Final Project

Your final project in this class will consist of you creating your own rhetorical text to make a specific argument (determined by you) to a specific audience (either real or imagined) in a specific context (either real or envisioned by you) for a specific purpose (established by you and the context). You can create a traditional written text. However, it can also be multimodal (including pictures, video, websites, charts, sounds, etc.).

In other words, you will be creating a text that uses the concepts we have explored this quarter to make an argument for a specific purpose in a specific context. Regardless of the medium you choose, your rhetorical moment should incorporate at least some original writing. There is no minimum length for your rhetorical moment, but keep in mind that the less writing there is, the more each word matters.

Questions to Consider

Think about these things as you begin brainstorming and drafting your rhetorical text:

• What is the argument that you want to make?
  • Does it rely on your audience having specific information?
    • How might you be able to convey that information to them?
  • How much explanation and/or room do you need to effectively make this argument?
    • Should you write a traditional text (paper, speech, etc.) or should you pursue other means of creating this argument?
  • What are you responding to?
    • What is the exigence? How might you address this either directly or indirectly?
• Who would be your target audience for this argument?
  • Would this argument be effective for a wide audience or a specific targeted audience?
  • What kind of language and/or references would be effective in reaching this audience?
  • How would your audience gain access to your argument? (How would your rhetorical text literally reach them?
• What rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) would be effective in making this argument for this audience?
  • How can you incorporate these into your text?
    • Would images work?
    • Would written description work?
• What means of delivery would be most effective in reaching your intended audience?
  • Would a traditional written argument be effective? Why/why not?
  • Would a multimodal approach be effective? Why/why not?
    • What kind? Video? Audio? Website? Etc.
  • Would a social media approach be effective? Why/why not?
  • What skills and/or experiences do you have with various means of delivery do you already possess and how you would be able to use those to help construct your argument?

Note: These questions can be useful in terms of both the creation of your rhetorical text and in terms of explaining things in your reflection.

If you would like to receive feedback on drafts, you will need to reach out to me by Sunday, March 14 at the absolute latest. The closer to the deadline you ask for feedback, the less time I will have to provide it (which will mean less comprehensive feedback). I will not provide feedback on drafts unless you ask!

Final versions of the rhetorical moment (along with the reflection) are due Wednesday, March 17 (Wednesday of Finals Week).

You will also be sharing your project (or at least, what progress you’ve made on it so far) with your classmates during Week 10 via a video you will share in the Dialectical Journal. Your presentations should be approximately 5 minutes long, should present your argument, and should explain where you are in the process, what choices you’ve made, and what questions you have (what you would like others to comment on/about).

Your video should be in your individual folder by the end of the day Sunday, March 12 and also linked in the appropriate Dialectical Journal by the end of the day Monday, March 13. During Week 10, we will be taking a look at how everyone in the class is doing with their final projects. This is both an opportunity to receive feedback on your project and see how others are approaching a similar task in a different way.

In your video, you can/should:

• present the rhetorical text you are creating,
• establish your central argument and why
• explain the choices you have made so far in the creation/development of your rhetorical text,
• talk about what you’ve created thus far,
• talk about where you’re going with it,
• express the concerns you have at this point, etc.

In other words, these “presentations” are about sharing your progress with your peers and getting some feedback about it all. Consider these a substitute for the standard rough drafts we’ve been working with. You should use visual aids (power point, google slides, prezi, sway, canva, etc.) to help convey your ideas and ground your discussion in tangible points.

Note: I recognize these are new challenges for many, and I am not evaluating you on how well you can edit a video. (That’s a whole different class; I teach that one too.) So, I recognize that a good portion of your videos might be you just speaking to the camera. That’s fine; as long as you have some slides along the way, I have no problem with that. (You can actually do the whole thing via Zoom… just record yourself in a meeting and use screen share. It’s surprisingly easy. That said, feel free to email me or tag me in Drive with any questions you have at any point.)

If you’re doing additional work for this project, you will also be turning in a 900-1200 word reflection that explains the choices you made in creating your rhetorical argument and why you made them. In other words, the reflection itself is the opportunity you have to demonstrate the amount of critical thought and reflection you put into the project–bringing together the rhetorical concepts we’ve been discussing throughout this quarter. In a sense, you can consider this reflection a rhetorical analysis of your own argument and should use it to not only explain your rhetorical text but also to make clear the choices you made throughout the creation process. (This can be written informally, but it should be clear and analytical in nature.)

Final versions of the reflection (along with the rhetorical moment) are due Wednesday, March 22 (Wednesday of Finals Week).