Macomb Community College Visual Arguments Discussion

Background

Rhetorical analysis is the breaking down of a text (i.e. anything that communicates) into its component parts in order to observe and explain HOW the text seeks to persuade its audience. Since we are focusing this week on visual arguments (Links to an external site.), you are asked to choose a visual text (either an advertisement, public service announcement [PSA], political/editorial cartoon, meme, photograph, or other image) that in some way connects to the topic of your Problem/Solution Research Paper. In analyzing the visual text, you will determine what the text is trying to persuade viewers to do or buy or think (in other words, what is its purpose?), what audience(s) the text is attempting to reach, what persuasive strategies/ rhetorical appeals the text uses, and most importantly for rhetorical analysis, HOW the specific components of the visual text work together to achieve its purpose, to communicate its message. 

Directions for the Discussion Question Response

In your post, first explain why you picked your visual text and its connection to your Problem/Solution Research Paper topic. Then you will analyze the argument that the visual text makes by addressing the following: What is the purpose of the text? What specific elements of the text give you this idea? What audience(s) does it appeal to and why? How does the source demonstrate one or more of the rhetorical appeals (pathos, ethos, logos, kairos) introduced in the Week 2 module? Be sure to point to specific elements of the text as support for your claim about how each persuasive appeal works. No detail is too small to contribute to the text’s overall meaning, so take a magnifying glass to the text and see what you discover!   

https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10700 (Links to an external site.)