College of the Canyons, Prof.

Rebecca Chmiel
English 103-24397 Mon/Wed 8:00-9:20 am

Unit 1 Paper:
Applying Your Understanding of Rhetoric, Logical Fallacies, Induction, and Deduction

Background: This unit were reading about various types of monsters, refreshing our understanding of rhetoric,
and delving into the basics of critical thinking (logical fallacies, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning). You
will apply all that in this essay. This will be your first chance to illustrate your understanding of rhetoric- which you
should have worked with previously in English 101- as well as critically assessing arguments being presented to you.
Prompt: To complete this essay, you must first select one of the texts below. They are available on Canvas. Then
you will analyze the text, incorporating key ideas weve covered in this course. Finally, you will submit an essay of
1,100-1,500 words following the guidelines laid out 2 sections below. The rubric for this will be available on peer-
review days and is already on Canvas.

Text Options:
Visum et Repertum or Seen and Found by Johann Flckinger (1732)
A Contemporary Account of the Greek Vrykolakas by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1741)
Of the Metamorphosis of Men into Beasts by Henri Bouget (1602)

Submission Guidelines:
1. Write 1,100-1,500 words in the MLA format detailed below:
a. Double-spaced ONLY
i. To delete any extra spaces between the information in your heading or between your
paragraphs, go to Page Layout, then Spacing, then make sure the Before and After
settings are 0 pt.
b. Times New Roman 12-point font
c. 1 inch margins (unlike this paper)
d. Pagination with last name in top right-hand header
e. Identifying submission information in top left corner including your name, my name, our course
number with section number, and the date of submission
f. A relevant (and possible interesting) title
g. A Works Cited page following MLA format (does not count towards your word count)

Applying your Understanding: Throughout this first unit we are covering key concepts which we will build
on for the remainder of the course. You will approach your chosen text using these ideas. You must summarize
the text briefly and analyze it for tone, rhetoric, assumptions, and logic. It is up to you how you choose to
incorporate these ideas, but they should be presented logically and supported with evidence.

Questions to Address in your Essay:

1. What is the authors tone?
2. What rhetorical choices does the author make?
a. Ethos, pathos, and/or logos?
How do these choices affect the text
b. Use of the 5 canons of rhetoric?
3. What assumptions (if any) are in this text?
in terms of its validity or credibility?
4. What logic des the author attempt to use?
a. Logical fallacies?
b. Inductive or deductive reasoning?
 Building your Paper: Your paper should follow the structure of an academic paper. That is to say, you will
need an introductory paragraph, several body paragraphs which are each focused around 1 core idea, and a
concluding paragraph. The questions asked above do not necessarily need a paragraph each. You should
identify for yourself how much space to dedicate to each idea so that they support your thesis as best as
possible. For the body paragraphs, please be sure to:
A. Begin with a clear, focused topic sentence that introduces the paragraphs main idea,
B. Include at least 1 relevant quote/paraphrase,
C. Cite your quotes following MLA guidelines, and
D. Analyze them fully.
a. I suggest 2-3 sentences of analysis for each quote. Analysis of a quote is not summary of
the quote. Please answer questions like What does this show/illustrate? or How is
Key: this related to my greater argument? or Why is this good support for my ideas?
L: Lecture b. If your quote is longer than your analysis, you will lose points for having
&: Reading due underdeveloped analysis.
? WW: Writers workshop
M: Assignment due Unit 1 Paper: Schedule of Readings, Workshops, and Deadlines
Mon. L: Reading an Essay Prompt & Rhetoric Wed. L: Engaging with Ideas & Rhetoric Part 2: The 5
2/13 Part: Ethos, Pathos, and Logos review 2/15 Canons of Rhetoric review
&: The Battle of the Lapiths and the
Centaurs
Mon.
2/20
No Class: Wed.
2/22
L: Critical Thinking: Logical Fallacies
&: The Monstrous and the Bestial and
Presidents Day Love is a Fallacy
Mon. L: Critical Thinking: Inductive Reasoning 1 Wed. L: Critical Thinking: Inductive Reasoning 1
2/27 &: Text choice & A Logical Proof for the 3/1 &: Cursed by a Bite and Birthright
Existence of Zombies ? WW: Theses and Paragraph Structure 1
? WW: Pre-Writing and Outlining
M: Mini-Project #1 Due
Mon. L: Critical Thinking: Deductive Reasoning 1 Wed. L: Critical Thinking: Deductive Reasoning 2
3/6 &: Werewolves in the Psyche and Cinema 3/8 ? WW: Peer review 2 in class, MLA citations
or Why Vampires Never Die and format
? WW: Peer review 1 in class
Mon. L: Unit 1 Paper Due; Unit 2 Paper
3/13 Prompt: Heroes and Villains in
Popular Culture

