ENG 326: Digital Rhetoric
Professor: Matt King (he, him, his; more on pronouns here and here)
Email: mrking@sbu.edu
Phone: 716.375.2457
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30-11:00 and by appointment
Office Location: Zoom (I will be available here during office hours)
Class Website: https://mattrking.com/courses/e326/ and Moodle
Professional and Creative Writing Major Objectives
Students will:
- Write effective texts in different genres and in multiple media to respond to a variety of professional and creative needs.
- Construct their own professional identities as writers, readers, and researchers who can make valuable contributions in a variety of professional settings.
- Interpret cultural, political, and historical situations using specific theories from rhetorical, literary, and writing studies.
- Display the ethical commitment of writers to improve society.
Writing Intensive Course
This course satisfies the Writing Intensive requirement for the general education curriculum and thus addresses the University Learning Goal and Objectives on writing and communication:
Students will develop competence in multimodal communication with special emphasis on oral, written, and digital communication, including an understanding of key issues relating to their use.
Learning Objectives
1. Students identify and respond to contexts using appropriate processes and modes of delivery.
2. Students use effective content and approaches to organization, style, and design that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of communication.
3. Students demonstrate control of syntax and mechanics by using language that communicates with clarity, fluency, and minimal errors.
Course Description
This course will help students think critically about the ways in which digital technologies shape rhetorical and expressive practices. Possible areas of consideration include electronic literature, hypertext fiction, digital poetry, conversations in digital humanities, public sphere studies, the virtual, video games/procedural rhetoric, electracy, platform studies, and critical code studies. The course may allow students to practice writing in different digital spaces, but it foregrounds the writing of more traditional analysis papers focusing on digital rhetoric technologies, practices, and texts. (3 credits)
Course Goals
- Understand the role that digital technologies play in shaping public discourse;
- Develop a critical and productive framework for engaging with digital technologies and texts grounded in rhetorical concepts and practices;
- Produce writing that demonstrates critical and conceptual sophistication, offering substantial insights into academic and public conversations on digital technologies;
- Gain fluency in writing genres and modalities that contribute to the development of your academic and professional identity;
- Address ethical concerns in digital rhetoric, both in terms of understanding these concerns and responding to them ethically.
All class texts will be made available online as needed.
Grading
Read my statement on grading here. The grading statement also includes the policies for late work and attendance.
Student Success Center
Revising and responding to feedback will be an invaluable and necessary part of your development as a writer this semester. All students working on writing projects are encouraged to seek help from the SBU Writing Lab. To make an appointment, email writinglab@sbu.edu and explain your project, nature of assistance you seek, and timeline for feedback. You can opt for either written feedback on your draft or a live tutoring session over Zoom with one of the Writing Lab tutors. Upon request, the Writing Lab can also send your instructor a session report outlining your visit and tutor recommendations.
Academic Honesty
The writing you submit for our class should be your own; when you draw on the work of others, you should acknowledge it and include appropriate citations. Instances of plagiarism can result in failed assignments and potentially failure of the course. A list of unacceptable practices and procedures to be followed in prosecuting cases of alleged academic dishonesty can be found here.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who feel they need academic accommodations should contact Adriane Spencer (aspencer@sbu.edu), Director of Disability Support Services Office, 100D Plassmann Hall (Student Success Center), 716-375-2065. Please reach out early in the semester so that they can assist you as soon as possible. Documentation from the Disability Support Services Office is required before I can make accommodations.
Email
Email will serve as an official means of communication for this class, and you should check the email account you have registered with the university regularly. Feel free to email me with your questions and concerns.
Title IX
Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories such as race, national origin, etc. If you or someone you know has been harassed or assaulted, you can find the appropriate resources at the Health and Wellness Center or at the Campus Safety Office. For on-campus reporting, see the Title IX Coordinator (Erik Seastedt, Director of Human Resources) and Residence Life Staff (RAs, RDs, and other professional staff). The University’s policy and procedures regarding gender-based and sexual misconduct can be found online.
In the event of an emergency, call Campus Safety (716-375-2525) or contact Rob DeFazio (Student Conduct, 716-375-2190, rdefazio@sbu.edu). Be aware that most university employees are mandated reporters.
Other Concerns
If you have any other concerns that affect your ability to succeed in this course – for example, affording costs related to the class, dealing with mental health issues, having regular shelter and food, etc. – please let me know, and I will do what I can to help.
Matt King 