Here is the official abstract that will be attached to my dissertation!
ABSTRACT
JANET LYNN JOHNSON
BLOGS AND DIALOGISM IN THE 2008 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
MAY 2010
The historical 2008 U.S. Presidential Election has set a new-media standard for future online campaigns. New media allows candidates to create a more dialogical and intimate experience with the electorate. The 2008 election is the topic of this study, which is a rhetorical analysis of Barack Obama’s, Hillary Clinton’s, and John McCain’s campaign blogs from March 1, 2008 to November 4, 2008. In this rhetorical analysis, I explore the dominant figures of speech used in each blog post to identify which figures the candidates used to appeal to the electorate to act. In this study, my primary goal was to show the rhetorical tools that candidates effectively used online to create dialogical interaction with readers. Of the three candidates, Obama and his campaign create the most significant dialogical interactive campaign with his blog posts by using figures of speech that include logical proof, emotional appeals, and endorsements; Clinton’s and McCain’s campaigns both fail to appeal via blogs to the electorate because they do not use all available means of persuasion. In response to the 2008 election, future presidential candidates will emulate online campaign standards set forth by Obama’s rhetorical accomplishments and by Clinton’s and McCain’s rhetorical failures. This study provides a rhetorical framework to guide future candidates to use persuasive means through emerging media and to encourage rhetoricians to recognize the rhetorical significance of online political communications.
{ 2 comments }
The abstract moves straight to the point of the study, what you hope to accomplish and spawns in this reader’s mind immediate “I wonder how questions, and I am curious about that thoughts.” This a desire to explore your research methods, tools, and proof points used to arrive at your conclusions. The use of the word dialogical appears to be deliberate and is appropriately underscored by words such as intimate and interactive.
I might have used different words regarding the Clinton and McCain “failures.” Specifically, words suggesting their lack of effective utilization of this new media. That however, is more a reflection of personal style than a substantive critique; neither of which were requested yet worthy of noting.
My overall impression: Well done, Ms. Johnson.
Thanks for the comments.
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