Com 323: Persuasion and Argumentation

Weekly Assignment Instructions

Textbook: Seiter, John E., and Gass, Robert H. (2004), Perspectives on Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining, Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Kathy, if you need articles from Ashford Online Library, please let me know. I have about 2 weeks for Week 3 to be done, but would love to get an early start. I’m just submitting these early.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Week 3 Assignment: Ethics and Persuasion(Due Nov. 29)

Prepare a three- to five-page paper (exclusive of the title and reference page) detailing the importance of ethical behavior and its significance in persuasion.

Define at least two ethical theories in your paper, and explore the impact that ethical practices have on persuasion.

You may choose to examine a current event issue to illustrate your viewpoints.

Your paper must include at least three, outside, scholarly articles for reference to support your opinions. (Student Guide says to use at least three scholarly articles found in Ashford Online Library to support your claims and subclaims).

To successfully complete this week’s assignments, read the following article found in ProQuest.

Messina, A. (2007). Public relations, the public interest and persuasion: An ethical approach. Journal of Communication Management, 11(1), 29.

Week 4 Assignment: Humor and Persuasion (Due Dec. 6)

Prepare a three- to five-page paper (exclusive of the APA title and reference pages) detailing the effectiveness of humor in persuasion.

Your paper should not only detail the effectiveness of humor, but also indicate the risks with attempting to use humor in persuasion.

Your paper should include previous theories of persuasion and how the technique of humor can support or limit the effectiveness of persuasion.

You may use the two below, scholarly articles as a basis for your observations.

1. Cline, T.W., & Kellaris, J.J. (1999). The joining impact of humor and argument strength in a print advertising context: A case for weaker arguments. Psychology & Marketing, 16(1), 69-87.

2. Lyttle, J. (2001). The effectiveness of humor in persuasion: The case of business ethics training. The Journal of General Psychology, 128(2), 206-217.

Week 5- There are 2 Assignments the (1) Course Review & (2) The Final Project (which has 2 parts). (Due Dec. 13)

Course Review.

Provide a three- to five-paragraph summary of the thesis and your main ideas for support for your Final Paper. Detail the major points of your final presentation and allow your classmates to understand the major points of your paper. Review at least three of your classmates’ primary postings and provide feedback concerning your opinions on their findings. Respond to at least three of your classmates’ postings by Day 7.

The Final Project- The Final Project has two parts: (1) a 6- to 8 page Final Paper & (2) a PowerPoint Presentation. The Final Project will contribute to 25% of the course grade.

The Final Paper.

Throughout this course we are examining methods of persuasion. The great issues of our day are far from being resolved, but effective persuasion can begin to build consensus.

Your final project requires you to tackle a current, controversial issue and use persuasion to convince your audience that your position(s) on the issue is (are) correct.

Your Final Paper must be six- to eight-pages of content (exclusive of the APA title and reference pages), and you can include multi-media, interactive video, pictures, commercials, movie scenes, web links, etc. to bolster your opinion(s).

Your paper should incorporate the latest methods of persuasion in the hopes of"proving your point" to your instructor.

You are encouraged to find a topic which you feel passionate about. The list provided is just to help you with the sorts of ideas which may be appropriate for your project.

You are not limited to these topics; please consult your instructor if you have any questions about a proper topic for this assignment.

Some topics to consider could be the following:

  • Abortion
  • Capital Punishment
  • Socialism
  • Gun Control
  • Smoking/Second-Hand Smoke
  • Stem Cell Research
  • Lowering the Alcohol Drinking Age
  • Re-instituting the Military Draft
  • Home Schooling
  • Corporal Punishment in Schools

The Final Presentation– Power Point Presentation.

Submit a six-to eight-slide Power Point Presentation that provides an overview of the key points of your Final Paper.

Writing the Research Paper

The Final Paper: Must be seven- to eight- double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. Must include a cover page that includes: Title of paper Student's name Course name and number Instructor's name Date submitted

Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.

Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.

Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.

Must use at least five professional resources, including a minimum of two from the Ashford Online Library.

Must use APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide to document all sources.

Must include, on the final page, a Reference Page that is completed according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide.