• Emmitt Smith Video: Just
for Men
WHAT IS
ARGUMENT?
Where can they be found?
Shared Meaning: knowing your audience.
Understanding audience’s values but also
shared understanding about cultural metaphors.
Even short commercials can have a strong
argument.
What information do you need to understand
this commercial?
1. What is this clip saying
about: aging, sex,
desirability (i.e. what makes
someone attractive),
gender roles, and success?
2. Is the argument
successful? If so, why?
3. Is it lying? Yes or no? How
much do we buy into these
types of arguments?
WHEN EXAMINING OR CREATING ARGUMENTS,
PRIOR
KNOWLEDGE IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE ARGUMENT’S
SUCCESS.
What does it mean to be “a
patriot” in America?
What does “drinking the KoolAid” mean?
Activity: Think-Pair-Share: What essential argument is each of these is
making?
• Campaign Video:
Daisy Girl
LOGIC AND
CREDIBILITY
•
•
The danger of
“pathos” based
papers
Errors in logic: the
logical fallacy and
failure to create
credibility with the
reader
1. What argument is
this video making?
2. How is it trying to
persuade?
• Shared Meaning
WHAT IS AN
ARGUMENT?
Any Questions?
• Background
Knowledge
• Logic and credibility
TAKE-HOME ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
ENGLISH 475
BARLEY/BEACH/COTTON/FISHER
Avoiding Fallacy in Argument
Background: Politics and advertising. What do these two things have in common? They seek to argue with us, and to win us
over to “their” side—whatever side that may be. Like no time before in human history, we are everyday bombarded with
arguments, packaged in every way conceivable and hurled at us through every media imaginable.
Assignment: One of the most creative and commonplace of all arguments takes the form of the humble bumper sticker or
TV campaign ad. Bumper stickers and political ads often display some of the most fierce, extreme political views you’ll find
anywhere. The views presented in these stickers and TV spots are, usually, stunning examples of logical fallacy (found in your
Engl. 475 textbook, pg. 601). Fallacies, as we discussed in class, are argumentative strategies based on lies and half-truths.
While often quite successful, these strategies have no place in a formal, academic argument. Choosing the (classroom
appropriate) political bumper sticker or TV ad of your choice, analyze the fallacious argument(s) taking place in the sticker
you have chosen, focusing on how these flawed arguments are functioning in the sticker or ad’s argument. Finally, re-write
a thoughtful, extensive 2 page (minimum) political statement in support of the stand your bumper sticker or TV
advertisement was taking, free of any logical fallacies. As this statement will no doubt require substantial outside research,
you must use at least three credible sources (remember—no blogs, no Wikipedia), and cite them both throughout the
paper in in-text citations and on an MLA Works Cited page.
This essay assignment calls for you to write a typed, double spaced, 12 pt. font composition of a total 4 full pages in length.
To be accepted for full credit, rough drafts must include a WC tutoring session slip and an image of your sticker complete
with your annotations, or the notes you took when reviewing your TV advertisement, as well as a YouTube link to the ad, if
possible. Please, use proper MLA formatting throughout your essay. Among other places, myself and the Writing Center
included, the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is an excellent online resource for all MLA-related questions. Google “Purdue
OWL” to find it.
All students must have their sticker or ad reviewed and approved by me before turning in the rough draft. When writing in
support of your chosen cause, and when discussing any opposing viewpoints, I expect all students to write passionately, but
respectfully: any disrespectful discourse (slang language, rude or ignorant comments) will not be tolerated, and will count
against your grade. This is inviolable and subject to my discretion. As is the case with all your work, please contact me should
you have any questions or concerns.