Proposition/Support Outlines Level of Expertise 2
What is the instructional strategy?
Proposition/Support Outlines are used with texts that have a particular viewpoint or hypothesis. A Proposition/Support Outline helps students to organize and analyze "the different types of evidence an author presents to support his proposition" (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998, p. 124). This outline allows students to become "critical readers" by helping them to identify different points of view, hypotheses, and theories used by authors in various writing pieces (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998, p. 124). Students and teachers use this strategy to spark discussion about facts, opinions, propositions, and arguments. The Proposition/Support Outline helps students to locate each of these components in a given passage and to determine the differences between the various types of support (such as facts, statistics, and examples).
Why does this strategy work?
This strategy works because it allows students to not only have a class discussion about the various components of a persuasive writing piece, but it also aids students in locating these components in a given written passage. In addition, this strategy helps students learn how to create and classify different types of supporting arguments (including facts, statistics, examples, expert authority, logic and reasoning). Since this strategy can be completed in pairs and small groups, students can work with their peers as they complete the outline, which can help to motivate them. Also, the passage used for this activity can relate to a topic that is particularly important to students (such as the drinking age or texting while driving). Reading and analyzing the arguments in a piece that contains interesting subject-matter can help to motivate and engage students in the strategy. Additionally, the large-group discussions and sharing can further help students to clarify their understanding of propositions and supporting arguments.
How does it work?
1) First, I will start a whole-class discussion of facts and opinions. I will explain how facts are different from opinions and will ask students to think of some examples of each. I will then explain that good persuasive writing (and PSA scripts) should include factual statements.
2) I will then introduce "propositions," or "statement(s) that can be argued as true" (Billmeyer & Barton, 1998, p. 124). I will provide students with some examples of propositions, divide students into small groups, and have each group create arguments to support one of the given propositions.
3) After the small groups have generated their arguments, I will ask each group to share their arguments. I will then provide students with a Proposition/Support Outline and the entire class will work to categorize the arguments into one of the types listed on the Proposition/Support Outline chart.
4) Once my students have practiced with the above activity, I will then ask them to complete a new Proposition/Support Outline based on chapter 4 (viewpoint 3) in Opposing Viewpoints: Advertising by Roman Espejo (Ed.). During and after reading, my students will complete the outline by categorizing the arguments that support the author's proposition.
5) After students have completed the outline, I will go over the outline sheet with them in order to analyze the type of support that the author uses in chapter 4, viewpoint 3.
6) I will ask students to keep these types of arguments in mind as they compose their PSA scripts.
Sources Referenced: Billmeyer & Barton, 1998; Espejo, 2010
What it looks like:
Name___________________________
Proposition/Support
Directions: Please complete this outline during and after reading chapter 4, viewpoint 3 (pp. 171-177) in Opposing Viewpoints: Advertising.
Topic: Advertising
Proposition: Product placement is becoming more sophisticated
1. Facts
- Companies are cutting their conventional ad budgets so as to put more money into product placement
- FCC wants broadcasters to let audiences know about product placements in each tv show
- Shows used to be produced by advertisers (i.e. "The Colgate Comedy Hour")
- 8 years ago, product placement became more intense (due to the popularity of "Survivor")
2. Statistics
- 1/3 (30 million) of US households currently have DVRs
- Product placement grew by 1/3 last year (2008)
- Advertisers paid $4 million each to advertise on "Survivor"
- in 2008, more than 90,000 product placements appeared on the 6 broadcast networks (an increase of 6%)
3. Examples
- "Harlem Heights" on BET advertises Splenda, Zyrtec, and Listerine
- "CSI: NY" advertises videoconferencing equipment
- "One Life to Live" advertised Campbell's soup
- live commercials featured on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
4. Expert Authority
- advertisers are looking to adapt to changing viewership (due to DVRs)
- Robert Weissman of Commercial Alert believes that its a "huge, out-of-control issue"
- FCC is also concerned
- Martin Kaplan of the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California states "when a character in a series says, 'I'm going to be an organ donor,' it's more effective than giving out a pamphlet."
- David Kaplan at Nielson states "we haven't seen any noteworthy backlash on the consumer side about product placement."
5. Logic and Reasoning
- companies are concerned that (due to TiVo and DVRs) viewers are no longer paying attention to their ads
- some companies question if this type of advertising (product placement) even works
