XBR201 Unit Outline PDF

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Summary

XBR201the art of persuasion: how to build and communicate effective arguments - unit outline...

Description

School of Humanities, Faculty of Arts Tasmanian School of Business and Economics School of Land and Food, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology School of Law

XBR201

The Art of Persuasion: How to Build and Communicate Effective Arguments Semester 2, 2016

Unit Outline

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B

Contact details Unit coordinator/lecturer Unit coordinator

Robbie Moore

Campus Email Phone Consultation hours

Hobart [email protected] +61 3 6226 2544 By appointment

Other teaching staff Tutor

Robyn Greaves

Email

[email protected]

Unit description This unit gives students the opportunity to build skills essential to crafting and communicating effective arguments. Every academic discipline values the ability to articulate a clear argument and to support it with logical reasons and persuasive evidence. Achieving the learning outcomes of this unit will therefore enhance students’ experiences of learning activities and assessment tasks in other units. The Art of Persuasion is based on the premise that arguments are essential in multiple contexts, including but not limited to education, the law, business, the media, politics and public policy, and everyday life. Knowing how to describe and defend (or indeed, concede) a particular point of view is important because it enhances individuals’ capacity and confidence to express and refine their ideas. Further, argument is a means of inquiry: a process for grasping the nuances of any issue and for evaluating the relative strength of different perspectives. Students in this unit will: analyse a selection of polemical essays, speeches and other resources in order to better understand the techniques and strategies used by expert communicators to persuade audiences of particular points of view; learn how to respond critically and confidently to arguments presented by peers and in the public arena; and practice writing and speaking persuasively by completing a series of formative assessment tasks.

Intended learning outcomes On completion of this unit, you should be able to: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the components and techniques of persuasive arguments in written and oral forms across a range of disciplines. 2. Respond critically to arguments presented by others using key rhetorical strategies. 3. Construct and communicate a persuasive written argument, by identifying, appraising, and synthesizing evidence.

Graduate Quality Statement This unit is one of a suite of Breadth Units developed to deepen and extend your learning at the University of Tasmania. Our Faculties have come together to create units that address the challenges of the world we live in, from the perspectives of multiple disciplines. The learning experience offered by this Breadth Units aligns with the Graduate Quality Statement of the University.

The University of Tasmania experience unlocks the potential of individuals. Our graduates are equipped and inspired to shape and respond to the opportunities and challenges of the future as accomplished communicators, highly regarded professionals and culturally competent citizens in local, national, and global society. University of Tasmania graduates acquire subject and multidisciplinary knowledge and skills and develop creative and critical literacies and skills of inquiry. Our graduates recognise and critically evaluate issues of social responsibility, ethical conduct and sustainability. Through respect for diversity and by working in individual and collaborative ways, our graduates reflect the values of the University of Tasmania.

Prior knowledge and/or skills 2 x 12.5% Level 100 units from any discipline in any faculty.

Learning expectations and teaching strategies/approaches Expectations The University is committed to high standards of professional conduct in all activities, and

holds its commitment and responsibilities to its students as being of paramount importance. Likewise, it holds expectations about the responsibilities students have as they pursue their studies within the special environment the University offers. The University’s Code of Conduct for Teaching and Learning states: Students are expected to participate actively and positively in the teaching/learning environment. They must attend classes when and as required, strive to maintain steady progress within the subject or unit framework, comply with workload expectations, and submit required work on time.

Teaching and learning strategies This unit will be delivered fully online. It will be based around recorded lectures, readings, online tutorials; and open access recordings/videos of speeches and related materials.

Learning resources and communication This highly web-dependent unit will require MyLO, MyMedia, Echo 360 and other interactive elearning tools. Staff will use a combination of teaching resources created for the unit (including high quality video) and open access resources drawn from the internet (e.g. YouTube, iTunes University).

MyLO This unit is web dependent for students enrolled internally and fully online for students enrolled by distance. Access to the MyLO online unit is required. Log in to MyLO at: https://mylo.utas.edu.au, and then select The Art of Persuasion from the list of units. For help in using MyLO, go to http://www.utas.edu.au/learning-teachingonline/student-support.

Technical requirements for MyLO For help and information about setting up your own computer and web browser for MyLO, see: http://uconnect.utas.edu.au/ You can access the University network and MyLO via a laptop computer or other mobile device. See: http://www.utas.edu.au/service-desk/uconnect/uconnect-on-campus MyLO can be accessed in the Library computers and in computer labs. See: http://www.utas.edu.au/it/computing-distributed-systems/computer-labs-facilities-andlocations For further technical information and help, contact the UTAS Service Desk on 6226 1818 or at http://www.utas.edu.au/service-desk/

Required readings

th

Weston, Anthony, A Rulebook for Arguments 4 edition. Indianapolis: Hackett, 2009. A Rulebook for Arguments is available in paperback from the Coop Bookstore, which is located on campus in Hobart or online at http://www.coop.com.au. A Rulebook for Arguments is also available as an E-Book from other online book retailers.

Recommended readings Additional readings will be posted on MyLO before semester for ready reference over the duration of the unit. Students will be guided in relation to the sequencing of those readings and expected to access other materials relevant to tutorial discussions, online engagements, and assessment tasks.

Computer hardware, software and digital media Students are required to have access to Microsoft Office or equivalent, and to the Internet.

Details of teaching arrangements Lectures The unit comprises thirteen weeks’ of lectures, which you will access via MyLO.

Tutorials There will be online tutorial discussions during weeks 2-12.

Specific attendance/performance requirements In order to pass this unit, you must demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes.

