Vincent Romano Essays (952 words) - Rhetoric, Neurotrauma, Medicine

Vincent Romano Dr. Myers English 1301.4033 March 27, 2017 Concussions in Football Playing football is a childhood dream for many kids as they are growing up. Football is a great way to compete, make new friends, and even pay for a free college education by receiving a full ride scholarship. Sometimes, for very few, football can be a career. As a child, most of the time, safety is the last thing on the mind. In the Public Service Announcement (PSA)"Concussion Awareness - HOSA Public Service Announcement" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were successful presentations of both ethos and logos, but there could have been a better use of pathos to strengthen the emotional response. A logos appeal is clearly presented in the second scenario when the coach makes it apparent that logically, if a player shows signs of a concussion, the coach needs to follow the concussion protocol to prevent further damage. Ethos is successfully used in the PSA announcement by showing a credible coach to relay the message in this scenario. Pathos, an emotionally ch arged appeal, was not demonstrated as much as the other approaches and could have been enhanced by more quickly engaging the audience. The first major reason the PSA on concussion awareness was logically apparent is by the use of a logos appeal. A male narrator details the effects in a way that when a player shows signs of a concussion, the coach needs to follow the concussion protocol to prevent further damage. The narrator makes it understood that following the concussion protocol is extremely important because if a concussion has occurred and the correct protocol is not followed, it could have a big impact on the athlete's career and quality of life. Though the PSA provided logical information about concussions in football, a possible way to strengthen it would be to refer to progress researchers are making in brain concussion examinations. Another successful appeal in the PSA on concussion awareness was the use of ethos. The ethos is the credibility the reader can assume from the information provided. In the first scenario, at the :10 mark, after the coach sends the player back into the game when the player clearly shows signs of a concussion, across the screen in big, red, bold letters that states, "REALLY COACH?" ("Concussion Awareness"). The ethical idea that can be taken away from the message is that the coach needs to be a responsible leader and make the right and credible decision. The ethical information provided during the thirty-two-second-long PSA was effective because it suggests in the second scenario, at the :19 mark, an alternate solution. The coach identifies the concussion symptom the player is displaying and then makes him sit out of the game and be looked at by the team trainer ("Concussion Awareness"). In contrast, the PSA on concussion awareness emotional or pathos appeal seemed to be lacking compared to ethos and logos. It is not until the halfway point, :16 mark, that the male narrator begins to express his message ("Concussion Awareness"). The narrator begins to talk and direct his message towards coaches. The narrator's voice is in a calm, low tone, as if he is having a normal conversation on a topic that is not a serious matter. The pathos appeal in the narrator's message could have been enhanced and more heartfelt if the narrator were displaying more passion and sympathy in his voice to grab more of an emotional response from the audience. The greatest impact the PSA on concussion awareness made relating to the pathos appeal comes in the opening scenario, at the :2 mark ("Concussion Awareness"). The PSA posits in big, bold, red capital letters, "CONCUSSION?" ("Concussion Awareness") across the top of screen. The video continues to show one player making a big hit on anoth er player. The player that gets hit falls back, and at the same time, that player's helmet comes off and soars through the air. This opening scene in the PSA best represents pathos, because as the big hit is demonstrated, the audience can see and sense the impact that just transpired as well as presume the possible consequences the fallen player will suffer from the hard blow. The pathos