Propaganda Critique

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Directions: Write an essay analyzing one of the following two ads. To achieve coherence and depth, don't simply list propaganda tactics used. Creat a central argument which identifies the main propaganda strategy and critique it carefully in parts in your support. Consider the target audience, the relation between image and text, and any other questionable technique used to "sell" the idea, including logical fallacies, bogus claims, slanting, loading terms, misrepresentation, cliches, euphemisms, slogans, imagery, tone, and style. Your language is part of your grade: proofread your essay carefully for grammar, punctuation, and missing words.

Good afternoon.

I suggest using an outline to help you get started with this essay. First list your main points that you want to make in your essay. You probably want to use individual propaganda strategies for this part, as that is what your instructor has directed. Once you have listed those, under each one list examples of your main point. You can include things such as imagery in the ads and tone here. The next step is to list other supporting details from the ads that will bolster your main points; bogus claims or the target audience for exmaple. I suggest working on two seperate outlines, one for each ad; as we work towards a final draft we can merge the two together.
Your outline skeleton should look something like this:

THESIS STATEMENT
INTRODUCTION
I. MAIN PILLAR/IDEA 1
a.) First example
i) First supporting detail of how first example supports main pillar/idea 1
b.) Second example
ii) Second supporting detail of how second example supports main pillar/idea 2
CONTINUE AS LONG AS NECESSARY

II. MAIN PILLAR/IDEA 2
a.) First example
i) First supporting detail of how first example supports main pillar/idea 1
b.) Second example
ii) Second supporting detail of how second example supports main pillar/idea 2
CONTINUE AS LONG AS NECESSARY

III. MAIN PILLAR/IDEA 3
a.) First example
i) First supporting detail of how first example supports main pillar/idea 1
b.) Second example
ii) Second supporting detail of how second example supports main pillar/idea 2
CONTINUE AS LONG AS NECESSARY

CONCLUSION/ENDING STATEMENT

BIBLIOGRAPHY/WORKS CITED PAGE, IF REQUIRED

I hope this helps you get started.

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com

how do i make a thesis sentence?

Good morning :)

A thesis statement is a sentence or two that makes an overall declaration regarding your stance that you will be writing about. It is a condensed version of your paper; sometimes it offers an answer to a question; other times it chooses a side in an argument. No matter what, it clearly explains your stance on your topic.
An example could be, "Children should not be placed on psychotropic medication, no matter how extreme their condition is." This tells my reader my stance on a topic, and gives them a good idea what my paper is going to be about.

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com

Attached on merging:
Propaganda Critique essay

is my title in bold ok? is my grammar and stuff ok? did i follow the directions to this essay?
Directions: Write an essay analyzing an ad. To achieve coherence and depth, don't simply list propaganda tactics used. Creat a central argument which identifies the main propaganda strategy and critique it carefully in parts in your support. Consider the target audience, the relation between image and text, and any other questionable technique used to "sell" the idea, including logical fallacies, bogus claims, slanting, loading terms, misrepresentation, cliches, euphemisms, slogans, imagery, tone, and style.

Tactics Used in the NORML Ad

Majority of the ads use persuasion to get the viewers' attention in buying the products, endorsements, or for support. The ads used tactics like bogus claims or appeal to authority to make whatever product is being sold to have more creditability. The ad appeals to people depending on the interest garnered by the product towards the viewers'. Ads used statistics that has no possible meaning to the actual numbers used by reliable sources. The ads create false numbers in hope of gaining support to fight for their cause or endorsements. The ad is trying to say that the laws of marijuana use need to be changed. The ad is not completely effective in getting its message across about the laws of marijuana use needing to be updated because it provides a lot of bogus claims to gain the viewers' support.

