Print advertisers – in fact, anyone who presents information in textual format – uses certain “artistic” elements to help get the point across.  These elements include using pictures, slogans, typography, sizing, and position on the page to “argue” a certain point, which may not be directly stated.   We have already looked at the video format of advertising.  Today we will look at the print format.

NEW CONCEPTS AND VOCABULARY

Include the following vocabulary in your vocabulary notebook, and the notes  in your journal:

Format is, simply, the type of advertisement (print, video, audio, etc.).

Structure is the arrangement of images and words.

Textual features are the ways in which writing is displayed or organized in an advertisement. This may include:

Bold, italicized, or underlined words to draw the audience’s attention.

• Bulleted lists to give quick bits of information.

1. Numbered lists to show the order of importance.

ACTIVITIES

First, you will practice analyzing a few ads with the teacher.

Then, analyze the text features of the ads below using the following frames, also provided on your graphic organizer from the teacher:

The ______________ advertisement uses predominantly the ________________ appeal(s) by the way it_______________.

The advertisement’s claim is ___________________.  The claim is supported by the ______________________.  However, the ad uses the ____________________fallacy because _________________.

The advertisement uses the ______________ format to _______________.  It uses the (tell about a  feature the ad uses) in order to ___________________________.  It also uses the (tell another feature) to _____________________.

YOU CAN CLICK ON EACH AD TO MAKE IT BIGGER.  

After analyzing the ads,

NOW WRITE.

CREATE A 5-SENTENCE PARAGRAPH ABOUT EACH AD WHICH BEGINS WITH A SPECIFIC TOPIC SENTENCE USING THE FRAMES YOU JUST COMPLETED.  ( For example, “The advertisement about animal tests for cosmetics uses the (ethos, pathos, or logos) appeal to make a claim, but the ad also contains the (name it) fallacy.”)

USE YOUR IDEAS ABOUT APPEAL, CLAIM, AND FALLACY TO CREATE THE DETAIL SENTENCES IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS.

THEN WRITE A CLINCHER SENTENCE, “IN CONCLUSION, . . .”,  FOR EACH PARAGRAPH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PROJECT

Create/build three original print ads using cutouts from the magazines on the table, printouts from my computer, or drawings. Make one ad using ETHOS, one using PATHOS, and one using LOGOS. At least one ad must contain a fallacy.

Glue down the cutouts on 11×17 paper, and arrange them together with lettering to complete the ad and send your message. Consider all of the textual features in your notes: what will be big? What will be small? What will stand out? Where will the strong color go? Create one “Analyzing” sheet for each of the three advertisements you create.

 

Fallacies are everywhere, including and especially in advertising.  Fallacies applied artfully are the driving force behind getting you to buy something.

THIS UNIT’S TASK LIST

1.  You will add to your VOCABULARY NOTEBOOK.

2.  You will learn to identify a few more simple FALLACIES by type, and in context (see video links below).

3.  You will create a brief video illustrating a fallacy on moviestarplanet.com.

VOCABULARY

Tier III

1. Ad hominem
2. Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc (False Cause)
3. Straw Man
4. Appeal to the people
5. Slippery slope
6. Stacking the Deck

Tier II
appeal
claim
specific evidence
validity

READING

http://www.emdashprof.com/373/tomatoes/component.html

VIDEOS

Set up a T-Chart.  Identify and define the fallacies which are shown in the following two videos.

MAKE A MOVIE

Now go to the following website and create an account.  Then go to Find Friends and friend the teacher (I am grannysmith411).  Find five more people to friend.

When you have done that,

a) go to Movietown, and

b) then click the movie clapper with the + sign beside it.

c) Create a movie which illustrates one person explaining something to another person, or trying to convince another person of something, using a fallacy.

d) Share this video with five people and the teacher.  Each person who views your video must come to you and guess the fallacy.  Record their names in your journal and have them sign beside their name; also have them write down in their own journal whose movie they saw, what fallacy they guessed, and why.

e) You must also look at the movies of five people.

http://www.moviestarplanet.com

WHAT FALLACIES ARE USED BELOW?  WHAT APPEALS?  WHAT IS THE CLAIM?

Watch the following commercials and tell what fallacy, appeal(s), and claim you think each one uses.

Use these sentence stems for each advertisement:
“The appeal used in the advertisement (describe) is  (ethos, pathos, or logos) ________________________________.
I know this because ________________________________________.

The main claim in this advertisement is _____________________.
I know this because _______________________________________.

CHOOSE ONE: The claim is not entirely valid because it is supported by the ______________ fallacy.

OR The claim is supported by valid reasoning.