Assessment Assessment task

Date due

Assessment Task 1:

Percent weighting

Links to Intended Learning Outcomes

20

1, 2, 3

Tutorial e-tivities

Ongoing

Assessment Task 2:

11.59pm Monday, 5 September

40

1, 2, 3

11.59pm Monday, 17 October

40

1, 3

Analysing persuasive text Assessment Task 3: Persuasive essay or written script for a speech

Assessment details Assessment task 1 Task description This assessment task involves leading and participating in online discussions in response to set weekly questions from Week 2 to 12. Students will select two weeks in which they will lead the online tutorial discussions. Leading the discussion involves posting a response (maximum 300 words) to the tutorial question. Students are also expected to regularly participate in the tutorial discussions throughout the semester by responding to other students’ posts. Leading the discussions is worth 10%, and participating in discussions in worth 10%. Tutorial e-tivities are designed to provide students with opportunities to develop and demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to build and communicate effective arguments.

Links to unit’s intended learning outcomes

1, 2, 3.

Assessment criteria

See rubrics on MyLO.

Date due

Weekly from Week 2 to 12

Assessment task 2 Task description

This analysis of a set text gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the techniques and strategies employed in the art of persuasive writing.

Task length

2000 words, not including the list of works cited.

Links to unit’s learning outcomes

1, 2, 3.

Assessment criteria

See rubrics on MyLO.

Date due

11.59pm Monday 5 September

Assessment task 3 Task description

This assessment task gives students the option EITHER to write a persuasive essay OR prepare a written speech script. The task gives students the opportunity to demonstrate skills they have acquired in using the techniques and strategies of persuasive communication.

Task length

2000 words, not including the list of works cited.

Links to unit’s learning outcomes

1, 3.

Assessment criteria

See rubrics on MyLO.

Date due

11.59pm Monday 17 October

Submission of assignments Students are required to submit all assignments electronically via the MyLO page.

Requests for extensions If you are having difficulty with your assignment and cannot meet the due date, contact your tutor beforehand to seek advice and request an extension. Students whose assignments are not received by the due date will be penalised. Late work will be accepted without penalty if accompanied by a medical certificate for the relevant period or equivalent documentation in the case of a serious non-medical reason but you must contact your tutor prior to the assignment due date.

Penalties Should you experience difficulty in completing your assignment by the due date, please contact your tutor, prior to the submission date. Failure to submit an item of assessment by the due date without the granting of an extension of time by your tutor or the unit coordinator will incur the following penalties: 2% of the total possible mark for that piece of assessment for each business day past the deadline and 2% of the total possible mark for that piece of assignment for each period of consecutive non- business days including weekends, long weekends, Easter and/or Christmas break.

Review of results and appeals If you are not satisfied with your result for a single piece of assessment, please contact your tutor in the first instance. If you wish to request a review of assessment for the entire unit, please see the UTAS Examinations and Results web page: http://www.utas.edu.au/exams/exam-and-results-forms

Academic referencing In your written work you will need to support your ideas by referring to scholarly literature, works of art and/or inventions. It is important that you understand how to correctly refer to the work of others and maintain academic integrity. Failure to appropriately acknowledge the ideas of others constitutes academic dishonesty (plagiarism), a matter considered by the University of Tasmania as a serious offence. th The appropriate referencing style for this unit is MLA 7 edition. For information on presentation of assignments, including referencing styles: http://utas.libguides.com/referencing Please read the following statement on plagiarism. Should you require clarification please see your unit coordinator or lecturer.

Academic misconduct Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, allowing another student to copy work for an assignment or an examination and any other conduct by which a student: (a) seeks to gain, for themselves or for any other person, any academic advantage or advancement to which they or that other person are not entitled; or (b) improperly disadvantages any other student. Students engaging in any form of academic misconduct may be dealt with under the Ordinance of Student Discipline, and this can include imposition of penalties that range from a deduction/cancellation of marks to exclusion from a unit or the University. Details of penalties that can be imposed are available in Ordinance 9: Student Discipline – Part 3 Academic Misconduct, see http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/23991/ord9.pdf

Plagiarism Plagiarism is a form of cheating. It is taking and using someone else's thoughts, writings or inventions and representing them as your own; for example, using an author's words without putting them in quotation marks and citing the source, using an author's ideas without proper acknowledgment and citation, copying another student's work. If you have any doubts about how to refer to the work of others in your assignments, please consult your lecturer or tutor for relevant referencing guidelines, and the academic integrity resources on the web at: http://www.academicintegrity.utas.edu.au/ The intentional copying of someone else’s work as one’s own is a serious offence punishable by penalties that may range from a fine or deduction/cancellation of marks and, in the most serious of cases, to exclusion from a unit, a course or the University. The University and any persons authorised by the University may submit your assessable works to a plagiarism checking service, to obtain a report on possible instances of plagiarism. Assessable works may also be included in a reference database. It is a condition of this arrangement that the original author’s permission is required before a work within the database can be viewed.

For further information on this statement and general referencing guidelines, see http://www.utas.edu.au/students/plagiarism/ or follow the link ‘Rules / Policy’ under ‘Administration’ on the Current Students homepage http://www.utas.edu.au/students/.

Further information and assistance If you are experiencing difficulties with your studies or assignments, have personal or life-planning issues, disability or illness which may affect your course of study, you are advised to raise these with your tutor or unit coordinator in the first instance. There is a range of University-wide support services available to you including Academic and Support Services and other services assisting with Student Life. Please refer to the Current Students homepage at: http://www.utas.edu.au/students/ Should you require assistance in accessing the Library visit their website for more information at http://www.utas.edu.au/library/...