digital inquiry

User Generated

ghex777

Humanities

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To start this semester I asked you to analyze texts in accordance to their persuasiveness. By identifying what draws our attention to multimedia texts, we have come to understand that the very essence of argument extends beyond the confines of traditional media -- and certainly far beyond the limitations of oration that Aristotle originally envisioned. Arguments exist everywhere: in print advertisements, in newspaper articles, inYoutube videos, and even in Facebook and Twitter content.

We have acknowledged this week, however, that medium does matter. The use of images, visuals, and sound in arguments greatly affects its persuasiveness -- in ways both positive and negative. We simply cannot analyze a text on the basis of its use of rhetorical devices: we must consider the use of medium too, and we must ask ourselves if the medium being used is most effective for the text's intended purpose.

We have also acknowledged this week, just as it was asserted by Ephron in the "Boston Photographs," that we must additionally consider social context. It's not enough to just analyze a text in accordance to the rhetorical strategies popularized by Aristotle, Rogers, and Toulmin: we must also analyze a text in accordance to what happens after the audience is persuaded. We don't just read or watch material and simply consume it for ourselves; we like, we comment on, and we share information that we find persuasive. In this recognition, we must also recognize the need to look at texts not in the sealed vacuum of a rhetorical analysis but instead in the continuum of a cultural analysis. Just like the Boston photographs, it was the context that defined the audiences' reactions and not the images themselves.

It is the inclusion of analyzing both medium and context that defines the digital inquiry. The goal of this essay, therefore, is quite a bit different from the rhetorical analysis. You are writing this essay not to analyze a text's use of rhetorical devices but instead its cultural significance or social impact. The emphasis is not on what makes a text persuasive but instead what happens after the audience is persuaded. As such, our methodology differs quite a bit. To help you answer these questions, consider:

  • What medium was used to distribute the text? Is it a newspaper op-ed? A YouTube video? A print advertisement? Considering the significance of medium makes up a significant bulk of what this essay is all about, and it's up to you to decide how significant the distribution method affected the text's construction.
  • Who is the text's intended audience? Who published the text says a lot about its intended audience and its goals. A news op-ed published by the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or Washington Post can differ quite significantly in tone, structure, and purpose -- even if covering the same topic or subject matter. Sometimes this might be harder to identify (and that's partially the challenge of this essay assignment), but by utilizing some of the strategies we've reviewed over the course of the semester -- as well as performing a little bit of research -- it can definitely be done.
  • What is that intended audience likely to believe regarding the specific topic or subject matter? By identifying who the text is being primarily distributed to, we can think about what ideas the text is very likely going to promote, oppose, or in some way respond to. Be imaginative. Consider age groups, demographics, and political orientations. Anything that you can think of that is relevant to the subject matter is on the table to be included.
  • Does the text in any way seek to change the perspective of their intended audience? Does the text in any way seek to reinforce or oppose their preexisting views?

No matter what approach you take with your digital inquiry, just remember that the goal is NOT to evaluate a text in accordance to its persuasiveness but instead its cultural significance and medium specificity. It is the combination of these two endeavors -- a media specific analysis and a cultural analysis -- that defines the digital inquiry essay assignment. As such, your digital inquiry essay should unfold over three primary stages:

  1. defining who produced the text and for what purpose (giving a cursory summary of its main features -- no rhetorical analysis needed)
  2. establishing where the text was distributed, including its choice of medium, and who its primary audience would be (and the preexisting beliefs of that audience)
  3. identifying how the text would be consumed, explaining what cultural beliefs or ideas are being transmitted through the text and how the audience would react to that information (ideally in the form of a reinforcement or rejection of these beliefs).

The ultimate goal of such an analysis is to recreate the "moment" surrounding the text's construction. The inclusion of cultural codes, stereotypes, or any other cultural markers in your analysis is heavily encouraged. Due to the more complex nature of this assignment, you are expected to perform some research and include some additional, secondary sources to help contextualize the primary text's construction.

Though not required, it's heavily suggested that the text be in some way digital in nature and that it has a large enough argument to evaluate that would fill a paper of this length. Your paper will be graded in accordance to the rubric provided: on the depth of your analysis, including a brief overview of the text for comprehension's sake; your ability to decipher and break down cultural codes; and your adherence to the parameters denoted in Rules for Writers regarding proper grammar, syntax, and MLA documentation.

Required 1000+ word count. Due December 10 @ 11:59 pm.

