Media & Persuasion
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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 that’s 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


Premises: The supporting reasons or evidence




Proposal = proposition
“Proof”
Supports proposition
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.
 P2.
 P3.
 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
Proposition
 Premises
 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, you’re 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
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Girl Rising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJsvklXhYaE
Create an Argument Structure
Using what you have learned about essay
structure, you will now create an introduction
paragraph (in such a way that it could become
an essay)
 You will be using materials from and related
to the two arguments you have just outlined
from Miss Representation and Girl Rising
 You may also reference the following song
lyrics, or video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUQsqBqxoR4
Introduction Paragraph
Assignment