Unit Two: Conducting and Presenting Research

In Unit One, we studied rhetorical artifacts to excavate the ideologies and commonplaces embedded within them, reconstruct their rhetorical situations, and examine their rhetorical choices and appeals. In some ways, these artifacts can be frozen in their cultural moments, like rhetorical wooly mammoths, if you will. But ideologies never stay frozen. They shift and change with time and circumstance. In Unit Two, we will research the mutability of ideologies and practices over time and present this research compellingly in two formats: a TED-style recorded talk and a formal research paper.

Assignment 3: Paradigm Shift Research Paper

In this 7-10 page paper, your job is to identify, discuss, and analyze a “paradigm shift.” In addition to recognizing a certain kind of change and analyzing its potential meanings, you might trace the significant moments of this shift as well as discuss possible ramifications in terms of where our culture is heading and how we have come to view or value certain things.

The change you recognize might be a shift in civic life or practices and attitudes. You might consider philosophical or rhetorical shifts–how the way we think and talk about an issue, phenomenon, or group has changed over time. Maybe you see changes in the representation of different groups of people (in terms of ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, etc.) in film, television, art, and literature as particularly significant.

The point is that you will want to identify something new(er), tell your reader how it evolved out of and/or is different from something older, and explain how this portends a new set of ideas and values that are brought to bear on our culture. While you can certainly support your arguments with your own observations and examples, you should bolster your arguments strong and varied research, with at least eight distinct cited sources.

This paper should have a distinct thesis and should be rich in evidence that “proves” the shift, as it were. Be sure that you select a reasonable set of historical moments with which to work (e.g. the dawn of time until today will probably not work) and that you are not merely describing a technological change without treating its implications.

MINIMUM 8 SOURCES, TYPICAL 10-15 SOURCES

PARADIGM_SHIFT_RUBRIC

 

Assignment 4: TED Talk

For this assignment, you will develop a 4-5 minute talk that draws from the research on your paradigm shift paper, which you will present to a subset of the class. Developing a compelling talk from existing (and still unfolding) research is a critical skill, especially in academics. You will perform the presentation, the intention of which is to enlighten and compel your audience in the spirit of the best TED Talks.  Visual aids are required. Notes are not permitted during this presentation.

Your visual aid must be uploaded to the designated CANVAS folder by 8am the day of your presentation. Your outline must be handed to me prior to your presentation. Failure to turn in an outline prior to your speaking time will result in the loss of 20% of your grade. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Rubric1

Outline

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