Monday, February 20, 2012
Chiasmus of the Day
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein
***
Here is a short video on Power Point presentations that supports the Presentation Zen approach (h/t Teo Stoica):
And here's another one that makes similar points in a different style (h/t Ashley Matsumoto):
***
Business Plan Parts. I've processed clips from previous student presentations to provide models for handling the different parts of the presentation. None of these will be flawless, but each has virtues that I hope you can learn from.
***
Midterm review session will be in EXEC 310 from 2.30-4.30.
***
Film Clips used in recent classes
Bill Gates: After and Before
Friday, February 17, 2012
Climax of the Day
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Using Photos in Your Slides
In general avoid cheesy clip art, unless you use it ironically.
In class I'll be stressing the importance of what GR calls "Picture Superiority Effect", which essentially means: use mostly graphic elements in your slides, with verbal elements secondary. But there are exceptions, and linked below are two examples a of a presentation style that effectively uses verbal content as the primary element. The first is by Dick Hardt and the second by Lawrence Lessig .
Lawrence Lessig, "Free Culture"
Sites for free images:
Here are some more free stock photo sites:
You can also use your own photos.
***
Take what this guy says to heart. It's not just about bosses; it's about the way you run your groups:
Monday, February 13, 2011
Anybody hear the "synathroesmus" in ths clip by Colbert?
Quote of the Day
While "most of us like to believe that our opinions have been formed over time by careful, rational consideration of facts and ideas and that the decisions based on those opinions, therefore, have the ring of soundness and intelligence," the research found that actually "we often base our opinions on our beliefs ... and rather than facts driving beliefs, our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. They can cause us to twist facts so they fit better with our preconceived notions." (Source from a speech given by Bill Moyers in January 2011)
It's possible to change someone's beliefs, but you don't do it by just presenting him with facts as if that's all that's needed--you have to win him over. And that requires rhetorical technique.
***
Taylor Mali & Commitment to Message
Friday, February 10, 2011
Why the serial comma helps. Thw sentence below appeared in the Seattle Times last week. It wants to say that evaluations use four categories. I had to read it twice before seeing what the four categories were.
Evaluators use a rubric that includes four categories — planning and preparation, classroom environment, instruction and professional responsibility.
***
Here are two commercials sent by Trevor Bell. Which figures of speech do they illustrate?
Thursday, Februay 9, 2012
Seth Godin Clip
Notice how Godin starts his talk with P.U.N.C.H. He starts with something 'novel'-- a story about the guy who invented sliced bread. Note he also takes a cliche--"this is the best thing since the invention of sliced bread"--and uses it to make a point that sets up the development for the core idea of his talk.
Notice also how he uses the phrase "pay attention". There's a pun there, but he's also using it effectively as a rhetorical repetition.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Remote Area Medical is not the Dr. Hotz Model for delivering healthcare to people who can't afford it, but it gives you an idea why something like it is needed, and not just in southern Georgia. From Sixty Minutes.
Here's another link with information about Remote Area Medical.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Here's the Lebron clip we watched in class:
Here's the response from Cleveland fans to Lebron's clip:
***
Grammar Tips
More on Semicolons: Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (e.g., nevertheless, however).
INCORRECT:
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Heroes have fallen on hard times; for instance, the men of Dale.
CORRECT:
Spelling bees were her specialty; nevertheless, she failed to spell “urbiculture” correctly.
J. M. Barrie is most famous as the author of Peter Pan; however, I prefer his ghost story "Farewell Miss Julie Logan".
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is the however in the first senctenc correctly preceded by a comma and not a semicolon?
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is preceding the however with a comma in this sentence incorrect?
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Motivation: Is it all about the money, or is it about making a difference?
Yes We Can. In class I excerpted a part of Obama's speech after his primary defeat in New Hampshire to provide an example of the use of the 'epistrophe'. This is one of Obama's best rhetorical moments.
Most of you are probably familiar with what will.I.am did with this speech. It's interesting how effective rhetoric has musical qualities. You can see it here if you want.
Here's the original speech. You will also see that he uses the yes-we-can repetition also as an 'anaphora'--beginning sentences and clauses.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
(h/t Amy Smith)
Class 9 Clips:
Class 8 clips:
For you accountants who think you might want to consider another career after getting your midterm grade, take some advice from the vocatonal guidance folks at Monty Python:
Michael wins by changing the subject:
Quote of the Day
"Centrism in accommodation of nihilism is no virtue." Blog Commenter.
One way to make your messages more memorable is to take cliches and famous quotes and flip or twist them. This quote is clever because it takes a famous quote by Barry Goldwater and fllips it. Goldwater's quote:
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice."
An example of cleverly taking a cliche or adage and flipping it is the famous quip by Dorothy Parker:
The adage: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Parker's quip: You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
(There's also the pun: horticulture = 'whore to culture'.)
Quote of the Day:
“This lamentably common use of comprise as a synonym for compose or constitute is a wanton and indefensible weakening of our vocabulary.”--H.W. Fowler
***
Usage Tip: Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective that comprises more than one word. Usually, hyphens are used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective.
Examples:
Please request a four-foot table.
It is a 6-page document.
Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park.
That is an all-too-common mistake.
