The Rhetoric of Documentation Footnotes & Endnotes The Rhetoric of Documentation
Why Study Footnotes & Endnotes? You develop rhetorical strength when you converse with the text and its margins You realize the dynamic nature of documentation and how it functions in the rhetorical mode
Close Reading of a citation leads to understanding the nature of academic discourse Through analysis of footnotes you will discover that substance, as well as style, is important in the interpretation of the essay
Footnote #1 “Machine Tools at the Philadelphia Exhibition,” Engineering (26 May 1876), p. 427, cited by Kasson, see note 1 above. Which of the following is an accurate reading of footnote 1? An article by John F. Kasson appears on page 427 of Engineering “Machine Tools at the Philadelphia Exhibition” was published in New York The article “Engineering” can be found on page 427 of “Machine Tools at the Philadelphia Exhibition” “Machine Tools at the Philadelphia Exhibition” is an article published in the May 26, 1876 issue of Engineering Engineering is an article cited by John F. Kasson
Choice A: Does “cited by” means authorship? no! Choice B: Does the citation refer to the place of publication? Choice C: Is Engineering an article? Choice D: Is “Machine Tools at the Philadelphia Exhibition” an article and Engineering a publication” yes!
Footnote Facts: Italics are used for ______________________________. Quotation marks are used for ______________________. An _____________________ is found in a _________________, for example a _________________, ___________________ or ________________.
Footnote 2 Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne H. Pilgrim, Dickran Tasjian, The Machine Age in America 1918-1941 (New York: The Brooklyn Museum in association with Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1986), p. 85 The purpose of footnote 2 is to inform the reader that the quotation in line 49 Has been attributed to three different designers Was first cited in 1918 Was the inspiration for an exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum Is an article in The Machine Age in America 1918-1941 written by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Appears in a book written by Wilson, Pilgrim, and Tashjian and published in 1986
Footnote 1 & 2 Taken as a whole, the footnotes suggest The author of the passage wants the text to present highly technical material The author of the passage relies heavily on Kasson’s book Very little was written about machinery and ornamentation prior to 1976 Engineering magazines are an essential source for technical writers Except in rare cases, it is best to use the latest published work when documenting an idea or concept
Assignment: In your group prepare to explain to the class why your answer is correct or incorrect.