1. Advertisements, Political Cartoons & Other Messages
Visual Arguments
Advertisements, Political Cartoons & Other Messages

2. Let’s remind our brain…
What is an argument? Write down two things you remember about argument

3. What is a visual argument?
Anything we can see that makes a claim about the way things are or ought to be
Advertisements
Political Cartoons
Campaign Buttons/posters
Graphs/charts with a message
Others?

4. How to read a visual argument:
Ask yourself the following questions:
Who is sending the message?
Who is receiving the message?
What appeals does the text use?
What is the message?
What is the sender’s purpose?
What does the message look like?
What symbols are used?

5. For Example: Who is sending the message?
(Hint: in advertisements, look at who makes the product)

6. 2. Who is receiving the message?
(Hint: Where might this advertisement be found?)

7. 3. What appeals does the text use?
(Hint: is the ad logical, trying to get you to feel something, or discussing someone’s character?

8. 5. What is the message?
(Hint: If this ad could speak, what would it say to you, the viewer?)

9. 6. What is the sender’s intent?
(Hint: What does the company want the reader to think, see, DO?)

10. 7. What does the message look like?
(Hint: Who or what is in the ad? What is at the center? Background? Are there unusual items placed next to each other? Is there text?)

11. Let’s Try Again:

12. Good! Now how about this one?

14. Not an Advertisement, but Also a Visual Argument:

17. Nice Work. Now on your own for homework:
Find an visual argument for the 2012 election
Cut it out, paste it on paper
Answer the seven questions that relate to your ad/visual argument—try to place all of this on a single side of the paper
Name, date, period, etc. go on the back