Common Propaganda Techniques
Propaganda: (n) 1. a committee of Roman Catholic
cardinals, the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, in charge of
supervising foreign missions and educating priests to serve in them; 2.
Any effort to instruct in doctrines, principles, theories, or beliefs.
Over the years, propaganda has gained a bit of a pejorative meaning, often referring to efforts to brainwash people or otherwise obfuscate the truth using common persuasive techniques and fallacies. You can consider political & public service messages, wartime messages, advertising, and even a surprising amount of what you learn in school propaganda. Just keep in mind that it is not necessarily bad; it all depends on what you do with it. Most of the techniques of propaganda have already been covered in our Errors of Logic and Language study. However, there are still a few more you need to consider in terms of their use in actual practice. The lessons and information below cover these concepts. |
Understanding
Propaganda: Use this link to complete an online tutorial on
propaganda. Be sure to read everything and then answer the following questions
for four of the eight examples at the
bottom of the main page:
1. What propaganda techniques can you identify? 2. What is the message/purpose of each passage? Key Techniques to Know: Name-Calling, Glittering Generalities, Euphemisms, Transfer, Testimonial, Plain Folks, Bandwagon, Fear, Bad Logic, Unwarranted Extrapolations *Special thanks to Aaron Delwiche of the University of Washington for his kind permission to use his site. |
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Other Propaganda Techniques
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Putting It All Together:
Propaganda in Our Lives
Option 1: Advertising Directions: Compile a collection of advertising that you think make particularly clever or intense use of propaganda techniques. Submit your collection with a 3 to 5 paragraph critique of the commercials wherein you comment upon the techniques used and what made you think those techniques were so effective or interesting. You may organize this writing by commercial type or by technique type. Think: 1. Control your efforts - stick to maybe 5-10 minutes of material. 2. Do this with a video tape, on disk with links/ads and your writing, on a zip disk or CD with ads from Ad Critic, or as a web page with links to your ads. Power point would work well too. Grading: by completion, quality of material, and quality of critique Option 2: Wartime Propaganda Directions: Compile a collection of wartime propaganda generated by both sides since September 11. Submit your collection with a 3 to 5 paragraph critique of the propaganda wherein you comment upon the techniques used and how effective you think they have been. You may organize this writing by side, technique, or message. Think: 1. Control your efforts - stick to maybe 5-10 minutes of material. 2. There is virtually infinite access to speeches, reports, and interviews on this topic on any of the major news websites in print and video form. Use these thoroughly by compiling your work on disk with propaganda and your writing, on a zip disk or CD with video from news sites, or as a web page with links to the propaganda. Power point will work well too. Grading: by completion, quality of material, and quality of critique |
Background Resources
Curtis, Gary, N. "Red Herring." The Fallacy Files. October 15, 2001. http://gncurtis.home.texas.net/
Delwiche, Aaron. "Propaganda Analysis Home Page." Propaganda. March 12, 1995. http://carmen.artsci.washington.edu/propaganda/home.htm
Mesher, David. "Fallacies and Non-Rational Persuasion." Mission: Critical. 1999. http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/itl/graphics/main.html