From Thesis to Rhetorical Argument: Practical Strategies Christine L. Alfano & Alyssa J. O’Brien Stanford University Program in Writing & Rhetoric October 2010

For this workshop, we will be using material taken from Envision, 3rd edition & from our Website http://www.pearsonhighered.com/envision

Visual arguments Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Composing Arguments Writing about Visuals To ch 3: how writing about an image can help students think about images rhetorically  what is the thesis of the image? What thesis can they MAKE about the image? atagk 23 Class Exercise. Imagine that you are the editor for The State and you want to use this photo for a cover story on American disasters in history. Write a headline and a caption for this photo that brings out your interpretation of the image’s argument. Share your response and peer review your work with a partner.

Composing Arguments Titles as Arguments Fresno Bee – September 2, 2005 – Newseum  link to Companion Website (ch 5) Also, here mention how words shape the argument – newspaper titles as parallel to thesis. This fun activity can get students thinking about how to compose their own arguments

Comparing Image Choices within Arguments Composing Arguments Comparing Image Choices within Arguments Times Herald serving Hudson Valley NY Sept 2, 2005 Newseum  link to Companion Website (ch 5) Here, how arrangement works Then mention Norah Ephron and the arrangement of a rhetorical argument

Developing the Thesis text selection Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Developing your thesis Teaching through example p. 23-26, in reverse order

Developing a thesis Comparing examples Thesis #1: Mike Thompson’s cartoon is very powerful. Thesis #2: Mike Thompson’s drawing shows his opinion about SUVs. Thesis #3: In response to rising gas prices, Mike Thompson draws a powerful editorial cartoon about the relationship between driving SUVs and consuming fossil fuels. p. 23-26, in reverse order Thesis #4: In his 2006 editorial cartoon “Aptly Named,” Mike Thompson persuasively plays with the term fossil fuel to suggest that SUVs and the “wanton consumption” of gasoline represent an outdated approached to transportation that needs to recognize its own imminent extinction.

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process Write down your observations. Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process 2. Work with your observations to construct a preliminary thesis statement. Both cartoons focus on the contradiction in American border policy. Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process 3. Refine your argument by asking asking that make your statement less general. How? What contradictions? To what effect? How do I know that? Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process Revise the preliminary thesis statement to be more specific, perhaps including specific evidence that drives your claim. The cartoons in Figures 1.12 and 1.12 focus on the contradictions in American border policy by showing that on the one hand, the American government wants to keep illegal immigrants out, but on the other hand, economic forces encourage them to enter the U.S. illegally. Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process Further polish your thesis by refining your language and asking questions about the implications of your working thesis statement. What do you find interesting about this observation? How does it tap into larger social or cultural issues? Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

Defining the Thesis Emphasizing process Write your working thesis to include a sense of the implications of your claim. This is the “So What?” of your claim. The political cartoons in Figures 1 and 2 offer a pointed commentary on the recent immigration debate, suggesting ways the official government stance against illegal immigration is undermined by economic forces that tolerate, if not welcome, the entry of undocumented workers into the Unites States. Something here on how we define a thesis and explain that to the students start with p 26 – what NOT to do,  then 24, ad walk through, then at a glance 26 The at a glane 23, then put up 19 and 20 then so we've worked on cartoons, but how about other examples

The Composition Process Developing and Testing Your Thesis Explain how we use this for peer review in class

Developing the Thesis Rhetorical Approaches To Texts Text = Spoken, Written, Visual The Rhetorical Situation Explain that we also use rhetorical terms in defining a thesis, esp as prep for rhetorical arguments Persona = Speaker, Writer, Creator, Audience = Listener, Reader, Viewer

Analyzing Texts Rhetorically Developing a Thesis Statement Talk through this cartoon – how can help students analyze a text in increments, using rhetorical terms, in order to develop a thesis, mention can use cartoons of the day from newspapers or follow links via Envision Website Image source: http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/840eae21-48ac-44e3-8a09-c75247fc4c55.html

Strategies of Argumentation Understanding Rhetorical Appeals Logos (“Rational Appeal”) Now, move on to explain how ch 2 can help students develop a rhetorical argument using these appeals Ethos (“Ethical Appeal”) Pathos (“Pathetic Appeal”)

Pedagogical Practice Developing a Thesis with Rhetoric Here a joke – but about how a thesis is an argument about what students observe in the world Walk through how this works rhetorically (can the audience respond?)

A Case Study One Student's Rhetorical Argument Now talk through one student’s example : Cyana -thesis brainstorm to rhetorical argument http://www.politicalcartoons.com/cartoon/89f55f8f-225a-4a66-b4de-f7b382bae8d6.html Not sure if her photo is necessary (too much on the page?)

A Case Study One Student's Rhetorical Thesis In a recent political cartoon posted by David Kurtzman (see Fig. 1), various rhetorical strategies portray the cartoonist’s opinion that blame should be limited to one party: the drug cartels. Through the use of color, stereotypes, and the pathos connected with images of death, the cartoonist blames the violent Latin American drug cartels for Mexico’s problems and attacks the ethos or legitimacy of the the Mexican government, as represented by the immobile piñata, in its attempts to solve the drug issue. Explain her thesis

Composing Rhetorical Arguments Pedagogical Resources Make another slide on writing the rhetorical analysis at a glance box from page 34

Composing Rhetorical Arguments Analyzing Multiple Texts Mention How Cyana’s rhetorical argument from Ch 1 expanded to become a full research project, with an even more complex thesis – but a thesis that nevertheless extended her original idea! Work like this can be generative of longer projects point to multiple cartoons

Composing Visual Arguments Creating a Visual Thesis END here Saying, full circle – students create visual rhetoric which has an embedded thesis Mention Hand out peer review sheet for CH 8 on multimedia – and talk about tech-access issues (handwritten cartoon) and evaluation / grading of projects on Envision Website

Visit the Envision Website www.pearsonhighered.com/envision For Worksheets, Lesson Plans, Student Writing Or, Contact us: Chris - alfano@stanford.edu Alyssa - aobrien@stanford.edu Put screenshot of student writing page from Website Discuss how we teach these models in class and how teachers can use them creatively (e.g. annotate them, mimic them, etc) Screen shot of resources students can consult: thesis statements, rhetorical arguments Combine with thank you@