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Well-written paper, ok; badly-written paper, not ok. No hyphens after 'ly' adverbs.
Film Clips used in Class #6:
***
Clip of the Day
***
In America, we call it the "serial comma", but it's the same rule:
Hilda Black Tips
Hilda was a client in the past, but she chose not to use your tax prep services this year. She tried to save money by preparing her taxes herself.
You have the conversation in question recorded, so there is no dispute about what actually was discussed in the phone conversation in April.
A tax-deferred account is one in which income can be sheltered until retirement. If you put $2000 in an IRA, for instance, you don't pay any tax on that amount in the year that you shelter it. But you will pay a tax when you withdraw it. You don't pay, though, if you move it into another similar shelter.
You need to find a proactive approach. Don't be defensive or reactive.
Your grade on this assignment will depend more on the effectiveness of your sentences. Show me you've learned something from our discussion of sentences in class.
***
Film Clips used in Class #5:
***
Best way to keep problematic words correctly in mind is to have some model sentences that use the words correctly as a template when they come up.
It may rain today. (looks likely)
I might get a raise. (not likely, but not without hope.)
The dog often lies here by the fire.
The dog is lying by the fire.
The dog lay by the fire for over two hours.
The dog has lain by the fire since breakfast.
The counselor's advice affected my thinking about dropping out of school.
The CEO effected significant changes in budgetary policy within a week of taking office.
His chewing me out had quite a negative effect on my motivation.
I don't like your affect, you ill-tempered, surly grump.
The team comprises fifteen members.
Fifteen members compose (not comprise) the team.
The team is composed of (not comprised of) fifteen members.
More on Decorum:
Assignment One is up in the column to the right if you didn't get it in class. Remember, your goal in this assignment is to create a document that will be more useful or helpful for your boss than the original article.
The opening needs to reflect what we discussed in class today--background, purpose (primary objective), preview.
Clips used in Thursday's classes:
Clips used in Tuesday's classes:
Can you find the mistake?
It's certainly possible that there was some other motivation --- there is such a thing as palace intrigue --- but for the most part it's safer to assume that in a crisis a president isn't going to appoint someone whom he thinks is making things worse.
Whomever from The Office
***
Me, Myself, and I. "Don't say myself if you mean me or I. Me is a perfectly good and acceptable word. I think myself is misused so often because as people are speaking, they become uncertain about whether the word they want to use is me or I. They retreat into myself because they think that's correct in every circumstance." Read more.
***
Rhetorical Word of the Day
Aporia/Dubitatio (JH p. 75): Admitting that you don't know. Establishes that you're not an arrogant know-it-all, that you have doubts, that you're sincerely seeking answers. It invites the audience to start coming up with its own answers:
"I'm not sure what to do. Help me out here."
"Now I can't do it for you. I'm too old."
Proactive with Mr. Goodwin
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
I am writing to you in response to your August 15 email questioning the $108.00 in overdraft fees charged against your account. Upon receiving your email, we investigated and learned that apparently a miscommunication between you and United Oregon led to our imposing this charge. Enclosed you will find a credit for this amount, but we would like to take this opportunity to explain what happened.
In your August 15 email, you mentioned that you had instructed the United Oregon Bank of Portland to transfer $45,000 to your account here on August 1. Unfortunately it did not make the transfer until August 10--which explains why on August 8 we charged your account for the overdraft.
We value your account with us, Mr. Goodwin. You have been one of our most reliable and valued customers, and we understand that miscommunications like this happen from time to time. On this occasion we are happy to refund to you the $108. But please contact United Oregon to be sure that they send future transfers on the date you specify.
Perhaps an overdraft line of credit would be appropriate if you anticipate this kind of miscommunication in the future. You might also consider consolidating your accounts in such a way as to make these transfers unnecessary.We’ll have one of our personal bankers contact you in the next week to see if we can help you to meet your banking needs in a more streamlined way.
Sincerely,
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Words of the Day
Commonplace: accepted values of a community summarized in adages, and cliches. "The children are our future." "Freedom isn't free." "Everyone has a right to choose." "I'm living the American dream."
Amplification: Word pile on: “Entertaining, thrilling, completely addictive, and a little scary.”Adding detail after detail to make your case, and when the audience thinks you're done, you say, "And that's not all--I'm just beginning to tell you how wonderful X is.
Tactical Concession: Instead of challenging your opponent's facts or assumptions, you concede that he is right. This has a disarming effect, and makes him feel that he has been heard and is well understood. You then either change the subject or use those facts or assumptions as the foundation for the argument you want to make.
Chiasmus: A figure of speech that structures elements cleverly in an ABBA pattern. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. Boy = A; Country = B.
Antithesis/Syncrisis: Figure of speech that compares opposites."Not that, but this." It can be used to redefine terms, change the subject, or reframe the discussion on terms more favorable to your argument: "It's not manipulation; it's instruction." "It isn't just a matter of faith; it's a matter of science." Also: "We support the victory; they decry the cost."
Prolepsis: Anticipating your opponent's counterargument: "Some will say . . ., but I say . . ." In the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front," a militaristic German schoolteacher tells a class of boys, "Perhaps some will say that you should not be allowed to go yet - that you have homes, mothers, fathers, that you should not be torn away by your fathers so forgetful of their fatherland...by your mothers so weak that they cannot send a son to defend the land which gave them birth."
