2,100-2,400 Words
It will surprise no one that we are carrying the course’s interest in visual rhetoric all the way to the end, and, as is your professor’s preference, that you be given as much freedom as possible in designing a research and writing project that will engage you because it aligns with what might most interest you.
The simplest expression of what you must do for your research paper is as follows:
You must write a thesis-driven, argumentative paper that somehow relates to visual rhetoric and relies on credible, diverse sources.
If the reminder helps you, the simplest definition for visual rhetoric is the use of visual images to communicate meaning. This can mean aesthetics and design. Beyond that, though, be mindful of the larger context and the ways that culture and meaning are reflected, communicated, and altered by images.
In past iterations of the WRTR 1313 research paper, students were asked to choose from among a number of categories/themes for their paper, and, even though you are not limited to these, I reproduce that list below as a way to get you thinking.
1. Graffiti or Other “Banned” Print Images
2. Food/Beverage Ads (Including Tobacco, Alcohol, or Drugs)
3. Political Campaign Ads and Commercials, Cartoons, or Satire
4. Unboxing or Other YouTube Reality Shorts
5. Children as Ads or Ads Marketed to Children
6. Political Imagery and Symbolic Action on TikTok
7. Manipulated/deceptive Photos or Visual Media
The research element of this paper is critically important.– the topic i chose is political cartoons
You should expect to spend significant time using SMU’s library resources and researching to identify valuable sources that will offer your reader context and also cement your major and minor claims; being lackadaisical or lazy about your research is sure to be evident in a final product that will surely fall short of standards.
You are required to cite at least seven sources; at least two of those must be peer-reviewed and at least three of those will be images that will be built into your paper and analyzed in your writing.
Requirements for the Research Paper
-Must be clearly centered on investigating a question/problem relating to visual rhetoric and must clearly take a position.
-There must be a thesis, not just a statement of purpose, and the thesis of the research paper must be argument-driven, supported with clear premises, logical reasoning, and a sound, thorough argument.
-The paper must cite a minimum of seven sources.
-Including: At least two peer-reviewed sources.
-Including: At least three images.
Above is everything from my professor.
My topic of my essay is visual rhetoric in political cartoons
‘-How do famous political cartoons utilize visual rhetoric to effectively communicate messages and influence public opinion,
– 3 of the 7 “sources” are the photos of the cartoons!
-I need to use 4 of the sources attached, I have an extra but its not needed.
– I selected the time for it to be due at 2:00 AM so that I would have time to review it before brining it to my professor but let me know if thats too soon
–
I chose 3 famous ones to write about which I will link below -Cartoons – “Join, or Die” by Benjamin Franklin, The Bosses of the Senate” by Joseph Keppler,”The Crocodile” by Thomas Nast
thank you so much, I have a meeting with my proffesor for feedback on this paper tommorow so I need a paper to bring in and its final draft is due on Wednesday. Thank you so so much
