Rhetoric, Writing, and Public Discourse 487: Senior Seminar in Rhetoric, Writing, and Public Discourse

This course focuses on an advanced analysis of rhetoric, and facilitates independent research on senior capstone papers and senior theses. Course readings will explore the goals of rhetorical theory and criticism, the utility of rhetoric for political advocacy and public life outside the academy, and core skills and strategies for effectively planning and writing original academic research. Students will also assign and teach rhetorical scholarship relevant to their senior research. The goal of the course is to prepare students to perform effective rhetorical criticism, to integrate theory effectively in analyzing rhetoric, and to produce well-organized and well-argued research. Students will either produce a senior capstone paper over the course of the semester, or prepare a thesis proposal that will enable them to pursue honors in the spring semester of their senior year.