Considering Visual Elements

In an opinion column, visual elements are generally not a key contribution to the column's purpose.

Forsvarsdepartementet

"Første norske F-35 på produksjonslinja" 04/14/2015 via Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

1. Is the theme or association that the image produces relevant to the theme of my argument?

The manufacturing process shown in the opening image connects to the engineering and manufacturing discussion in the text. The gap for the engine of the aircraft can also be seen in the image.

2. Do your eyes move easily from section to section in the order that you intended?

Yes. The short paragraphs make the column more readable, and the content flows in a standard top to bottom format.

3. Do the different visual and textual elements come together persuasively as a whole, or are there elements that seem disconnected or out of place?

The use of a single relevant picture at the beginning of the column connects the text to something tangible and is in accordance with the conventions of the genre.

4. Is the visual-rhetorical tone of your project consistent?

The tone is consistently formal throughout, and the image contributes to it. The statements of fact are intermingled with opinionated interpretations of them.

5. Is the call to action specifically developed?

I ended the draft with a very general call to action. The reference to the democratic process is broad enough to accommodate any future issues which are systematically similar to the F-35. The F-35 is essentially too big to fail at this point, so a call to action in regards to the F-35 is not particularly useful.

6. Are the consequences of not taking action and the benefits of taking action clearly expressed?

A significant portion of the project is devoted to assessing the consequences and causes of the F-35 program's failures. The consequences of not taking action are the same as the consequences of the failure of a large Department of Defense project. The benefits are expressed as government and defense industry efficiency.

I read Dylan and Jayni's posts about visual elements. My considerations of visual elements were much more simplified than theirs were because one of the conventions of my genre is the use of a single prominent image. Reading their posts made me realize that creative and appropriate use of visual elements in some genres is more valuable than textual elements.