Blog #9: Final Project Progress Report

Compassion, Awareness, Tolerance:

As mentioned in my previous "final project progress report" blog post, my final project will be an in depth analysis on a series of advertisements produced by the American Red Cross organization. At the time of my last progress report post, I had only begun to jot down simple ideas, taking notes, and reviewing previous chapters from our textbook to gather more information on what to include in my essay. Although I have not made as much progress in the actual essay, I plan on doing a good amount of work during this Thanksgiving break. Since the last post, I have completed the first two paragraphs of the essay and have completed more outlining. The first two paragraphs of my essay are both only introductory paragraphs but I have yet to form the body of the essay. I have continued to observe the ads with further depth and have also continued to take additional notes- I find that stepping away and coming back to take notes helps in gaining new and a fresh perspective which will ultimately help me in forming a well rounded essay.

Blog #10: Identity/The Self

As the chapter on Postmodernism pointed out, humans and the human identity are constantly shifting, as the language we use changes and evolves. Because language is constantly undergoing change, so is the way we define ourselves. For example, throughout the course of a day everyone takes on different identities to suit their current circumstances or situation. Throughout the course of a day I take on different roles to adapt to my surroundings and the people around me- these roles include student, employee, friend, daughter, sister, girlfriend, homekeeper, and more. Because my role or “identity” is constantly changing, my identity is probably considered to be less stable and more shifting. After all, going to work and taking on the role of girlfriend or student would not be fitting or even appropriate. Technology, our cultural environment, pop culture, and media all have a significant influence on the way in which an individual takes on different identities. The easiest example that comes to mind is technologies influence on my role as a student. My education would not be the same without it and I would not have the same benefits that I have without the help of technology. Borchers discusses in the chapter on Postmodernism, “Human identity is not set. We constantly shift our conceptions of who we are based on the rhetoric we use and the rhetoric to which we are exposed” (294). My experiences definitely fit with this description. As mentioned before, my role or identity constantly changes based on who I am with, where I am, my surroundings, etc. The way I speak with a supervisor and the way I speak to a friend will be completely different. Being and speaking in different ways with different people also shifts the way I view myself as a person- my “conception” of the person I am shifts based on my surroundings. 

Blog Post #8: Analyzing a Website

What is the most important feature of an effective website? Why?
There are many features that come together to form an effective website- without one or the other a website may end up lacking. Important features of an effective website include, but are not limited to the following:

The functionality of a page is possibly the most important aspect of a website. If a website constantly crashes or does not load correctly, etc then nothing else matters. Graphics, text, and even content do not matter. The CNN news website, for example, is very rarely down or crashing. It is almost always up and running- links work correctly, pictures load, etc.

Face and Text: The face or the beauty of a web page matters- looks matter here. If a website has no sense of coordination, is too plain, or even too flashy people may not be attracted to it and if people are no attracted to a site then people will most likely, not use it. Websites should have a sense of professionality, as well. Even blogs need some sense of structure and organization. The text or common words of a page are also important. If a page has no useful information then there is no need for it. To coninue with the example of the CNN page mentioned above- the page has a logo, is color coordinated, has organized links to sort news, includes pictures to go with said stories, etc.

Hypertext helps to construct the World Wide Web. Hypertext and hyperlinks reference other text in which someone can access from one page. A hypertext connects the main text to other documents and allows someone to broaden their research. The hypertext used on the CNN news page allows people to go from one article to another or to browse through certain topics.

What features of hypertext hinder a webpages communicative ability?
Hypertext can cause someone to stray from the main idea of a text. If someone includes a hypertext within an article, this may cause a reader to lose track of the main idea.

What features of hypertext most enhance a webpages communicative ability?
As mentioned before, hypertext can broaden research and allow someone to learn new things. Hyperlinks are like new doors that can be opened.

Blog # 7: Final Project Progress Reports

Summary: For my project, I plan on using the rhetorical triangle- including message, audience, communicator- in order to analyze a series of advertisements by the Red Cross. Though I could just analyze one of the ads from the series, the advertisements seem to work better and have a larger effect when grouped and analyzed together.

http://osocio.org/images/uploads/red-cross-madonia-2_thumb.jpg
http://osocio.org/images/uploads/red-cross-madonia-1_thumb.jpg
http://osocio.org/images/uploads/red-cross-madonia-3_thumb.jpg

I will also use the ethos, pathos, and logos to evaluate the advertisements. Credibility, consistency, and emotions are all very evident aspects throughout this series of ads and will, I think, make for a good analysis.

My first step in beginning my project is to thoroughly analyze the ads themselves- writing down any ideas I have about the ads messages, images, etc will help me to later analyze the ads according to the rhetorical triangle and the ethos, pathos, and logos. I will also, possibly discuss the ethics behind these ads because they do play on very significant and and somewhat controversial issues.

So far, I have begun to jot down simple ideas I have thought of from looking at the ideas- but without analyzing according to specific rhetorical ideas and/or theories. I have begun to put together a very general outline for the essay and will soon begin to organize and construct my ideas in order to put the essay together.

