PCM 230 / Influence & General Semantics
1
Final Assessment
Protest Music
…a cultural tool of persuasion
STUDENT: Mechele Lewis
FEEDBACK:
Mechele, this is a great submission! Your analysis of Sara Bareilles’ song “Brave” demonstrates
your ability to apply the Characteristics of Protest Music heuristic, in addition to The Map is Not
the Territory formulation, the abstraction process, Rank’s Model of Persuasion, and the
Elaboration Likelihood Model.
You provide quality sources to support your analysis. In addition, your self assessment reflects a
developing understanding of your learning and a refined approach and process to generating a
thoughtful research paper.
Mechele, it has been truly an awesome experience working with you this semester. I can’t
believe you haven’t been a PCM major all along! I will say, I believe you’ve found “your
people.” Your intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning are contagious. I encourage you
to continue to develop your academic style of writing, but maintain that powerful voice that is
conveyed in your writing.
Thank you for all of your efforts and contributions to our class this semester.
Kindest regards,
Tracy
Introduction
ASSIGNMENT & ABILITY CRITERIA
Throughout your work within PCM 230 / Influence & General Semantics you have applied
rhetorical constructs to analyze media messages and additionally examined how enemies are
made through similar strategies. For your final research paper you will explore how persuasive
strategies and tactics are employed to challenge the status quo through protest music.
Tracy Stockwell 414/382-6239 /corona 213
tracy.stockwell@alverno.edu
PCM 230 / Influence & General Semantics
2
The Paper
Seven-Ten (7-10) pages, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, a cover page, references (a minimum of
10 references required), APA format (you are requested to submit a MP3 version of the song and
instructions will be provided in-class to complete this task.).
Process
 Discuss worksheet: Characteristics of Protest Music
 View the Soundtrack for a Revolution (2009), directed and written by Bill Guttentag and Dan
Sturman.
 Select one (1) song and artist(s) to focus upon for your inquiry. The documentary is meant to
stimulate your thinking about the potential power of protest music as a cultural tool of persuasion.
You are encouraged to also review the additional links available via the course moodle page
 Research the history of the song, artist, and issue.
 Find complete lyrics and recording of a song
 Compose Paper:
o
o
o
o
Set context. Explain and address the history of the song, artist, and issue. What are the
underlying assumptions and beliefs of your selected protest song? What are the opposing
assumptions and beliefs?
Using the Characteristics of Protest Music worksheet, analyze the song (lyrics and
music). Are any of the characteristics present in your selection? Be certain to provide
evidence of your findings. Please provide the lyrics as an appendix to your paper.
Apply and integrate four (4) or more Influence & General Semantics concepts to your
analysis. The Map/Territory concept is required. How effective/ineffective was/is the
song based upon your analysis and other evidence you have collected?
Please provide a thoughtful introduction and conclusion. Why did you select the song
(valuing) and what sort of action (s) ought to or could be taken as a result of your inquiry
(problem solving)?
 A self-assessment will be completed in-class.
Resources (Ten required)
Worksheet: Characteristics of Protest Music
Documentary: Soundtrack for a Revolution
Course Text: Persuasion: Reception and Responsibility, 13th edition by Charles U. Larson,
2012, publisher: Wadsworth | ISBN-10: 1111349274
Others…
Outcomes

Use language analysis frameworks from general semantics and persuasion to determine
the relationships between and among attitudes, behaviors, and language.

Evaluate the impacts of mediated communication on the behaviors and values of
individuals, groups, and cultures.
Tracy Stockwell 414/382-6239 /corona 213
tracy.stockwell@alverno.edu
PCM 230 / Influence & General Semantics

3
Research our and others' communication patterns in order to analyze, predict, and critique
interactions.
Validations
ANALYSIS
Level 3
Establishes viable relationships between and among influence and general
semantics concepts and external samples, then explains
them in a way that is logically consistent.
Level 4
Deals with a communication situation or work as a unified whole and
effectively applies influence and general semantics frameworks to explain the
meaning she identifies.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Level 3
Effectively manages inferences and relationships to propose a
solution that is supported by evidence and developed to a point
of clarity for an intended audience.
Level 4
Integrates influence and general semantics frameworks with problem solving
processes appropriate to communication to formulate, generate,
articulate and evaluate solutions.
VALUING
Level 4
Adapts a problem solving process to decision making in such a
way that valuing becomes the informing principle and integrating
process.
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES
Level 3
Examines an issue or event from multiple perspectives to compare
these perspectives in terms of assumptions, beliefs, and actions
taken.
Tracy Stockwell 414/382-6239 /corona 213
tracy.stockwell@alverno.edu