OXFORD TUTORIALS
RHETORIC ATRIUM
Aristotle's treatise, On
Rhetoric (free E-text/Adobe)
trans. W. Rhys Roberts (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924)
(Revised cover/page 1.)
Annotated Outlines:
1) Aristotle, On Rhetoric;
2) Mortimer Adler, How to Read a Book;
3) Joseph Williams, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity &
Grace
Rhetoric: Reading Schedule
First Semester
WEEK
1. Aristotle, On Rhetoric, Bk. I, Chaps. 1-15
(Kennedy: pp. 25-118; Roberts: pp. 1-41)
Study Questions 1-10
Study Questions 11-20
Study Questions 21-30
Study Questions 31-37
2. Aristotle, On Rhetoric, Bk. II, Chaps. 1-26
(Kennedy: pp. 119-215; Roberts: pp.
41-84)
Study Questions 1-10
Study Questions 11-20
Study Questions 21-30
3. Aristotle, On Rhetoric, Bk. III, Chaps. 1-20
(Kennedy: pp. 216-282; Roberts: pp. 84-115)
Study Questions 1-10
Study Questions 11-20
4. Adler, How to Read a Book, Chap. 1-7, pp. 3-95
Study Questions 1-7
5. Adler, How to Read a Book, Chap. 8-12, pp. 96-188
Study Questions 8-15
6. Adler, How to Read a Book, Chap. 13-21, pp. 191-346
Study Questions 16-25
7. Williams, Style, Lessons 1-5, pp. 1-117
Study Questions 1-15
8. Williams, Style, Lessons 6-10, pp. 118-249
Study Questions 16-30
9. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 1-62
10. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 63-150
11. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 151-260
12. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 265-334
13. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 335-424
14. MacArthur, Historic Speeches, pp. 425-500
15. 1/8- Plato, The Gorgias, pp. 1-75
16. 1/15- Plato, The Gorgias, pp. 76-149
Second Semester
WEEK
1. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 41-121:
Memorials & Patriotic Sp. (All);
War & Revolution Sp. (Cataline-Chief Joseph)
2. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 122-215
War & Revolution (W. Wilson) through
Tributes & Eulogies (Will Rogers)
3. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 216-306
Tributes & Eulogies (Stanley Baldwin) through
Debates & Argumentation (Stephen Douglas)
4. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 307-389
Debates
& Argumentation (J.C. Breckinridge)
through Trials (All)
5. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 393-485
Gallows & Farewell Sp. (All) through
Sermons (John Witherspoon)
6. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 485-588
Sermons (Chief Red Jacket) through
Inspirational Speeches (All)
7. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 591-689
Lectures & Instructive Sp. (All)
through
Sp. of Social Responsibility (W.L.
Garrison)
8. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 690-762
Sp. of Social Responsibility (Chief
Seattle)
through Sp. of Social
Responsibility (Bhutto)
9. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 765-850
Media Speeches (All)
10. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 853-941
Political Speeches (Demosthenes)
through
Political Speeches (F.D. Roosevelt)
11. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 942-1024
Political Speeches (W. Churchill)
through
Political Speeches (Ronald Reagan)
12. Safire, Great Speeches in History, pp. 1025-END
Political Speeches (Jeane
Kirkpatrick)
through Commencement Speeches (All)
13. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Chaps. 1-5, pp. 1-83
14. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Chaps. 6-9, pp. 85-172
15. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Bks. I-III.3, pp. 3-68
16. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Bks. III.4-IV, pp. 69-136
Course Requirements
Weekly Reading Quizzes
Students are responsible to keep track of the reading and homework schedule which is
posted in each tutorial’s atrium, and to be prepared for a short quiz which will
cover that week’s assignment. The quiz will usually consist of about ten Multiple
Choice questions which the tutor will post on the Chat Screen, one at a time. The quiz
will be given in a "game show" format, with the instructor keeping track of the
students who are first to type in the correct answers. Students are requested to
select the best answer (A, B, C, D) and to send it back to the tutor, via Private Chat.
