The New Arts of Persuasion:

Contemporary Media, Communications, and Rhetoric

Week  1. (9/7 -- Naperville Classroom). Applied Communication Theory and Practical Rhetoric: "Who says what in which channel to whom and with what effects?" 

    Introduction to communication theory and classical rhetoric -- with added insights from psycholinguistics and cognitive science. 

Introduction to the media theories of Marshall McLuhan and the semiotic approach to media studies of C.S. Peirce, Roland Barthes, Umberto Eco, et.al.--with examples, glossary, and practical exercises. Additional material on assessing the character and credibility of message senders; content analysis; discourse analysis. 

Principles of style, organization, and message design in contemporary print and electronic media.

A comparison of classic and contemporary examples of message design: media examples to include The New York Times, USA Today, and The Chicago Tribune; ads and articles in Wired magazine and in recent fashion and consumer magazines; selected Websites, posters, and TV spots.  

Review and critique of "old-fashioned" (i.e., text-based, "linear") information design and message presentation vs. contemporary "new-media" (i.e., electronic, interactive, image-centered, "non-linear") designs. 

A comparison of classic rhetorical methods of persuasion with the techniques and strategies employed in contemporary advertising and political campaigning. 

Related discussion topics will include arguments and emotional appeals; rhetorical devices; propaganda analysis; so-called "subliminal" ads; infomercials; product placement; branding; semiotic and "deconstructionist" approaches.

A review of basic strategies for organizing and displaying complex information--from simple lists and tables to extremely complicated and information-rich maps, charts, and diagrams. 

An overview and practical demonstration of how to apply theoretical models of communication, rhetoric, media analysis, and message design to live-audience settings in business and the corporate office and in the world of art and entertainment.

Note: There will be no reglar class meeting and no new assignments scheduled for this evening. However, all exams and term projects must be completed and submitted to the instructor by this date.