Post 12

Wardle provides three “modes of belonging” that newcomers to a discourse community use to connect with more experienced members and the topics and issues of the overall community. The three modes are engagement, imagination and alignment.

Engagement is the interaction and relationship building between newcomers and old-timers. In order to position oneself as part of a community, a connection must be made among members. Newcomers to the baseball fan community strive to be part of their team of choice’s fan base. However, acceptance into these groups is commonly difficult. To newcomers, old-timers appear to speak another language when discussing baseball. It is best for the newcomer to engulf his or herself in the lexis of the group to learn and be able to communicate with the rest of the community.

Imagination is the newcomer’s ability to expand his or her knowledge of an anterior community. A newcomer has to imagine a world ensconced from the everyday that revolves completely around baseball. This alternative way of thinking helps new members understand the community on more than just a superficial level.

Alignment is fitting into the group by finding common ground between members. To fit into a baseball fan community, it is expected that one knows several different pieces of information: an understanding of the rules and strategy of the game; at least a general recognition of the sport’s top players; knowledge of one’s favorite team; and a passion and love for baseball.

The hardest part of enculturing for a newcomer is learning the rules and language of baseball. Baseball is one of the most complicated and strategic sports played in the United States. The terminology itself is like another language to someone new to it.  Usually people become baseball fans in their childhood because it is such a traditional, nostalgic sport. This is the best time to learn the discourse of the community because the retention rate is much higher than later in life. Once a person learns the lexis and rules of baseball, it is then just keeping up with the news to see what changes are made in the MLB.

Post 11

When reading the characteristics and definitions of discourse communities in Swales’s "The Concept of Discourse Community," I immediately thought of the community of Major League Baseball fans. This group communicates in a very distinct and technical way, making it a salient community compared to many others.

The first of Swales’s characteristics is that the community has a broadly agreed set of common public goals. Baseball fans form their community on a sense of pride in one’s hometown or favorite team and as a type of escapism from the stress of everyday life. Baseball is a nostalgic sport which appeals to a large audience.

The next characteristic is there must be mechanisms of intercommunication among its members. A baseball field during a game provides a location for fans to come together and bond over their favorite teams. There are also countless websites, forums, radio and television programs in which fans can discuss different topics pertaining to their teams.

Forums and call-in radio shows are examples of participatory mechanisms used by the community to provide information and feedback. These resources provide an interactive opportunity for fans to discuss their opinions to the rest of the community.

The fourth characteristic is the community has to utilize and hence possess one or more genre in the communicative furtherance of its aim. Within the baseball discourse community, each team consists of a micro-community that may use some unconventional discourse compared to the other smaller groups, but still embraces the overarching goals of the whole community.

The baseball community communicates with a specific, somewhat complicated lexis. Much of the conversation consists of statistical and historical information. Player statistics such as ERA, batting average, WHIP and on base percentage are just some of the topics to be understood in order to effectively communicate in the group.

The baseball discourse community ranges from experts to beginners. It consists of all races, ages and genders. Typically, loyal members of this community will remain an integral part until they die.

This community meets the requirements of being classified as a discourse community. All six characteristics are clearly represented and defined.

Post 10

If Baron would write a sequel to “From Pencils to Pixels” in 2012, he would have to leave out the statement, “how the computer will eventually alter literacy practices remains to be seen.” Technology has developed and spread dramatically over the past twelve years, severely impacting our literacy practices as a society. Although communication in terms of language has not changed significantly (with the exception of abbreviated texts and spell check), our exposure and accessibility to producing and receiving information has seriously increased. Social media and smartphones have made the flow of information, whether relevant or not, extremely rapid. Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and personal blogs allow anyone to be authors, journalists and writers to a massive audience. Also, with the creation of smartphones people are able to view any information they wish at any time and in any place. Older technological advances such as text messaging and AIM messaging have also changed the way our society practices literacy. These programs have switched communication from oral to more written or, more specifically, digital.

Much of the non-alphabetical composing that I do is through music and photography. Music is a way of telling a story in a non-linear fashion. Written essays and musical competitions share a certain rhythm and cadence when being constructed. They are both expected to have a consistent flow in order to be considered well done. Writing percussion pieces has allowed me to apply this melodic tone to my academic and professional writing.