The ad exhibit the used of ad hominem with a bit of false analogy. The title of the ad has demonstrated the use of ad hominem by criticizing that the people are getting arrested just for using a herb when Queen Victoria uses it for cramps. Making a comparison between getting arrested and having cramps are completely two different things. Making such a caparison doesn't prove a point since it has no relevance. The title makes it appear that there should be something done so the people wouldn't end up in jail just for using a herb. Yet, there are other illegal uses of drugs that people use besides marijuana. The ad criticizes Queen Victoria for her strict moral righteousness. Many people are being put in jail just for using marijuana when Queen Victoria uses it herself.

The ad draws attention to the viewers' by the image and its text size. The size of the title is bigger then the smaller text to get the viewers to notice the ad. The ad uses a person in an authorative position to show creditability. The ad uses appeal to authority by showing Queen Victoria to get the viewers' attention. The ad uses Queen Victoria because she is a famous person in her time. Queen Victoria values moral righteousness. The ad has an image of Queen Victoria using a herb in her left hand and a wand in her right hand. The image shows her either enjoying the marijuana or just having cramps which makes the viewer question about the image. The ad gives creditability to an 1894 Indian Hemp Commission on the effectiveness of marijuana use and the legislators who want to change the law of marijuana for those who possess marijuana to avoid going to prison. The 1894 Indian Hemp Commission is so outdated that it has no relevance to the present time. There will always be new studies of marijuana use.

Ad populum is used to put pressure on people to gain their support in their cause. The first three paragraphs used nice tactics to get the reader's attention. It gives a list of other names for the herb that would make the reader wonder why there are so many names of the herb. It provides an incomplete claim because it doesn't show what the point of the first three paragraphs are. Throughout the article, there is no mentioning of the names, which makes the reader wonder about the reason for the names being there in the first place. The fourth paragraph refers to a large number of people having to use the herb and is still increasing. It provides a bogus claim because there is nothing to show how the numbers are increasing and how many numbers of people are using the herb. The numbers could be increasing or decreasing each year with an unofficial amount of its uses.

The ad shows a used of appeal to tradition. The study of marijuana has being used for ages and it is harmless to people. Marijuana uses goes as far as to the time of Queen Victoria. The laws of marijuana uses is so old that it needs to be change. In the last paragraph, the NORML refers that its organization is helping to change the law on marijuana and to educate the public about marijuana. In order to help change the law on marijuana and to educate the public that the organization require help by donating some money. The ad uses this method to grab the attention of people who believes in educating the public about marijuana to get our money.

The ad creates claims that are out of the question. There are no reliable sources for its use on statistics. The ad provides other names that people have no clue to what the point is. The ad rarely provide any reasonable facts about marijuana uses. This ad appeals to people who are already using marijuana.

Good morning :)

In regards to the title, if "NORML" is the name of the object being advertised, the structure of the title should be:

Tactics Used in the "NORML" Advertisement

"A majority of ads use persuasion to get the viewers' attention to buy products, make endorsements, or to gainsupport in a campaign. The ads use tactics like bogus claims or appeals to authority to make whatever product is being sold have more creditability. The ad appeals to people depending on the interest garnered by the product. Ads use statistics that have no possible meaning to the actual numbers used by reliable sources This statement is very confusing; I'm not sure why it's in here or really what it relates to. Please clarify. The ads create false numbers (How? What kinds of false numbers? Are you trying to say their research is shoddy? If so, maybe you could put something in here saying that; "The dishonest portrayal of faulty research is used to gain support for a specific product or point of view, giving viewers a false foundation upon which to base their own opinions"; or something like that. ) in hope of gaining support to fight for their cause or endorsements. The ad is trying to say that the laws of marijuana use need to be changed. The ad is not completely effective in getting its message across about the laws of marijuana use needing to be updated because it provides a lot of bogus claims to gain viewers' support.

