Traditional Rhetoric Meets
Alternative Discourse:
Infusing Social Media in the
Composition Classroom
Michelle B. Weiss
California State University, Dominguez Hills
English, Rhetoric and Composition
Abstract
• The use of technology and social media has significantly increased over the past
ten years. Though the demographics of this escalation vary, it is evident that
college students in particular are rapidly adopting a tech-based lifestyle. As a
supplemental instructor for a summer composition class, I applied this data to
lesson plans by implementing social media activities over the course of the
semester. Through various workshop activities I adapted the instructor’s
traditional assignments to include social media platforms such as Twitter and
Instagram. In one activity, students live tweeted annotations as they read an
article in class. With each of their tweets containing a specific hashtag, students
were able to follow each other’s annotations, interact with one another, and
critically respond to questions I presented in the forum. In another activity,
students used Instagram to celebrate their peers’ favorable attributes. By posting
strategic photos and captions of one of their classmates, students were able to
practice establishing a positive ethos. David Coad of the Education department
at UC Davis notes in an article, “Johndan Johnson-Eilola and Stuart A. Selber
contended that electronic writing forms actually require ‘sophisticated skills of
understanding concrete rhetorical situations, analyzing audiences … and
constructing concise, information-laden texts, as a part of a dynamic, unfolding,
social process.’” Similarly, I will argue that each of the digital activities I
constructed, allowed students to understand how social media can be a
collaborative and effective tool in education to compose in an academic setting,
and to make larger rhetorical connections.
Instagram: Ethos
• Original Assignment:
• Write about a friend of yours that you want us to like or find
interesting or worthwhile. Tell us what’s good about your friend,
and give some evidence for that good thing – what are you basing
it on? In other words, establish a positive ethos for your friend.
• Adapted Assignment:
• Using Instagram, get into pairs and post a photo of your partner
highlighting something about them that you want us to like or
find interesting or worthwhile. The positioning of the photo, the
filter, the caption, and the hash tags should all be part of the way
you establish a positive ethos for your partner.
Instagram: Ethos: Samples
Instagram: Ethos: Samples
Twitter: Annotations
• Original Assignment:
• Read Stuart Hirschberg’s article “ The Rhetoric of Advertising.”
Annotate the reading and come to class prepared to discuss.
• Adapted Assignment:
• Read Stuart Hirschberg’s article “ The Rhetoric of Advertising” in
class and live-tweet annotations with the hash tag
#hirschberg8805
Twitter: Annotations: Samples
Student Generated Annotations to Text
• @StudentA · Jul 16
Ads give the consumer a chance to be part of a social group that
have in common purchasing a particular
product. #Hirschberg8805
• @StudentB · Jul 16
What were to happen if ads would show both the positive and
negative outcome of the product? #Hirschberg8805
• @StudentC · Jul 16
Ads have all kinds of pathos, ethos and logos. #Hirschberg8805
Twitter: Annotations: Samples
Student Responses to Prompts
• Michelle Weiss @michellebweiss · Jul 16
What is another example of a weasel word that you have seen in an
advertisement? #hirschberg8805
Answers:
• @StudentD · Jul 16
The "no more tears" saying which the company Johnson & Johnson
got famous for. #Hirschberg8805
• @StudentE · Jul 16
" Easy breezy beautiful covergirl ." Can that be a weasel
word/phrase ? #Hirschberg8805
Thank You
Sponsors:
This presentation was supported by the Title V-PPOHA PEGS (Promoting Excellence in
Graduate Studies) grant #P031M105068 at CSUDH as well as the CSUDH College of Arts and
Humanities.