Sharing photographs is another great example of non-alphabetical composing. A visual has all of the power of a written essay in that it allows the viewer to interpret a detailed understanding of the message being conveyed. When taking a picture, it is important to know the aesthetics of what you want to accomplish. This is similar to writing in that there are general constraints that must be appeased but also a certain amount of creative freedom.

Post 9

According to Shirley Brice Heath in her essay “Protean Shapes in Literary Events: Ever-Shifting Oral and Literate Traditions,” a literacy event is “a conceptual tool useful in examining within particular communities of modern society the actual forms and functions of oral and literate traditions and co-existing relationships between spoken and written language.” She adds that it is “any occasion in which a piece of writing is integral to the nature of participants’ interactions and their interpretive processes.”

In Trackton, the value of oral and written communications was shown by way of literacy events at church, work and in the community. Literacy events are extremely important to younger children in order to develop an understanding of communication and its function. Heath discusses several examples in Trackton including advertising, voter registration forms and putting toys together.

Sherman Alexie’s “Superman and Me” describes his literacy event in learning how to read by flipping through Superman comics. Another significant literacy event in Alexie’s narrative is the use of powwow songs sang in his Indian culture. These events helped in shaping Alexie’s knowledge and understanding of his community and society as a whole.

Alexie’s literacy event of using comics to learn how to read reminded me of my great aunt’s use of baseball on the radio to learn English. My Aunt Rose was an immigrant from Oritino, Italy who came to the United States without any grasp of the English language. Upon her arrival, she was able to learn the language by listening to broadcasts of Cleveland Indians games. These two literacy events are amazing examples of how pop culture influenced the development of communication skills.

Death of a Journalist: A Rhetorical Analysis of a Visual Argument

Death of a Journalist:

A Rhetorical Analysis of a Visual Argument

Journalism is one of the most underrated, yet essential professions in our society. Journalists are responsible for providing the basic understanding of the operations of local, national and global occurrences. It is intended to objectively inform the public on issues and topics that are both relevant and important to their everyday lives. The press serves as a watchdog for the government and its officials and keeps them in line when making and implementing policies. It is also the only profession clearly protected in the United States Constitution under the First Amendment. It is from this description that my image was created and publicized.

            My image consists of a news story posted on what appears to be a news oriented website with the headline, “Katy Perry Unfollows Russell Brand on Twitter,” accompanied by a picture of the two celebrities embracing each other. The headline leads into more text along the right side of the picture going into greater detail of the relationship’s tragic demise. The altered text in the image by the rhetor displays “R.I.P. Journalism” at the top and “1456-2012” at the bottom, acknowledging the death of journalism.

            When trying to fully analyze a piece of rhetoric such as this one, it is important to identify certain factors that combine to create an effective and persuasive message. These factors include the rhetor, exigence, audience and constraints of a visual argument. By being able to comprehend all of these constituents, we are prepared as viewers to formulate an informed response to the argument.

            In journalism school, one is taught that credibility is vital for writing believable and trustworthy articles. This also applies to the rhetor of a visual argument. If the communicator is superficial or careless in his or her efforts to properly check facts and connect with an audience, the piece of rhetoric being written or shown will become obsolete. This image first spawned at the website, weknowmemes.com, but the individual producer of the image is not credited. The website in which this image appeared is generally known for supplying sarcastic and humorous material that can rarely be taken literally. Although the website’s reputation would hardly make it a credible source, the underlying reasoning for some of its postings, such as this one, evokes a subtle yet identifiable problem that the reader can simply recognize.

            According to Laura Bolin Carroll’s essay “Backpacks vs. Briefcases,” it is crucial to understand a message’s exigence “because it helps you begin to discover the purpose of the rhetoric. It helps you understand what the discourse is trying to accomplish.” (49) For this image, the exigence is telling us that journalism is losing focus on newsworthy information and the very purpose of its formation. It suggests that tabloids and celebrity gossip are tainting the news feed of our pop culture and overshadowing more important social, political and economic issues. We live in a society that is so influenced by celebrities that we lose sight of real problems and topics. We care more about the personal lives of public figures than issues that seriously affect our everyday lives. This image is just one example of how news has turned more into a source of entertainment rather than what it was originally intended to do.

