(no subject)
Some notes to help you out while you're writing paper #4. This is pretty much what I went over in class today, with a little extra detail.
I. An Introduction. Your introduction should start generally. Maybe you will start by talking about the advertising industry, maybe you will talk about a specific type of product. Your paragraph should focus so that by the end of the paragraph, you introduce the specific ad your paper will talk about. At the end of the introduction, you should have a thesis statement. The thesis statement should state the message that you think the ad delivers to its intended audience.
II. A Description of the Ad. You should describe the advertisement as if your reader does not have the advertisement in front of her. Be as specific as possible, making sure to include both the images and the words.
III. Who is the Target Audience? Tell who the target audience of the advertisement is, and explain how you know this. Remember that the magazine you took the ad from can be an indication of the target audience (i.e., Cosmopolitan is intended for sexually-active women, ages seventeen to forty; Seventeen is intended for young women, ages fifteen to nineteen). Be as specific as possible. Don't just limit yourself to gender and age; include other factors of interest in your target audience.
IV. What Appeals Are Being Made to the Target Audience? Which of the "Fifteen Basic Appeals" are being made here? Also, if your target audience is female, are any of the points in Susan J. Douglas's argument valid here? If your target audience is female, are any of the points in Diane Barthel's argument valid here? Don't forget to use parenthetical citations for the material you quote from these essays!
V. What Message is Being Sent to the Audience? This paragraph should match your thesis statement. Everything in the paper has been leading up to this paragraph, explaining how you reached your thesis. You may want to write sections II-IV before you determine what your thesis is, then go back and write your introduction.
VI. Is the Ad Effective? If you are part of the target audience, does the ad make you want to try the product in question? Why/why not? If you are not part of the target audience, do you think it will make the target audience want to try the product in question? Why/why not? (Be very careful not to make assumptions here! A good way to avoid this is to find five to ten people who are part of the target audience, show them the ad, and ask them whether it makes them interested in trying the product.)
VII. Conclusion. Be very careful not to simply repeat your introduction here. Many people find that they can use point VI as an effective conclusion.
Although there are seven points here, this does not mean that you have to have seven paragraphs in the paper. Some of these points may take more than one paragraph, while other points can be combined into paragraphs.
I. An Introduction. Your introduction should start generally. Maybe you will start by talking about the advertising industry, maybe you will talk about a specific type of product. Your paragraph should focus so that by the end of the paragraph, you introduce the specific ad your paper will talk about. At the end of the introduction, you should have a thesis statement. The thesis statement should state the message that you think the ad delivers to its intended audience.
II. A Description of the Ad. You should describe the advertisement as if your reader does not have the advertisement in front of her. Be as specific as possible, making sure to include both the images and the words.
III. Who is the Target Audience? Tell who the target audience of the advertisement is, and explain how you know this. Remember that the magazine you took the ad from can be an indication of the target audience (i.e., Cosmopolitan is intended for sexually-active women, ages seventeen to forty; Seventeen is intended for young women, ages fifteen to nineteen). Be as specific as possible. Don't just limit yourself to gender and age; include other factors of interest in your target audience.
IV. What Appeals Are Being Made to the Target Audience? Which of the "Fifteen Basic Appeals" are being made here? Also, if your target audience is female, are any of the points in Susan J. Douglas's argument valid here? If your target audience is female, are any of the points in Diane Barthel's argument valid here? Don't forget to use parenthetical citations for the material you quote from these essays!
V. What Message is Being Sent to the Audience? This paragraph should match your thesis statement. Everything in the paper has been leading up to this paragraph, explaining how you reached your thesis. You may want to write sections II-IV before you determine what your thesis is, then go back and write your introduction.
VI. Is the Ad Effective? If you are part of the target audience, does the ad make you want to try the product in question? Why/why not? If you are not part of the target audience, do you think it will make the target audience want to try the product in question? Why/why not? (Be very careful not to make assumptions here! A good way to avoid this is to find five to ten people who are part of the target audience, show them the ad, and ask them whether it makes them interested in trying the product.)
VII. Conclusion. Be very careful not to simply repeat your introduction here. Many people find that they can use point VI as an effective conclusion.
Although there are seven points here, this does not mean that you have to have seven paragraphs in the paper. Some of these points may take more than one paragraph, while other points can be combined into paragraphs.