Links to today's movie clips:
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Climax of the Quarter
Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become your character.
Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Remote Area Medical is not the Dr. Hotz Model for delivering healthcare to people who can't afford it, but it gives you an idea why something like it is needed, and not just in southern Georgia. From Sixty Minutes.
Here's another link with information about Remote Area Medical.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Midterm review session will be in EXEC 310 from 2.30-4.30.
Chiasmus of the Day
"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." Albert Einstein
***
Cover Letter of the Day
Here's a man who understands the meaning of the word 'decorum'--and he uses bullets, too (kind of):
This could be a joke, but then again, maybe not. (Source)
***
Alexi Stavang found a good article entitled "10 Tips for Designing Presentations That Don’t Suck." Here are the links to Part I and Part II
Film Clips used in recent classes
Bill Gates: After and Before
Business Plan Parts. I'm slowly processing clips from previous student presentations to provide models of handling the different parts of the presentation. None of these will be flawless, but each has virtues that I hope you can learn from.
Clip of the Day:
From Frank Capra's 1932 film American Madness. A variation on the argument from character.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Anybody hear the "synathroesmus" in ths clip by Colbert?
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Quote of the Day
While "most of us like to believe that our opinions have been formed over time by careful, rational consideration of facts and ideas and that the decisions based on those opinions, therefore, have the ring of soundness and intelligence," the research found that actually "we often base our opinions on our beliefs ... and rather than facts driving beliefs, our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. They can cause us to twist facts so they fit better with our preconceived notions." (Source from a speech given by Bill Moyers in January 2011)
It's possible to change someone's beliefs, but you don't do it by just presenting him with facts as if that's all that's needed--you have to win him over. And that requires rhetorical technique.
***
Here is a short video on Power Point presentations that supports the Presentation Zen approach (h/t Teo Stoica):
And here's another one that makes similar points in a different style (h/t Ashley Matsumoto):
Using photos in your slides.
In general avoid cheesy clip art, unless you use it ironically.
In class I'll be stressing the importance of what GR calls "Picture Superiority Effect", which essentially means: use mostly graphic elements in your slides, with verbal elements secondary. But there are exceptions, and linked below are two examples a of a presentation style that effectively uses verbal content as the primary element. The first is by Dick Hardt and the second by Lawrence Lessig .
Lawrence Lessig, "Free Culture"
Sites for free images:
Here are some more free stock photo sites:
You can also use your own photos.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
In today's news. Nick would be so proud.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Telling Stories. Here's a link to a blog that's worth reading from time to time. This particular entry relates to what I've been saying about telling stories as a way to sell people on your ideas. Here's another link about story from an interesting company I've done some consulting work for.
***
Taylor Mali & Commitment to Message
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Seth Godin Clip
Notice how Godin starts his talk with P.U.N.C.H. He starts with something 'novel'-- a story about the guy who invented sliced bread. Note he also takes a cliche--"this is the best thing since the invention of sliced bread"--and uses it to make a point that sets up the development for the core idea of his talk.
Notice also how he uses the phrase "pay attention". There's a pun there, but he's also using it effectively as a rhetorical repetition.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Here's the career day clip we watched yesterday.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Take what this guy says to heart. It's not just about bosses; it's about the way you run your groups:
Here are two commercials sent by Trevor Bell. Which figures of speech do they illustrate?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Grammar Tips
More on Semicolons: Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (e.g., nevertheless, however).
INCORRECT:
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
Heroes have fallen on hard times; for instance, the men of Dale.
CORRECT:
Spelling bees were her specialty; nevertheless, she failed to spell “urbiculture” correctly.
J. M. Barrie is most famous as the author of Peter Pan; however, I prefer his ghost story "Farewell Miss Julie Logan".
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is the however in the first senctenc correctly preceded by a comma and not a semicolon?
Life is long; the work of a scholar, however, is never done.
Why is preceding the however with a comma in this sentence incorrect?
They browsed carefully through reference, however, no clear answer appeared.
***
Here's the Lebron clip we watched in class:
Here's the response from Cleveland fans to Lebron's clip:
Here's the Michael Jordan clip I referred to in class today:
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Lots of clips:
Here's the link to the Alec Baldwin AIDA speech form Glengarry Glenross
Jason Street sells Joe a truck
For you accountants who think you might want to consider another career after getting your midterm grade, take some advice from the vocatonal guidance folks at Monty Python:
Michael wins by changing the subject:
Yes We Can. In class I excerpted a part of Obama's speech after his primary defeat in New Hampshire to provide an example of the use of the 'epistrophe'. This is one of Obama's best rhetorical moments.
Most of you are probably familiar with what will.I.am did with this speech. It's interesting how effective rhetoric has musical qualities. You can see it here if you want.
Here's the original speech. You will also see that he uses the yes-we-can repetition also as an 'anaphora'--beginning sentences and clauses.
***
Quote of the Day
"Centrism in accommodation of nihilism is no virtue." Blog Commenter.
One way to make your messages more memorable is to take cliches and famous quotes and flip or twist them. This quote is clever because it takes a famous quote by Barry Goldwater and fllips it. Goldwater's quote:
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice."