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Sample Digital Inquiry (1000 words) Designed as a print ad for a magazine or newspaper, the Ad Council’s anti-bullying advertisement presents a striking message: don’t be a bystander to bullying. By taking an active role to prevent bullying in schools, the advertisement seeks to empower both parents and their children to have a conversation about bullying in schools and to be better role models in society. For this advertisement to successfully diminish incidents of bullying, however, it makes the reasonable assumption that most bullying occurs in the schools, and establishes that children should directly interfere with acts of bullying over calling an adult. While having a child place themselves in harm’s way is a difficult pill to swallow, bullying is a rampant social phenomenon that won’t go away through half measures. As such, what’s consumed by the text isn’t just the assertion that children shouldn’t be bystanders to bullying, but that parents take an active role in preventing school bullying and that it’s the responsibility of children to diffuse incidents of bullying. Produced for a print magazine or newspaper, the advertisement presents a powerful message upon first glance: “Everybody hates you.” The ad, however, isn’t trying to belittle the reader so much as identify the type of bullying that takes place, saying: “You don’t see bullying like this every day. Your kids do.” Enforcing an anti-bullying message, the advertisement seeks to reduce bullying between children in school environments by involving parents: “Teach your kids how to be more than a bystander.” By using the word “bystander,” it implies that your child isn’t the one actually being bullied, but that they should be encouraged to stop bullying whenever possible, even if it doesn’t directly affect them. It’s an honest, good-hearted endeavor to encourage intervention, but the adoption of this message depends upon multiple cultural codes worth investigating. As an advertisement published for print distribution, it’s important to consider what types of people tend to read print magazines and newspapers. It’s deliberately targeting older demographics—most notably parents. This advertisement is clearly not designed to speak to children, but it is designed to encourage parents to speak to their children about bullying they might see in schools. By taking into account that the advertisement is targeting older demographics, it’s important to acknowledge that such readers, many of them parents, would take a negative stance to bullying in schools and would want to help reduce the occurrence of bullying whenever possible. As such, what’s consumed is the vested interest to reduce bullying in schools. But what’s assumed in that kindled interest is the belief that most bullying even occurs in schools. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 28% of all students aged 12 to 18 reported being bullied in school during a single school year. Another report states that while not all bullying occurs in schools, it is the most common space for bullying, with one in three recorded bullying incidents occurring at school (Department of Health). While it’s easy to accept that most bullying occurs at school, however, it’s another to assume that putting your child in the middle of a bullying situation is the best course of action, especially when presented as an ideal response to the situation. The ad presents an ideal: that good children aren’t bystanders to bullying; they make an active effort to stop it. By putting themselves in harm’s way, however, there is the concern that they may make the situation more dangerous for them. And even if they do break up a single incident of bullying, they might make themselves a target for future incidents. In truth, the statistics don’t back up these concerns: according to a 2000 study, 75% of the time, when a bully is confronted by a fellow peer, the bullying ends and is not repeated. The same study also concluded that peer pressure is a substantially stronger method to stopping bullying than having parents or teachers intervene in the situation. In reality, bullying most often occurs when an authority figure isn’t around to rely on. And because bullies don’t usually respect authority figures in the first place, peer pressure is a significantly stronger and more viable tactic to reducing bullying incidents in classrooms and on playgrounds (O’Connell). While the advertisement makes a great number of accurate statements and effectively connects with its target audience, one might consider why they chose the print medium over another. There are very few advantages afforded to the print medium, especially as it pertains to newspapers and magazines. Print media is suffering a serious decline in readership, and while print media is regularly consumed by older generations, television and the internet are becoming increasingly used mediums by parents too. As of 2017, millennials are now reaching parenting age—a generation that grew up with the advent of the internet, the personal computer, and every iteration of social media. So while targeting older generations through print media might be appropriate, one could potentially make the case that a television public service announcement or a YouTube video might’ve had a bigger impact than a New York Times insert. Without knowing for sure beyond the print ad what mediums were used, however, these statements serve only as speculation. In conclusion, this print advertisement doesn’t simply represent a call to action toward parents. It portrays the model citizen, making multiple cultural claims about one’s role in diffusing bullying situations, as well as where bullying takes place. It presents the argument that our society thrives through intervening violent conflicts, and by protecting one another. Passively accepting bullying as a bystander does not solve the problem, and according to most studies only serves to further encourage such acts. While broader outright might be limited as a print text, there’s a strong case to be made that its primary consumption points are both realistic and effective. After all, as Edmund Burke famously said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Sample Digital Inquiry (1000 words) Designed as a print ad for a magazine or newspaper, the Ad Council’s anti-bullying advertisement presents a striking message: don’t be a bystander to bullying. By taking an active role to prevent bullying in schools, the advertisement seeks to empower both parents and their children to have a conversation about bullying in schools and to be better role models in society. For this advertisement to successfully diminish incidents of bullying, however, it makes the reasonable assumption that most bullying occurs in the schools, and establishes that children should directly interfere with acts of bullying over calling an