Introduction to Rhetoric and Informal Logic: Argumentation, Persuasion, Manipulation (2026/2027: Semester 2 – Spring)

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Cursusdoel

After completing this course students are able to:
  1. Analyze persuasive texts, from ads to political speeches
  2. Distinguish between different types of reasoning and arguments
  3. Recognize fallacies
  4. Produce argumentative and persuasive discourses
  5. Understand the rhetorical power of language and be aware of specific linguistic devices that are commonly used for manipulation
Relationship between assessment and learning goals:
Description of assignment Assesses course aims
Exams
Written assignments
Participation		 1–5
1–5
1–5

Vakinhoudelijk

Rhetoric, along with grammar and logic, is a traditional part of the liberal arts & sciences education, and is canonically understood as the art of persuasion. We are currently bombarded with information of various quality, sometimes even without realizing it. It is important to be able to see how certain rhetorical techniques are used to convince us to believe things that may not be true (think fake news), or to get us to do something that we may not otherwise want to (think propaganda). This class examines the roots of rhetoric as a field, analyzes its theoretical foundations and teaches you practical applications in academia and beyond. At its heart, rhetoric is about argumentation, so you will examine different types of reasoning, learn how to structure arguments, and gain practical skills to spot, and avoid, logical fallacies. However, unlike classical logic, rhetoric is about the dialectic in the real world, so we will also focus on persuasion and examine how you can present your own arguments in a better way, while also paying attention to manipulative uses of language. This class offers a mix of theory and practice, and you will have plenty of opportunities to argue, present and debate, both in writing and orally.


Format

The class meets twice a week, and consists of lectures, interactive classes, individual presentations, practical work sessions, dynamic debates and discussion sessions. There are two exams covering the concepts dealt with in the course, as well as regular assignments coming out of the practical work sessions, which are to be compiled and submitted in a final work portfolio.

Werkvormen

UCU 1 ACC course

Toetsing

Participation

Verplicht | Weging 10% | ECTS 0,75

Final exam

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

Assignments

Verplicht | Weging 40% | ECTS 3

*midterm FEEDBACK*

Niet verplicht

Mid-term exam

Verplicht | Weging 25% | ECTS 1,88

Ingangseisen en voorkennis

Ingangseisen

Er is geen informatie over verplichte ingangseisen bekend.

Voorkennis

Er is geen informatie over benodigde voorkennis bekend.

Voertalen

  • Engels

Competenties

  • Academisch schrijven
  • Debatteren / discoursanalyse
  • Interdisciplinariteit
  • Kritisch lezen
  • Luisteren
  • Onderzoeksvaardigheden
  • Presenteren
  • Samenwerken

Cursusmomenten

Gerelateerde studies

Tentamens

Er is geen tentamenrooster beschikbaar voor deze cursus

Verplicht materiaal

  • BOEK
    Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter and Robert Fogelin. 2014. Understanding Arguments: An Introduction to Informal Logic (9th edition). Cengage Advantage Books. ISBN-13: 978-1-285-19736-4
  • BOEK
    Crowley, Sharon and Debra Hawnee. 2004. Ancient Rhetorics for Contemporary Students. Pearson Education. ISBN 0-321-17276-0

Aanbevolen materiaal

  • BOEK
    Holyoak, Keith J. and Robert G. Morrison. 2012. The Oxford Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning. OUP. Print ISBN 9780199734689

Opmerkingen

Counts towards HUM methodology. Free choice for others.

Coördinator

dr. N. Korotkova n.korotkova@uu.nl

Docenten

dr. S.A. Blackwell s.a.blackwell@uu.nl
dr. N. Korotkova n.korotkova@uu.nl
dr. F.E. Martin f.e.martin@uu.nl

Inschrijving

Let op: deze cursus is niet toegankelijk voor studenten van andere faculteiten, bijvakkers mogen zich dus niet inschrijven.

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