            Audience is very important when constructing a piece of rhetoric. Rhetors must know whom they are talking to in order to build a bond or connection with them through their message. The intended audience for this image is those that understand the value of traditional news and reporting. It is the people who do not get caught up the gossip of public figures and can separate what is relevant from what is nonsense. This audience tends to be more educated as citizens and news seekers.

            The last factor to consider when looking at a visual argument is the constraints that affect it. Carroll illustrates that “constraints limit the way the discourse is delivered or communicated.” (49) By knowing the constraints, rhetors can alter messages to fit within the confines of legal and intellectual hindrances. A constraint with this image, and with the media in general, is the concept of what constitutes news? There are so many different definitions of what is deemed “newsworthy” that, to some people, this information about Russell Brand and Katy Perry could be considered worth media attention. However this photo challenges the belief that celebrity action, especially in this miniscule act of unfollowing someone on Twitter, could be dubbed “newsworthy.” It is also constrained by the rhetoric of its genre, being a meme. Meme are typically seen as comical and not tenants of social change. The audience may overlook the problem addressed in the meme due to its facetious connotation.

            Another set of rules to apply to a visual argument in dissecting the meaning is the Greek artistic appeals: logos, ethos and pathos. These appeals allow the audience to gain insight into the argument being proposed and allow the arguer to construct a persuasive message adequately. These along with the constituents of rhetorical analysis help us to better design and evaluate visual arguments.

Logos appeals to the readers’ logical and intellectual side; Carroll explains it as an “argument from reason.” (52) This image appeals to our logic by sarcastically alluding to the contrast of traditional news and tabloid gossip. As the audience, we are able to decipher the dissonance illustrated in the picture by the added text declaring the death of journalism. This hints that because of celebrity news, journalism has become a business of gossip rather than the messenger to the public. Logically we are able to see the outrageousness highlighted in this picture.

As stated earlier, credibility is crucial on the part of the rhetor in attempting to persuade an audience. Credibility in this case is synonymous with the Greek appeal of ethos. Not knowing the creator of this piece pulls into question the image’s ethos. The author of the image could have been a journalist, news critic or everyday person. This uncertainty affects the audience’s cognition of the piece. However, the image is simply publicizing an issue in journalism that does not require the credibility of a specific political platform for example. The awareness conveyed through this image is profound enough still without the identity of the creator being known.

            Carroll explains the final appeal of pathos as, “emotionally manipulative or overly sentimental, but are very powerful when used in conjunction with the other two appeals.” (53) This image can evoke several emotions from its viewers. It is humorous, thus grabbing the audience’s attention easily. It may also evoke outrage over the thought of journalism being a celebrity-focused profession. There could be feelings of disappointment or sadness from the viewer for seeing this once revered and trusted part of society turn into a source of extraneous gossip.           

 Overall this image effectively gets its message across to the audience. It demonstrates that journalism has lost its focus on true news and has turned to entertainment over information. Although disappointing, the piece may also be intended as a call to action on the part of aspiring journalists. By building awareness of this problem, traditional journalists may step in to fix this issue of excessive coverage of celebrity personal lives and return the attention to important issues that affect our society.

Works Cited

R.I.P. Journalism Weknowmemes.com. 28 Jan. 2012 Web. 4 Feb 2012.

Carroll, Laura Bolin. “Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis.” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing Volume 1. 2010. Web. 29 Jan. 2012.

Post 8

According to Deborah Brandt’s “Sponsors of Literacy,” a literary sponsor is a person or institution that provides opportunity or guidance to someone in the hopes of benefiting in return either directly or indirectly. This relationship requires no sense of altruism. The main purpose for the sponsor’s involvement with the reader is to make him or herself look better.

Malcolm X encountered many sponsors in his attempt to become literate. While in prison, he was motivated to learn how to read and write out of envy toward a person named Bimbi’s “stock of knowledge.” Malcolm wanted to be able to express himself effectively, and the only way to do so was to learn English skills.

