Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Writing: Persuasion and Power (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 4160-01

Course: ENGL 4160-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: English
CRN: 31577

Course Description

In this class, we explore the communicative aspects of rhetoric, power, and persuasion. In this seminar-style class, we will engage with historical and theoretical readings via student-led discussion, favoring depth to coverage. The course explores how power is negotiated, challenged, and maintained through persuasive texts. We look beyond traditional speeches. We examine how poetry, drama, music, and film shape public consciousness and political realities.

Required Texts

  • Assigned Readings (posted on Canvas)

Learning Outcomes

  • engage deeply with historical and theoretical readings surrounding the rhetoric
  • become familiar with approaches to rhetorical history and criticism and apply those methods to your own production and/or interpretation of various rhetorical “performances.”
  • connect historical development of rhetoric with the shared practices and identities of power and persuasion
  • hone academic communication skill & demonstrate critical, rhetorical awareness of language use.
  • become a more skilled practitioner of rhetoric—in the words of Quintilian, a good person speaking and writing well.

Course Requirements

Structure

This course, designed for English and humanities majors, will (1) give students an overview of the dominant theories of the relationships among rhetoric, power, and persuasion (2) provide critical and methodological apparatus for interrogating those theories.

Through a formal research proposal, a substantial annotated bibliography, a mock conference presentation, and leading discussions, students engage with a variety of academic genres while building over the semester to a term-length project on their topic of interest within the scope of the course. In this way, the course meets the outcomes/objectives specified above.

Requirements

To pass this course you must complete all the major assignments, fulfill all the weekly assignments, and submit all the writing assignments on time. You are expected to attend all class meetings and to participate in draft workshops, in-class exercises, and classroom discussions. All proposals, drafts, papers, and revisions must be handed in on time; failure to turn in a proposal on time, or to appear at a draft workshop without a draft is equivalent to turning in an assignment late (i.e., normally a penalty of one grade per late day).

Grade Breakdown

  • Reading Responses (10%)
  • Discussion Leader (with handout) 10%
  • Dissonance Paper with a list of six potential sources 10%
  • Article Reviews for at least six sources 10%
  • Conference-length Paper (8-10 pages with 250 word abstract) 40%
  • Final Presentation 10%
  • Participation 10%
A = 100 – 94 %A- = 93 – 90 %B+ = 89 – 88 %B = 87 – 83 %B- = 82 – 80 %
C+ = 79 – 78 %C = 77 – 72 %C- = 71 – 70 %D+ = 69 – 68 %D = 67 – 62 %
D- = 61 – 60 %F = 0 %

Calculating Grades

Grades will be determined on a percentage basis. Major assignments will be graded on the standard letter-grade scale with plusses and minuses. Your overall grade and project grades are based on the following percentages:
A = 100 – 94 % A- = 93 – 90 % B+ = 89 – 88 % B = 87 – 83 % B- = 82 – 80 %
C+ = 79 – 78 % C = 77 – 72 % C- = 71 – 70 % D+ = 69 – 68 % D = 67 – 62 %
D- = 61 – 60 % F = 0 %

Course Outline

Course outline will be provided by Instructor

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All proposals, drafts, papers, and revisions must be handed in on time; failure to turn in a proposal on time, or to appear at a draft workshop without a draft is equivalent to turning in an assignment late (i.e., normally a penalty of one grade per late day).

Attendance Policy

We will be working together often, and your comments often help your peers. I cannot give you participation points for the activities that we complete in class, which are frequent and unannounced. If you miss more than four class periods, your grade will be substantially lowered.

Course Fees

no fees

Rude and Disruptive Behavior

Course AI Policy

Every assignment you turn in is your responsibility, including its accuracy, sources, and ideas. Generative AI can fabricate sources and quotations, misrepresent facts, and produce confident-sounding, but empty filler sentences. If your submitted work contains fabricated sources or quotations, inaccurate information, or passages you cannot explain or defend, you will be held accountable for that and incur the penalties that include failing the project or failing the course.

If you use AI in your writing process, please disclose that usage in your project reflection paragraph. Honest AI disclosure can be uncomfortable, especially when expectations around AI are still shifting and inconsistent. The Writing Program asks you to do it anyway because misrepresenting your process undermines your own credibility and your relationship with your instructor.

The Writing Program does not use AI detection software to evaluate your work. We believe that trust and honest dialogue are more effective and fair than surveillance tools, which are unreliable and discriminatory.

AI is a new and evolving field, and nobody has all the answers, including your professors. If you are unsure if a particular use of AI is appropriate, please ask me before submitting an assignment.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.