The tutor keeps track of the results, and will usually announce each week’s top three
winners ("Gold, Silver, Bronze"). The quiz results will not be included in the
student’s final grade. However, the quiz is important the two reasons: 1) to alert
the tutor to each student’s comprehension and progress; and 2) to keep students
motivated and accountable for their weekly reading assignments. In addition, the
competitive "game format" adds a dimension of excitement and camaraderie.
Weekly SAT and AP Quizzes
In addition to the weekly reading quizzes students should also be prepared for a weekly
quiz over each week’s SAT vocabulary and AP literary terms. All literature students
(C. S. Lewis, GBT 1, GBT 2, GBT 3, J. R. R. Tolkien), as well as the Logic and Rhetoric
students, are expected to keep track of the assigned SAT vocabulary and AP literacy (terms
and authors). Students should have received copies of these lists via email from the
tutor. The SAT vocabulary and AP literary terms are also posted on the website in the
AP/SAT Atrium: http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/APSATAtrium.htm
As with the weekly reading quizzes, the results will not be including in the
grades. However, these quizzes are important for two reasons: 1) to assist students in
expanding their vocabularies for their own enrichment and understanding; 2) to prepare
students for the SAT exam (typically the single most important factor in college
admissions).
Major Assignments: First & Second Semester
Most of the tutorials will also include four or five major assignments. The DUE DATES for
these assignments are posted near the top of the homepage of www.oxfordtutorials.com at the following link: http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/OxfordAssignmentSchedule.htm
Here are the assignments:
1. Letters to the Editor: A letter to the editor (of a newspaper or
magazine) is an attempt to introduce or respond to a current issue of civil importance by
combining elements of an argumentative (rational) and persuasive (emotional) essay in a
very brief format (100-200 words). The brief format is required by most periodicals
to allow more letters to be published. It is also of great benefit as a discipline
in "getting to the point." Students will be required to write three
letters over the course of the year on topics to be determined in consultation with the
tutor.
2. Midterm Exam: This exam will be scheduled in the middle of the first semester.
It will cover the reading during the first half of the semester (comprehension), as well
as material presented by the tutor in class (commentary) and the AP literary terms A-G
(definitions). Students will be expected to be familiar with the themes and literary
devices which are expressed in the reading (examples).
3. Semester Exam: This exam will be scheduled at the end of the first semester. It
will involve the same components as the midterm, but it will include the reading for the
second half of the semester, and all of the AP literary terms (A-Z). Students will be
expected to be familiar with the themes and literary devices which have expressed in the
reading thus far (examples).
4. Persuasive Speech: A persuasive speech is an attempt to convince an audience to
think or act in a certain way based upon emotional appeals (pathos). It should
include rational argument and evidence (logos), but its primary objective is to touch the
listener's heart, and change his or her point of view. The persuasive speech will be
delivered in class, to the tutor and your peers. The word limit is: 400 words.
Students are requested to use the "Five Paragraph Essay" format in preparing
their speeches. For help with this format please see:
http://www.oxfordtutorials.com/FiveParagraphEssayFormat.htm
Proposed Topics for
Letters to the Editor & the Persuasive Speech
1. Should the Ten Commandments be posted in public schools?
Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
2. Is religion a 'crutch' which prevents followers from thinking
on their own? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
3. Should the Boy
Scouts be required to allow and accept openly
gay scouts and scout leaders? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
4. Should the right to
privacy include a mother's right to terminate
the pregnancy of an unborn child? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
5. Does it constitute a violation of the First Amendment as an
"establishment of religion" for public schools to teach
creation or
design? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
6. Should the federal government allow researchers to use stem
cells derived from human embryos? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
7. Should illegal immigrants from Mexico be awarded a general
amnesty? Why?/Why not? (50-250 words)
8. Are Americans who believe in the Virgin Birth less
"enlightened" than those
who believe in Darwin's theory of evolution (as asserted by
N.Y. Times
columnist Gary Wills)? Why? Why not?
(200-400 words)
9. Should the death penalty ever be allowed for juveniles? Why?
Why not?
(200-400 words)
10. Should religion be kept out of politics (as asserted by Seattle Times
columnist Danny Westneat)l? Why? Why not?
(200-400 words)