Wendt English 201
ADVANCED RHETORIC:Fall 2010
Unit Five
PURPOSE
- Explore visual rhetoric
- engage with issues of “ways of seeing”
- think more critically about connections between text and images
- make use of visual composition
Week 13 / T – 12/2 / Unit 5 – Visual Argument / Class work
TH – 12/4 / Viewing day / Class work
Week 14 / T – 12/9 / Presentations / Portfolios due
TH – 12/11 / Presentations / In-class exam
ExamWeek / T – 12/16
The purpose of this last portion of the course is to help you more fully understand visual rhetoric by having you create something visually rhetorical. While this may seem odd for a writing course, the fact is that the visual elements of a text, as we have come to understand, can be just as persuasive—if not more so—than the words themselves. Combined, words and images (and even sound) create the most robust and rich rhetorical products imaginable. Here you get to show off your powers of persuasion.
There are two products for this project:
1. Your visual argument
2. An oral presentation you will give describing your project
YOUR VISUAL PROJECT
You have two options for this unit: turning one of your papers into a visual argument or coming up with something completely different. If you choose to re-mediate something you have already written, you can choose from any of the four major papers. Any of them will work; it’s up to you to determine which one will result in the most interesting and creative project. If none of these seem doable to you, you may choose something different, but you must keep this in mind: Your goal is the same as when you were writing: persuade an audience! You will want to think of something you would like others to know, something you would like to convince others of, and visually persuade them.
You have two choices for a means of presentation: a digital collage or an iMovie. We will have short in-class lessons on how to do each of these. Here are your requirements:
REQUIREMENTS FOR AN iMOVIE
· A two-minute movie, give or take.
· A maximum of five words throughout the entire movie—use images to make your point
· Transitions between all frames—one or two kinds only.
· An appropriate soundtrack (a song, most likely—NOTE: do not use lyrics to make your point!)
· Text entrances that enhance meaning ONLY—or none at all
REQUIREMENTS FOR A COLLAGE
· A minimum of five images somehow worked into the overall completed project
· All original images must be modified in some way to make them your own
· No more than five words—if any—on the collage
THINGS TO ADDRESS AS YOU WORK AND WHEN YOU PRESENT – NO POWERPOINT
· What is your main purpose or argument? Be able to verbalize it but be sure your visuals convey it without your help
· Who is your audience? Be sure that your visual choices appeal to this particular demographic
· What visual evidence will make you be taken seriously? Be sure your level of critical thinking here is not surfacy and ridiculously obvious…dig deep
· Why is this particular visual genre most appropriate for this content? Be sure you can explain how the visual extends the verbal argument
VISUAL ARGUMENT / I / W / C / S / EQuality of Content / VA - Critical thought
VA - Quality of visuals
P - Discussion goes beyond description
P - Demonstrates understanding of visual rhetoric
P - Demonstration of understanding images’ purposes
P - Discusses rhetorical situation (purpose, audience, tone, etc.)
Quality of Purpose / VA - A clear purpose/argument
VA - Awareness of audience
VA - Mediated project is convincing, persuasive
VA - Your logos, pathos, ethos, and kairos
P – Persuades class
P – Discuss more than obvious
Quality of Organization / VA – Quality of visual choices
VA – Visual organization
P – Presentation moves smoothly, practiced
P – Introduction – Presenter sets up audience
P – Conclusion – Presenter ends thoughtfully
Quality of Support / P – Strong support for choices
VA – All claims explained thoroughly
VA – Ideas clear and easy to understand
VA – Ideas supported visually
VA – Text supports visuals and vice versa
Quality of Composition / VA – Font, color, images all enhance presentation
P – Presenter clear and audible
P – Presentation aesthetically pleasing
VA – Visual elements of document enhance meaning
VA – No errors in text
TOTAL