An example of cleverly taking a cliche or adage and flipping it is the famous quip by Dorothy Parker:
The adage: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Parker's quip: You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
(There's also the pun: horticulture = 'whore to culture'.)
Quote of the Day 2:
“This lamentably common use of comprise as a synonym for compose or constitute is a wanton and indefensible weakening of our vocabulary.”--H.W. Fowler
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Here's the Gordon Gecko Greed speech clip shown in class #8.
***
Usage Tip: Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective that comprises more than one word. Usually, hyphens are used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective.
Examples:
Please request a four-foot table.
It is a 6-page document.
Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park.
That is an all-too-common mistake.
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Well-written paper, ok; badly-written paper, not ok. No hyphens after 'ly' adverbs.
Thursday, Octobr 20, 2011
Hilda Black Grading Rubric
1. Cheeseburger strategy: are all the parts there?
2. Is development effective and clear?
Does buffer theme make sense?
Do the reasons get Hilda to see it from writer’s POV?
Is bad news clear, but gracious in tone?
Is there a gesture in the close that moves relationship forward?3. Are sentences effective?
Are they too stiff and formal?
Are they too weak and passive?
Are they too long, wordy, and convoluted?4. Are usage and mechanics ok?
Typos, misspellings, agreement issues, danglers, punctuation
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Film Clips used in Class #6:
Brando does Mark Antony--The "funeral oration" from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
What are his goals? What rhetorical strategies does he deploy to achieve them?
Words of the Day
Irony: When the connotation of what you say is the opposite of the denotation. In other words, You say one thing, but mean the opposite. Sarcasm is a form of irony. Marc Antony uses irony in his funeral oration in the clip above, even though at first it seems as though he is being quite straightforward and sincere.
Commonplace: It’s a verbal tactic to strengthen the ethos dimension of your argument--it seeks to evoke the “pre-fab consensus.” Uses code phrases and buzz words that work to identify you as a member of a particular tribe or group.
The Advantageous. A tactic for deliberative argument in which you focus on what is good for the audience. Your audience doesn't care about what you want need; it cares about getting its own needs and problems solved. Prove you have the best solution. This argument is not based on what is right or wrong, but on pros and cons on a practical level.
Redefinition: Accept your opponent's language, but redefine what it means:
Roommate: You're just talking like an egghead.
You: If talking like an egghead means knowing what I'm talking about then I'm talking like an egghead.
***
Best way to keep problematic words correctly in mind is to have some model sentences that use the words correctly as a template when they come up.
It may rain today. (looks likely)
I might get a raise. (not likely, but not without hope.)
The dog often lies here by the fire.
The dog is lying by the fire.
The dog lay by the fire for over two hours.
The dog has lain by the fire since breakfast.
The counselor's advice affected my thinking about dropping out of school.
The CEO effected significant changes in budgetary policy within a week of taking office.
His chewing me out had quite a negative effect on my motivation.
I don't like your affect, you ill-tempered, surly grump.
The team comprises fifteen members.
Fifteen members compose (not comprise) the team.
The team is composed of (not comprised of) fifteen members.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Clip of the Day
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Hilda Black Tips
Hilda was a client in the past, but she chose not to use your tax prep services this year. She tried to save money by preparing her taxes herself.
You have the conversation in question recorded, so there is no dispute about what actually was discussed in the phone conversation in April.
A tax-deferred account is one in which income can be sheltered until retirement. If you put $2000 in an IRA, for instance, you don't pay any tax on that amount in the year that you shelter it. But you will pay a tax when you withdraw it. You don't pay, though, if you move it into another similar shelter.
You need to find a proactive approach. Don't be defensive or reactive.
Thursday, October13, 2011
Most dysfunctional teams in history--link.
More on Decorum:
Text for Pacino locker room speech text here
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
REMEMBER--there's a quiz tomorrow!!!
Memo Punctilio Assignment
Basic Evaluation Criteria:
- Does summary focus on information that will help boss change his behavior?
- Is there sufficient detail in explanations to give boss enough information to know what to do?
- Is the organization balanced and coherent?
- Is the formatting designed to make the information accessibile and easy to understand?
- Is Analysis complete and competently executed?
- Is Outline sufficiently detailed and an accurate reflection of the underlying structure of the article summary?
Clips used in Tuesday's classes:
Tuesday, October 6, 2011
Analysis Hints: Use the Problems, Goals, Audience format I put up on the board and just fill in the blanks.
- When you are trying to define the issues, look at them in this case as being arranged concentrically, with some issues more at the periphery influencing the most important issue in the center.
- When defining objectives think about them in two categories: reactive--what you have to do at a minimum to put out the metaphorical fires--and proactive--what possibilities are there to go beyond the status quo ante.
- When defining the audience, the most important element is to define the need, because what you choose to include in your summary should be determined by its usefulness in meeting your boss's need.
Outline hints: You need to have at least two major subtopic headings structuring the body of your outline. These subtopics should be equal in importance. The biggest challenge in this part of the assignment is envision how you will make this document into a useful tool. I'll have more to say about that on Tuesday.
Remember, your goal in this assignment is to create a document that will be more useful or helpful for your boss than the original article.
Clips used in Thursday's classes:
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Clip of the Day
***
Can you find the mistake?
