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Strategies of Visual Argumentation in Slideshow Presentations: The Role of the Visuals in an Al Gore Presentation on Climate Change

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Abstract

The use of digital presentation tools such as PowerPoint is ubiquitous; however we still do not know much about the persuasiveness of these programs. Examining the use of visual analogy and visual chronology, in particular, this article explores the use of visual argumentation in a Keynote presentation by Al Gore. It illustrates how images function as an integrated part of Gores reasoning.

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Notes

  1. TED is a non-profit organisation devoted to ‘Ideas Worth Spreading’. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: technology, entertainment and design. Since then, its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences, TED also includes the award-winning TEDTalks video website (www.ted.com) and a host of other activities. The Al Gore TED presentation analyzed in this article, as well as the transcript of the talk, can be seen at: http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html.

  2. See: http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_s_new_thinking_on_the_climate_crisis.html.

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Kjeldsen, J.E. Strategies of Visual Argumentation in Slideshow Presentations: The Role of the Visuals in an Al Gore Presentation on Climate Change. Argumentation 27, 425–443 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10503-013-9296-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10503-013-9296-9

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