Writing Project 2: What Ads Say [1200-1500 words] (25%)
This project requires you to find and analyze one print or video advertisement in order to identify two things: 1. the method of persuasion (logos, pathos, ethos, or Kairos) used by advertisers, and 2. the cultural, historical, social implications embedded within the advertisement. In other words, you will be asked to answer the following questions: How are advertisers getting consumers to buy a product/service (logos, pathos, ethos, or Kairos)? Who is the intended audience for the ad? What does using specific advertising techniques suggest about this audience? What is this advertisement selling other than the product?
You will select your own ads, but every ad must be approved by the instructor. You will point to specific details from the ad to support your claims. Body paragraphs will be organized around one specific claim about the ad. Using at least four secondary sources and many details from the ad, you will discuss the significance of this advertisement as a cultural artifact. Your thesis will state what kind of cultural artifact you think the ad might be, and body paragraphs will be organized around one way to support your argument.
This project will be written in drafts and include drafts, peer reviews, and an instructor conference. You will learn the fundamentals of rhetorical devices and the art of persuasion through visual documentation. The purpose of this project is to argue, taking into consideration audience, message, purpose, rhetorical appeals, and / or rhetorical fallacies. This assignment requires you to both analyze and argue as you deconstruct the ad into its basic elements in order to argue in favor of a particular interpretation.
This essay should be formatted according to MLA Style Guidelines and uploaded to Canvas by the due date listed on the Course Schedule. I will grade the essay using the rubric below.
