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Media & Persuasion

Introduction to Argument Structures
What is the significance of being
aware of what is going on the
media?

Why might it be important to
know more about how ideas/
people/ beliefs/ etc. are being
represented in media?
Media Representation
Talk to each other:

What kinds of rules do you follow when it
comes to social media? (Facebook, Twitter,
Texting, etc.)?

Why do you follow these rules?

Where did they come from?

Media Representation
In groups, discuss and record your answers:

What do we get from TV, movies, magazines,
Facebook, YouTube, etc.?

What are some of the effects of the media on our
day to day lives?

Why do we spend our time with these kinds of
entertainment?
Media Representation
Media can effect almost every
aspect of our daily lives if we
allow it to

Most people see an average of
700 000 commercials in a year
and thats just on TV!

What other kinds of advertising
are you aware of?
Media
How does a company encourage
consumers to buy its products?

Advertising is essentially an
ARGUMENT that is being
presented
Product Sales
A company wants you to buy what they are
selling, so they create an argument to
convince you to buy their product

Watch the following commercial, and
describe the methods by which the company
is trying to convince consumers to purchase
what it is selling:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXUIAr6nxQ0
Product Sales
Dove is trying to convince
consumers that its cleanser is
better than other cleansing
products

What evidence are they presenting
to support this claim?
Product Sales
We can organize the idea that the
company is presenting in its
commercial into a formal structure

This organization or structure
allows us to break down an idea,
and decide whether or not we
agree with it
Argument Structure
Proposition: The main point or idea that is being
proposed
Proposal = proposition

Premises: The supporting reasons or evidence, 3 parts:
Data Evidence or Proof
Warrant - Supports proposition by explaining/ connecting the
why and how of the premise with additional logic or
reasoning
Backing - Demonstrates why the proposition is true, correct,
ideal, or the right choice

Conclusion: The final step of an argument
Main idea is driven home
Conclusively demonstrated or proven
Logical completion of the argument

Argument Structure
When we use this structure to format an argument, it
looks something like this:

Proposition:
P1. (Data, Warrant, Backing)
P2. (Data, Warrant, Backing)
P3. (Data, Warrant, Backing)
Conclusion:

This allows us to see clearly the idea being presented,
and evidence that is supporting this idea.

We can then decide (make our conclusion) whether or
not we agree with this idea.



Argument Structure
Try to apply this structure to the
Dove commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXUI
Ar6nxQ0

Propositon
Premises (Data, Warrant, & Backing for
each)
Conclusion Would you buy this
product based on these reasons?

Applying Argument Structure
The same argument structure can be
applied to selling IDEAS, along with or
instead of products

Apply the argument structure you have
learned to the following commercial
Remember, youre looking at the IDEA that
is being sold, not just the product
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPFsa6FL
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Selling Ideas
What kind of Brand image is Dove trying to
develop?
Watch the following commercials, and create an
argument for the following proposition:
Proposition: Dove is a company that is striving
to create a specific image or brand for
themselves.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_I17cK1ltY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=litXW91UauE

http://www.dove.us/Our-Mission/Real-Beauty/default.aspx

Branding Making a
Bigger Connection
This commercial is asking you to make some
INFERENCES
Conclusion: a conclusion drawn from evidence or
reasoning
Reasoning Process: logic the process of reasoning from a
premise to a conclusion
Implication: something that is implied

This is extremely significant it implies that
there is an action (making a connection) that is
required by the viewer
The same is true when we are reading literature
we must make connections for ourselves that
might not be clear or clearly laid out in the text

Inference
Watch the following film trailers, and create
an argument structure for each

What ideas are being sold here?
How are these ideas different?
How are these ideas similar?

Miss Representation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2UZZV3xU
6Q
Girl Rising
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsvklXhYaE
Create an Argument Structure
Using what you have learned about argument
structure, create an introduction paragraph
about the treatment of women in todays
society. (A position piece.)

Be sure to include:
Propositon
Premises (Data, Warrant, & Backing for each)
Conclusion Would you buy this product based
on these reasons?

Introduction Paragraph
Assignment
Owl of Perdue
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588
/03/

Sources