Analysis Project Sample Assignment Writing 100 (M/W/F schedule) Instructor Science and Technology: Visual Analysis of a Technology

Ad (Norton, Chapter 7) "I have always believed that writing advertisements is the second most profitable form of writing. The first, of course, is ransom notes."~Philip Dusenberry Every day we are bombarded with advertisements for technology. "More Bars in More Places." "I'm a P.C." "The 3G network." "Can you hear me now?" These ads try to convince us to fork over our hard-earned dollars to buy machines. Sometimes the ads work. Sometimes they don't. Nevertheless, they are hard to ignore and interesting to study. In this assignment, you will analyze a technology advertisement. Analysis closely examines an artifact both for what it says and for how it says it, with the goal of demonstrating to readers how the artifact achieves its effects. An analysis of an advertisement involves breaking down the elements of the advertisement and understanding how those elements convey ideas and feelings, how they influence the consciousness of the viewer, how they speak to a surrounding culture, and how they resonate with surrounding values and beliefs. In addition to studying the details of the advertisement (textual analysis), the writer of an analysis sometimes incorporates contextual analysis in which he or she considers the time and place in which the visual text was created, the author, and the audience. For this assignment you will choose a technology advertisement (print or video) that you consider successful and analyze how that advertisement works. Who is its target audience? How can you tell? How does it use logos, pathos, and ethos to appeal to that audience? How does the advertisement use perspective and color to convey its message? If there is print (or dialogue) in the advertisement, how does it work to reinforce or contradict the images shown? How does the ad use shared cultural knowledge or assumptions to convey its message? Learning Objective: To develop skills in analyzing a visual text, namely by developing skills to systematically categorize and consider the parts of the text as well as the context in which the text was created. Audience: A reasonable, general reader who may or may not be familiar with the object of analysis. Purpose: Convince your audience to support your interpretation of an advertisement. In order to do this, you will need to summarize the content of the ad, lead your audience through a careful examination of the elements of the ad, and provide reasonable evidence in support of your analysis. Format: Two to three pages, typed, double-spaced. Header, title, and page number should be in MLA essay format (refer to Hacker, pp. 48-49). No Works Cited page or parenthetical citation is required for this essay. Due Date and Submission Requirements: Day of Week and Date. Submit the final draft through SafeAssign on Blackboard. Submit the final draft, along with the supporting materials, in a two pocket folder in class. The folder should include in the left pocket: at least one example of pre-writing, at least 2 preliminary drafts, the peer review of your paper done by another student, and the metacognitive reflection on revision. In the right pocket, include the final draft and the metacognitive reflection on the project (done in class on the due date). Assessment: This assignment is worth 15% of your final grade. You will be assessed on your ability to account for the context in which the ad was created, the various parts of the ad, and your ability to organize those parts into a coherent essay that explains to your audience how those parts work.

Analysis Project Sample Calendar for Students First Class Before class: Read A Writers Reference, A1-d, pp. 63-66, the analysis assignment sheet posted in Blackboard under the Analysis Project tab, and Doug Lantry's "Stay as Sweet As You Are" on pages 43-49 of Norton. In a 250-300 word journal entry (RJ 4), identify the author's thesis and major points. Tell whether or not you were convinced by the author's analysis and why. Then, identify Sanchezs thesis and major points (student sample in A Writers Reference). Tell whether you were convinced by the authors analysis and why. Then read Diana George's "Changing the Face of Poverty" on pages 622-31 of Norton. In a 250-300 word journal entry (RJ 5), identify the author's thesis and major points. Tell whether or not you were convinced by the author's analysis and why. Then, examine the guidelines for analyzing a text on p. 77 of A Writers Reference and discuss how Georges essay does or does not exemplify any one of those expectations. In class: Discussion of reading, and modeling of analysis. Second Class Before class: Read Norton, pp. 49-54, and find an advertisement you might use as the basis for this assignment. Write a 250-300 word journal entry (RJ 6) about an advertisement you might use as the basis for this assignment. Describe the advertisement and where you found it. Then explain what you find intriguing about it. What unanswered questions remain for you about the ad? Then, explain the most important piece of advice the Norton authors offer on pp. 49-54. In class: Analyzing the text, and Aristotles appeals. Third Class Before class: Find an alternate advertisement you might use as the basis for this assignment. Write a 250-300 word journal entry (RJ 7) about an advertisement you might use as the basis for this assignment. Describe the advertisement and where you found it. Then explain what you find intriguing about it. What unanswered questions remain for you about the ad? Then, explain the most surprising thing Norton says about writing a draft on pp. 55-58 and why you find it surprising.d it. In class: Analyzing the text, and Aristotles appeals. Fourth Class Before class: Craft a 2-3 page visual analysis, including an introduction, organized body, and conclusion. In class: Revising the analysis. Metacognitive reflection. Fifth Class Before class: Revise the draft so that it is peer-review ready. In class: Peer review. Sixth Class Before class: Continue revising, incorporating ideas from peer review. In class: Editing. Seventh Class: ANALYSIS PROJECT DUE Before Class: Prepare the project for submission in class on ___________. You must submit: At least one example of pre-writing, At least 2 preliminary drafts, The peer review of your paper done by another student, The metacognitive reflection on revision, The final draft. In class: Metacognitive reflection on project.

Analysis Project Sample Calendar for Instructors First Class: Introducing the Assignment Students should come to class having read the assignment sheet; the analyses by Lantry, George, and Sanchez; and the explanation of analysis in A Writers Ref. Devote this class to helping students understand what analysis is and the project requirements. You might have students identify the hallmarks of analysis in the articles assigned for homework. Another option might be to show some technology ads and identify contextual clues and textual details within the ads. Second Class: Practicing Analysis Students should come to class having read the Norton discussion of analysis and having chosen a possible ad for the project. This class provides a good opportunity to practice analysis as a class. You might try using a provocative text, such as a controversial ad or magazine cover. Emphasize how to break down and examine individual parts of the text. Discuss Aristotles appeals and how they are represented in the sample text. Practice devising a thesis based on the analysis. Remind them that an analytic thesis answers the questions why, how, and/or so what. Third Class: Drafting the Analysis Students should come to class having found a second possible ad for the project. Work on drafting an analysis of one of their ads. Reemphasize key ideas from the previous class, such as breaking down the ad, examining the appeals, and identifying an analytic thesis. If the student is struggling with his or her choice, suggest he or she tries drafting an analysis of the other ad they have identified. Fourth Class: Revising the Analysis Students should come to class with a complete draft. Spend this class working on focus, organization, and evidence. Students often try to cover too many ideas. A reverse outline exercise, in which students write the major idea of each paragraph in outline form, can help them examine the structure of their drafts. A claim, support, explanation exercise (in which they underline each claim, circle the supporting evidence for the claim, and draw a box around the explanation of the evidence) can help them uncover areas that need more evidence. Fifth Class: Peer Review Share a student sample of the assignment from the CWR Assignment Library and talk about where the students analysis succeeded and where it didnt succeed as well. Run a peer review session, perhaps based on the key features of analysis outlined in Norton on page 49. Sixth Class: Editing the Analysis Students should have incorporated the suggestions from their peer reviewers before class. In this class, work on revising for style and editing. Seventh Class: Reflection Students should have submitted their final drafts through SafeAssign before class. Check to make sure you can access each draft. Have students write a metacognitive reflection on their papers and submit that reflection to their ePortfolios by the end of class. Include as part of the reflection an assessment of the time demands of writing the analysis and, perhaps, ask them to upload a sample from the project that illustrates what they have discussed in the reflection.