His main sponsors after Bimbi’s influence were Elijah Muhammad and the prison system. X admired Muhammad’s literature very deeply. Coming from an oppressive society toward minorities, it further inspired him to actively participate in the black power movement. The prison could be considered a sponsor because it supplied him with the materials to learn how to read with the belief that it would turn him into a more educated and law-abiding citizen upon his release.

X lived during a very discriminatory time when African Americans were being treated horribly. X’s race and low socioeconomic standing contributed to his eventual prison sentence. It was through these circumstances that he became literate. Also, the materials that he chose to read were materials that challenged the status quo and white superiority. This influence drastically affected X’s perception toward societal and cultural morals and obligations.

X’s sponsors constrained his literacy acquisition through being the products of an oppressive society. The prison industrial complex and teachings by such leaders as Muhammad operated due to injustices in racial equality. X was led to learn the atrocities perpetrated by white society and formulate opinions based on writing from the opposition. This relationship compelled X to become so vocalized in his attempt to correct these injustices.

Project 2 Rough Draft

Journalism is one of the most underrated, yet essential professions in our society. Journalists are responsible for providing the basic understanding of the operations of local, national and global occurrences. It is intended to objectively inform the public on issues and topics that are both relevant and important to their everyday lives. The press serves as a watchdog for the government and its officials and keeps them in line when making and implementing policies. It is also the only profession clearly protected in the United States Constitution under the First Amendment. It is from this description that my image was created and publicized.

            My image consists of a news story posted on what appears to be a news oriented website with the headline, “Katy Perry Unfollows Russell Brand on Twitter,” accompanied by a picture of the two celebrities embracing each other. The headline leads into more text along the right side of the picture going into greater detail of the relationship’s tragic demise. The altered text in the image by the rhetor displays “R.I.P. Journalism” at the top and “1456-2012” at the bottom, acknowledging the death of journalism.

            When trying to fully analyze a piece of rhetoric such as this one, it is important to identify certain factors that combine to create an effective and persuasive message. These factors include the rhetor, exigence, audience and constraints of a visual argument. By being able to comprehend all of these aspects, we are prepared as viewers to formulate an informed response to the argument.

            In journalism school, one is taught that credibility is vital for writing believable and trustworthy articles. This also applies to the rhetor of a visual argument. If the communicator is superficial or careless in his or her efforts to properly check facts and connect with an audience, the piece of rhetoric being written or shown will become obsolete. This image first spawned at the website, weknowmemes.com, but the individual producer of the image is not credited. The website in which this image appeared is generally known for supplying sarcastic and humorous material that can rarely be taken literally. Although the website’s reputation would hardly make it a credible source, the underlying reasoning for some of its postings, such as this one, evokes a subtle yet identifiable problem that the reader can simply recognize.

            According to Laura Bolin Carroll’s essay “Backpacks vs. Briefcases,” it is crucial to understand a message’s exigence “because it helps you begin to discover the purpose of the rhetoric. It helps you understand what the discourse is trying to accomplish. (49)” For this image, the exigence is telling us that journalism is losing focus on newsworthy information and the very purpose of its formation. It suggests that tabloids and celebrity gossip are tainting the news feed of our pop culture and overshadowing more important social, political and economic issues. We live in a society that is so influenced by celebrities that we lose sight of real problems and topics. We care more about the personal lives of public figures than issues that seriously affect our everyday lives. This image is just one example of how news has turned more into a source of entertainment rather than what it was originally intended to do.

            Audience is important when constructing a piece of rhetoric. Rhetors must know who they are talking to in order to build a bond with them through their message. The intended audience for this image is those that understand the value of traditional news and reporting. It is the people who do not get caught up the gossip of public figures and can separate what is relevant from what is nonsense. This audience seems to be more educated as citizens and news seekers.

            The last factor to consider when looking at a visual argument is the constraints that affect it. Carroll illustrates that “constraints limit

the way the discourse is delivered or communicated. (49)” By knowing the constraints, rhetors can alter messages to fit within the confines of legal and intellectual hindrances. A constraint with this image, and with the media in general, is the idea of what constitutes news? There are so many different definitions of what is deemed “newsworthy” that, to some people, this information about Russell Brand and Katy Perry could be considered worth media attention. However this photo challenges the belief that celebrity action, especially in this miniscule act of unfollowing someone on Twitter, could be dubbed “newsworthy.”