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last.updated 10.16.05

Visual Arguments: Writing Arguments

Purpose

Most everyone is familiar with how to read visual arguments. But since academic culture can be characterized as an essayist culture, most people have received little training in the production of visual arguments.

We will discuss the implications of bridging these disparate modes of communication, especially from a disciplinary perspective. Additionally, we will consider our strategies for reading visuals and think about how these pathetic appeals can be (re)shaped to think about strategies for visual production.

Before Class

• Read Gossett et al.'s "[Continuing to] Mind the Gap" [Kairos 7.3]
• Read R. Williams's Chapter 11 (How to Prepare Image Files for the Web), Chapter 12 (Typography on the Web), and Chapter 13 (Advanced Tips and Tricks)
• Prepare a handwritten sketch of your visual argument

Discussion

Williams and Tollett

• What questions do you have about Williams and Tollett's description of visuals for the web?

Gossett et al.

As a class we will discuss the following questions:

• What were the authors' argument? What is your response to this argument?
• What is your reaction to the presentation of this academic essay? What does the web offer to the scholarly article? What does it take away?
• Is this scholarly article a visual argument? Why or why not?
  
  
  
• What strategies would you use to read a visual argument?
• Of the reading strategies which ones can be turned into writing strategies? What would these writing strategies be?

Activity

Work on your visual argument. As you do so, the instructor will circulate the room to talk about your visual prewriting with you.