Week 3, Blog 2 (TA)

1. Funnel Intro.

Disciplining children has always been a controversial issue.  Many parents have to work for years to find techniques that work the best with their children.  However, many parents have also found that it is usually much easier to let things slide rather than fight or punish their children.  Kids across America are becoming more powerful and parents become lazy and/or overwhelmed with the responsibility of disciplining their kids.  

2. Some say this, some say that...

The word "discipline" brings many connotations to mind.  Some believe in the "good ol' belt" when children are misbehaving.  They advocate the familiar saying, "Spare the rod, and spoil the child."  Others feel that physical punishment is never the route to take, and put their children in time out or spend time discussing the consequences of our actions with their children.  However, many parents today would rather not deal with discipline in any form, and just let their children rule themselves. 

3. Not A, not B, not C, so...

If your children regularly don't listen when you are speaking to them, don't do what they are asked to do, or don't interact well with other children, what is the problem?  Is it simply the character of the child?  Are they not receiving enough love?  Do they need more attention?  In many cases where these are commonplace behaviors, the child needs a more consistent and effective mode of discipline from adults.  

Week 3, Blog 1 (RA)

Audience: French housewives in the 50s.

WATCO: buying a Vigorelli sewing machine ON looking sexy?

Claim: Buying a Vigorelli sewing machine is a practical and effective way to start looking sexy,

Reason: Because using a Vigorelli sewing machine helps you have gorgeous, cost-effective clothes.

IA: whatever helps you have gorgeous, cost-effective clothes is a practical and effective way to start looking sexy.

Ethos: The gorgeous and obviously extremely talented woman appeals to all wives who are trying to please their husbands and be “practical” at the same time.

Pathos: Vigorelli was obviously a very credible sewing machine name.

Logos: It is logical to sew your own clothes and save money if you can still look as beautiful as this woman!

This picture was probably quite effective when considering its target audience. In the 1950s, it was most important to women to be beautiful and talented housewives who were graceful and efficient in running their homes. They saw no higher obligation than to care for their husbands the best that they could, which included looking attractive to them. This ad is in contrast with the women of the world now, who most likely don’t even know how to use a sewing machine, much less be inspired to buy one and gracefully try to sew beautiful clothing. The art is very argumentative because it presents solid and valid material for the targeted audience.

Week 2, Blog 3 (Freewrite)

Life at BYU: the BYU Motion Picture Film Archive Film Series

Dani and I have been planning to go to the first BYU Motion Picture Film Archive Film of the semester (which was yesterday night) from the beginning of the year. She got asked out by this guy from her work for the same night, but we planned around that. She sweetly suggested he take her to the movie, and then when we ran into each other in the library auditorium it’d just be a surprising coincidence. However, in order to ensure a smoother transition for me spending the evening with them, we decided I’d have to get myself a date as well and we’d all enjoy an unexpected double. The only problem is we decided all of this about an hour before the movie. I combed the ward directory, scrolled through my phone contacts, and knocked on the doors of a couple new boys in our complex. I went through seven boys before Dusty (a good looking redhead in the ward) FINALLY had enough pity to go with me. Of course, he doesn’t know he was so far down the list, so we’ll keep that on the downlow. At any rate, Nikki (who had decided to join us and gotten a date on her first try), and I were just preparing to leave with our dates when Conner (Dani’s date) showed up and caught us in our plan. We quickly changed our story (since there was no longer the element of surprise we had at first planned on meeting with) and headed to the library, 20 minutes late. The auditorium was full. So much for the BYU Motion Picture Film Archive Film Series. I wonder if we'll ever get to see one of those (things never seem to work out for us when we try). We made the boys dinner and went to Dan in Real Life at the dollar theater instead. A BYU student is all about improvisation, because the beggars of the world can't be the choosers...

Week 2, Blog 2 (TA)

1. Funnel Intro:

When the pioneers first came to the Utah Valley, it was a fresh, wild terrain, alive with animals and wildlife. The air was clean and pure, and the sky was the limit for the pioneers’ prospects. They could never have imagined what would become of their mountain home, however. The skies turn gray on sunny days. The rivers flow murky with pollution. The cities and surrounding suburbs are persistently harassed with revving motors and honking horns. The pollution in Utah Valley is of no small concern, and it must be addressed by the citizens of that area.

2. Some say this…some say that…

It has been said that pollution in Utah Valley is only as bad as the pollution in any other part of the world. Still others think that pollution is not an issue at all in Utah Valley. While both of these statements may be true at one time or another, in the times of a cold front both arguments are very questionable.

3. Narrative anecdotal:

Two summers ago, I decided to go for a hardy run in the afternoon when I finished my classes for the day. As I headed out into the heat, the summer day’s coloring seemed odd. The sky was not clear and bright as one would expect—in truth it seemed a little dingy. My whole run felt a unpleasant and breathing was harder than usual. The next day, I woke an acute condition of bronchitis, which lasted for a few weeks. The doctor attributed it to the air condition, and banned me from running on days when the smog was visible in the air. I was amazed at such harmful effects then, but I now understand what pollution can do when highly concentrated. If Utah Valley’s condition made people sick a couple years ago, what will it do a couple years into the future?

Week 2, Blog 1 (RA)

Striking a Blow for Democracy in Asia (Jeffery S. Brand)

Argument: Restoring aid that supports rule-of-law education in Cambodia.

Audience: Conference Committee (whose vote will decided whether or not the suspended aid is restored)

WATCO: Restoring aid that supports rule-of-law education in Cambodia ON stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government?

