Graduation Year

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Granting Department

English

Major Professor

Marc C. Santos, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Meredith Zoetewey, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Julie Staggers, Ph.D.

Keywords

persuasive games, procedural rhetoric, technical communication

Abstract

For my thesis, I have undertaken the creation of a persuasive game to advance a particular argument of the way that work is performed in the field of technical communication. Designed using procedural rhetoric, with an attention to aesthetics, fun, and the qualities that make games viable pedagogical tools, my game has been programmed using HTML5 and JavaScript, and made freely available online at RhetoricalGamer.com. This written document is meant to serve as a supplement to the game, providing a rationale for the use of games in education and in technical communication; a definition of procedural rhetoric and the necessary qualities of game design to ensure that the rhetoric operates correctly; and a detailed breakdown of the final elements and mechanics in place within my game. It is my hope that this work will serve as an exemplar for others interested in pursuing the creation of persuasive games, as a case study for the application of procedural rhetoric to education, and as a means of advancing technical communication's study of games and their relationship with such emerging technologies.

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