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Hi. I'm Sid Dobrin. This video addresses the Visual Argument Project that asks students
to argue what one of the four depicted flags argues.
The assignment requires students to complete two tasks: first, each student will have to
analyze the flag he or she selects. The chapter provides some information about reading arguments
in visuals. What I try to emphasize with students is the ways that we, as readers, impose meaning
on a visual like a flag. Thus, I want students to be able to express a more critical form
of analysis in which they explain why and how the flag conveys what the students claims
it depicts. That is, I want students to understand that they can't simply say "this flag means
this because it means this." I encourage them to avoid the circular argument.
One way that I encourage students to avoid this fallacy and to make their own claims
about the flags' meanings is to have them conduct research about the history of the
flag and how the flag has been used. This allows me to talk with students about how
the cultural situation in which the flag is used affects the meaning we read into the
flag. That is, I want them to understand that any argument we derive from any of the flags
is an argument we have imposed upon the flag and have circulated as a cultural visual literacy
as to what the flag inherently means. Second, I want students to relate their research
and understanding about the flag's claim by making a claim of their own about the flag's
meaning. The assignment, then, asks students to argue that the selected flag makes a specific
argument. Because good argument generally requires the
support of good evidence and analysis, this assignment tacitly assumes that students will
conduct research and will analyze the flag visuals in order to understand how they function
argumentatively in the situation. When I talk with students about the assignment,
I also ask them to think about whether or not it would be more effective for them to
use images of the flag to show the audience specific parts of the flag or to describe
the flag as they talk about it. As to assessing the argument about the flag's
meaning, you should be able to use the assessment rubric I've included. With this assignment,
be sure to emphasize the rhetorical knowledge part of the rubric, not just in the rhetoric
that students use to convey their argument, but the rhetoric that the flags employ. That
portion of the rubric associated with critical thinking is also a valuable emphasis when
addressing with students how you will assess their arguments. Because the assignment is
argumentative and many programs emphasize the importance of argumentation, I also try
to focus specifically on the knowledge of conventions and situational awareness parts
of the rubric. So, those are a few thoughts about the Visual
Argumentation assignment. Thanks for using Writing Situations and thanks for watching.