Claim: Restoring aid that supports rule-of-law education in Cambodia will only be a help in stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government…

Reason: because a transition to democracy will help Cambodians help themselves to create a more desirable government.

IA: Whatever will help Cambodians help themselves to create a more desirable government will also aid in stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government.

Ethos: (credibility) The writer is very educated, and knows what he is talking about. He backs up his claims with quotes and facts.

Pathos: (emotion) The writer uses very strong words, as in the 3^rd paragraph when he addresses the 2 million people murdered by a dogmatic ruler. In the 5^th paragraph, he makes our hearts hurt for the other people in a different country who are ‘just like us’ in the first sentence: “The beneficiaries of such aid are not political parties vying for power but ordinary Cambodians.”

Logos: (logic) By the end of the paper, it seems eccentric that we would not give this country money to help them. He carefully addressed the main concern: that Cambodians would use the monetary gift only to uphold their corrupt government, and helped the reader see why this argument is such a ridiculous one.

Sufficient: Yes; he picked his main points of argument from the beginning and fully addressed those issues.

Typical: Yes; to anyone educated in this field the argument is feasible and noteworthy.

Accurate: He could have used more facts and citations to support his arguments, but the ones he used were good.

Relevant: He was writing to the conference committee, and kept that in mind all through the paper. He never talked about issues of the argument (such as the taxes this might raise for a common citizen) that were not pertaining to the audience.

Effect: I think the overall effect of this argument was successful and intriguing. I think the reader would be encouraged to at least give the subject more careful thought, if not have a total sway of opinion.

Week 1, Blog 3 (Freewrite/TA)

Letter to the Pulitzer Prize Committee (Sinclair Lewis)

Audience: Pulitzer Prize Committee

WATCO: Granting authors the Pulitzer Prize ON the validity and honor of receiving the prize?

Claim: Granting authors the Pulitzer Prize will degrade the validity and honor of receiving the prize…

Reason: because the bestowal of a prize that only gives undue power to the deciding committee will teach authors to accept, advocate, and glory in awards even when given by a committee which may or may not be ignorant, obstinate, or biased.

IA: Whatever will teach authors to accept, advocate, and glory in awards even when given by a committee which may or may not be ignorant, obstinate, or biased will also degrade the validity and honor of receiving the prize.

Striking a Blow for Democracy in Asia (Jeffery S. Brand)

Audience: Conference Committee (whose vote will decided whether or not the suspended aid is restored)

WATCO: Restoring aid that supports rule-of-law education in Cambodia ON stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government?

Claim: Restoring aid that supports rule-of-law education in Cambodia will only be a help in stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government…

Reason: because a transition to democracy will help Cambodians help themselves to create a more desirable government.

IA: Whatever will help Cambodians help themselves to create a more desirable government will also aid in stopping the corruption in Cambodia’s government.

Week 1, Blog 2 (RA)

Audience: Students of all ages and genders.

Pathos (appeal to emotion): This advertisement portrays pictures of boys and girls, young and old, to show readers that the pen is for everyone. Each person can relate to this ad because there is a picture that each person can compare himself/herself to. It gives the reader a feeling of belonging to the group of customers, because the Esterbrook pen is for everyone! Also, each facial expression is either very happy or very concentrated, giving the viewer the feeling that the pen will not only make schoolwork more enjoyable, but will also maximize good work.

Ethos (appeal to writer’s credibility): The name of the pens, Esterbrook, appears several times across the ad. I would assume this is because the name of the pen was well known in 1957 when the advertisement was made. The advertisers used this name over and over probably to remind the consumer of the good connotations the name carries. This guides the reader to conclude that the pen must be good because of its eminent name.

Logos (appeal to logic): The ad gives four good reasons why Esterbrook is the pen of choice, and backs those reasons up with the pictures to prove it. The price listed in the bottom right corner is the cheapest price for the pens ($2.05 and up), bringing attention to the fact that the pens are inexpensive, even if it is only addressing some. The reader will remember the cheap price on the ad, not the inconspicuous “and up” following the numbers and the reader will conclude that the pen is logically a good choice for its good price.

Overall persuasion: I think in considering the time frame of this ad, it was probably pretty persuasive. It covered each of the 3 fields of persuasion quite nicely and addressed most issues I would think a consumer would be concerned about.

Week 1, Blog 1 (TA)

Enthymeme #1:

Audience: Teachers/professors looking to make their teaching more effective.

WATCO: Wandering around the room while giving a lecture on the attentiveness of the students?

Claim: Wandering around the room while giving a lecture improves the attentiveness of the students…

Reason: …because the students feel more apt to be called upon.

B > C: The attentiveness of the students improves when the students feel more apt to be called upon.

Enthymeme #2:

Audience: Doctors looking to make their offices more inviting.

WATCO: Using orange chairs/wallpaper/décor on customer serenity and comfort?

Claim: Using orange chairs/wallpaper/décor has a negative effect on customer serenity and comfort…

Reason: …because the color orange has been proven to cause uneasy and hostile feelings.

B > C: Customer serenity and comfort is negatively affected because the color orange has been proven to cause uneasy and hostile feelings.

Enthymeme #3:

Audience: Families with children moving out of the home to college/marriage and are concerned about distance.

WATCO: Long-distance relationships on family closeness?

Claim: Long-distance relationships detrimentally effect family closeness…

Reason: …because families no longer share the same experiences, environments, and trials.

B > C: Family closeness is negatively affected by families no longer share the same experiences, environments, and trials.