eng/ims 224, january 29, 2013

Today1) Icebreaker2) From the readings: what is the “good” argument? 3) Typography remix assignment… assigned! :)4) Focal topic discussion5) Rhetorical Analysis of a video (some examples)6) Rhetorical Analysis 2 start/work time 7) Homework

Icebreaker1) Name2) What’s your favorite color?

Finding the Good Argument

“Rather than an either/or proposition, argument is multiple and complex. An argument can be logical, rational, emotional, fruitful, useful, and even enjoyable. As a matter of fact, the idea that argument is necessary (and therefore not always about war or even about winning) is an important notion in a culture that values democracy and equity.” p. 160

What’s that mean?

The reductive but common sense of argument in America is to create a binary. A good example is coming this Sunday: the Super Bowl.

Anyone in the room looking forward to the game? Would you be glad to see a 0-0 tie?

We want a winner, right?

It can be sinister, too…

One look at cable news reveals that our need for “winners” and “losers” can make for manipulative arguments, based on hollow rhetoric an attempts to bulldoze with pathos. For example, one might enter into a good-faith attempt to discuss an issue like abortion only to hear someone scream “baby killer!” from the back of the room, effectively stunting the argument.

But we can…

..instead use the tools of rhetoric to look at arguments as multiple and contextual, to view argument as an opportunity to stake out a position and to inform/enter into dialogue.

More on this in a bit.

Typography Remix

Before we jump deeper into the readings, I’d like to talk to you about our first major project, the typography remix.

Typography RemixJust how important are words? What can we do with the letter forms themselves, with placement, etc. ? This is where we find out.Using Photoshop (or Fireworks or a similar higher-end image editing program), make one file remixing the text of a famous quotation– it can be historical, from a movie or TV show, from a song, from a book– you decide. Use text only. However, you may use effects, color, layers, eraser tool, pen tool etc. Save your file as .pdf or .jpg, not as .psd.Write at least one-half of a page single spaced explaining your rhetorical and typographical choices, drawing on terminology and design concepts from the readings.Evaluation Criteria: You will be graded on how clearly you articulate and address your audience, purpose, context, the presence of a detailed explanation and rationale for the rhetorical decisions you have made and why these choices are appropriate and effective. Your discussion *must* draw from concepts and theories from class readings and finally a reflection on what you would do differently if you had more time and/or more knowledge of Photoshop.

This project is due for workshop in class on Feb 12 and submission for grade on Feb 14.

EXAMPLES

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

From http://inspirationfeed.com/inspiration/typography-inspiration/50-remarkable-examples-of-typography-design-3/

Focal topics

One of the other things we need to work on today is thinking about/through what will be your focal topic for the semester.

What, exactly, is a focal topic? I’m glad you asked.

Focal topics

Your focal topic is something you will research and use as inspiration for your projects this semester (other than the typography remix, of course, since we’re just getting started). This should be a topic that interests you, something you can research and write about several times a week on your research blog (we’ll discuss that soon).

Focal topics

Advice when thinking about a focal topic:1.Do you care about the topic?2.Is it something you know you’ll be able to find information about? (e.g. is it timely? Is it something recurrent?)3.How well can you focus? Be specific.

Focal topics

Over this week, I want you to think on your focal topics. By noon on Friday, you should send me a one page proposal of what topic you want to use. I will respond to this email before Tuesday so that you’ll be prepared with a working topic when we begin discussing the research blog next week.

There are some suggestions on my Tumblr.

Shifting gears…

Now let’s apply our rhetorical analysis skills to a couple videos. Here’s how we’ll do it:1)I’ll play a video.2) Listen, take notes, think.3) We’ll talk about it.

Rhetorical Analysis 2Drawing from all of our readings to date on types of arguments and rhetorical appeals, I want you and a partner to conduct a rhetorical analysis on a YouTube video. Please select one of the four below:•Auto-Tune the News Episode 13: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KucV8renOfI•Samuel L. Jackson, “Wake the F!ck up!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJbn7oAXaDc•M. Wesch, “The Machine is Us/ing Us” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g•The Bed Intruder Song : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHpluwP328A• Please use the following questions to guide your analysis:Who is the rhetor?Who is the primary audience? Are there any secondary audiences?What is the purpose of the text?What type or types of arguments are being made? (e.g., argument to persuade, inform, etc.) Please be specific. (Note: They type of argument relates closely to the purpose.)What are the contexts for the text?Focus your attention here: What are the text’s main claims, and what evidence and appeals are used to support those claims? Explain why these claims are effective (or ineffective) for the primary audience, purpose, and context. When answering this be sure to think of the many types of appeals and the diverse modalities used to express the claims–visual, aural, textual. So consider color choices, music etc.

Use the rest of class…

…to group up and begin work on RA 2.

For Thursday: Read for class: Chapters 9, 10, & 11 in Robin Williams’ The Non-Designer’s Design Book, 3rd Ed.(available online in MU Library’s database Safari http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/9780321563088?tocview=true