Visual Rhetoric: Persuading your audience
Jennifer Hardwick
Introduction
You are a part of a global effort to increase access to education and empower students through “open pedagogy.” Open pedagogy is a “free access” educational practice that places you – the student – at the center of your own learning process in a more engaging, collaborative learning environment. The ultimate purpose of this effort is to achieve greater social justice in our community in which the work can be freely shared with the broader community. This is a renewable assignment that is designed to enable you to become an agent of change in your community through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this work, you will integrate the disciplines of English (this instructor did not work in an interdisciplinary group) to achieve SDG #10: Reduced Inequalities SDG #10: Reduced Inequalities;SDG #4: Quality Education;SDG #14: Life Below Water;SDG #15: Life on Land;SDG #1: No Poverty;SDG #2: Zero Hunger;
Learning Objectives
Part I: Photo Assignment
I will be grading you on:
• Your understanding and use of rhetorical devices (Do you understand the devices? Have
you used them effectively?)
• The relevance of your photograph to your argument (Does it further your goals?)
• The structure of your paragraph
• The clarity of your writing (Is your writing error free? Are your connections clear? Have
you used a scholarly tone?)
Part II: Presentation
I will be grading you on:
• The clarity and organization of your presentation
• The depth of your analysis
• Your presentation skills (eye contact, voice projection etc)
• Your ability to answer questions
Purpose/Rationale
As we have discussed this semester, there are many ways to share information and make arguments! This assignment asks you to use your knowledge of rhetorical appeals and visual rhetoric devices in order to persuade your audience (in this case the classroom community) of your final essay argument. Remember, your final essay topics are:
1) What can Canadian colleges and universities do to support diversity?
2) What can Canada do to better protect wildlife?
3) What can Canada do to address poverty and homelessness?
Instructions: Part I: Photo Assignment
Weight: 5%
Due Date:
Please take a photograph that will help persuade your audience of your final essay’s thesis. Your photograph should include at least one appeal to ethos, pathos, or logos and it should make use of key elements of visual rhetoric (for example: colour, composition, symbols, and/or juxtaposition).
Feel free to be creative! And, please think carefully about being respectful. Avoid personal attacks (ad hominem) and harmful stereotypes (generalizations), and make sure you respect the privacy and dignity of your figures (if you use figures). You are welcome to edit your photograph and/or add text. Please keep your text to 1 or 2 phrases — remember, this is visual (not written) persuasion!Part II: Presentation
Weight: 5%
Due Date:
You will give a 5 minute in-class presentation that provides an analysis of your piece of visual media. During your presentation you will: provide context for your topic and image; state your argument and g
Format Requirements
Part I: Photo Assignment
Your assignment should be handed in via your E-Portfolio along with a 1 paragraph overview (about 6-8 sentences). Your paragraph should explain your argument and goals (both implicit and explicit), the appeals you are making, and the rhetorical devices you have used to support your argument. Your paragraph should be should be written in a scholarly tone and carefully edited.
Part II: Presentation
You must show your piece of visual media and you are welcome (but not required) to use powerpoint, handouts, cue cards, or other resources to organize your presentation.
Attribution
