This study examines the persuasive English language in MasterClass's video advertisements. An analysis framework was formed using twenty-four techniques to identify persuasive language, and the purposes of using different techniques in one hundred and forty-one MasterClass's video scripts. The analysis included identifying the primary argument of…

"Targeting an Audience: A Discussion of Relevant Variables and a Test of Priming" is a teaching activity created to further students' knowledge of persuasive message reception and priming--a persuasion tactic often used in advertising by brands. Explanations of intended courses, learning objectives, and rationale are provided to help…

While historical thinking has a rich literature, civic thinking has been an underdeveloped area of research in social studies education. I discuss in this article three activities designed to strengthen students' civic thinking skills by examining the "political death and resurrection" of Richard Nixon in the 1960s. These three…

There has been little research into how children use language play in writing. The unprompted language play of 36 children was investigated through their writing of a short advertisement. The sample comprised three attainment sub-groups from a larger repeat-design study of persuasive writing in the 9-11 age-range. The writing was analysed using…

Courses: Communication Criticism, Rhetorical Criticism, Introduction to Rhetoric, Introduction to Communication, Media Studies, and Persuasion courses. Objective: The aim of this activity is to introduce and explain the method of ideological criticism through commonplace advertising.

Describes how the four traditional kinds of writing (description, narration, exposition, and argumentation) are used in advertising and suggests ways that advertising and the four modes may be used to teach composition. (DD)

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of "The Propaganda Game" in teaching selected persuasion techniques which may be used in the advertising of health products or services. The sample included 224 students in an introductory personal health course at Eastern Michigan University. The subjects were…

Describes using the parallels between developing the persuasive essay and an advertisement to help advertising students become aware of the importance of voice, point of view, and audience. Students complete a written essay modeled after the language and techniques employed by advertisers. (HTH)

In 1974, 1976, and 1980 three best-selling books were published by Prentice Hall authored by Wilson Bryan Key. Key adopted the viewpoint that subliminal perception was a new phenomenon and that advertisers and advertising agencies were involved in manipulation of the public with the cooperation of the mass media. This study asks whether professors…

Teaching students copywriting gives them writing techniques that will help them boil a 100-word message down to 20 for a letter, write a memo that is memorable because of its clarity and word choice, or produce a report that offers findings in a readable, believable way. (HOD)

In advertising, a creative idea can be defined as being right or on strategy in a unique way. For a copywriter, it is not easy to create an ad that has the "Big Idea" in it. Some helpful techniques that advertising students can use to generate creative ideas are (1) analogy, (2) forced relationships, (3) doing the opposite of what…

Rhetoric, the persuasive use of language to influence public thought and action, is experienced in advertising, and advertising can be used as a medium for teaching rhetoric. Advertising demonstrates both admirable and creative use of English and despicable corruption of both language and thought. Both aspects can be employed in teaching…

Advertising educators have a responsibility to make students aware of the importance of the mature market (older people) and to teach them methods to reach this group. An assignment in a copywriting class asked students to write and design ads to promote blue jeans to adults over 50. The assignment accomplished three things: (1) helped students…

The creative, purposeful departures from standard English used by advertisers are a worthwhile object of study in English classes. (JH)

Presents a list of possible lecture topics on propaganda in advertising and a list of the kinds of propaganda used, particularly in television advertising. (HTH)