17 Aug To begin, you will take a stance and develop your argument based on the information you have gleaned from the first and second projects.
To begin, you will take a stance and develop your argument based on the information you have gleaned from the first and second projects. Then, you will identify your audiences; that is, you will decide what audiences would (or should) respond to your argument. Think about our conversations for project 2 about who has the ability to do something about the issue/problem you are taking a stance on. For this project, you are required to address at least two unique audiences (e.g. doctors AND patients; teachers AND parents; athletes AND coaches; city council members AND constituents). Both audiences do not need to be addressed in a single composition, as long as at least two are addressed amongst your two compositions. Making your audience more concrete and specific will make your rhetorical task easier and will result in a more successful project.
Once you have identified your audiences, you will want to consider which two genres will be most effective for reaching your chosen audiences. Your genres are your choice, but this choice should be informed by your analysis and assessment of your rhetorical situation. Additionally, at least one genre needs to be primarily not text-based (visual or audio). Finally, you will compose your two genres, developing a cohesive argument that will target the specific audience you identify.
In addition, you will write a rationale that explains the rhetorical choices you made when composing in each genre and how you see those choices as effective for your purpose, audience, and context. You should explain not only what you did but also why you did what you did. Finally, your rationale should evaluate the effectiveness of your choices (as indicated by feedback you received on drafts), acknowledging when something didn’t work as you intended. (Acknowledging something not working does not mean that you have failed as a composer; but instead reflects on the ability to critically think about your choices as a communicator). A rationale is not like a research paper or rhetorical analysis, so it can be more reflective and personal, and though it explains what you are trying to convince your audiences to do in your compositions, it does not need to have a thesis statement.
