Week 12

Tuesday

Topics

1. Tone

   • What's in Your Subtext? View

   • Writer v. Reader Viewpoint View

   • Achieving Good Tone View

   • Euphemisms View

2. Rhetoric Case Study

   • Framing: 3 Approaches

Resources

• The Power of Words

Thursday

Topics

1. International Audiences View

2. Challenger Introduction

   • Submariner Pitch (adjusting to changing contexts)

     • Space Shutter Challenger Explosion CBS Evening News (video)

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations . . . for nature cannot be fooled."

—R. P. Feynman, world-renowned physicist and active member of the Rogers Commission, the investigative board of the Challenger disaster.

• Known for his unconventional investigative approach

• Demonstrated on TV interview how, by immersing o-ring material in a cold glass of water, the o-ring’s failure to seal properly was due to cold temperatures

• Exposed a disconnect between NASA management and engineers

• Exposed management’s lack of understanding elementary concepts, including safety factors (see "Failure is the crack")

For more see Rogers Commission Report-Role of Richard Feynman.