Rhetorical Modes: Using Appropriate Strategies in Various Writing Situations

Dr. Downing

Kutztown University

Fall 2009

Rhetorical Modes1. Narration

2. Description

3. Summary

4. Comparison/Contrast

5. Problem/Solution

6. Explication

7. Definition

8. Analysis

9. Argument

10. Hegelian Dialectic

11. Question and Answer

12. Journalistic

Narration

Narration involves telling a story. It typically has a beginning, middle, and end. There is usually a main character who takes

some kind of action. There are typically other characters. There is often a lesson, or moral. Typically, narratives require no sources.

Narration (continued)

“Once upon a time, there was a little girl who lived in a village near the forest.  Whenever she went out, the little girl wore a red riding cloak, so everyone in the village called her Little Red Riding Hood…”

Description

Description is a detailed snapshot (like describing feelings or the beauty of a flower).

It can be used in a narrative to provide specific details about a character or situation.

Although process descriptions can involve the “step-by-step” movement of time, literary and narrative descriptions usually make time stand still.

Typically, description requires no sources.

Description (continued)

“Gregory is my gray Persian cat. He walks with pride and grace, performing a dance of disdain as he slowly lifts and lowers each paw with the delicacy of a ballet dancer…Gregory may snuggle up against your ankle, begging to be petted, or he may imitate a skunk and stain your favorite trousers. Gregory does not do this to establish his territory, as many cat experts think, but to humiliate me because he is jealous of my friends. After my guests have fled, I look at the old fleabag snoozing and smiling to himself in front of the television set, and I have to forgive him for his obnoxious, but endearing, habits.”

Comparison/Contrast Comparison means to identify similarities. Contrast means to point out differences. The organizational styles are either block:

AAAA/BBBB. Or point-by-point: ABABAB. Comparison/contrast may or may not require

sources, depending on the nature of the topic.

Comparison/Contrast (continued)

Western PA and Eastern PA

1. Western PA Weather

Eastern PA Weather

2. Western PA Sports

Eastern PA Sports

3. Western PA Driving

Eastern PA Driving

4. Western PA Interests

Eastern PA Interests

Western PA1.Weather2.Sports

3.Attitudes4.Interests

Eastern PA1.Weather2.Sports

3.Attitudes4.Interests

Point-by-Point Block

Problem/Solution Problem/Solution essays begin with a problem

and then offers a solution. These essays can spend a great deal of time

discussing the problem and a short amount of time providing a solution OR

These essays can describe the problem briefly and then describe several possible solutions.

Problem/Solution almost always requires a works cited page.

Problem/Solution (continued)

There are numerous health problems in shanty towns. First, because the sites are illegal the government does not provide piped water. As a result, drinking and bathing water are usually dirty and this causes diseases such as dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis, as well as skin and eye diseases. Second, houses are often overcrowded and have poor air circulation. This makes it easier to catch diseases like flu, TB and diphtheria where infection enters through the throat. Thirdly, there are no drains, sewers or rubbish collection services. The resulting pools of stagnant water and heaps of household waste attract rats and insects, which can pass on diseases.

The government could do a lot to solve these problems. For example, they could supply clean, piped water to individual houses or, at least, to neighborhoods. This would make drinking water safe and reduce infections. In addition, the authorities could provide householders with building materials to improve their conditions and educate them about the importance of ventilation. Lastly, the city council could construct drains and provide a rubbish collection service to reduce the risk of infections spread by rats and insects.

Explication

Explication means “explanation.” For example, I might write an explication essay

explaining the work of August Wilson. Such essays provide background, cite certain

sections of the primary and secondary texts to demonstrate points, and provide detailed summaries of people or situations.

Explication almost always requires a works cited page.

Explication (continued)

August Wilson's playwrighting, a marriage of drama and poetry—combined with his keen intuition—serves to transport the audience into a realm where thoughts, experiences, and conversations serve to re-establish cultural identity by restoring elements of a lost mythology. By persistently converting stereotypical concepts and character types into mythological archetypes which over write cultural clichés, Wilson elevates his subject matter into the realm of a shared cultural consciousness—a mythology—and restores a substantial degree of cultural identity through this artistic process.

Definition

According to Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary, definition is “a statement expressing the essential nature of something”.

Provides the specific meaning of a term or idea.

Provides outlines or limits.

Definition (continued)

Example: Define alternative energy Introduction paragraph: What is alternative energy? What is good about it

as a resource? Why is it important to have alternative energy? How many types of alternative energy are there? How can you define this form of energy?

Paragraphs: The number of paragraphs would vary depending on the length of the paper. Each of these should discuss one category of alternative energy, explain it along with their advantages and disadvantages, and substantiate with examples.

Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your discussion. Reemphasize the definition.

Analysis

Analysis literally means to “break into parts”. This kind of essay begins with a complex

situation, argument, or text and breaks down the idea into separate parts.

Sometimes opinion is included and sometimes not.

Analysis almost always requires a cited source.

Analysis

“Landmines make the recovery process for countries that have suffered a war in their own land extremely difficult. Landmines put a tremendous economic burden along with psychological effects in the morale of the population; they may even perpetuate the conditions for a future conflict. The United States should sign the Mine Ban Treaty now, not in the year 2006. And also, the U. S. should put pressure on other countries to do the same. As it is, the advances made during this century in weapon technology are already impressive; the world does not need to wait for more new developments in order to ban the use of landmines. Human civilization should not begin a new millennium with the knowledge that new landmines are being produced and planted. The ban of the use of antipersonnel landmines should be in our "warrior ethic" for the next millennium; let us hope that the human race can achieve more than that in the next century. “

Argument

Argument means “a coherent series of statements leading to a logical conclusion.”

Arguments begin by summarizing a situation, referring to an author, or citing a particular text.

Then it offers numerous reasons for or against the situation.

As you provide your rationale, you will continue to cite sources.

Arguments definitely require a works cited page.

Argument

“Violence against women is a synonymy of any act of discrimination and physical abuse aimed to hurt a girl or a woman. One of the most spread acts of violence against women is domestic violence, rape and others. As all the children, including boys, tend to copy the behavior of adults and their parent(s) in the first place, they become very sensitive to violence in terms of copying it, too. Sometimes school-education becomes the only source of showing children the ways of recognizing the responding to violence and if the process of education is harmonious and professionally then it empowers all children and particularly boys to become active participants and not just observers of violence-prevention.”

Hegelian Dialectic

Thesis Antithesis

Synthesis

Question and Answer [Also known as the Socratic Method…]

The Socratic Method is a conversation, a discussion, wherein two or more people assist one another in finding the answers to difficult questions. Why did Socrates proceed in this manner?  Despite his many claims of ignorance Socrates understood better than those with whom he spoke that it was not enough simply to "learn" facts, to memorize lessons, or to parrot lectures. To know truly, to seek wisdom, one must work toward understanding. 

Journalistic Style

5 Ws and H:• Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How?

Questions?

Sourceshttp://www.custom-essays.org/examples/Preventing_violence_against_women_Argumentative.html

http://www.rscc.cc.tn.us/owl&writingcenter/OWL/Landmines.html

http://www.masterpapers.com/blog/essay-writing-tips/definition-essays/31

http://www.geocities.com/frankie_meehan/ProblemSolution.htm

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/samdescpars.htm

http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/littlered/1.htm

http://www.greatbooksacademy.org/html/what_is_the_socratic_method_.html