Who are we?

We are Shade Dudley and Margaret Curtis of Western Washington University- a partnership in a research project for English 101.

What are we researching?

The purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of political rhetoric on the success rates of pro-choice and pro-life groups in the years since Roe v. Wade. Areas of focus include a history of court cases, and the effects of pathos statements on public opinion. Additionally, survey results and language direct from pro-choice and pro-life groups will be analyzed side by side with laws and court cases to see whether these groups have influenced legislation.

Why?

Rhetoric is used in advertising, political campaigns, and in everyday conversation to sway others one way or another. We wanted to know how much of the abortion debate has been shaped by how people use words, versus the facts on the issue itself. this can provide us insight on how susceptible public opinion is to language strategies. With a better understanding of this, we can look inward, and reflect on our own impressionability. Which opinions are our own, and which opinions have been formulated by persuasive language?

Our Thesis Question.

To what extent is public opinion and legal success of each side of the abortion debate shaped by rhetoric and persuasive language, specifically from pro-choice groups, pro-life groups, and influences in the media, such as U.S. Presidents?

Answers?

Thus far, we have found that more recently, has the effect of social media been significant in the debate, and overall the pro-life argument has been more emotionally pulling for the older public, and the pro-choice argument has been more feminist and scientific, resulting in a younger supporting audience.

More research has yet to be done, and we hope to find a conclusive answer to our thesis question by next directly comparing abortion-related events to the conversation surrounding them.

Check out this recent news video to see if you can draw any conclusions of your own in relation to our topic: