everything.study
21W.747-2

Rhetoric: Rhetoric of Science

Undergraduate · Historical course

Spring 2006

This course is an introduction to the history, theory, practice, and implications of rhetoric, the art and craft of persuasion. This course specifically focuses on the ways that scientists use various methods of persuasion in the construction of scientific knowledge.

Readings

  • Kuhn, Thomas. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions . 3rd ed. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1996. ISBN: 9780226458076.
    Required
  • Latour, Bruno, and Steve Woolgar. Laboratory Life: The Construction of Scientific Facts . 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986. ISBN: 9780691028323.
    Required
  • Penrose, Anne, and Steven Katz. Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse . New York, NY: St. Martin’s, 1997. ISBN: 9780312119713.
    Required
  • Bazerman, Charles. Shaping Written Knowledge: The Genre and Activity of the Experimental Article in Science . Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. ISBN: 9780299116941.
    Listed reading
  • Myers, Greg. Writing Biology: Texts in the Social Construction of Scientific Knowledge . Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin Press, 1990. ISBN: 9780299122348.
    Listed reading
  • Gross, Alan. Starring the Text: The Place of Rhetoric in Science Studies . Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780809326969.
    Listed reading
  • Paul, Danette, Davida Charney, and Aimee Kendall. “Moving Beyond the Moment: Reception Studies in the Rhetoric of Science.” Journal of Business and Technical Communication 15, no. 3 (July 2001): 372-399.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Herzberg, Bruce and Patricia Bizzell, eds. The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present . 2nd ed. Bedford, MA: St. Martin’s Press, December 22, 2000, pp. 19-37. ISBN: 9780312148393.
    Listed reading
  • Crowley, Sharon and Deborah Hawhee. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. 3rd Ed. New York, NY: Longman, 2003, pp. 7-16. ISBN: 9780321172761.
    Listed reading
  • Discuss Rhetorical Tradition vs. Ancient Rhetorics introductions. Take one term from the introductions and look for definitions on the internet.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Herzberg, Bruce and Patricia Bizzell, eds. “Aristotle.” In The Rhetorical Tradition: Readings from Classical Times to the Present . 2nd ed. Bedford, MA: St. Martin’s Press, December 22, 2000, pp. 151-194. ISBN: 9780312148393. Choose one of Aristotle’s emotions to present to the class.
    Listed reading
  • Read: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions , II, III, X, XIII. Remainder of book is optional reading.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Gross, Alan. The Rhetoric of Science. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1990, chapter 1. ISBN: 9780674768734.
    Listed reading
  • Harris, Randy Allen. Landmark Essays on Rhetoric of Science . Mahwah, NJ: Hermagoras Press, 1997, xi-xxix. ISBN: 9781880393116.
    Listed reading
  • Option: Writing in the Sciences . Chapter 1. (Skim)
    Listed reading
  • Read: Halloran, S. M. “The birth of molecular biology: an essay in the rhetorical criticism of scientific discourse.” Rhetoric Review 3 (1984): 70-83.
    Listed reading
  • Moore, Randy. “Writing About Biology: How Rhetorical Choices Can Influence the Impact of a Scientific Paper.” Bioscene 26, no. 1 (February 2000): 23-25. ( PDF ) ↗
    Listed reading
  • Watson, J., and F. Crick. “A Structure for Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid.” Nature 171 (1953): 737. ( PDF ) ↗
    Listed reading
  • Read: Writing in the Sciences . Chapter 3, sections 3.1-3.7. Bring your sample articles to next class!
    Listed reading
  • Lab Life. Chapter 1.
    Listed reading
  • Wrestle through chapter 1. Group work with report-outs.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Lab Life. Chapter 2. Your Project 2 research question and explanation of your proposed scene.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Lab Life. Chapter 3.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Lab Life. Chapter 4.
    Listed reading
  • Read: Lab Life . Chapter 5-6.
    Listed reading
Sources