Advertising and the Third Persona

Dr. Pepper 10 Commercial Link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iuG1OpnHP8

The tagline says it all: "Dr. Pepper 10: It's not for women."

This advertisement was ideal for analyzing from the perspective of the Third Persona. The commercial advertises the comeback of a soda beverage called “Dr. Pepper 10”. The advertisement’s audience is aimed towards adult men, who may or may not be “watching their figure” but are also looking for something a little more “manly” than a diet soda. The commercial is very straight forward and does not tend to use allegory or metaphor to portray a particular message. The commercial is obviously negating a few things, one of which being different ideas of manhood and what it really means to be “manly.” The message of this advertisement suggests that drinking other beverages is not as manly or makes a male less of a man than if he were to drink Dr. Pepper 10. Thus, the advertisement also negates other beverages, suggesting that nothing really compares to Dr. Pepper 10. The idea that Dr. Pepper 10 is meant for only men, is also negating women. Although this isn’t part of the main message of the commercial, it is an obvious point that the makers of this ad are trying to get across- whether it be somewhat of a joke or not. Gender roles and stereotypes are types of standards that are being created through this advertisement. A standard of manliness is being set. Whether or not these standards are “fair” is a debate that goes beyond a simple blog post- gender roles and stereotypes are constantly reinforced, challenged, argued, and debated. In my personal opinion and from a woman’s perspective this advertisement is a bit offensive. Although the commercial is meant to be taken lightheartedly, the commercial enforces ideas of gender roles that both men and women have struggled to break down for years. For this reason, I find this advertisement to be unethical. Suggesting that men and women should not be allowed to drink the same beverage is the kind of thinking that prejudice and sexist ideas stem from. 

Final Project Prewrite

Ideas for Final Project:

Format: Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Although I have not settled on one specific idea for my final project, I will most likely choose to write a traditional essay- more specifically a rhetorical analysis on a specific idea we have discussed in class or are planning to discuss in class. My first idea for this project is an essay on the forming of one's personal identity and self identification through rhetoric. In this essay I will focus on civility, human development, self presentation, and social identification through the study of rhetorical theory.
My second idea for my final project is an analysis of dramatism in rhetorical theory. For this project I would focus and explain how dramatism works by explaining the elements of this concept through an actual play. If I choose to take on this second idea for my final project I may or may not choose to complete a traditional essay. Something more creative seems more fitting for a project like this one.

Qualifying Arguments

Article link:
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/09/13/making-laws-about-making-babies

In an article posted under the Room for Debate on the New York Times online, titled "Making Laws About Making Babies" multiple debaters sharing various opinions give their opinion on whether the U.S should regulate the fertility industry more closely. Today, the fertility industry has very little regulations and according to the New York Times this allows "consumers and business people dictate what is acceptable, what is normal and what is allowable -- including the extreme cases like the one sperm donor who had 150 children."

Because this debate includes so many different responses and different views I will narrow this argument down to just a couple of different debaters opinions: program director of the New York University Fertility Center and a professor at the university’s Langone Medical Center, Jamie Grifon vs. law professor, Naomi Cahn and Director of the Donor Sibling Registry Wendy Kramer.

The presence of qualifiers and rebuttals are both difficult to point out because this debate is not presented in the traditional way that arguments may usually be presented in. Instead, each debater gives their personal opinion in their own post without knowing what the other debater is saying. This type of debate may benefit in the way that each debater is not influenced by one another and their opinions stay on point and are not stayed off topic. Each debater is able to get their main point across without being interrupted or strayed.

When analyzing the post written by Jamie Griffon, titled "A Rush to Pass Laws," I thought his qualifier could be summed up and expressed in this one sentence, "Too often in medicine, regulators and legislators feel forced to use legislation to make a knee-jerk response to what seems to be alarming information without knowing the full consequences of their actions." His rebuttal, though not a traditional rebuttal, could be "Whatever the solution, we must be mindful and empathetic to the plight of the infertile couple or individual needing this technology. Much good has occurred from sperm donation, a technique that has helped create
countless families with wanted healthy children that would otherwise not exist." This statement reminded me of rebuttal because of he defensive tone. He states that "whatever the solution" referring to other solutions that other debaters may come to.

"End the Anonymity" written by Naomi Cahn and Wendy Kramer, has an opposing view and the qualifier can be summed up by the first paragraph of their post, "The United States has almost no rules when it comes to buying or selling sperm. In fact, no one keeps records on how much sperm is bought or sold, so we don’t even know how big the sperm market really is, or how many babies are born each year through donor sperm. The same donor can father hundreds of children, and, although his sperm must undergo some minimal testing before it is used, these tests don’t catch many genetic diseases. No laws in the United States require that donors or recipients exchange any information, identifying or otherwise." Their rebuttal, which also defends against opposing views can be found in the last paragraph, "Is it fair to bring children into the world who don’t have the chance to know about their ancestry and their medical background?"

It was difficult to find qualifies and rebuttals in an argument such as this one bug if analyzed closely, they are there. With that said, some sources are definitely more likely to use qualifiers and rebuttals due to the structure of an argument.