My Rhetorical Action Plan

The Curious Gnome. "George
Armstrong Custard" 02/22/2011 via
Wikimedia. Public Domain License.

"We're Americans.  We don't plan, we do!"  --Colonel Custard (Night at the Museum 2)

Unfortunately, my teacher does not let me live by this motto...

Audience

My argument will be addressed to parents and young couples.  This audience may know the basics of the controversy such as the event that sparked the talk and the ethical questions that people are raising.  They may have already started raising their own ethical concerns and may already have a fear of the technology.  Others may not have heard of the debate yet.  Those who have probably have seen articles shared on Facebook or seen news updates on TV. 

This group is going to have a strong concern toward this topic.  Through the very nature that most are not scientists but parents, they will probably be on the side that fears the future of the technology and wants the research to end.  Some probably already value some sort of “sacredness” to child conception, bearing, and birth.  Others may have had to use “unnatural” ways of conception and understand the necessity of science in child birth.  

I will definitely need to do the scientific research behind the controversy to fully understand the implications and consequences.  However, my audience will need to understand these consequences without hearing all the “science talk.”  I will also need to analyze the thoughts and opinions of the scientists involved in the controversy and present how these opinions pertain to them and the general public at large.

My audience will respond well to videos and articles with controversial pictures.  These people are going to want quick information and do not want to be overwhelmed by a lot of text.  These people most likely will not be already invested in the argument and aren’t going to want to spend a lot of time on the argument if it does not grab their attention quickly. 

The purpose of my argument will be to raise awareness and to settle fears or concerns.  I hope that by having awareness, they will be able to construct informed opinions and arguments.  I hope that they will take action in joining the debate themselves, because the scientists who seem to hold all the power will only be influenced if the general public starts voicing their opinions.  In addition, these opinions cannot be reactionary opinions, but well informed arguments.

Genre

I could make a short Facebook video that can be shared quickly.  This genre is designed to provide quick information that requires little effort from the reader.  It is also something that this audience will encounter on a daily basis.  The video could really be on any social media site.  This gives it the possibility of going viral.

The ethos will come from the professionality and quality of the video.  It does not have to look like an expert made it, but it needs to look like one spent a lot of time on it.  The pathos will come from the music of the video and the inflection and tone of the narrator.  The logos will come from the facts being presented will helpful visuals.  If the video enhances understanding, the logos will come through.

I will use many graphics and pictures that help explain the science behind the controversy and how the future consequences will proceed.  This may involve maps or word bubbles chains.  I will use a friendly approach to establish a connection with my reader, but my tone will also be professional as I want to sound informed.

A social media video may look like this or this.

I could also use an article published on an online forum.  These articles can be easily accessed by smartphones and are often shared on news apps.  These articles are meant to give quick information and not be cluttered with lots of facts and figures. 

The ethos will come with effective presentation and grammatical structures.  If the paper looks like it was designed with the audience in mind, they will be more inclined to read it and believe it.  The pathos will come from the use of personal stories that are shared.  These stories will make the article sound more like a conversational piece than an essay.  The logos will come through the cohesiveness of the article and the organization of the points presented.

This article will begin with a large picture that has a strong emotional appeal.  It will also be interspersed with pictures and helpful visuals that break up the reading.  This article will use a formal tone that establishes authority on the topic.  It will also be conversational so that the audience knows that they need to start forming their own opinion.

It might look like this or this.

Positive Reactions

I hope people would take the information and understand the impact it has on their own lives.  I hope that they then use this understanding to join the argument.  Nothing is going to change if the public is not getting their voice out there.  I also hope people are angered by either what I say or the controversy that is going on.  This may spark them to do their own further research.  Another outcome would be that people actually start looking to change laws by starting petitions.

Negative Rebuttals

People may think that they have no voice.  They may be angered by the proposal to speak out and say that scientists hold all the power.  Others may say that you cannot stop the flow of progress.  Another rebut may be that the technology has no application to them as America has already been banned from the research.  I will need to show the direct correlations that the controversy is having on America and how the public’s lack of action is making the controversy worse.


Reflection:

The one part of my plan that is lacking is the reactions that I think will come from my argument.  After reading Jovanka's blog and Allison's blog, I realized that I more than just considering what possible reactions there might be, I need to consider what reactions I WANT to see.  From here, I can then manipulate my audience into feeling these things.  This has shifted my purpose a little in which I want to take a stronger approach.  More than just trying to comfort my audience, I want to show them that the future of this technology is not as bleak as people are making it out to be.