PWR 2VK: Framing Reality: The Rhetoric of Documentaries
Since the advent of the iPhone, everyone has become a documentarian, attempting to capture something real or true about our experiences, the historical events we witness, and the world around us. In this way, documentaries are a democratic form, accessible to a range of new and experienced content creators and audiences. Chances are, you’ve made at least one documentary and viewed hundreds or even thousands of them.
What you may not have fully considered is how documentaries make arguments, overt and subtle, that frame our views of reality and even shape our identities. This writing and speaking course invites you to examine documentaries through a rhetorical lens. We’ll explore how documentaries forward and circulate arguments and perspectives that invite identification, or the feeling of being part of a group, and division, the feeling of alienation, through the conscious choices of their makers. For this class, you’ll select a traditional or amateur documentary or documentary series, investigating the reasons behind the documentarian’s artistic and aesthetic choices, filming strategies, and approach to publicizing and circulating their product.
Examples of Research Topics
- traditional documentary or docu series on true crime, military history, chefs, travel, extreme sports, popular artists or musicians, historical or world events
- experimental documentaries
- classics of the genre (ex. Gray Gardens, Thin Blue Line, Bowling for Columbine, Hoop Dreams, Grizzly Man)
- health or wellness influencer docu series on social media
- religious or evangelical influencer series on social media
- a specific, popular vlogger (over a discrete period of time)
- a genre of documentary with a particular focus (ex. children under age 10 opening toys)
- citizen scientists tackling a particular issue or problem
- other discrete series of documentary of user generated content (UGC)
- deep fakes/ AI the future of documentaries
Major Assignments
Research Proposal
(5-minute live oral presentation; written text of 900-1200 words; reflective assignments of 250 words): Each student will prepare an individual written and oral proposal for a research project related to their chosen case study (documentary or docu series), establishing the significance and scope of the project, framing research question and expected research methods, and presenting preliminary information about relevant sources. Students share their research proposal with their class in a graded oral presentation that has a draft and revised version. Students will formally reflect on the proposal presentation as part of their PWR2 Journal.
Written Research-Based Argument
(3000-3600 words; 10-12 pages; reflective assignments of 250 words) Students will develop a substantial academic argument synthesizing a range of sources. These may include library and internet sources; social and popular media; visual, documentary, and journalistic sources; and ethnographic field research in some pre-approved cases. The PWR 2 RBA builds on the PWR 1 RBA, asking students to engage with a range of perspectives and conduct research in a manner appropriate to their university and disciplinary writing experience as sophomores. Students will produce a draft and a revision and formally reflect on the Written RBA as part of their PWR2 Journal.
Research Presentation
(10-minute live oral presentation with appropriate multimedia support; reflective assignments of 250 words) Students will translate their research-based argument into a live oral presentation with compelling multimedia support. The completed Oral Delivery of Research includes a rehearsal and a revision. Students will submit a reflection on this assignment as part of their PWR2 Journal.
Genre/Modes Assignment
Throughout the class, you will be asked to document your own research journey. At the end of the course, you will craft a storyboard to plan a scene that captures or otherwise dramatizes an important moment of discovery in your process.