Analysis

Visual Rhetoric - Calista Kelly

Because many first-year students have not understood how to properly analyze visual texts, the “Visual Rhetoric” project explores the various ingredients and techniques used in visual compositions. I used the book Compose, design, advocate , where there are several chapters, especially “Chapter 14: Analyzing posters”, devoted to helping students analyze different kinds of visual texts. I wanted to get my students to start thinking about all of the elements that go into visual compositions to show them how we are able to not only communicate orally but visually with others.

Literary Analysis - Catherine Lewis

This assignment is particularly useful within this syllabus approach when it is connected with a literary text written by a visiting author to the Purdue campus. Students are able to read an excellent literary text, compose an essay that is investigative and argumentative, and then, after becoming familiar with the text, attend a reading or discussion by the visiting author. This assignment allows students to see writing (and writers) as something tangible, something worthy of investing their efforts in. The Literary Analysis can also be used as a precursor to a larger research project; it allows students small-scale practice in the art of incorporating quotations and formatting citations.

Visual Rhetoric - Kim Myers

I assign this project as a conclusion to the visual rhetoric portion of our semester. After students learn how to analyze the productions of others (they can practice their analytical skills on ads, campus posters, and famous works of art), I tell them that they are to use the skills they’ve acquired to create their own piece. I’ve found that students really enjoy taking on the role of artist, and that they become much more interested in visual rhetoric when they’re attempting to convey a message about their own lives.

Critical Analysis - Adam Watkins