Course Description
This course introduces first-year university students to rhetoric, technical and scientific writing, persuasion, evidence-based argumentation, and digital rhetoric, with a central focus on producing a professional white paper for a real or hypothetical client. It trains students to analyze audiences, structure information, use ethical persuasion, evaluate sources, and propose research-informed solutions, preparing them for academic and professional communication in technical and scientific contexts.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Apply rhetorical principles and the 5 Canons of Rhetoric in technical writing.
- Conduct research using peer-reviewed and credible professional sources in APA format.
- Develop a complete White Paper addressing a real-world organizational problem or opportunity.
- Analyze evidence, audiences, and stakeholders in technical contexts.
- Use digital rhetoric and AI ethically in writing tasks.
Professor Karen Sichler 