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John TiedemannWRIT 1133Section 6: TR 89:50, Sturm 235

Section 17: TR 1011:50, Sturm 480

Section 31: TR 121:50, Sturm 258

Office hours: TR 24, W 102, at Jazzmans

Email: John.Tiedemann@du.edu

VERUM FACTUM: Writing, Rhetoric, and the Invention of Knowledge in, across, and out of the Academy

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T H E C L A S S

In 1710, the philosopher and theorist of rhetoric Giambattista Vico famously declared Verum esse ipsumfactum, which may be translated in two paradoxical ways: both as Truth itself is fact and Truth itself ismade. This paradox that what we call truth is at one and the same time given, like facts, and created, likefictions lies at the heart of the rhetorical practice of invention, i.e., the process of discovering and/orconstructing new ideas.

In this class, well study and practice strategies of invention across a range of academic disciplines and in bothacademic and public spheres. How do critics invent original arguments about verbal and visual artifacts? Howdo social scientists invent original arguments about human cultural practices? How do we use what we havelearned about writing and research in an academic setting to invent original arguments for use in a public one?As the repetition here of the word original ought to suggest, the writing that you do in this class will be largelyself-directed. Ill provide you with the tools of invention, but the invention itself the discovery and creationof new ideas will be up to you.

A S S I G N M E N T S

In order to promote a useful degree of unity amidst all of the variety of your individual projects, yourassignments will share a common motif: namely, the city as artifact, social practice, locus of action, and in itsrelationship to the classroom.

Project 1: DenveRhetor

For this project, youll analyze a rhetorical event here in Denver, to be published in DenveRhetor, an onlinepublication covering the rhetorical situation in our city.

Project 2: The Ethnography of the Polis

In this project, youll design and conduct a social scientific research project on an aspect of urban life.

Project 2: Writing in PublicThis project asks you to intervene in a civic debate of your choosing by creating and intervening in your ownrhetorical situation.

Project 4: Teaching a Public

In this project, youll create original lessons to contribute to a writing and rhetoric handbook for next years DUclass.

T E X T S

Unless otherwise indicated, all readings will be posted on our course blog: http://writrhet.blogspot.com/ Your own texts are a central element of this class so please bring your laptop to every class

meeting.

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G R A D E S

For each of your compositions, you will receive a provisional grade on the draft preceding the final draft, alongwith suggestions for revision from me. That provisional grade will rise, fall, or stay the same depending uponhow effectively you revise as you complete your final draft. All final drafts of all essays is due to me on Sunday,March 14, by noon.

Grade calculation

Your grade for the course will be calculated on a 1,000 point scale and distributed as follows:

assignment relevant dates point value % of final grade

Project 1 First draft: April 6; revised draft: April 8; final draft: June 4. 150 points 15%

Project 2 First draft: April 27; revised draft: April 29; final draft: June 4. 250 points 25%

Project 3 First draft: May 13; revised draft: May 18; final draft: June 4. 250 points 25%

Project 4 First draft: May 25; final draft: June 4. 250 points 25%

Engagement 100 points 10%

Ill use the conversion tables below when calculating grades:

Letter grade to point value point value to final grade

Project 1 Project 24 Engagement

A = 140150 187200 100 9341,000 pts. = A

A = 135139 180186 - 900933 = A

B+ = 130134 174179 - 867899 = B+

B = 125129 166173 86 833866 = B

B = 120124 160165 - 800832 = BC+ = 115119 154159 - 767799 = C+

C = 110114 146153 76 733766 = C

C = 105109 140145 - 700732 = C

D+ = 100104 134139 - 667699 = D+

D = 9599 126133 66 633666 = D

D = 9094 120125 - 600632 = D

F = 089 0119 0 0599 = F

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C O U R S E C A L E N D A R

Tuesday, March 23 Introduction: Introduction

Thursday, March 25 Discussion: The rhetorical situation revisited Texts: Lloyd Bitzer, The Rhetorical Situation; Bill Clinton, speech at DU.

Tuesday, March 30 Discussion: The city as artifact: textual invention (1) Texts: H.D.F. Kitto, The Polis; Lewis Muford, What Is a City?

Thursday, April 1 Discussion: The city as artifact: textual invention (2) Texts: Found objects

Tuesday, April 6 Workshop: Draft of Project 1 due in class.

Thursday, April 8 Discussion: Ethnographic invention Draft of Project 1 due TO ME and ONLINE by the start of class.

Tuesday, April 13 Discussion: The city as practice: ethnographic invention (1)

Reading: Lewis Wirth, Urbanism as a Way of Life; Jane Jacobs, from TheDeath and Life of Great American Cities.

Thursday, April 15 Workshop: The city as practice: ethnographic invention (2)

Reading: David Pinder, from Visions of the City; Michael J. Dear, from ThePostmodern Urban Condition.

Tuesday, April 20 Workshop: Writing ethnographies

Thursday, April 22 Workshop: Writing ethnographies

Tuesday, April 27 Workshop: Draft of Project 2 due in class.

Thursday, April 29 Discussion: The city and the classroom: community-based invention Draft of Project 2 due to me via email by the start of class.

Tuesday, May 4 Workshop: Library workshop: Well meet in the Research Instruction Room in Penrose

Thursday, May 6 Workshop: Preparing to write in publicTuesday, May 11 Workshop: Preparing to write in public

Thursday, May 13 Workshop: Draft of Project 3 due in class.

Tuesday, May 18 Workshop: Teaching a public (1)Draft of Project 3 due to me via email by the start of class.

Thursday, May 20 Workshop: Teaching a public (2)

Tuesday, May 25 Workshop: Project 4 and Final Revisions

Thursday, May 27 Workshop: Project 4 and Final Revisions

ALL FINAL DRAFTS OF ALL PROJECTS DUE TO ME BY NOON ON FRIDAY, JUNE 4.