Rhetorical Action Plan

In this blog post, I will start developing a rhetorical action plan by answering the questions on page 412-413 of Writing Public Lives. 

1. Audience: Who are you going to try to persuade with your public argument? Describe the following aspects of your audience in a few sentences:

• I am trying to reach and persuade the people who think that Common Core is the only and best option to go with for a change in schools. This group of people might include parents, government officials, the faculty of different organizations and even teachers. 

• Knowledge: What does the audience know about the topic, text, or idea? How do they know the topic (where do they get their knowledge from)? Do they have certain predispositions or opinions about the topic that you will need to address?
• The audience knows a lot about the topic, as they are already involved or well-versed on what Common Core is and what it plans on accomplishing. They get their knowledge from their own personal experience as well as their own research and findings of information. They might be biased either towards or against Common Core, due to their situation or experience with it. As I am attempting to reach some who are directly implementing Common Core into schools nationwide, I need to address that this specific set of standards does not have to be seen as the only option. I need to address the fallacy that this specific method will cure all of education's problems.
• Values: What do you know about the values, ideals, principles or norms (standards of conduct) that members of the audience might hold?
• I know that every audience member that I am planning on addressing values education and the students of our country. I know that they hold the student's future in their hands and they want to protect and assist in their journey through education. However, some might differ on political ideology or the broad definition of what academic success looks like. 
• Standards of Argument: What type of research or evidence do you think will be persuasive for your audience? How might you have to translate this research for them?
• The most persuasive research or evidence would probably be quotes and stories taken directly from students who are living and breathing Common Core. They are not only first-hand witnesses, but they serve as the group that these audience members are trying to care for and look after. If I can show that a lot of students are unhappy, stressed and saddened by the sudden changes in their curriculum, then the audience will probably respond positively towards my argument.
• Visual elements: What visual elements might your audience respond to? Why?
• If I include several interviews (videos, podcasts) of children talking about Common Core and pictures of such students, then this will cause a reaction out of my audience. Connecting a face to a story always evokes thought and emotion, because it humanizes the subject.
• Purpose: Why is your audience reading or listening to your argument? Are you trying to expand their understanding of an idea, encourage them to take action on an issue, challenge a long-held tradition or viewpoint, etc.? How likely is your argument to motivate your audience?
• They want to know what the public is saying about Common Core. I might be trying to do all three of these things. For example, I am trying to challenge some of them and their long-standing viewpoints on the subject, while expanding all of the audience's knowledge on the subject and on education which would subsequently encourage them to take action on the issue.

2. Genre #1: What form of writing will you use? After identifying your genre, list your answers for the following questions:

• I am most interested in writing an editorial for my public argument (see here and here). I am interested in the format and style.

• What is the function of the genre? What is it designed to do for your readers? Or, why did you choose it?
• The function of an editorial is to openly express the author's opinion on a specific subject, while being informative and instructive. The editorial is designed to persuade the audience to believe or at least consider believing as the author does. I chose it because I would love to personally explain my feelings and thoughts on Common Core, in a professional and rational way.
• What is the setting of your genre? Where could you see it being used? 
• The setting of an editorial can be anywhere from a magazine to a newspaper. I have seen it used in Time magazine, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, along with countless other examples.
• How might you use the rhetorical appeals we have studied--ethos (character), pathos (values/emotion), and logos (logical argumentation) in this genre?
• I might lean towards the pathos and ethos side of my argument in this genre, primarily because I feel like that is what an editorial's main purpose is. I will include my own narrative and thoughts on Common Core, as both a student and an education student, which will hopefully involve both pathos and ethos.
• What type of visual elements, if any, will you use in this genre? 
• For visual elements, most editorials include a picture of the author as well as a link to a bio. I will probably follow this convention, as well as include other photos and media sources that are related and associated to my research and opinions. 
• What type of style (formal, informal, conversational, academic, etc.) will you use in this genre?
• For editorials, the writer uses an informal and conversational tone, with the inclusion of personal pronouns and narratives. I will be following this convention. 

Peter Moore. "My bookshelf (or a bit of it)." 05/25/2011 via Flickr.
Attribution Non-Commercial Share-Alike 2.0 Generic License.

Genre #2: What form of writing will you use? After identifying your genre, list your answers for the following questions:

• I am also considering using a podcast as my genre (see here and here). 

• What is the function of the genre? What is it designed to do for your readers? Or, why did you choose it?
• The function of the genre is also to inform, but in a professional manner. Usually a podcast involves a lot of audio information presented in different ways, such as interview and music. It is designed to allow the reader to take a break from written text, yet still provide a way to absorb information. It also can be a story-telling tool, that incorporates different voices and sounds, almost like a play or movie without the visual aspect. I would choose it to do something different and break away from a genre that involves written work. It would help the reader to visualize information creatively and individually.
• What is the setting of your genre? Where could you see it being used? 
• The setting is any news website, radio show or other source. I have seen podcasts broadcasted by NPR and Itunes, as well as other websites and sources.
• How might you use the rhetorical appeals we have studied--ethos (character), pathos (values/emotion), and logos (logical argumentation) in this genre?
• I would probably choose to embed clips of children and other people talk about the standards, which would evoke a strong emotional response from the crowd. Through the act of storytelling, I can appeal to the ethical side of the argument as well as incorporate statistics and information.
• What type of visual elements, if any, will you use in this genre? 
• There are no visual elements in this genre.
• What type of style (formal, informal, conversational, academic, etc.) will you use in this genre?
• In this genre, the style is mostly formal and academic, however, an incorporation of a narrative or story would make it more informal and casual. It would help the reader connect to the argument and the author better. 

3. Responses/actions: Explain the possible actions that you would like your audience to take after they read or view your argument. 

• On a blank sheet of paper, make two columns: Positive Support and Negative Rebuttals. Then list out the potential positive and negative reactions to your argument
• Looking at the list, underline the negative rebuttals that you feel will be most important for you to address and briefly list the response to them. 
• Finally, trace out the potential chains of action that your writing might create. If for example, you wanted to "raise awareness" about an issue, draw a line from this point and list the potential actions that raising awareness might create. 

Positive Support

• agreement that Common Core is not the answer
• equal acknowledgement that the fundamentals of Common Core were valid
• appropriate recognition that there is a change needed in education
• encouraged outlook on the future of education
• understanding of what alternatives there are besides Common Core

Positive reactions:

• audience is persuaded that a child's educational learning process is an individual activity
• empathy for teachers and students
• passion for a revival in education
• significant recognition to those who are seeking to make a change in education

Negative Rebuttals

• Common Core is the only answer 
• education can be achieved universally, using the same methods
• anyone who is opposed to Common Core does not care about students and America's future

Negative reactions:

• bitterness towards those opposed to Common Core
• anger and pessimism about the future state of our country
• disrespect towards anyone not in favor of it 

Potential chains of action:

• knowledge of other options can lead to voting or moving towards a different alternative
• encouraged outlook on the future of education can help to boost school's and teacher's morales up, which may affect education positively

--Jenny Bello

REFLECTION:

After reading Addy and Rachel's blog posts, I reflected back onto my own rhetorical action plan. Both of them had a very clear view on what their audience is going to look like, and how they plan on approaching their audience. I really liked how both of them included such clear responses to the audience's potential reactions to their argument. This will be really beneficial to their writing in the near future. I haven't thought or considered how I am going to combat my audience's rebuttals as soon as I start writing, but I think I need to do that.