About the Readings: You may begin writing your paper and decide you dont need to reference any of the
readings (whether from Asking the Right Questions, from the articles assigned above, or from the theoretical articles
not mentioned above but stated in the syllabus and on Canvas) which is perfectly acceptable, or you may decide that
these dont go into enough detail and you would like more. You can, should you choose, do extra research to find
support for your ideas. However, it must be from a reputable source. A good call is to use the COC Database,
which you can access from anywhere with the login information below:

Username: Fish Password: Chips

 Unit 1 Essay: Analyzing a Text using Rhetoric and Critical Thinking (150 points)
Essay Components (-7.5 points for each one missing):
Pre-Writing Draft #1 with Draft #2 with 2 peer-review
Outline peer-review peer-review rubrics
Thesis Speed comments comments 1 self-review
Dating form rubric

MLA Format: Did the student submit the paper in Times New Roman, 12 point font, double-spaced with 1-inch
margins and a Works Cited page? (Pass/Fail)..Y/N

Score 20-15 Excellent 15-10 Good 10-5 Needs 5-1 Poor

Improvement
The thesis is clear, The thesis is debatable and The thesis somewhat The thesis is not
debatable, and engages engages with key issues engaged with key issues debatable, doesnt
with key issues from from the unit, but could be but needs more work. engage with key issues,
the unit. clearer. or unclear.
The essay is a cogent, The essay is mostly cogent The essay is somewhat The essay lacks logic or
thesis-driven response but occasionally strays cogent but often strays persuasion on a large
to the prompt. from the thesis or lacks from the thesis or lacks scale; it is unfocused as
clear focus. clear enough focus. a response.
The essay is organized The essay has some issues The essay has many The organization in the
in a way that supports with organization but they issues with organization essay is very confusing.
the thesis. Ideas are do not necessarily detract which could have been
given enough space to from the essay as a whole. avoided with careful
develop. revisions.
The writer supports The writer sometimes The writer frequently The writer chooses too
his/her thesis with well- chooses strong evidence, chooses weak evidence few examples or all
chosen evidence. but at other times chooses but has evidence in weak examples to
weak examples. every body paragraph. support his/her thesis.
Each detail is fully Most details are analyzed, The writer attempts Very little explanation
explained or analyzed, but some analysis is analysis but it is not or analysis is given for
rather than left to stand lacking. developed enough or the evidence chosen.
on its own. critical enough.
The students The students The students The student does not
understanding of logical understanding of key understanding of key engage with concepts
fallacies, rhetoric, and concepts is almost there concepts is somewhat related to logical
inductive/deductive but needed more depth, there (or) some key fallacies, rhetoric, or
reasoning is clear in more explanation, or more concepts are clearly inductive/deductive
this essay. clarity. understood in this essay reasoning at all.
but others are not.
Score 10-7.5 Excellent 7.5-5 Good 5-2.5 Needs 2.5-0 Poor
Improvement
Each body paragraph The author attempts The author sometimes The author doesnt
has a strong topic strong topic sentences, but forgets to have topic achieve topic sentences
sentence that supports they sometimes dont fully sentences or some are which support the
the thesis. support the thesis. very weak. thesis.
All quotes are correctly Citations are mostly Most citations are The citations are all
cited following MLA correct but occasionally incorrect but clear incorrect. It is unclear if
format. incorrect. attempts are being made the student is
attempting MLA.
The use of English is The use of English is good The English usage has The use of English is
strong with only and mistakes do not many mistakes which poor. There are many
minimal mistakes. detract from what the occasionally detract from mistakes and they are
writer is saying. what the writer is saying distracting.
Comments: