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What Is Rhetoric

This document defines key rhetorical concepts and terms: rhetoric refers to the study and effects of language used to persuade; it is found in many forms of communication. Aristotle defined rhetoric as "observing means of persuasion." The document explains that rhetorical analysis examines not just what a text says but what it does, considering claims, devices, and strategies used to persuade an audience. A rhetorical situation involves the context, purpose, author, and audience of a communication, and analyzing these elements can help determine an argument's effectiveness. The document provides questions to guide understanding the role of these key components in rhetorical analysis.

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268 views

What Is Rhetoric

This document defines key rhetorical concepts and terms: rhetoric refers to the study and effects of language used to persuade; it is found in many forms of communication. Aristotle defined rhetoric as "observing means of persuasion." The document explains that rhetorical analysis examines not just what a text says but what it does, considering claims, devices, and strategies used to persuade an audience. A rhetorical situation involves the context, purpose, author, and audience of a communication, and analyzing these elements can help determine an argument's effectiveness. The document provides questions to guide understanding the role of these key components in rhetorical analysis.

Uploaded by

api-277501178
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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WHAT IS RHETORIC

KEY TERMS & IDEAS

RHETORIC
The term rhetoric refers to the study, uses, and
effects of written, spoken, and visual language
Rhetoric is found all around us in many forms:
advertisements, literature, newspapers, art,
comics, speeches, etc.
Aristotle: The faculty of observing in any case all
of the available means of persuasion

SO, IS THIS RHETORIC?

NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT RHETORIC IS,


WHAT DO I DO?
Rhetorical analysis looks not only at what a
text says, but at what it does. It includes
consideration of the claims, devices, and strategic
moves an author makes in hopes of persuading
an audience
Performing rhetorical analyses on texts helps us
to get a better sense of how, why, and to what
extent an argument is effective. This helps us
decide if we believe the author and their
argument.

RHETORICAL SITUATION
ARGUMENT

CONTEX
T

PURPO
SE
AUTHOR

AUDIENC
E

WHY DOES THE AUTHOR MATTER?

AGE
EXPERIENCE
GENDER
LOCATION
BELIEFS
EDUCATION

WHY DOES THE AUDIENCE MATTER?

AGE
EXPERIENCE
EXPECTATIONS
PUBLICATION
LOCATION
BELIEFS
EDUCATION

WHAT IS A PURPOSE?

The reason(s) why an author might write a piece.


EDUCATE
INFORM
PERSUADE
CALL TO ACTION
SHOCK

WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?

The situation generating need


TIME
PLACE
HISTORY
CURRENT EVENTS

WHAT IS AN ARGUMENT?
The main claim/assertion of the text
If there is no argument, there is no point
Thesis Statement

SO, ONCE I HAVE AN ARGUMENT, AM I


DONE?
You need evidence to support your point.
Evidence is the reason why your point is valid.
What form(s) can evidence take?

OKAY, BUT DO I NEED ANYTHING ELSE?


Rhetorical Strategies are the moves an author
makes to grab attention, create emphasis, or
build their argument.

OKAY, LETS PRACTICE!


As a class, lets
rhetorically analyze
this image.

MORE PRACTICE
Okay, with a partner, rhetorically analyze the
Nacerima text.

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