The ad exhibited the used of ad hominem with a bit of false analogy. The title of the ad has demonstrated the use of ad hominem by criticizing that the people are getting arrested just for using a herb when Queen Victoria uses it for cramps. I'm not familiar with the ad; is it showing Queen Victoria in her own time, or have they placed her in modern times? If they are showing her in her own time period, make sure you keep with the past tense: "...people were arrested for using an herb, while Queen Victoria used the same herb for cramps." If they have placed her in today's setting, it should be: "...are getting arrested just for using the same herb that Queen Victoria uses for cramps.") Making a comparison between getting arrested and having cramps are completely two different things (From what you describe, it doesn't sound like they are comparing marijuana use and cramps; it sounds like they are trying to illustrate their anger towards what they see as the injustice that is putting people in jail for using a "medication" that a noblewoman used to relieve her pain. Sort of a, "If a Queen used it and it helped her, why can't we use it?" way of thinking. If they are making a clear cut comparison between cramps and jail time, to avoid confusion in your reader you should better describe the action of the ad, unless they are going to watch it immediately before reading your paper) . Making such a caparison doesn't prove a point since it has no relevance. The title makes it appear that there should be something done so the people wouldn't end up in jail just for using an herb. Yet, there are other illegal drugs that people use besides marijuana. The ad criticizes Queen Victoria for her strict moral righteousness. Many people are being put in jail just for using marijuana when Queen Victoria uses it herself.

The ad draws viewers' attention by image and text size. The size of the title is bigger then the smaller text in the ad's content to get the viewers to notice the ad. The ad uses a person in an authoritative position to show creditability. The ad uses appeal to authority by showing Queen Victoria to get the viewers' attention. The ad uses Queen Victoria because she is a famous person in her time. Queen Victoria values moral righteousness. The ad has an image of Queen Victoria using an herb in her left hand and a wand in her right hand. The image shows her either enjoying the marijuana or just having cramps which makes the viewer question relevance of the image. The ad gives creditability to an 1894 Indian Hemp Commission on the effectiveness of marijuana use and the legislators who want to change the law for those who possess marijuana to avoid going to prison. The 1894 Indian Hemp Commission is so outdated that it has no relevance to the present time.

Ad populum is used to put pressure on people to gain their support in their cause. The first three paragraphs used nice tactics to get the reader's attention. It gives a list of other names for the herb that would make the reader wonder why there are so many names of the herb. It provides an incomplete claim because it doesn't show what the points of the first three paragraphs are. Throughout the article, there is no mention of the names, which makes the reader wonder about the reason for the names being there in the first place. The fourth paragraph refers to a large number of people having to use the herb , which is still on the rise. It provides a bogus claim because there is no supporting research or data to show how the numbers are increasing and how many people are using the herb. The numbers could be increasing or decreasing each year with an unofficial amount of its use.

The ad shows a use of appeal to tradition. The study of marijuana has been used for ages and it is harmless to people. Marijuana use goes as far back as to the time of Queen Victoria. The laws of marijuana use is so old that it needs to be changed. In the last paragraph, NORML mentions that its organization is helping to change the law on marijuana and to educate the public about marijuana; in order to do this, the organization requires help by taking supporters' donations. The ad uses this method to grab the attention of people who believe in educating the public about marijuana to get our money.

The ad creates claims that are out of the question. There are no reliable sources for its use on statistics. The ad provides other names that people have no clue to what the point is. (How about "The ad uses various unfamiliar names when referring to marijuana, resulting in viewers' confusion.") The ad rarely provides any reasonable facts about marijuana use, and this ad appeals to people who are already using marijuana."

You make some good observations and analysis here; it seems like you are writing this piece to someone who has seen the ad recently or will be in the immediate future because you make light reference to the scenes in it. Is this a print ad or a televised one? Be careful that you don't take for granted your reader's familiarity with your topic and leave out large parts of content. If your readers have seen the piece, then you don't have to go into much detail about the main tenets of the piece; if they haven't though, remember the only way they can understand your reaction to something is if they understand the object that caused it as well.

Regards,
Gloria
Moderator, EssayForum.com