Political language and belonging
A sample investigation of how slogans invite audiences into a shared identity.
Read sample →Student Investigations
College rhetoric students investigate how messages work.
Students analyze real communication artifacts, explain rhetorical strategies, evaluate truth claims, and imagine more ethical alternatives.
Publication principle: The graded assignment and public publication decision should remain separate. Students may choose a full name, first name, pseudonym, anonymity, or no publication.
Advertising and manufactured urgency
A sample investigation of scarcity, color, emotion, and consumer choice.
Read sample →Memes and hidden arguments
A sample investigation of humor, identity, and compressed persuasion.
Read sample →Recommended assignment structure
- Artifact: Identify the message, image, speech, video, or post.
- Context: Explain who created it, for whom, and under what circumstances.
- Rhetorical strategy: Analyze appeals, framing, language, style, and audience.
- Symbols and reality: Explain how the artifact constructs meaning.
- Truth analysis: Identify what is supported, distorted, hidden, or assumed.
- Ethical evaluation: Judge whether the communication is responsible.
- Alternative message: Show how it could communicate more truthfully or constructively.
- Reader challenge: End with one question inviting others to analyze.