| . The Problem The Solution Classifying Patterns Of Content The Range Of Classification Example: Chevron Ad | Controlling
Inferences: Patterns Of ContentThe ProblemDiscussion ofthe choice of contentincluded examples describing
American culture.
- the space shuttle
- rap music
- "Jeopardy"
- teen pregnancy, or
- Little League
baseball.
Say someone selected "Little League baseball"
from the list. What would they be trying to show? - an interest in sports
- a preoccupation with
sports from an early age
- a community group
activity
- the formal
organization of leisure activity
- a training program for
professional sports, or
- the "American
game"
Taken alone, the example is unclear, or ambiguous, at
best. The example could be an example of any, or all, of the above.
Consider another example. How are we to interpret the following information? James Jones, candidate for mayor, was arrested for speeding. Is this evidence of - personal inadequacies
- an adventurous spirit
- social
irresponsibility, or
- poor judgment
The same behavior, in different contexts, might be viewed
as an example of different qualities. In different contexts, the candidate's
bad driving record might be offered as - reason for voting
for another candidate
- an irrelevant factor
in assessing the candidate's qualifications
- negative evidence
overridden by other more relevant evidence
For communication to work, authors must have some means of
controlling how readers interpret their examples. They must find some means
to assure that readers will classify concepts as they intended.The SolutionThe solution to the problem above lies inpatterns. Consider the earlier example of Little League baseball once again, this time
within a pattern of examples: - Little League baseball
- Fourth of July picnics
- Election day voting
Within this pattern, Little League baseball is but one
example of traditional American cultural activities, all involving a sense of
community and fair play. In the grouping - Little League
baseball
- teen beauty pageants
- school talent shows
the example of Little League
baseball might suggest a child version of an adult activity, or an activity
that allows children to show off specific abilities�additional examples might
be needed to lock in a specific interpretation.We check our interpretation
of any single example against other examples offered to support the same idea.
Finally, consider the following list of assertions.
Copper bracelets can alleviate arthritis.
Alcohol is modest amounts is good for digestion.
A little pot never hurt anyone. On the face of it, these are all examples of liberal, but otherwise reasonable,
thinking about health. But add one more:
Copper bracelets can alleviate arthritis.
Alcohol is modest amounts is good for digestion.
A little pot never hurt anyone.
The moon is made of green cheese.
The statementCopper bracelets can alleviate arthritis.is now but
one more example of an absurd claim.
The more examples an author adds, the more a reader's options for
interpreting any single example are constrained. Skillful authors supply
sufficient examples to force a certain understanding of the overall pattern.
Careful readers look for patterns of evidence so as not to respond with an
inappropriate reading of any single example.Classifying Patterns Of ContentInterpretation begins with recognizing patterns of content
throughout a text�patterns of references, examples, illustrations, or ideas.
As you read a text, group examples together to isolate between two and five
major patterns. (Any fewer than two would not provide patterns to work with;
any more than five would probably fail to clearly distinguish major
patterns). You might look at- how different
groups are portrayed,
- how different
actions are presented,
- how different
sources are characterized,
- how different
historical periods are described,
Whatever a text does, you want to
seehowthat text does it.
The patterns you detect should include all of the assertions within a text
(or the analysis would only be partial) and each pattern should be clearly
distinguishable from others (or they would not be individual patterns).
Having decided that a group of items go together, you must supply a name
to indicate what the examples are examples of. Such a name should be general
enough to encompass all of the items in the group, and specific enough to
exclude items that do not belong.The processes of grouping and classifying actually go hand in hand, each
directing the other as you expand the classification to include additional
elements or contract the classification to exclude other elements.The Range Of ClassificationRecall the earlier example: The government once classified ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch
program. Elsewhere we suggested the speaker/writer probably is not simply providing a
lesson about the school lunch program, but offering an example of
bureaucratic stupidity. In light of the present discussion this example might
be read as an example of:- an error by an
unnamed employee of the Department of Agriculture
- typical
bureaucratic mismanagement of a federal program
- evidence that
government actions can be absurdly idiotic and counter to people's
best interests
- the incompetence of
humankind
How broadly can we safely abstract from the specifics of the original example?
Here again we must rely
on patterns. We must look at other examples and generalizations within the
text to judge how far the text wants, or will allow, us to go.Example: Chevron AdAs a final example of the power of recognizing what the
example are examples of, consider how, in the following advertisement,
Chevron Oil conveys an image of compassion and caring.
To protect marine life, it helps to speak the language. When we dismantled four offshore oil platforms near Santa Barbara, we
projected killer whale calls underwater to coax creatures away while we
worked. A sonogram of the sound is pictured at left. It was just one part of
an effort that went beyond regulatory requirements to ensure not a single
marine mammal was hurt. We began by hiring an independent marine mammal
consultant who prepared a wildlife protection plan, especially crucial since
the Santa Barbara Channel hosts one of the most diverse mixes of sea life in
the world. To avoid the gray whale's migration season, we scheduled
dismantlement during summer and completed it in the fall by working 24 hours
a day. A legally required 1000-yard safety zone was voluntarily extended to
four miles around each platform. A large research vessel, smaller boats,
aircraft and an underwater remote-operated camera were all used for
observation. Divers, acoustic specialists and scientists watched and listened
for any wildlife entering the safety zone. Many of these measures were not
required by government agencies but were dictated by our own policies. To us,
environmental protection is not only right, it's smart business. So that
we're not just known for how we work in an area, but how we leave it.
Almost every assertion is an example of a broader idea. Implied meanings are in
boldface.To protect marine life, it helps to speak the language.
When we dismantled four offshore oil platforms near Santa Barbara, we
projected killer whale calls underwater to coax creatures away while we
worked.
we cared about the well-being of those creatures, not only about our oil
platform
A sonogram of the sound is pictured at left. It was just one part of an
effort that went beyond regulatory requirements
we didn't have to do it--we cared enough to
to ensure not a single marine mammal was hurt. We began by hiring an
independent marine mammal consultant
we wanted to be objective to make sure we did the right thing from the
animals' standpoint
who prepared a wildlife protection plan,
we were comprehensive in our efforts
especially crucial since the Santa Barbara Channel hosts one of the most
diverse mixes of sea life in the world.
the task was difficult and complex with a great amount at stake
To avoid the gray whale's migration season,
again, we were knowledgeable and sensitive to the animals' needs
we scheduled dismantlement during summer and completed it in the fall by
working 24 hours a day.
we worked extraordinarily hard and were extraordinarily careful.
A legally required 1000-yard safety zone was voluntarily extended to four
miles around each platform.
again, we took extra precautions and did more than we had to
A large research vessel, smaller boats, aircraft and an underwater
remote-operated camera were all used for observation.
again, more care and expenditure to assure safety
Divers, acoustic specialists and scientists watched and listened
We were all eyes and ears for any problems
for any wildlife entering the safety zone. Many of these measures were not
required by government agencies but were dictated by our own policies.
makes explicit what has been implicit in the examples
To us, environmental protection is not only right, it's smart business. So
that we're not just known for how we work in an area, but how we leave it.
The boldfaced comments are not cases of reading in whatever we like, or
even of reading in additional information. They express the very ideas the
examples were designed to communicate. We see, then, a number of patterns of
content running throughout the text:- actions taken for
the benefit of the animals
- actions taken
beyond regulatory requirements
- actions that go
beyond the simple, the easy, or the obvious
All of these actions depict Chevron in a caring light.This same process of classifying evidence and inferring meaning can be
applied equally to the choice of language.
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