AP/MODR1770 6.0 A: Techniques of Persuasion
Offered by: MODR
Session
Fall 2022
Term
F
Format
BLEN (Blended online and classroom)
Instructor
Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite
This is a skills-based course focusing on critical thinking, persuasive writing, and strategic argumentation. Examples are drawn from various forms of persuasion including advertising, propaganda and political argument. Course credit exclusions: AP/MODR 1730 6.00, AP/MODR 1760 6.00. Note: This is an approved LA&PS General Education course: Humanities OR Social Science.
Course Start Up
Course Websites hosted on York's "eClass" are accessible to students during the first week of the term. It takes two business days from the time of your enrolment to access your course website. Course materials begin to be released on the course website during the first week. To log in to your eClass course visit the York U eClass Portal and login with your Student Passport York Account. If you are creating and participating in Zoom meetings you may also go directly to the York U Zoom Portal.
For further course Start Up details, review the Getting Started webpage.
For IT support, students may contact University Information Technology Client Services via askit@yorku.ca or (416) 736-5800. Please also visit Students Getting Started UIT or the Getting Help - UIT webpages.
Linda Carozza at Lcarozza@yorku.ca
Virtual office hours: Zoom will be used for virtual office hours. Further information will be made available in eClass.
The general purpose of all the Modes of Reasoning courses (MODR) is to equip students with critical thinking and reasoning skills, which are invaluable to academic studies, a professional career, and life generally.
This course is an introduction to a series of reasoning skills, concepts, and techniques from a multidisciplinary stance. With content from the fields of philosophy, psychology, sociology, and conflict resolution, students are guided to: read or listen to others' ideas with an engaged mind; think critically about those ideas; develop strong arguments and ideas of one's own; and, verbalize those ideas clearly and concisely, orally and in writing. We apply various theories and skills to the analysis of timely arguments in popular science, the legal realm, politics, and ethics (to name a few), that are found in the mass media (e.g. newspaper columns, blogs, advertisements, social media, documentary films, Ted Talks, etc.).
Students should leave this course with theoretical knowledge, practical skills (listed below), and general awareness about persuasion tactics used within our culture.
Technical requirements for taking the course: You will need to access weekly throughout the course. This requires a higher-speed Internet connection. In addition, for webinars, extra workshops, and virtual office hours you will need a computer with a webcam and microphone, and/or a smart device with these features.
Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:
Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
Computing for Students Website
Student Guide to eLearning at York University
To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]
Good Reasoning Matters (5th Ed.), by Groarke & Tindale*
Note: It needs to be the 5th edition.
All other material provied on eClass course site.
* This text will be available as a virtual rental through the course site. See the York University bookstore, or any book supplier, for a hard copy.
Participation – 10%
Quizzes – 25%
Argumentative Writing Assignment – 25%
Critical Analysis Project (this multi-part assignment involves team work) – 40%
More specific information about assignments will be provided in eClass.
Times and locations: This is a BLENDED course. We meet on campus Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. There will also be content on eClass outside of class time, as this is an ACCELERATED course.
This is a blended course – lectures will be both in the classroom and online; participation will take place in the classroom on Tuesdays; assignments, office hours, and additional webinars will be facilitated online (via eClass and Zoom).
- The course will go live on Thursday, September 8. Log in to e-Class for the detailed syllabus, schedule, and other documents, etc. on this date.
- We will meet in the classroom on Tuesday, September 13 at 11:30 a.m.
Course Learning Objectives:
| KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION | |
| Course Terms | Understand and use content specific language appropriately |
| Course Concepts | Accurately identify, breakdown, and connect concepts learned |
| KNOWLEDGE AGILITY | |
| Reading Comprehension | Purposefully deconstruct a passage to distill key components and apply learnings effectively |
| Active Reading | Use contextual cues (environmental, physical, verbal, etc.) to read-between-the-lines |
| Contextual Applications | Evaluate and produce effective arguments and argument schemes |
| Modelling | Diagram an argument that clearly depicts the components of that argument (e.g. premises and conclusion structures) |
| AUTONOMY & PROFESSIONALISM | |
|
Academic Writing |
Produce clear, brief, written arguments that you have self-edited effectively for correct grammar, spelling, APA citation guidelines |
|
Self-Awareness |
Detect personal biases, avoid making biased arguments, adhere to deadlines, and build confidence in your ability to engage in civil discourse as a competent layperson |
| INTERACTION & COLLABORATION | |
|
Communication |
Employ discursive tactics in the presentation of oral and written arguments to engage in argument discourse |
|
Critical Thinking |
Demonstrate curiosity and be able to reflect and consider ideas in an objective and meaningful way |
| Critical Reasoning | Use course concepts to construct, deconstruct and evaluate arguments to better understand them and to ethically engage and/or persuade others |
Course policies
- Expected academic performance includes students not only completing assignments, but completing them on time.
- If you miss a quiz, for which you have 7 days to complete, you earn a zero grade. There may be a bonus quiz to replace any low or missed grades.
If you don’t participate during a required week, you don’t earn participation grades. There may be bonus participation opportunities to replace any missed participation opportunities
To be successful in this course
- You must log on to eClass
- You should be completing coursework every week
- You should be taking your own notes when you review lecture material - always
- You should be taking your own notes when you read the course material - always
- Critical Thinking and Reasoning requires practice. The textbook has chapter exercises that you should be answering in order to hone your skills.
- For an updated and helpful website with tips and tools, for writing, time management, and other necessary tools and skills for university success, see: http://www.yorku.ca/spark/
- Take care of yourself. Balancing the academic, professional, family, personal, and other aspects of your life can be challenging at the best of times. Aim to create some balance in your life. You want to be healthy and rested to study and learn succssfully.
Regarding lecture content (e.g. videos, documents, etc.): students do not have
permission to duplicate, copy, and/or distribute content outside of the class. Doing so
violates copyright laws.
Regarding synchronous Zoom recordings: when webinars are recorded, students do not have permission to duplicate, copy, and/or distribute the recordings outside of the class. These acts can violate not only copyright laws but also FIPPA. All synchronous webinar recordings will be destroyed after the end of classes.
- Academic Honesty
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Religious Observance
- Grading Scheme and Feedback
- 20% Rule
No examinations or tests collectively worth more than 20% of the final grade in a course will be given during the final 14 calendar days of classes in a term. The exceptions to the rule are classes which regularly meet Friday evenings or on Saturday and/or Sunday at any time, and courses offered in the compressed summer terms. - Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
