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Pitch Proposal
With a partner, you will be making a brief (2-3 minute), oral presentation with visual aids (overheads, posters, power-point slides, or web sites designed by you) that argues for the examination of a public issue and a civic advocacy group related to that issue for the class to study. The goal of the presentation is to persuade some members of the class that the issue and group you and your partner have chosen is the best choice for a team of you to research and write about. Only those organizations that attract the support of at least three class members will be studied. This pitch presentation assignment is worth 5% of your final grade for the course.

Keep in mind that student teams will be researching the communicative practices of the civic advocacy organizations pitched during this process so that so that we can investigate their rhetorical strategies. Once we decide on organizations and split into teams, each group will research their chosen organization. You will then individually write an argumentative analysis paper which analyzes some aspect of the group's communication practices.

When creating your presentations, consider the following:

  • Audience: Develop persuasive strategies by analyzing your audience. Since you and your partner are part of the class, you must consider how you are similar and different from other class members. What are the most important similarities and differences between your group and the rest of the class that might affect the way the other class members respond to your arguments? Adapt your arguments to address what you anticipate might be different viewpoints held by others in class.

  • Strategies: Think critically about the issue and groups you want to propose for class study. What is the best way to persuade class members that this group will be interesting and informative to study for the next 8-10 weeks.

  • Delivery: Decide on a format for presenting your proposal that gives you and your partner active roles in the presentation. You are both expected to speak. Plan on where you will sit or stand during the parts of the presentation and how the visual aids will be handled and by whom. Run through your plan at least once before your class presentation.

If you're stumped, some potential issues and groups to consider are linked below. Please remember that just because I a listing these organizations here does NOT mean I am necessarily supporting them. This list is just a starting point to help you get going. There are many, many other issues and groups to study, so do some research to find organizations related to issues you are interested in. However, please remember that the issues of gun control and abortion CANNOT be used. Also be sure to look at the links these pages have to other advocacy groups:


Las Cruces/Local Community Agencies-
While many of these agencies may not have extensive materials to draw from they may have a tremendous amount of local resources from which to draw. I encourage you to consider them (as well as the potential experience you may gain for your resume).

Disaster Relief Agencies:

 

Discrimination, Human Rights, and Racial Justice:

Immigration Issues:

National and International Conflict:


The Environment