About RCL

Instructor: Jessica O’Hara, Ph.D   jessicaohara@psu.edu

Office Hours: Office hours will be held on Zoom. They are Mondays from 12:00-1:30 PM and Wednesdays from 2:30-4 PM.

Sometimes we will have unit conferences that will be scheduled through signupgenius.com. If you can’t find a time that will work for your schedule, please email me to suggest alternate times.

Office Hours Zoom Link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/3432186867

 

Section 9: 9:05-10:20 AM Tuesday/Thursday, 303 Rackley Building

Section 9 Teaching Assistant: Emma Hoebler esh5289@psu.edu

Section 7: 10:35 AM-11:50 AM Tuesday/Thursday, 317 Nursing Sciences Building

Section 7 Teaching Assistant: Graham Oven: gpo5068@psu.edu

Section 11: 1:35-2:50 PM Tuesday/Thursday, 117 Sackett Building

Section 11 Teaching Assistant: Kevin Tian kmt6125@psu.edu

Section 12: 3:05-4:20 PM. Tuesday/Thursday, 208 Thomas Building

Section 12 Teaching Assistant: Julia Gale jbg6001@psu.edu

 

Required Reading and Course Textbooks

Keywords online textbook: https://sites.psu.edu/caskeywords/. Passcode: since1959

How to Write with Flair by Heather Holleman. IBSN: 978-1453721209

Easy Writer by Andrea Lunsford. 8th edition. IBSN: 978-1319244224

Linked PDF course readings

Sample student work at Penn State RCL: sites.psu.edu/pennstatercl

Please bring your copy of How to Write With Flair to class every day and a laptop every Thursday.


Rhetoric and Civic Life (RCL) is a year-long honors course offering comprehensive training in oral, written, visual, and digital communication for the twenty-first century. It unites these various modes under the flexible art of rhetoric and uses rhetoric both to strengthen communication skills and to sharpen awareness of the challenges and advantages presented by oral, written, visual, and digital modes.

RCL I focuses particularly on two critical academic capacities: analyzing and contextualizing. In this semester, students learn to rigorously examine the rhetoric surrounding them, compellingly present their findings in various modes, and thoughtfully contextualize their research.

This section of Rhetoric and Civic Life will focus on sustainability as a touchstone for analyzing rhetoric, studying evolving ideas, and exploring controversy.