Project Prompt

Engaging in public discussion with an informed argument

The goal of this project is for you to apply all of the rhetorical analysis skills you refined during Project 2, and practice your new skill of framing analysis in an arena of public discourse. Lakoff (2004) contrasted framing models applicable to conservatives and liberals in order to encourage his audience of progressive activists to find ways to create solidarity between their own sub-groups. In what extends from Lakoff, Ryan and Gamson (2006) use a case study of a Rhode Island domestic violence awareness movement to illustrate that while framing is a crucial tool for social change, broader concrete efforts must also fuel the movement. With a focus just on the technique of framing, Entman (1993) proposes that the communication discipline could accumulate the wide variety of framing work to develop some inter-disciplinary theory. Entman (1993) diagrams the practice of "framing" to show that framing analysis could be systematized. The latter two articles provide specific descriptions of framing that could be used as basic tools for analysis of other texts.

Prompt: Building upon your rhetorical analysis skills, add framing analysis and website evaluation to investigate 2-3 websites. This is more of an analysis project than it is a formal writing assignment. Document your analysis in a journal format, and compose the short writing tasks as would be appropriate for the particular writing situation. For the subject matter of this project, you have a choice between four options, the first remains with the food issues, and the other three dip into Project 4. These options are:

(1) Food Movement (or other activist movement). Conduct a website evaluation, rhetorical analysis, and framing analysis of 2-3 (anti-)organic food movement websites. Post a planned targeted comment to each website based on analysis of other users' comments. Begin with http://michaelpollan.com or website for a movement of your choice with my approval.

(2) Job/Career. Conduct a website evaluation, rhetorical analysis, framing analysis of 2-3 job search websites related to your field, post a planned targeted comment, and compose a job inquiry. Begin with http://www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

(3) Internship. Conduct a website evaluation, rhetorical analysis, and framing analysis of 2-3 internship related websites relevant to your field, and post a planned targeted comment, and compose an internship inquiry. Begin with
http://www.glassdoor.com/Reviews/intern-reviews-SRCH_KO0,6.htm

(4) Grad School. Conduct a website evaluation, rhetorical analysis, framing analysis of 2-3 graduate school testing websites (GRE, LSAT), and analyze a set of five test questions, and compose a sample practice test essay. Begin with http://www.ets.org/gre/ or http://www.lsac.org/JD/LSAT/about-the-LSAT.asp

(5) An other option that we agree upon, such as a business plan, etc.