It's certainly possible that there was some other motivation --- there is such a thing as palace intrigue --- but for the most part it's safer to assume that in a crisis a president isn't going to appoint someone whom he thinks is making things worse.
Whomever from The Office
***
Me, Myself, and I. "Don't say myself if you mean me or I. Me is a perfectly good and acceptable word. I think myself is misused so often because as people are speaking, they become uncertain about whether the word they want to use is me or I. They retreat into myself because they think that's correct in every circumstance." Read more.
***
Rhetorical Word of the Day
Aporia: Admitting that you don't know. (Similar to "dubitatio") Establishes that you're not an arrogant know-it-all, that you have doubts, that you're sincerely seeking answers. It invites the audience to start coming up with its own answers:
"I'm not sure what to think. I was really taken by surprise."
Or sometimes it can be used to express exasperation:
"I have no idea why he did that; it boggles the mind."
"I don't know about you, but I can't understand a word he's saying."
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Proactive with Mr. Goodwin
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
I am writing to you in response to your August 15 email questioning the $108.00 in overdraft fees charged against your account. Upon receiving your email, we investigated and learned that apparently a miscommunication between you and United Oregon led to our imposing this charge. Enclosed you will find a credit for this amount, but we would like to take this opportunity to explain what happened.
In your August 15 email, you mentioned that you had instructed the United Oregon Bank of Portland to transfer $45,000 to your account here on August 1. Unfortunately it did not make the transfer until August 10--which explains why on August 8 we charged your account for the overdraft.
We value your account with us, Mr. Goodwin. You have been one of our most reliable and valued customers, and we understand that miscommunications like this happen from time to time. On this occasion we are happy to refund to you the $108. But please contact United Oregon to be sure that they send future transfers on the date you specify.
Perhaps an overdraft line of credit would be appropriate if you anticipate this kind of miscommunication in the future. You might also consider consolidating your accounts in such a way as to make these transfers unnecessary.We’ll have one of our personal bankers contact you in the next week to see if we can help you to meet your banking needs in a more streamlined way.
Sincerely,
8.30 & 10.30 sections meet in Paccar 295 starting Thursday 10/6.
Words of the Day
Commonplace: accepted values of a community summarized in adages, and cliches. "The children are our future." "Freedom isn't free." "Everyone has a right to choose." "I'm living the American dream."
Amplification: Word pile on: “Entertaining, thrilling, completely addictive, and a little scary.”Adding detail after detail to make your case, and when the audience thinks you're done, you say, "And that's not all--I'm just beginning to tell you how wonderful X is.
Tactical Concession: Instead of challenging your opponent's facts or assumptions, you concede that he is right. This has a disarming effect, and makes him feel that he has been heard and is well understood. You then either change the subject or use those facts or assumptions as the foundation for the argument you want to make. Good example: In Up in the Air, the Clooney character concedes that his brother-in-law-to-be is right about marriage being pointless. He changes the subject to focus on the real issue, which is whether he wants a future in which he is alone and scared. He changes the tense. This is how you felt last night when you were lonely; How do you want to feel tomorrow and the next day and the next?
Chiasmus: A figure of speech that structures elements cleverly in an ABBA pattern. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. Boy = A; Country = B.
Antithesis (syncrisis a type of): Figure of speech that compares opposites."Not that, but this." It can be used to redefine terms, change the subject, or reframe the discussion on terms more favorable to your argument: "It's not manipulation; it's instruction." "It isn't just a matter of faith; it's a matter of science." Also: "We support the victory; they decry the cost."
Links to today's movie clips:
- Tobacco Industry front man
- Clooney confronts his brother-in-law-to-be
- Newman confronts Nurse in The Verdict
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Alexi Stavang found a good article entitled "10 Tips for Designing Presentations That Don’t Suck." Here are the links to Part I and Part II
Friday February 18, 2011
Monday Wednesday 10: 30 Class: We will meet from now on in Bank of America Room 310. Don't be later for the midterm which will start right away on 2/23.
Film Clips used in recent classes
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Business Plan Parts. I'm slowly processing clips from previous student presentations to provide models of handling the different parts of the presentation. None of these will be flawless, but each has virtues that I hope you can learn from.
onday, February 14, 2011
Quote of the Day
While "most of us like to believe that our opinions have been formed over time by careful, rational consideration of facts and ideas and that the decisions based on those opinions, therefore, have the ring of soundness and intelligence," the research found that actually "we often base our opinions on our beliefs ... and rather than facts driving beliefs, our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. They can cause us to twist facts so they fit better with our preconceived notions." (Source from a speech given by Bill Moyers in January 2011)
It's possible to change someone's beliefs, but you don't do it by just presenting him with facts as if that's all that's needed--you have to win him over. And that requires rhetorical technique.
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Here is a short video on Power Point presentations that supports the Presentation Zen approach (h/t Teo Stoica):
Here's another from Hadis Ali:
And here's another one that makes similar points in a different style (h/t Ashley Matsumoto):
Sites for free images:
Here are some more free stock photo sites:
You can also use your own photos.
