1. Argument & Advocacy

2. Why advocacy?
When we look at oral, written and visual communications we treat composing and designing as actions that do something in the world. Each time you communicate, you’re shaping your relationship with others. What you communication expresses what you value. So to talk about argument, it to talk about advocacy: how we can and should live our lives; what kind of world we want.

3. Advocacy is Rhetorical
Advocacy seeks to change situations, to shift attentions and attitudes and thus advocacy is rhetorical.
Yes, you can design SOPs and design plans for your advocacy projects.
These plans should include audience, purpose, context, strategies.

4. Audience in Advocacy
Distinguish between the people for whom advocacy is being carried out and to whom the advocacy is addressed.
Do no forget audiences who might resist your advocacy
Audience: Are you “for” or “with”?
Audience: Can you help others change from audiences to rhetoricians?

5. Purpose in Advocacy
Purpose: choose carefully among the wide range of purposes for advocacy > inform, persuade, design, think, change; complicate purpose.
Break a complex purpose into parts > will smaller, short-term purposes help you achieve your goals?

6. Context in Advocacy
Context requires creativity > remember Occupy Wall Street?
Successful advocacy stirs interest and motivates action
Might an unexpected context stir motivation and action?

7. Strategies in Advocacy
What media and arrangements will appropriately engage your audience and motivate action?
Don’t forget logos, ethos, pathos: how is the ethos of an organization shaped? How do organizations and corporations address their audiences emotionally or by what logic?

8. Research & Advocacy Purpose Audience Strategies Arrangement Medium
On what problem would you like to have a positive effect?
Does the project support your values and those of your community?
Who is in the best position to bring about the change you seek? What are your audiences opinions, beliefs, values?
What strategies will best help you seek relations with your audiences and between your audiences and others affected by the problem?
How does the arrangement(s) of your text echo the actions you wish to encourage among people?
Can everyone access the medium you are using? How does the medium help others see the problem anew?

9. In-Class Exercise

10. Homework
Wiki
Discussion