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5/8/2020 Take-home Essay #2

https://mtsac.instructure.com/courses/77299/assignments/528361?module_item_id=1263225 1/4

Take-home Essay #2

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ENGL 1A: Take-home Essay #2

Follow the guidelines for writing good college essays, being particularly specific with a clear thesis statement, well-written topic sentences, evidence (at least one per body ¶), supporting details, and a thought-provoking conclusion. And create an interesting title for your writing. I suggest creating an outline to aid you. Indicate which question you are answering on your final draft.

1. Write about how a specific YouTube commercial or print advertisement’s argument is manipulative. (By “manipulative,” think about these definitions from www.dictionary.com: “to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose” and “to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage.”) Use one of the YouTube commercials in Canvas to explain what the ad is arguing for and what is essentially a dilemma or a problem with that message. Think about what the ad’s underlying message might be: stay away from the generic argument, such as “Brand X is telling people to buy the product,” and look for a more pressing or profound one, such as “Brand X claims women need to (do something) in order to (look or feel a certain way about themselves).” Using the five-step process, quote once from Stuart Hirschberg’s “The Rhetoric of Advertising” in each body paragraph (as well as the ad itself where appropriate but not to replace a quote from Hirschberg).

In addition to your introduction and conclusion ¶s, you need to write at least four body ¶s in the following order to answer this question:

the first ¶ looks at how the ad, through its visual information, is conveying its argument; for the YouTube commercial, consider how the audio, camera angles, narrating voices, and anything else aids in this process the second ¶ explains how the ad is using a specific rhetorical appeal (such as the appeal to nostalgia, appeal of the good corporate citizen, appeal to fear, or an unsubstantiated claim) or a specific propaganda technique to convey its argument the third ¶ focuses on how that rhetorical appeal/propaganda technique is manipulative in the way it is used in the ad the fourth ¶ thoughtfully identifies what is problematic about the ad’s underlying message (its deeper level argument) (optional) the fifth ¶ thoughtfully explains why a reader might accept this ad’s argument, given the problems identified above.

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5/8/2020 Take-home Essay #2

https://mtsac.instructure.com/courses/77299/assignments/528361?module_item_id=1263225 2/4

Use this idea to motivate your thesis statement: 1 : “The argument in (this ad) that (says what specifically?) is (manipulative how?) because (why?).”

Use these ideas to motivate your topic sentences: 1 : “(This ad) is conveying its argument (through what visually?).” 2 : “(This ad) is using (what specific rhetorical appeal?) in order (to do what specifically?).” 3 : “(This rhetorical appeal/propaganda technique) is (manipulative) because (of what specific reason?).” 4 : “The problem with the ad’s underlying message is (what?).” 5 : (optional) “Despite this ad’s manipulation, a reader might believe in this ad’s argument because (of what specifically?).”

2. Write about how a specific YouTube commercial or print advertisement is attempting to control the narrative about a specific topic or convey history in a manipulative way. Use one of the YouTube commercials in Canvas to explain how the advertisement is manipulating the reader by shaping the narrative about a specific topic or retelling history (of some kind) in a way that is manipulative. Focus on a specific argument that the ad is making (not a surface-level argument) to focus this essay. Use one quote from Howard Zinn’s “Columbus, the Indians, and Human Progress” or Stuart Hirschberg’s “The Rhetoric of Advertising” in each body paragraph (and refer to the ad where appropriate).

In addition to your introduction and conclusion ¶s, you need to write at least four body ¶s in the following order to answer this question:

the first ¶ looks at how the ad, through its visual information, is attempting to control the narrative or tell “history” in a manipulative way; for the YouTube commercial, consider how the audio, camera angles, narrating voices, and anything else aids in this process the second ¶ explains how the ad is using a specific rhetorical appeal to assist in controlling the narrative/history (such as the appeal to nostalgia, appeal of the good corporate citizen, appeal to fear, or an unsubstantiated claim) the third ¶ focuses on how that rhetorical appeal is manipulative in the way it is used in the ad the fourth ¶ thoughtfully identifies what is problematic about the way the narrative/history is being presented (optional) the fifth ¶ thoughtfully explains why a reader might accept this ad’s argument about history, given the problems identified above.

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5/8/2020 Take-home Essay #2

https://mtsac.instructure.com/courses/77299/assignments/528361?module_item_id=1263225 3/4

Use this idea to motivate your thesis statement: 1 : “The advertisement (is doing what specifically to manipulate the narrative/history?) because (why?).”

Use these ideas to motivate your topic sentences: 1 : “(This ad) is trying to manipulate the narrative/history (through what visually?).” 2 : “(This ad) is using (what specific rhetorical appeal?) in order (to manipulate the topic in what way?).” 3 : “(This rhetorical appeal) is (manipulative) because (of what specific reason?).” 4 : “The problem with the way the narrative/history is being presented is (what?).” 5 : (optional) “Despite this ad’s manipulation about history, a reader might believe in this ad’s argument because (of what specifically?).”

3. Write about how a specific YouTube commercial or print advertisement is attempting to control the reader through use of the banking concept. Use one of the YouTube commercials in Canvas to explain how the advertiser is manipulative through a controlling method that is directly related to the banking concept. Focus on a specific argument beneath the surface that the ad is making (not a surface-level argument) that would be useful to help focus this essay. Use one quote from Paulo Freire’s “The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education” or Stuart Hirschberg’s “The Rhetoric of Advertising” in each body paragraph (and refer to the ad where appropriate).

In addition to your introduction and conclusion ¶s, you need to write at least four body ¶s in the following order to answer this question:

the first ¶ looks at how the ad, through its visual information, is attempting to control the reader; for the YouTube commercial, consider how the audio, camera angles, narrating voices, and anything else aids in this process the second ¶ explains how the ad is using a specific rhetorical appeal to assist in controlling the reader (such as the appeal to nostalgia, appeal of the good corporate citizen, appeal to fear, or an unsubstantiated claim) the third ¶ focuses on how that rhetorical appeal is manipulative in the way it is used in the ad the fourth ¶ thoughtfully identifies what is problematic about the way the banking concept is being used (optional) the fifth ¶ thoughtfully explains why a reader might accept this ad’s argument, given the problems identified above.

Use this idea to motivate your thesis statement:

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5/8/2020 Take-home Essay #2

https://mtsac.instructure.com/courses/77299/assignments/528361?module_item_id=1263225 4/4

1 : “The advertisement (is doing what specifically to control the reader?) because (why?).”

Use these ideas to motivate your topic sentences: 1 : “(This ad) is trying to control the reader (through what visually?).” 2 : “(This ad) is using (what specific rhetorical appeal?) in order (to control the reader in what way?).” 3 : “(This rhetorical appeal) is (manipulative) because (of what specific reason?).” 4 : “The problem with the way the banking concept is used is (what?).” 5 : (optional) “Despite this ad’s manipulation, a reader might believe in this ad’s argument because (of what specifically?).”

Please provide the print ad with the final draft if you are using one.

Write this from a third-person perspective (such as “one may believe X,” “the reader might find Y,” or “people could realize that Z”).

Use MLA format for the paper. Check Canvas for an example essay, and use the Writing Center for editing content and finding punctuation/grammar errors that you should correct and avoid as soon as you can.

Rough Draft Date: Monday, 10-14-19; Final Draft Due: TBA

Tuesday, 10-15-19

Points: 175/1,000 Page Minimum: 4 full pages

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