Wednesday, February 10, 2011
For you accountants who think you might want to consider another career after getting your midterm grade, take some advice from the vocatonal guidance folks at Monty Python:
Monday, February 7, 2011
Michael wins by changing the subject:
Friday, February 4, 2011
Yes We Can. In class I excerpted a part of Obama's speech after his primary defeat in New Hampshire to provide an example of the use of the 'epistrophe'. This is one of Obama's best rhetorical moments.
Most of you are probably familiar with what will.I.am did with this speech. It's interesting how effective rhetoric has musical qualities. You can see it here if you want.
Here's the original speech. You will also see that he uses the yes-we-can repetition also as an 'anaphora'--beginning sentences and clauses.
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Quote of the Day
"Centrism in accommodation of nihilism is no virtue." Blog Commenter.
One way to make your messages more memorable is to take cliches and famous quotes and flip or twist them. This quote is clever because it takes a famous quote by Barry Goldwater and fllips it. Goldwater's quote:
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice."
An example of cleverly taking a cliche or adage and flipping it is the famous quip by Dorothy Parker:
The adage: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Parker's quip: You can lead a horticulture, but you can't make her think.
(There's also the pun: horticulture = 'whore to culture'.)
Quote of the Day 2:
“This lamentably common use of comprise as a synonym for compose or constitute is a wanton and indefensible weakening of our vocabulary.”--H.W. Fowler
Clip of the Day:
Notice how Godin starts his talk with P.U.N.C.H. He starts with something 'novel'-- a story about the guy who invented sliced bread. Note he also takes a cliche--"this is the best thing since the invention of sliced bread"--and uses it to make a point that sets up the development for the core idea of his talk.
Notice also how he uses the phrase "pay attention". There's a pun there, but he's also using it effectively as a rhetorical reptition.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Film Clips to Watch for Quiz
(8:30 Class: Forget about the Henry V clip--to save time I'm not showing it in the other classes)
Clooney: Do it for your kids, Bob
Put a warning label on cheddar cheese?
Otter before the student court
Is is about chocolate or about liberty?
Friday, January 28, 2011
JH Quiz Tips
First: Read the book! You'll like it.
You can skip chaps 13-17, and don't worry about chaps. 23 and after. We'll get into that later.
Be familiar with the film clips shown in class. Know why I showed them and what I had to say about them, and be prepared to compare one with the other--say comparing the role of 'pathos' or the 'concession' in each clip.
Don't worry too much about the technical rhetorical terms unless I made a big deal about them in class. (e.g., be ready to say something about ethos or demonstrative rhetoric, but don't worry about 'syncrisis' or 'chiasmus'. We'll get into that later.)
Here's the Gordon Gecko Greed speech clip shown in class #8.
I'll have more to say about the quiz in class on Monday and Tuesday.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Instead of putting the slides up for Class # 7, I put a link there to the piece I have on "Syllogisms 101." This is optional--you won't be tested on it. I would like you to know the basic parts of a syllogism and be able to define an "enthymeme" and to be able to give me an example of one from JH's discussion of it in chapter 13.
Also consider JH chapters 14 & 15 optional. There's just too much there to deal with in the context of this course.
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Usage Tip: Compound Adjectives
A compound adjective is an adjective that comprises more than one word. Usually, hyphens are used to link the words together to show that it is one adjective.
Examples:
Please request a four-foot table.
It is a 6-page document.
Her fifteen-minute presentation proved decisive to the outcome of the case.
Claire worked as a part-time keeper at the safari park.
That is an all-too-common mistake.
The student decided to attend a school with a good legal-research-and-writing program.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Well-written paper, ok; badly-written paper, not ok. No hyphens after 'ly' adverbs.
Wednesday January 26, 2011
Hilda Black Grading Rubric
1. Cheeseburger strategy: are all the parts there?
2. Is development effective and clear?
Does buffer theme make sense?
Do the reasons get Hilda to see it from writer’s POV?
Is bad news clear, but gracious in tone?
Is there a gesture in the close that moves relationship forward?3. Are sentences effective?
Are they too stiff and formal?
Are they too weak and passive?
Are they too long, wordy, and convoluted?4. Are usage and mechanics ok?
Typos, misspellings, agreement issues, danglers, punctuation
Sunday, January 23, 2011
PTO Quiz Tips
Quiz on Tuesday or Wednesday will only take twenty minutes.
There will be fifteen sentences that may or may not have usage mistakes in them. You will not rewrite the sentence; you will simply cross out the mistake and correct it.
For example, in the sentence "John found the dripping faucet aggravating," you should cross out
aggravatingand above it write 'irritating' or 'annoying'.There may be (not might be) punctuation errors that you should correct in the same way.
Review the chapter on case and prounouns, danglers, and especially anything that I emphasized in class.
I'd spend some extra time with the chapter "Verbal Abuse".
It's ok to bring and use a dictionary. Electronic dictionaries are ok so long as they are devices solely dedicated to being dictionaries--no smart phones.
Students on the Lookout.
I'm grateful when students come across material that has a business communications or rhetorical technique theme. If you find helpful or interesting articles that connect to themes we discuss in class, shoot me an email with the link, and I'll post it here so others can benefit.
I'm also always looking for examples of bad writing, especially if they are good examples of problems we discuss in class. Here are two such suggestions I've received in the last couple of days:
Mandy Pai found an article on "email punctilio". Check it out here.
