Paper 2

Dr. Gass

SpCom 535

Spring 2009

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Objective: Your second paper should co= nsist of a context-based analysis of persuasion.= You should select a specific context, setting, or arena in which persuasion or compliance-gaining takes place and examine the range of strategies and tactics used both by those seeking to influence and those seeking to resist influence attempts. Explain how persuasion functions within that context, e.g. what “makes it tick.”

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Y= our task is to identify the primary strategies, tactics, and forms of influence that characterize influence attempts in the particular context you’ve chosen. You should also demon= strate that you are conversant with the scholarly literature related to that conte= xt. Your paper should reflect your gra= sp of theories, concepts, and processes central to the particular context.

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Y= ou should identity dependable, if qualified, generalizations related to the context you’ve chosen. = Try to reconcile inconsistencies among studies and identify commonalities across s= tudies. If there are important limitations= or qualifications that need to be attached to the generalizations you've identified, point them out.

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Possible Persuasive Contexts= :

activist art as persuasion

adolescent/ peer influence

blogging, the blogosphere

begging, panhandling

charitable fund-raising and philanthropic giving

child abduction, "stran= ger danger" programs

child-parent, parent-child influence

cinematic persuasion

classroom compliance-gaining=

courtroom persuasion (narrow= to a more specific context)

cult conversion and deprogra= mming

D.A.R.E. program<= /span>

food server-restaurant patron relationships

Health awareness and risk prevention campaigns

infomercials

intimates and compliance-gai= ning

intercultural or cross-cultu= ral compliance gaining

organizational compliance-ga= ining

physician-patient relationsh= ips

police interrogation

political attack ads

political/editorial cartoons=

presidential debates

product placement (in TV, ci= nema)

public health/ awareness cam= paigns (seat belts, smoking cessation, condom usage, Just Say No, etc.)=

retail sales transactions

sexual compliance gaining and resisting

support groups, 12 step prog= rams, self-help organizations

social networking sites (MyS= pace, YouTube)

&nbs= p; social movements (animal rights, pro-life, etc.)

&nbs= p; telemarketing

&nbs= p; Web advertising, on-line marketing

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Parameters: Your paper should demonstra= te that you possess graduate level writing skills. By that I mean that the quality of= your writing is such that you can produce "conference quality" papers.= Your writing should also reflect y= our critical/analytical thinking skills, your ability to grasp theories, unders= tand concepts, and recognize interrelationships.

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Y= our paper should be approximately 10-15 pages in length, typed, and double-spac= ed, not counting references. Your= paper should be free of grammatical errors and carefully proof-read for typing, spelling, and punctuation. Hi= nt: It never hurts to have someone else proofread your writing. Your paper should conform to A.P.A. guidelines. The paper is wort= h 15% of your course grade.