Designing Arguments

                The chapter on “Design Arguments” was very relevant to our multimodal assignment. The point of the chapter is to help one make a clear visual argument, or a “compact multimedia text the exists as independent creations”. In order to make a visual argument one must identify the argument, the audience, the medium, and the layout for the exhibit. We must also answer these questions when working on our multimodal assignment. The chapter also discusses how to incorporate visual design elements with verbal elements, as well. This dual composition is imperative to enticing the audience. In any newspaper article or advertisement, the visual is the first thing you see. This is what makes the” first impression” and convinces the audience to delve deeper into the story. Therefore, choosing the visuals wisely will be very important in our multimodal assignment. If the images are not enticing and interesting then the audience will not be compelled to listen or pay attention to the content that follows. The headline or title is often the second element people notice. This should utilize pathos to appeal to the audiences emotions.

                I thought the Body Shop opinion advertisement was particularly interesting and relevant to our multimodal assignment. The doll used in the advertisement was a parody of Barbie depicting a more realistic female body type.  The image is immediately what draws the audience’s attention to the advertisement. Then the headline logically defends the image and ties the two elements together to make an extremely valid visual argument. The text is used in a manner that compliments the striking image. This dynamic perfectly illustrates the point the chapter is making about visual arguments. All elements must work together in order for the text to be rhetorically effective.

                My group has previously decided that we would like to parody something (we have yet to actually decide on our topic) for the assignment. The chapter helped me realize that the photos should basically be able to tell the story on its own. Choosing rhetorically effective photos are vital to making a visual argument. The text is there to support the image and make the point stronger as well as providing a logical appeal. When we actually begin to make our multimodal presentation we will need to keep these elements in mind and make sure that the visual components of our assignment are truly making a visual argument.

Research Paper- three Paragraph format

My topic for this research paper is the controversy over the doomsday event of 2012. Many distinct and separate sources have predicted that the world will end on December 21, 2012. I plan to argue that this claim is true. I hope to persuade my audience that the world will end on December 21, 2012 due to catastrophic events.

The sources I found consistently defend the claim that the world will end on December 21, 2012. My most reputable source depicts the predictions of Nostradamus, a prophet who has correctly predicted many of our world’s catastrophic events. The Mayan calendar also support the claim due to the fact that their calendars end on December 21,2012. Chinese calendars also provide evidence to defend this controversy. I need to find more sources with prominent ethos in order for my agreement to be both valid and persuasive.

I may encounter problems with truly defending this claim because I do not necessarily believe that is it true. Also, since these are all predictions made by old sources, such as Nostradamus, I may have trouble convincing an audience that there is validity in my statements. There are also a great deal of sources that argue that the world is not going to end in 2012 and oppose the claim that I am trying to prove. This could be an issue if I am unable to find enough sources to bolster my argument.

Sources for New Paper

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=girl-brain-boy-brain
     This article discusses not only the differences among males and females relating to brain structure, but also how these differences emerge. Some portions of the brain that differ among genders are innately programmed into our heads and we appear to inherit it biologically. Other studies show that culture, or learned behavior, effects the inconsistancies in parts of the brain.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110111133029.htm
     This article discusses a series of tests that related our sense of touch to identifying males and females. Tests showed that the hardness, or roughness, of a feeling effects our preception of males and females. Many participants were shown pictures of gender-neutral people and asked to identify their sex. If the person was squeezing or pressing something hard they were more likely to associate the image with a male. The other participants in the same study who were given soft objects were more likely to associate the same images with females.
     Since, I am not sure of my thesis quite yet I do not know if this source would necessarrily tie into my paper. However, if I chose to prove that the differences in men and women is perseptual rather than biological this article may make this thesis stronger.

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/310/5749/819.full
     This article relates the differences in brain structure and utilization to autism. The differences in brain structure may only be slightly different but the way in which we use our brains varies. Women focus on the parts of the brain that empathize, whereas male brains systemize. Since the differences in how we relate structure to function are becoming more prevalent, we are gaining a better understanding of what makes someone autistic and which gender/ people are likely to be auutistic. The article goes into great detail on the different categories that males excell in against females as well as explaining how such differences might occur.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/inside_the_male_brain_female_brain_jvGvOr2EQM8J8SVWGdzYYI
     This article starts out by stating that male and female brain structure only differs by 1%. However, this has a very dramatic effect on our thought process. Women have more white matter, while males have more gray matter. Gray matter is associated with logic and informational processing. This is why men typically excell in math and science. The article discusses many ways that the differences in our brain relate to function and why different genders enjoy and excell at different tasks. It also shows large diagrams of both male and female brain structure and captions how they differ, and what this means in relation to day to day activities.

http://www.squidoo.com/malefemalebrain
     This article was similar to the first that I read because they both put a stong emphasis on how the differences in our brains begins when we are very young. It is not only men and women, but also girls and boys who have different brain structures. There are some biological factors in why the brain differs in gender but most aspects are cultural. The way we are nurtured as children effects our behavior as adults. The artical also explains how the brain differences effect our interactions and relationships as adults.

Potential Paper Topics

Topic # 1: The differences in the female vs. male brain structure and its effect on how we process information.
     I find the inner workings of the human brain extremely interesting. I also, want to study neurology in some regards whether it is connected to human relations or mental illness. If I chose this topic for my paper I would try to explain that males and females have very different brain structure and this leads to different takes on everyday interaction and communication. This also helps explain why women are more prone to mental illness and depression than men.