adult. While having a child place themselves in harm’s way is a difficult pill to swallow, bullying is a rampant social phenomenon that won’t go away through half measures. As such, what’s consumed by the text isn’t just the assertion that children shouldn’t be bystanders to bullying, but that parents take an active role in preventing school bullying and that it’s the responsibility of children to diffuse incidents of bullying. Produced for a print magazine or newspaper, the advertisement presents a powerful message upon first glance: “Everybody hates you.” The ad, however, isn’t trying to belittle the reader so much as identify the type of bullying that takes place, saying: “You don’t see bullying like this every day. Your kids do.” Enforcing an anti-bullying message, the advertisement seeks to reduce bullying between children in school environments by involving parents: “Teach your kids how to be more than a bystander.” By using the word “bystander,” it implies that your child isn’t the one actually being bullied, but that they should be encouraged to stop bullying whenever possible, even if it doesn’t directly affect them. It’s an honest, good-hearted endeavor to encourage intervention, but the adoption of this message depends upon multiple cultural codes worth investigating. As an advertisement published for print distribution, it’s important to consider what types of people tend to read print magazines and newspapers. It’s deliberately targeting older demographics—most notably parents. This advertisement is clearly not designed to speak to children, but it is designed to encourage parents to speak to their children about bullying they might see in schools. By taking into account that the advertisement is targeting older demographics, it’s important to acknowledge that such readers, many of them parents, would take a negative stance to bullying in schools and would want to help reduce the occurrence of bullying whenever possible. As such, what’s consumed is the vested interest to reduce bullying in schools. But what’s assumed in that kindled interest is the belief that most bullying even occurs in schools. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 28% of all students aged 12 to 18 reported being bullied in school during a single school year. Another report states that while not all bullying occurs in schools, it is the most common space for bullying, with one in three recorded bullying incidents occurring at school (Department of Health). While it’s easy to accept that most bullying occurs at school, however, it’s another to assume that putting your child in the middle of a bullying situation is the best course of action, especially when presented as an ideal response to the situation. The ad presents an ideal: that good children aren’t bystanders to bullying; they make an active effort to stop it. By putting themselves in harm’s way, however, there is the concern that they may make the situation more dangerous for them. And even if they do break up a single incident of bullying, they might make themselves a target for future incidents. In truth, the statistics don’t back up these concerns: according to a 2000 study, 75% of the time, when a bully is confronted by a fellow peer, the bullying ends and is not repeated. The same study also concluded that peer pressure is a substantially stronger method to stopping bullying than having parents or teachers intervene in the situation. In reality, bullying most often occurs when an authority figure isn’t around to rely on. And because bullies don’t usually respect authority figures in the first place, peer pressure is a significantly stronger and more viable tactic to reducing bullying incidents in classrooms and on playgrounds (O’Connell). While the advertisement makes a great number of accurate statements and effectively connects with its target audience, one might consider why they chose the print medium over another. There are very few advantages afforded to the print medium, especially as it pertains to newspapers and magazines. Print media is suffering a serious decline in readership, and while print media is regularly consumed by older generations, television and the internet are becoming increasingly used mediums by parents too. As of 2017, millennials are now reaching parenting age—a generation that grew up with the advent of the internet, the personal computer, and every iteration of social media. So while targeting older generations through print media might be appropriate, one could potentially make the case that a television public service announcement or a YouTube video might’ve had a bigger impact than a New York Times insert. Without knowing for sure beyond the print ad what mediums were used, however, these statements serve only as speculation. In conclusion, this print advertisement doesn’t simply represent a call to action toward parents. It portrays the model citizen, making multiple cultural claims about one’s role in diffusing bullying situations, as well as where bullying takes place. It presents the argument that our society thrives through intervening violent conflicts, and by protecting one another. Passively accepting bullying as a bystander does not solve the problem, and according to most studies only serves to further encourage such acts. While broader outright might be limited as a print text, there’s a strong case to be made that its primary consumption points are both realistic and effective. After all, as Edmund Burke famously said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
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Digital inquiry
The article ‘’A picture of loneliness’’ published by The Guardian is authored by Jonathan
Jones. It includes a photograph of a game warden posing with a northern white rhino, with the
caption; ‘’you are looking at the last male northern white rhino’’. The article brings out a sad
feeling and the realization of how brutal the actions of humans can be especially to wildlife. The
Rhino in the photograph is named Sudan and is the last of its kind in the world. Northern White
Rhinos have been heavily targeted by poachers for their horns and wild meat which has
gradually depleted their populations.
Today, Rhinos have become endangered to the point of becoming extinct. This article
relays an important message that we should strive to conserve our environment and specifically
wildlife. It reminds people to take it upon themselves to defend helpless animals who are targets
of human destruction. There are many other species of various organisms which have faced the
same fate as the White Rhino and have eventually become extinct. The article decries this
wanton destruction and urges humanity to take up the fight.
The article is an opinion editorial for the Guardian; a renowned news site....


Anonymous
Just what I was looking for! Super helpful.

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