Review several websites for U.S. departments and the White House. Is there a consistent approach to the website design among the various departments? Why or why not? Here’s a listing of Biden’s full cabinet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_executive_departments And a listing with links to each department: https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government After reviewing several, select one department to focus your analysis on. How (well) is its website designed (compared to the others)? What message is the website trying to send (compared to the others)?
To whom? Analyze the argument made by the department. In a sense, all departments must make the same argument: we deserve taxpayer funding. How well do they do it? Use the Toulmin model of argument to identify claims, evidence, qualifications, and warrants within the department’s statements. Is sufficient evidence given to support its claims? Review the recent media and press releases on the department’s website. How frequent are those releases? Are there any discernable criteria for the release of a statement? Review national newspaper coverage of the department (it might help to focus your search on articles about the Secretary of the department). What is the gap between the department’s press releases and the newspaper coverage and vice versa? Theorize about why that gap might exist. Write an essay that rhetorically analyzes how a U.S. department attempts to define itself, its personnel, and its mission to the public, and how print news sources cover the department.
