The New Arts of Persuasion: Contemporary Media, Communications, and Rhetoric

Syllabus

Course Number: 379
Department: 76
Sections: 701, 702, 703
Dates: Thur., 6:30-9:30pm; 9/7 to 11/9
Campus: Naperville
Credit Hours: 4
 

Faculty:  David L. Simpson
Voicemail:  (312)  362-5945 ext. 3978
Phone: (708) 798-7570
Fax: (708) 798-7577
HyperNews 

A course in media studies, business and professional communication, and contemporary message design. (Note: The course will meet in a regular classroom  for eight sessions and online for two.) Study and discussion will cover: (1) the evolution of modern media (from print and book publishing to TV and the Internet) and their impact on society and culture; (2) the theory and practice of persuasive communication--as exemplified in a variety of forms from campaign debates and business memos to TV commercials and political cartoons; (3) essential principles of effective professional and technical communication--examined mainly from the standpoint of classical rhetoric but also in the light of recent developments in communication theory, cognitive science, and psycholinguistics. 

A main emphasis of the course will be to show how classical models of rhetoric (originally designed to guide the composition and evaluate the effectiveness of ancient oratorical and literary works) still provide an excellent framework for understanding modern media and improving information-age communication skills. 

Note: Students in this course are not expected to be experts in advanced web procedures and HTML; they must, however, have Internet access and email accounts and must be able to perform basic searches and downloads.

Demonstrating Competence

Students enrolled for WW or F-X should be seeking to improve business writing and professional communication skills. Instruction will be designed mainly for intermediate or more advanced writers--and especially for those who face a variety of business communications tasks on a daily basis. To demonstrate competence, students will work independently or in two-person teams to produce an office-quality document, presentation, or video. 
 
 

Students enrolled for HC-D or H-2-G will be required to produce a  6-8 page critical essay, analytic study, or historical overview examining the cultural impact of any popular modern medium--from radio and TV to ezines and comic books. 
 

Students will be able to demonstrate AL-F or A-1-X competence through a range of negotiable projects--from poetry readings to film reviews . For example, they may choose to write a critical or expository essay examining some aspect of contemporary entertainment or artistic media (such as computer animation or special cinematic effects). Or they can produce a video or audiotape, a TV script or screenplay, a song lyric or stand-up routine--indeed any artifact in any medium so long as it demonstrates or explains how the medium may be used for artistic expression or popular entertainment. 

Course Objectives. In line with the competence statements, the principal aims of the course are: 

1. To introduce students to the basic principles and elements of traditional rhetoric, with particular emphasis on that discipline's fundamental insight: namely, that the crucial goal in any communications task is to capture and maintain the audience's attention.

2. To improve student writing abilities (particularly in the area of style and organizational skills) by providing clear and effective guidelines and advanced practical instruction. 

3. To provide a vocabulary and critical tools for analyzing the operations and effects of modern communication systems and media. 

4. To introduce basic skills and techniques for designing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating messages. 

5. To provide introductory-level practical experience in techniques of oral presentation, electronic communication, information design and page layout, and Internet publishing. 

Assignments will be graded mainly on content.  However, to receive a grade of "A," student projects must exhibit superior organization and style. 

DePaul Policy on Academic Integrity:

 Note: All students enrolled  in this course are responsible for knowing and upholding the university's policy on academic integrity as outlined in the DePaul Student Handbook. 

Resources, Learning Tools:  In addition to various online and new media materials, students will also be introduced to established "old media" (i.e., print) resources and sample some of the latest innovative developments and artistic applications in the world of film, magazine layout, and electronic pubishing. 
 

Recommended Texts: 

Cobley, Paul and Litza Jantz. Introducing Semiotics. New York: Totem Books, 1997. 

Heller, Steven and Karen Pomeroy. Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design. New York: Allworth Press, 1997. 

McLuhan, Marshall. Understanding Media. 1964. Rprt. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1994.

For further reading and research suggestions see the Reference Shelf
 

Recommended Films and Videos: 

The Candidate (1972) 
All the President's Men (1976) 
Network (1976) 
Being There (1979) 
Videodrome (1983) 
Broadcast News (1987) 
Wag the Dog (1996) 

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.