44 Rhetorical Appeals Jeopardy (In-Class Team Exercise)

How to best identify Rhetorical Appeals and use them; Learning Objectives:

• Develop Critical Thinking and Reasoning Skills (Logic)

• Objective: Equip students with the ability to construct, analyze, and evaluate arguments logically by strengthening their understanding of rhetorical devices/appeals

• Explanation: Students learn to recognize logical fallacies, identify sound reasoning, and structure coherently. This objective helps students engage in more rigorous and thoughtful communication.

• Promote Ethical Communication Practices (Ethics)

• Objective: Instill a deep understanding of the ethical responsibilities involved in communication.

• Explanation: Students discover the moral implications in communication choices, including honesty, fairness, and respect for others through defining their understanding of it through gaming. This objective ensures that students recognize the impact of words and actions, fostering integrity and accountability in professional and personal interactions.

• Enhance Persuasive Communication Skills (Art of Persuasion and Persuasive Arguments)

• Objective: Develop the ability to influence and persuade audiences effectively and ethically by presenting your abilities through games.

• Explanation: Students learn the principles of rhetoric, including ethos, pathos, and logos, and how to apply them in various communication contexts and showcase how much they understand them through the game. This objective helps students craft compelling messages that resonate with their audience while adhering to ethical standards.

• Integrate Logic, Ethics, and Persuasion for Holistic Communication

• Objective: Encourage the integration of logical reasoning, ethical considerations, and persuasive techniques in communication strategies through playing the game.

• Explanation: Students are taught to balance logical clarity, ethical responsibility, and persuasive appeal in their communication coursework. This holistic approach ensures that students can communicate effectively and responsibly, making them more effective and credible communicators.

• Foster Analytical and Reflective Thinking

• Objective: Cultivate the ability to reflect on and critique one’s own communication practices as well as those of others.

• Explanation: Students are encouraged to critically analyze their own arguments and the arguments of others, considering both logical structure and ethical implications. This objective promotes continuous improvement in communication practices and deeper self-awareness.

• Prepare for Real-World Communication Challenges

• Objective: Equip students with the skills needed to navigate complex communication situations in diverse professional and social contexts.

• Explanation: Students learn to apply logic, ethics, and persuasive techniques in real-world scenarios, preparing them for challenges in various fields such as law, politics, business, and media. This objective ensures that students are well-prepared to communicate effectively in a wide range of situations.

• Enhance Cultural and Ethical Sensitivity

• Objective: Develop an understanding of how cultural differences impact ethical communication and persuasion.

• Explanation: Students explore how different cultural perspectives influence communication practices and ethical norms. This objective encourages cultural sensitivity and ethical awareness in global communication

Students will:

1. Break into groups early in the semester (around the Listening exercise)
2. Select who will be in their group for two exercises (In-Class Activity and Presentation)
3. Meet and study examples of Rhetorical Devices/Appeals
4. Create a strategy for playing as a team prior to Rhetorical Appeals Jeopardy (Experiential Learning)
5. Create 20 questions/responses surrounding rhetorical appeals per team potentially to be used in the game (Experiential Learning) (Open Pedagogy)
6. Study Jeopardy answers, prompts as a group prior to Jeopardy Day (Experiential Learning)
7. Study/Be Aware of Jeopardy! Rules as a team (Experiential Learning)
8. Answering: The Host (Instructor) reads clues aloud (which are phrased as answers
9. Groups must respond with a question that contains the correct answer to the clue (“What is__________?”)
10. Groups can ring in to answer a clue using a bell
11. The first group to ring in successfully gets a chance to answer
12. Groups have five seconds to answer before giving another group a chance
13. Grammatically correct answers count as correct responses
14. Scoring: If a group answers correctly, the point value of the clue is added to their score (Initial Round: 5, 10, 15, 20; Advance round: 10, 20, 30, 40; Final Question: One person from the group responds: 100 pt for the correct responder/for the group)
15. They can then choose a new clue from the board
16. If a contestant answers incorrectly, they lose money
17. Rounds: The Game is played in three rounds (Jeopardy! Double Jeopardy! And Final Jeopardy! (Experiential Learning)
18. In Double Jeopardy! the amount of money for each correctly answered question is doubled.
19. If a team finishes a round with zero points or a negative score, they are eliminated from the game and don’t participate in Final Jeopardy!
20. The Board: It has a grid with 30 tiles
21. The tiles across the top represent different categories (the white rows that indicate the difficulty of the clue)
22. Clues on the top row are easier and worth less money while clues on the bottom row are harder and worth more money
23. The Final Group holds the title of winners of the Rhetorical Appeal Jeopardy!
24. The Event is recorded and placed in a MC online repository (Open Pedagogy)

• Enhanced Understanding of Rhetorical Appeals

• Outcome: Students gain a deeper understanding of the three rhetorical appeals—ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic)—and how they function in persuasive communication.

• Explanation: By answering questions and identifying examples of these appeals, students reinforce their knowledge of the concepts and learn to distinguish between them effectively.

• Improved Application of Rhetorical Concepts

• Outcome: Students develop the ability to apply rhetorical appeals in various contexts, both by analyzing existing arguments and crafting their own persuasive messages.

• Explanation: The game format encourages students to think quickly and creatively about how rhetorical appeals are used in different scenarios, enhancing their practical application skills.

• Collaborative Learning and Teamwork Skills

• Outcome: Students enhance their ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively with peers, and leverage the strengths of team members.

• Explanation: The team-based nature of the game fosters cooperation, requiring students to discuss, strategize, and make decisions together, which builds teamwork and communication skills.

• Increased Engagement and Motivation

• Outcome: Students’ experience increased engagement with the course material through the interactive and competitive nature of the game.

• Explanation: The fun and dynamic format of Jeopardy helps maintain student interest and motivation, making the learning process more enjoyable and memorable.

• Critical Thinking and Quick Recall

• Outcome: Students improve their critical thinking abilities and develop quicker recall of rhetorical concepts.

• Explanation: The game challenges students to analyze questions, recall relevant information, and apply concepts under time constraints, which enhances their critical thinking and memory retention.

• Reflection on Effective Communication Strategies

• Outcome: Students reflect on the effectiveness of different rhetorical strategies in persuasion and how they can be used ethically in communication.

• Explanation: As students discuss and analyze the use of rhetorical appeals during the game, they gain insight into how these strategies can be applied in their own communication practices, fostering ethical awareness.

• Confidence in Identifying and Using Rhetorical Appeals

• Outcome: Students build confidence in their ability to identify and use rhetorical appeals in both written and spoken communication.

• Explanation: Frequent practice in a supportive, team-based environment allows students to become more comfortable with rhetorical analysis and persuasion, boosting their self-assurance.

• Peer Learning and Diverse Perspectives

• Outcome: Students benefit from the diverse perspectives and interpretations of their peers, enriching their own understanding of rhetorical appeals.

• Explanation: Working in teams exposes students to different ways of thinking and interpreting rhetorical strategies, which broadens their understanding and encourages open-mindedness.

• Enhanced Analytical and Decision-Making Skills

• Outcome: Students improve their ability to analyze complex questions and make informed decisions under pressure.

• Explanation: The game requires students to quickly evaluate the options presented, choose the correct answer, and justify their choices, which sharpens their analytical and decision-making abilities. In summary, playing “Rhetorical Appeals Jeopardy” in teams can help students deepen their understanding of rhetorical concepts, enhance their practical application skills, improve collaboration and critical thinking, and increase their engagement and confidence in using rhetorical strategies.