Website www.pas.rochester.edu/~julie/CAS105_S07/home.html

Course Description What are the complications inherent in developing and defending political beliefs? How can one employ reason and counterargument in addressing these complications? To explore these questions, this course will focus on persuasive political literature, which constitutes an interesting and practical setting for evaluating the merits of our own reasoning in light of the arguments of others. Readings include selections from popular political writings (such as Letters to a Young Conservative, by Dinesh D’Souza and Reason: Why Liberals Will Win the Battle for America, by Robert B. Reich) as well as classical political philosophy (such as Locke’s Second Treatise on Civil Government and Thomas Jefferson's An Act for Establishing Religious Freedom). By understanding and critiquing the written arguments of the authors and other members of the class, students will cultivate their own convictions as well as improve their ability to express these convictions in writing.

Academic Honesty The University of Rochester, like all academic communities, depends upon open and honest learning. Therefore, students and instructors alike are called to follow strict rules regarding plagiarism, improper or inadequate citation, and other forms of academic dishonesty. Whether intentional or accidental, the attempt to pass off the work of another as your own is regarded as an intellectual crime, punishable by the university administration. As your instructor, I feel no qualms about following the rules outlined in the student handbook if I encounter academic dishonesty. Dishonest work will earn you a zero on the particular assignment and may lead to an unpleasant introduction to the Dean of the College. Please consult the University's full Academic Honesty Policy in your student handbook or at the following website for more details: www.rochester.edu/College/honesty. Required Texts A Pocket Style Manuel, Diana Hacker (available in the university bookstore) All required readings will be on E-reserve through the library website and/or on the class webpage (click on "Readings").

Learning Assistance Any student with an academic need related to a disability is entitled to support through Learning Assistance Services (LAS) here at the university. Please visit LAS in person (107 Lattimore Hall) or via the web (http://www.rochester.edu/College/LAS/index.php), or see me for more information.

Assignments In-Class Assignments I will often ask you to perform writing exercises during class. These exercises will help you develop skills and practice the techniques needed to improve your academic writing. These will not be graded, but their completion is essential for your class participation grade. Peer Review An integral part of this course is peer review. With each formal paper draft, students will exchange papers with one another and comment on the writings of their peers. Reviewing the work of others helps both the writer and the reviewer to improve their own writing skills. This work will generally be performed in-class, and peer reviews will be turned in with the final draft. Keep in mind that if you miss a peer review day, your peer review grade will drop accordingly, and you will miss out on valuable feedback on your own paper. At-Home Writing Assignments These assignments will be brief, and usually based on required reading. They will help you explore the ideas presented in what you have read as well as further develop the skills we have studied in class. These assignments will generally be paired with each day's reading assignment, and will be graded with a check minus, check, or check plus. Since it is imperative that students keep up with the class material, late take-home writing assignments will not be accepted. If you must miss class, give your assignment to a classmate to turn in for you, or turn it in beforehand to my mailbox. You are allowed to miss one of these assignments without harm to your grade (or, if you do them all, I'll drop your lowest score). Use this miss wisely. Formal Papers There will be four formal papers assigned in this course. Due dates for first and final drafts are indicated on the course calendar. These are "formal" because their primary objective is to exercise and demonstrate the skills you have learned. As the course calendar shows, you will write a draft for each of these papers and then revise it based on comments from your peers and from me. Late formal papers will be accepted with a grade reduction of one step per day (regular day, not class day). This means that if you turn in an A- paper two days late, it will receive a B. Research Paper Your research paper will be 8-10 pages long, and will explore a politically controversial topic. As the course develops, we will begin building toward this paper by discussing research topics, the research process, and use of resources. Librarian Ann Marshall will guide us in our use of the library for research. You will submit a proposal and an annotated bibliography (which will be the third formal paper) and build from there to your final research paper (the forth formal paper).

Attendance/Participation Consistent attendance is expected and required. In-class writing assignments and peer workshops are essential parts of the course and greatly contribute to the learning process. If you skip class you will not be able to take part in these activities. Therefore, any more than two absences throughout the semester will result in a reduction of your class participation grade, as will consistent lateness. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to catch up on the work, and if you must be late to class, please inform me of the reason beforehand. NOTE: Peer Review days and our Library Visit day (March 19) are mandatory. The participation aspect of this grade relates to class discussions and group work. Active participation will push your thinking and deepen your understanding. For this reason, consistent silence will result in a reduction of your participation grade. Due to the controversial nature of the topics we will consider, each of you will certainly encounter opinions that you disagree with. I do not expect you to respect the opinions of every student in this class, but I do expect you to respect the students themselves. I encourage verbal argument in our class discussions just as much as I do written argument in your papers, but the discussion must remain civil. Your own individual learning and development in this class necessitate that you keep an open mind and participate in the process of join inquiry with your peers, without belligerence. Therefore, persistent disruption and disrespect will result in a reduction of your participation grade.

Grading Your final grade will be determined by the following: Attendance/Participation 10% Peer Review 10% Short At-Home Assignments 10% Formal Paper 1 (2-3 pages) 10% Formal Paper 2 (4-5 pages) 15% Formal Paper 3 (4-5 pages) 15% Research Paper (8-10 pages) 30%

Grading Scale: 90%-100% A 80%-89% B 70%-79% C 60%-69% D 0%-59% F

Please note that you must receive a C or better in CAS 105 or CAS 105L to satisfy the Primary Writing Requirement of the College.