Chapter One - "Through the Looking Glass"
Raid One: Visual Rhetorical Analysis
Chapter Overview
When you disembark on your first journey, you feel the wave of freedom wash over you. You are in an unfamiliar place with a similar, but different set of objectives to complete. You pull out your journal and review your objectives: Find your identity; Learn about rhetoric; Analyze and be critical of an image.
You find yourself thinking about identity. Who am I? What is my specialization? What are my personal objectives in the Rhetorical Inn? You remark on how identity can be a frustrating and complicated concept to understand, but you will think it through on this adventure. As you walk through your journey, you start to recall what you know about rhetoric and argumentative essays. As you approach the Rhetorical Inn you see a bard making a charcoal drawing? You wonder...
You have five sessions to think about these concepts on your journey. Complete your assigned quests and adventures on your way to your first raid, the Visual Rhetorical Analysis, and walk away successful.
You find yourself thinking about identity. Who am I? What is my specialization? What are my personal objectives in the Rhetorical Inn? You remark on how identity can be a frustrating and complicated concept to understand, but you will think it through on this adventure. As you walk through your journey, you start to recall what you know about rhetoric and argumentative essays. As you approach the Rhetorical Inn you see a bard making a charcoal drawing? You wonder...
You have five sessions to think about these concepts on your journey. Complete your assigned quests and adventures on your way to your first raid, the Visual Rhetorical Analysis, and walk away successful.
Raid OverviewThis assignment requires players to develop proficiency in rhetorical analysis and argument by writing a paper that examines a visual text. The aim of your argument is to support a thesis—using the rhetorical tools of persuasion—concerning how your chosen visual text offers a persuasive argument. Using the assigned readings in Envision in Depth, as well as the supplemental readings, make an argument that persuades readers of your thesis.
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The form of this assignment is an integrated textual and visual essay that utilizes visual images and the rhetorical elements of composition, presentation, intended audience, and argument.
Raid Instruction
1. Choose an Image
The image you choose is vital to the raid. You want to choose an image (photo, cartoon, billboard, album cover, artwork, etc.) that you can analyze using critical literacy. What was the author's message? What is the exigence? Why did he/she choose to compose the image in such a way? If there is text, how is it displayed and what does it say? If you ask an image these questions and are still looking for more answers, then it is a good image to use. Some links are provided for you, but the journey to find an image could be fruitful.
2. Come up with a Thesis
Once you have your image, you need to come up with a point of inquiry. Developing a thesis statement based off of an interesting question, thought, or observation will help guide your writing. It is ok if you don't know the answer to your question or the full extent of your observation until after writing the paper. Going back through for revisions is important to the writing process. Your textbook walks through the process of developing a thesis on page 29.
3. Write a Critical Visual Rhetorical Analysis
The aim of your argument is to support your thesis using the rhetorical tools of persuasion. Make an argument that persuades readers of your thesis. Remember to utilize the visual images and the rhetorical elements of composition, presentation, intended audience, and argument. Your textbook has examples of rhetorical analyses on pages 15-29. Good points of inquiry are the following (from your textbook, page 28):
The image you choose is vital to the raid. You want to choose an image (photo, cartoon, billboard, album cover, artwork, etc.) that you can analyze using critical literacy. What was the author's message? What is the exigence? Why did he/she choose to compose the image in such a way? If there is text, how is it displayed and what does it say? If you ask an image these questions and are still looking for more answers, then it is a good image to use. Some links are provided for you, but the journey to find an image could be fruitful.
2. Come up with a Thesis
Once you have your image, you need to come up with a point of inquiry. Developing a thesis statement based off of an interesting question, thought, or observation will help guide your writing. It is ok if you don't know the answer to your question or the full extent of your observation until after writing the paper. Going back through for revisions is important to the writing process. Your textbook walks through the process of developing a thesis on page 29.
3. Write a Critical Visual Rhetorical Analysis
The aim of your argument is to support your thesis using the rhetorical tools of persuasion. Make an argument that persuades readers of your thesis. Remember to utilize the visual images and the rhetorical elements of composition, presentation, intended audience, and argument. Your textbook has examples of rhetorical analyses on pages 15-29. Good points of inquiry are the following (from your textbook, page 28):
- Argument: What is the text's argument, and is it persuasive? How does the author use evidence to support his/her interpretation?
- Audience: How did the author compose the text to persuade a particular audience? How did he/she take into account their context and predispositions to try to create a convincing argument?
- Genre: How did the author either trade on or depart from the conventions of a particular genre? How did that decision influence the persuasiveness of the argument?
- Style: How did the author use style as a persuasive tool? How did he/she use symbol, metaphor, word choice, voice, and other stylistic devices?
- Exigence and Purpose: How does the cartoon respond to a pressing need? What is the author's purpose, and to what extent does he/she accomplish it?
Requirements
- Minimum of 1200 words.
- MLA format.
- Works Cited
- At least one image in the text (should include source image).
- Argue your thesis to persuade your reader using the rhetorical concepts we discuss in class.
- Use bold, italics, different fonts, and colors for emphasis.
Performance Record
Your raid score will be based on the following:
Forthcoming!
Forthcoming!
Class Requirements
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Formatting Expectations |
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Submitting Raid |
Must be in "Raid One" folder in GoogleDrive.
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Important Deadlines |
Raid Due September 6.
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