Topic # 2: How our toxic culture is breeding an ill informed, unhealthy and impatient generation
     Our generation is supposedly going to be the most ignorant generation in decades. Our reliance on technology and media is ruining our ability to rely on our brains for knowledge.We have information at our fingertips all the time with the invention of iphones and the internet, thus, we have become impatient and unwilling to put any effort into attaining goals.

Topic #3: The forbidden experiment and its influence on how we view culture and our knowledge on essential human behavior
     The forbidden experiment led to a greater understanding of what qualities are biologically human and which characteristics are learned through culture. The experiment involving Genie was shut down early because people did not think that enough scientific data was being extracted from the experiment. I think the experiment should have continued to help us further understand human nature.

anti smoking ad woman with cigarette and cancer mirror

This anti-smoking advertisement utilizes rhetoric to illustrate the harmful effects smoking has on ones body by displaying a strong, poised woman with a cancerous reflection foreboding her imminent future due to her dangerous habit.

potential photos for paper

Body Image and the Media

Images in the media revere women in an extremely limited manner and often depict only a single body type. However, women are blessed with a wide variety of shapes and sizes that warrant equal appreciation. Advertisements featuring unnaturally thin women as beauty icons create an unrealistic standard that leads young girls to develop unhealthy self-body issues. The Campaign for Real Beauty, by Dove products, will not only have a tremendous effect on the media’s portrayal of the ideal body, but also the women who idolize these images as role models. The use of real women in the Dove advertisements will generate a more diverse conception of beauty.

                The Campaign for Real Beauty will produce a wider variety of female body types seen in advertisements and inevitably lead to a healthier body image for young girls. Girls today are plagued by the unrealistic image of women portrayed in the media. The use of cosmetically enhanced or unnaturally thin women in advertisements creates a one dimensional persona of what is beautiful.  This notion leaves girls feeling self- conscious and unfit.  Our culture is infatuated with extremely thin women. Most advertisements encompass a common theme depicting beauty as tall and extremely thin. This is representative of only a very small portion of the female population. However, this leaves the majority of girls feeling like they are the anomaly and in need of radical changes.  Dove’s campaign strategy of utilizing real women instead of models in their ads will broaden the range of what is considered beautiful. In turn, girls will experience psychological improvements and develop a healthier body image.  Women will begin to accept diversity and see beauty in all shapes and sizes. Other companies may also follow in Dove’s footsteps and expand their advertisements to accommodate all figures. These simple changes could revolutionize the media's portrayal of women and beauty for years to come.   

Image and Thesis

This anti-smoking advertisement depicting a young boy suffocating under the constraints of a plastic bag illustrates the harmful effects that second hand smoke has on a child’s breathing ability by appealing to the logos, ethos, and pathos of its audience.

Regrowing Hair Ad

The ad I chose for this assignment is one I found online for the Evolution Hair center. This association specializes in men’s hair loss treatment. In the ad, the kairos of the situation is simply that this particular man is losing his hair and could potentially end up completely bald if the necessary action is not taken. This is plainly the rhetorical situation at hand. Ethos is initially established by displaying the name of the treatment center in the ad. This immediately tells the audience that hair regeneration is possible with a reputable company’s help. The motto “Real Science, Real Hair” also helps establish authority and credibility. It reassures the audience that the company knows what they are doing and can help you regrow hair. The pathos of the image is expressed through the main display in the ad. Many men instantly sympathize with this image because no one wants to go bald or lose their hair. The audience has an immediate connection to this man and they empathize with the situation. There is also a very clear cause and effect relationship being illustrated. If you receive treatment at Evolution Hair Center, then you will regenerate your hair. This demonstrates the use of logos, or a logically appeal to the audience.

            The ad rhetorically compares the two images in ways beyond just the regrowth of hair. The “before” image on the left is wearing a dirty mustard colored shirt. The color is unappealing. He is also wearing glasses on the left which can sometimes be associated with being dorky or nerdy (no offense, to those who do wear glasses. I personally like them!) The image on the right is wearing a clean, crisp white tee shirt and has removed his glasses. In addition to his new full head of hair, the man looks healthier and more approachable.

the art of Persuasion

We live in an extremely visual society. A picture not only conveys meaning in a succinct and clear manner but allows the audience to connect on an emotional level. A picture is worth a thousand words and can be more powerful than even a well-written editorial. Images encompass our society and can be seen nearly everywhere. However, it’s not about what you’re seeing as much as it is about how what you’re seeing makes you feel.

                An image becomes persuasive when it convinces its audience of a new perspective or point of view. The most appealing images play towards our senses, or worse, our weaknesses. Ads on TV for fast food joints, such as Burger King, display images of delicious and mouth-watering food in order to induce a craving. Weight loss ads create the notation that taking a pill is a more effective way to lose weight than working out and dieting. Images of people losing massive amounts of weight in a dangerously short period of time influences the audience to buy the product, even though most rational people know the commercials are not accurate. Other compelling ads on TV intend to guilt their audience into sympathizing with their cause. The commercials for the SPCA and orphaned children do not show you intriguing images that appeal to the senses. Instead, they show heart-rending picture of animals subject to abuse or less fortunate children who will inevitably die without help. Persuasive images surround us and are immersed into our culture in a way that we don’t even know when we are being persuaded anymore.