NOW WATCH:

FIND A COMMERCIAL

1. Find the BEST COMMERCIAL EVER, in your opinion.

2. Use the frames to analyze it in your FIRST paragraph, but make this your topic sentence: “I believe that the _______________ commercial is the best commercial ever.”

3. In your SECOND paragraph, tell me why you think it is the best commercial ever, and how the ethos, pathos, or logos – and other features – make it good. End this paragraph with an “in conclusion” that tells me that this is the best commercial ever.

If you want to beat somebody’s argument, find the flaws in their reasoning.

Flaws in reasoning are called fallacies.  Some of the most common ones are described at the link below.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/659/03/

VOCABULARY

Add the following to your vocabulary notebook after we have reviewed them together.

fallacy
stacking the deck
ad hominem
red herring
straw man

ACTIVITIES

Now watch the following. In a quick write in your journal for each one:

Which type of fallacy do you think this video represents? Why? Below, give an example of HOW this video portrays the fallacy you chose.

Write the title of the video before your questions and answers.

Answer for the video:

1. What is the MAIN fallacy in the video?
2. What is an example of the fallacy in action??
3. What harm could this fallacy do if left uncorrected?

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS!

COLLECT AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

1. PAIRS: Identify a speaker #1 and speaker #2.

2. Each speaker #1 will complete this statement: “The type of fallacy we found in (name the video) was _____________________________.”

3. Each speaker #2 will complete this statement: “Two examples from the video which show this fallacy in action are _________________________________.”

NOW READ

Read the following articles.  For each one, make a starter like the one we used above for the video to tell me the main type of fallacy you found in the article.

http://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue0110/pdf/Teen-Scene-An-Editorial-on-Gun-Control.pdf

http://www.teenink.com/opinion/all/article/10241/Gun-Control/

There’s more than one way to convince me, if you want me on your side.

One way is to appeal to my respect for another person’s opinion, such as an expert, or a celebrity.  This method of convincing me is called ETHOS.

Another way is to appeal to my emotions:  make me cry, or laugh, or feel desire, or outrage.  This is called PATHOS.

Finally, you can simply give me the facts: prove your point with reasons why your way is the best way.  This is called LOGOS.

These ways of convincing me are called rhetorical strategies. They, and some others, were identified by one of the first great debaters:  Aristotle.

In this unit you will

>Learn about how ethos, pathos, and logos are used in advertising by watching a few videos.

>Practice Cornell notes strategies, taking notes both by listening and by reading.

>Evaluate several advertisements for ethos, pathos, and logos.

VOCABULARY

Put the following vocabulary words into Vocabulary Notebook I, Semester II.

Tier III
ethos

pathos

logos

Tier II
appeal

valid

relevant

sufficient

ACTIVITIES

Watch the following videos and explain whether or not you would buy the product (if you could afford it), and why or why not.

For each video, write the following:

I (would, would not) buy the product in the _________________ video because _________________.

Now watch the following video. Create a Cornell Notes T chart and note definitions and examples for each of ethos, pathos, and logos.

Let’s watch each of the first three videos again.  Which of ethos, pathos, and logos does each of the advertisements show?  Create a SUPER quick write for each ad telling which of these it uses, and an example of how.

NOW READ AND IMPROVE YOUR NOTES

Now go to the following website and read the article on ethos, pathos, and logos.

Update your Cornell Notes based on what you read there.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/625/03/

PRACTICE

Create a slide show in your drive using three commercials which YOU find to illustrate ETHOS, PATHOS, and LOGOS.  Include

• a title slide
• one slide for each of ETHOS, PATHOS, and LOGOS (three slides)
• on each slide, an analysis of the commercial using FRAMES 1-3 from your Analyzing the Rhetoric in Advertisement worksheet.

Below is an example of what I am looking for in your slide show:

https://docs.google.com/a/muhsd.k12.ca.us/presentation/d/1WiZpJji-_A37oBC6ghLnNL1QUOQgEz3Qhwl6int-uDU/edit?usp=sharing

WRITING AN ARGUMENT

In class we have worked on a slide show to gather information about a famous person who either shows great strength or great weakness of character.  Then, for a paper, you have developed a chart to identify support for your position that this person has strong or weak character.  From this chart, you are developing a paper, using ethos, pathos, and logos, to put forth your claim.

ADDRESSING A COUNTERCLAIM

Besides making your argument, you must also address the counterclaims of people who may disagree with you.  Use the slideshow you viewed in class to help you.

Key words

• One might object that…
• It might seem that…
• It’s true that…
• Admittedly…
• Of course…

Rebut the counterclaim

• Return to your original argument based upon careful reasoning
• -Show why counter argument is mistaken
• -Acknowledge it, but show why it is less important

Key Words

• but
• yet
• however
• nonetheless
• still