Alexis Thompson found another useful grammar site. If you're still struggling with parts of speech check it out here, or get Elizabeth Gordon's The Transitive Vampire.
Writing & Learning
We've all heard the expression "use it or lose it." We all know from experience that we forget pretty quickly what we learn if we don't use it. If you want to learn a new language, don't spend time memorizing vocabulary lists; rather, you should get out and speak the language--use it. You remember by 'using' not by 'imprinting' through memorization.
So I was interested to see this article in today's New York Times about testing done with students to see which study techniques worked best for them, and the study reinforces this basic use-it-or-lose-it approach. The best way to learn and remember what you've learned is not to memorize, but to read the text and then write about what you've just read. It's about using the ideas--thinking with them--right away rather than just inert;y imprinting them. So if you want to learn, learn to write:
The researchers engaged 200 college students in two experiments, assigning them to read several paragraphs about a scientific subject — how the digestive system works, for example, or the different types of vertebrate muscle tissue.
In the first experiment, the students were divided into four groups. One did nothing more than read the text for five minutes. Another studied the passage in four consecutive five-minute sessions.
A third group engaged in “concept mapping,” in which, with the passage in front of them, they arranged information from the passage into a kind of diagram, writing details and ideas in hand-drawn bubbles and linking the bubbles in an organized way.
The final group took a “retrieval practice” test. Without the passage in front of them, they wrote what they remembered in a free-form essay for 10 minutes. Then they reread the passage and took another retrieval practice test.
A week later all four groups were given a short-answer test that assessed their ability to recall facts and draw logical conclusions based on the facts.
The second experiment focused only on concept mapping and retrieval practice testing, with each student doing an exercise using each method. In this initial phase, researchers reported, students who made diagrams while consulting the passage included more detail than students asked to recall what they had just read in an essay.
But when they were evaluated a week later, the students in the testing group did much better than the concept mappers. They even did better when they were evaluated not with a short-answer test but with a test requiring them to draw a concept map from memory. (Source)
I will return to this idea about learning vs. memorization when we talk about 'learning' your part for an oral presentation. It's not about memorization; it's about working with what you know and the energy in the knowledge (ideas) that you want to share with your audience.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Hilda Black Tips
Hilda was a client in the past, but she chose not to use your tax prep services this year. She tried to save money by preparing her taxes herself.
You have the conversation in question recorded, so there is no dispute about what actually was discussed in the phone conversation in April.
A tax-deferred account is one in which income can be sheltered until retirement. If you put $2000 in an IRA, for instance, you don't pay any tax on that amount in the year that you shelter it. But you will pay a tax when you withdraw it. You don't pay, though, if you move it into another similar shelter.
You need to find a proactive approach. Don't be defensive or reactive.
Your grade on this assignment will depend more on the effectiveness of your sentences. Show me you've learned something from our discussion of sentences in class.
I'll be posting a rubric after the next class.
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PTO Quiz Tips: TK. I'll have more to say after I make up the test, which I should do over the weekend.
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Film Clips used in Class #6:
Put a warning label on cheddar cheese?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Brando does Mark Antony--The "funeral oration" from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
What are his goals? What rhetorical strategies does he deploy to achieve them?
Words of the Day
Irony: When the connotation of what you say is the opposite of the denotation. In other words, You say one thing, but mean the opposite. Sarcasm is a form of irony. Marc Antony uses irony in his funeral oration in the clip above, even though at first it seems as though he is being quite straightforward and sincere.
Commonplace: It’s a verbal tactic to strengthen the ethos dimension of your argument--it seeks to evoke the “pre-fab consensus.” Uses code phrases and buzz words that work to identify you as a member of a particular tribe or group.
The Advantageous. A tactic for deliberative argument in which you focus on what is good for the audience. Your audience doesn't care about what you want need; it cares about getting its own needs and problems solved. Prove you have the best solution. This argument is not based on what is right or wrong, but on pros and cons on a practical level.
Redefinition: Accept your opponent's language, but redefine what it means:
Roommate: You're just talking like an egghead.
You: If talking like an egghead means knowing what I'm talking about then I'm talking like an egghead.
Clips from Class #5:
Otter before the student court
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Best way to keep problematic words correctly in mind is to have some model sentences that use the words correctly as a template when they come up.
It may rain today. (looks likely)
I might get a raise. (not likely, but not without hope.)
The dog often lies here by the fire.
The dog is lying by the fire.
The dog lay by the fire for over two hours.
The dog has lain by the fire since breakfast.
The counselor's advice affected my thinking about dropping out of school.
The CEO effected significant changes in budgetary policy within a week of taking office.
His chewing me out had quite a negative effect on my motivation.
I don't like your affect, you ill-tempered, surly grump.
The team comprises fifteen members.
Fifteen members compose (not comprise) the team.
The team is composed of (not comprised of) fifteen members.
Monday January 17, 2011
More on Decorum:
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Obama's Speech in Arizona:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
A model of "demonstrative" rhetoric.
You can find the text here.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Memo Punctilio Assignment
Basic Evaluation Criteria:
- Does summary focus on information that will help boss change his behavior?
- Is there sufficient detail in explanations to give boss enough information to know what to do?
- Is the organization balanced and coherent?
- Is the formatting designed to make the information accessibile and easy to understand?
