Understanding and Using Persuasive Modes of Oral and Written Communication

Vicki LeQuire ~ English Department, Appalachian State University

Argumentation

Plato and Aristotle depicted in The School of Athens by Raphael (1509-1511)

Apostolic Palace, Vatican City

Academic Argument

• Takes a stand

• Presents evidence

• Uses logic

What is Rhetoric?

• The study of speaking and writing effectively

• The art of persuasion

Aristotle by Rembrandt (1653)

Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the most powerful thinkers in historyAsked series of questions to show that people hold many contradictory opinionsQuestion-and-Answer approach is known as the Socratic Method

Originally named AristoclesA student of Socrates, who gave him the nickname PlatoFounded a school called The Academy in 387 B.C.E. The Academy lasted approximately 900 years

Studied at Plato’s AcademyAfter Plato’s death, Aristotle opened his own school in Athens called the Lyceum.

“It is the art of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

History Makers

469-399 BCE

427-347 BCE 384-322 BCE

Aristotle’s Rhetorical Appeals

• Logos – The appeal to logic

• Ethos – The appeal to ethics

• Pathos – The appeal to emotionsAristotle, Artist Unknown (1st c.

CE)Acropolis Museum, Athens,

Greece

The Rhetorical Triangle

Journal: Rhetorical Analysis Prewriting

• As we work through the remaining lecture slides, refer to the article you selected for analysis and create a detailed list of answers to the following questions.

Logos in Action

Is there a clear thesis / easily recognizable main idea?Are there facts, examples, and expert opinion to support the

thesis?Is the article well organized in a logical order?

Are there errors in logic?

Ethos in Action

Who is the author, and what are his

or her credentials?

Does the writer

demonstrate knowledge of the subject?

What steps are taken to present the argument as reasonable?

Does the argument seem fair?

Do the sources seem both reliable and credible?

Does the writer include

proper documentatio

n?

Does the writer show respect for opposing

viewpoints?

Pathos in Action

Does the argument

include words or images

designed to move readers?

Does the argument use emotionally

loaded language?

Does the argument

include vivid descriptions or

striking examples used

to appeal to emotions?

The Rhetorical Situation or Context

• All communication exists within certain parameters (time, circumstance, audience)

• Ask questions to determine the rhetorical situation or context in which the essay was written

• When was the article published and in what publication?• What event has occurred which makes this a publishable topic?• Why is the author writing about this topic at this time?• To what or whom is the author responding?

Examining Rhetorical Choices

• What choices in language has the author made?

• What choices in persuasive technique has the author made?

• What choices in supporting sources has the author made?

• What choices in inclusion or exclusion of detail, opposing opinion, and logic has the author made?

What is Rhetorical Analysis?

• Examines the effectiveness of an argument rather than the topic of the argument

How do I do that?

Examine the

credentials and bias of the author

Examine the

evidence presented

Ask what rhetorical strategies are at

work

Ask questions

about what is

included or

omitted, what

works or doesn’t

Consider the

rhetorical situation

or context

Consider the

language choices of the

author

Introduction

• Introduce the author and the text in the opening paragraph

• Include the author’s background

• Discuss the author’s credentials and bias

• Develop a thesis statement which focuses on the effectiveness of the argument, not on the topic of the article

Second Paragraph

• Briefly summarize the text

• Provide background information on the topic

• Discuss the rhetorical situation or context

Body Paragraphs

• Discuss the author’s rhetorical strategies

• Discuss the validity of the evidence

• Discuss what has been omitted, what works and what doesn’t

• Discuss the language choices

Use Evidence from the Text

Conclusion

• Reiterate the thesis statement

• Sum up your points about the effectiveness of the article

• Write commentary that is smart, accurate, and stylish to keep the reader’s interest

Works Cited

• Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell. Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology, 2nd ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2014.

• Ruszkiewicz, John J. and Jay T. Dolmage. How to Write Anything, 2nd ed. NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012.

• Smith, Trixie G., Allison D. Smith, and Holly Hamby. Building Bridges through Writing. Southlake, TX: Fountainhead Press, 2014.

• “Understanding Writing: The Rhetorical Situation.” The Purdue OWL. The Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/