
PROOF AND PERSUASION:
The Rhetoric of Scientific Integrity
FALL 2023
© 2023 by Cynthia Shearer
CYNTHIA SHEARER
419-H REED HALL
BOX 297700
TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
PHONE EXT: 817.257.6593
ENGLISH 20803 - WRITING AS ARGUMENT
Section 63:MWF @ 2 p.m. in Reed 221
Cynthia Shearer, Instructor
OFFICE HOURS: 1 - 2 p.m. MW in Reed 419_H
WARRANT-BASED ARGUMENT
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
In this unit, you will write a short paper that demonstrates your understanding of how frames and warrants apply to argument. You will rely on your knowledge about different types of frames and warrants either to produce your own argument, or to analyze someone else's argument.
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Page limit:5, including reference list
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Source limit: 3(warrants, primary sources)
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Documentation requirement: APA style
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Due Date: March 31, + 2-day grace period
Option A: Analyze someone else's frames and warrants:
Describe and evaluate the frames and warrants used in one of these:
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any documentary of your choice on your research topic
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a think tank white paper or meta-analysis of your choice
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any single feature film that targets children: Disney, Pixar, etc.
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any single video game/series
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any single reading you've done for other classes
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any Harry Potter novel
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Any "superhero" film, graphic novel, or comics series.
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any book, feature film or television series that had a profound effect on shaping your values
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any perception management or branding campaign (3 ads) of your choice
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any perception management campaign that uses the "freedom" frame (credit cards, autos, travel, etc.)
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any military recruitment campaign that targets young people (U.S. Department of Defense, Isis, etc.
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any propaganda campaign pertaining to your topic or not
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Taylor Branch's essay, "The Shame of College Sports"
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Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
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Richard Feynman's 1973 commencement speech, "Cargo Cult Science"
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John F. Kennedy's 1963 American University commencement speech
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Documentary film we viewed in class, Merchants of Doubt
Option B: Write your own original argument using frames and warrants to persuade:
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Write a letter to a responsible party advocating a change based on your topic research, using 3 warrants as reasons.
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Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper advocating a change based on your research, using 3 warrants as reasons.
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Write a script/speech advocating a change, that you could use for cue cards to record yourself presenting, (podcast or video), that you could use on your website later.
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Write a speech for a hypothetical politician to present, based on your research, using 3 warrants to persuade the public to embrace a change.
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Write a "treatment" for a documentary film you could make, based on your research, using 3 warrants to persuade.