- Is Analysis complete and competently executed?
- Is Outline sufficiently detailed and an accurate reflection of the underlying structure of the article summary?
Clips used in Wednesday's and Thursday's classes:
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Analysis Hints: Use the Problems, Goals, Audience format I put up on the board and just fill in the blanks.
- When you are trying to define the issues, look at them in this case as being arranged concentrically, with some issues more at the periphery influencing the most important issue in the center.
- When defining objectives think about them in two categories: reactive--what you have to do at a minimum to put out the metaphorical fires--and proactive--what possibilities are there to go beyond the status quo ante.
- When defining the audience, the most important element is to define the need, because what you choose to include in your summary should be determined by its usefulness in meeting your boss's need.
Outline hints: You need to have at least two major subtopic headings structuring the body of your outline. These subtopics should be equal in importance. The biggest challenge in this part of the assignment is envision how you will make this document into a useful tool. I'll have more to say about that on Tuesday.
Remember, your goal in this assignment is to create a document that will be more useful or helpful for your boss than the original article.
Clips used in Monday's and Tuesday's classes:
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Clip of the Day
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Can you find the mistake?
It's certainly possible that there was some other motivation --- there is such a thing as palace intrigue --- but for the most part it's safer to assume that in a crisis a president isn't going to appoint someone whom he thinks is making things worse.
Whomever from The Office
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Me, Myself, and I. "Don't say myself if you mean me or I. Me is a perfectly good and acceptable word. I think myself is misused so often because as people are speaking, they become uncertain about whether the word they want to use is me or I. They retreat into myself because they think that's correct in every circumstance." Read more.
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Rhetorical Words of the Day
Aporia: Admitting that you don't know. Establishes that you're not an arrogant know-it-all, that you have doubts, that you're sincerely seeking answers. It invites the audience to start coming up with its own answers:
"I'm not sure what to think. I was really taken by surprise."
Or sometimes it can be used to express exasperation:
"I have no idea why he did that; it boggles the mind."
"I don't know about you, but I can't understand a word he's saying."
Dialysis: A yes/no figure of speech. Examples:
Husband: You seem a little put out with me this morning.
Wife: Put out, no. Furious, yesCo-worker: She says they’re using a new system.
You: New, yes. Systematic, no.Litotes. Ironic understatement: She doesn't look a day over two hundred.
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Proactive with Mr. Goodwin
Dear Mr. Goodwin:
I am writing to you in response to your August 15 email questioning the $108.00 in overdraft fees charged against your account. Upon receiving your email, we investigated and learned that apparently a miscommunication between you and United Oregon led to our imposing this charge. Enclosed you will find a credit for this amount, but we would like to take this opportunity to explain what happened.
In your August 15 email, you mentioned that you had instructed the United Oregon Bank of Portland to transfer $45,000 to your account here on August 1. Unfortunately it did not make the transfer until August 10--which explains why on August 8 we charged your account for the overdraft.
We value your account with us, Mr. Goodwin. You have been one of our most reliable and valued customers, and we understand that miscommunications like this happen from time to time. On this occasion we are happy to refund to you the $108. But please contact United Oregon to be sure that they send future transfers on the date you specify.
Perhaps an overdraft line of credit would be appropriate if you anticipate this kind of miscommunication in the future. You might also consider consolidating your accounts in such a way as to make these transfers unnecessary.We’ll have one of our personal bankers contact you in the next week to see if we can help you to meet your banking needs in a more streamlined way.
Sincerely,
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Words of the Day
Commonplace: accepted values of a community summarized in adages, and cliches. "The children are our future." "Freedom isn't free." "Everyone has a right to choose." "I'm living the American dream."
Amplification: Word pile on: “Entertaining, thrilling, completely addictive, and a little scary.”Adding detail after detail to make your case, and when the audience thinks you're done, you say, "And that's not all--I'm just beginning to tell you how wonderful X is.
Tactical Concession: Instead of challenging your opponent's facts or assumptions, you concede that he is right. This has a disarming effect, and makes him feel that he has been heard and is well understood. You then either change the subject or use those facts or assumptions as the foundation for the argument you want to make. Good example: In Up in the Air, the Clooney character concedes that his brother-in-law-to-be is right about marriage being pointless. He changes the subject to focus on the real issue, which is whether he wants a future in which he is alone and scared. He changes the tense. This is how you felt last night when you were lonely; How do you want to feel tomorrow and the next day and the next?
Chiasmus: A figure of speech that structures elements cleverly in an ABBA pattern. You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. Boy = A; Country = B.
Syncrisis: Figure of speech that compares opposites."Not that, but this." It can be used to redefine terms, change the subject, or reframe the discussion on terms more favorable to your argument: "It's not manipulation; it's instruction." "It isn't just a matter of faith; it's a matter of science." Also: "We support the victory; they decry the cost."
Prolepsis: Anticipating your opponent's counterargument: "Some will say . . ., but I say . . ." In the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front," a militaristic German schoolteacher tells a class of boys, "Perhaps some will say that you should not be allowed to go yet - that you have homes, mothers, fathers, that you should not be torn away by your fathers so forgetful of their fatherland...by your mothers so weak that they cannot send a son to defend the land which gave them birth."
Links to today's movie clips:
