Posted: February 12th, 2017

Identify some parts using classical argument structure and explore elements of logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos.

Select no less than two political sources: advertisements, political cartoons, keynote speaker, speeches, State of the Union, the Republican National Convention, the Democratic National Convention, or presidential candidate debates. I’ve also provided a link the site The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials 1952­2008 which is helpful and provides some ads/campaigns you might address: http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/type/real­people This site also contains valuable information about the rhetorical context of the advertisements. YouTube also proves a great resource for accessing materials for this essay. You may elect to use more than two sources for your political content. The best angle is to select two opponents, but you are not restricted to this; you could also select two candidates in agreement, or two sources centering on the same candidate/political figure. Use the material from lecture and Writing Arguments, particularly from Chapters 1, 2, and 3, as well as the appendix on fallacies, to explore the two political sources you select. You may also elect to incorporate visuals from your sources into your essay (be sure to cite the material in text as well as on your works cited page). Briefly describe each source you address. Provide the necessary rhetorical contexts for the material you examine and explore them by summarizing the basic content. What are some of the values, beliefs, and assumptions? Work through and answer the dialectic thinking questions in the Writing Arguments text. Address the explicit and implicit messages located in the political speech, campaign, or advertisement. Identify possible fallacies; remember, donât just list the fallacy. Define the fallacy and illustrate exactly how the material reflects this particular fallacy. Reveal the intended audience and outline the predominant issues for the audience and the nation at that particular time. What is the motto of each group and what does it infer or call for? You may want to create a comparison and contrast of the material you elect to address. If any outcomes are available, provide them and explore the ramifications of these results. Identify the elements of persuasion and facts presented. Identify some parts using classical argument structure and explore elements of logos, ethos, pathos, and kairos. What conclusions can be drawn from your analysis? You MUST use a source to define your rhetorical terms; Writing Arguments is the recommended text to use, but online sources may be beneficial as well. Your essay must be in MLA format with a header, page numbers, an interesting or original title, one­inch margins, double spacing, and a works cited page. Remember, phrase your presentation and ideas using active voice and formal tone. The essay should be at least 1000 words; however, you may include more content if you choose (but remember, more content does not equal a higher grade). You need to cite evidence from your sources and use Writing Arguments to define course concepts and terms; thus, your works cited page must include the political sources you analyze in addition to Ramage. NOTE: This is NOT a topic/issue based informative essay. The focus is on the message, so be sure you aren’t addressing a topic argument about an issue (like gun control or immigration), but rather the message your source (political figure) conveys. In other words, for example, do not create an essay which argues an issue, such as immigration (which would be topic focused); rather, examine an argument about immigration as opposed creating an argument about immigration