Climate change
For this essay (5-6 pages) you will make an argument about a specific visual and/or audio text (an album, song, and/or music video; a television show; a commercial; a televised speech or news clip, etc) of your choice. You will also structure your argument based on your intended audience (not me!) and purpose (are you speaking directly to someone with an opposing view, or trying to convince a neutral third party, for example). So, you might, for example, discuss why a specific musician promotes sexism (or seems to, but doesn’t). Or, you might argue for why the ending of Game of Thrones was actually effective. Or you might discuss how the staging of a specific presidential address reveals something significant. Or consider the rhetoric of a candidate’s campaign speeches and performance. Or maybe you consider how a specific television show raises questions about environmental ethics and climate change. Or perhaps you discuss why this one album is the perfect encapsulation of our current moment (for specific reasons of course, not just that you like it). In order to complete this essay, you will find yourself asking questions like: ?What media texts matter to me? ?What is most interesting about them? ?What bigger issues/questions/arguments/problems/etc might this text reflect or reveal? ?Why might/should other people care about this album/song/show/speech/commercial/etc? ?What makes this text most timely, relevant, and compelling? ?What cultural codes are accommodated and/or resisted and/or negotiated in this text? ?How can I best negotiate the different cultural codes presented or reflected in this text? ?What cultural codes does this text seem to be most interested in or obsessed with? 1. Select a piece of media (here defined as news, music, television, advertising, etc). You also have the option of comparing and contrasting two different texts as long as you have a compelling reason for doing so! 2. Read/view/listen to your chosen text carefully, paying close attention to the different choices it makes and the effects of those choices. Consider how this text fits into the broader culture. Consider its context. Consider its relationship to dominant cultural codes. 3. Once you have established your own sense of what is interesting and important in your text, begin thinking through your own response and doing your preliminary research to support your own claims. 4. Consider what method of argumentation will best help you reach your audience and achieve your purpose. 6. Write your 5-6 page Media Argument. This essay will use a specific argumentation method to argue for a specific position on a media text of your choice. Why is it important? What does it reveal? Why should we care about it right here right now? FINAL DRAFT REQUIREMENTS ?Have something to say. Pick a topic that you are passionate about and share your ideas with your readers. ?Craft one clear, specific, focused argument based on the essay questions. ?Show your understanding of semiotics and negotiating images by considering the use of signs, symbols, and cultural codes. ?Provide context for your argument by using direct quotes/examples from the text you selected. Avoid the five paragraph essay format. Rather than focusing your attention on a formula, work on crafting interesting, thoughtful, specific ideas. ?The absolute minimum length of the essay is 5 pages. Essays less than 5 complete pages will not pass. Use MLA 8th edition formatting and citations. Use 12 Point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, and double space your essay.