Rhetoric is: the art of finding ways to persuade an audience. Not just in speeches, but also in essays, political cartoons, photographs, and advertisements: --all considered “texts”

RHETORICAL TRIANGLE SPEAKER AUDIENCE SUBJECT TEXT

SOAPS-identify these for each piece of writing: SUBJECT OCCASION AUDIENCE PURPOSE SPEAKER

Arguments to: Convinc e: Arguing to convince leads audiences toward conviction, toward arguing that a claim is true or reasonable orthat an action is desirable. Persuade : Arguing to persuade is to done to move other from conviction to action. A combination of both is often used in academic arguments.

Other reasons for argument: To explore To inform To make decisions To meditate or pray

3 occasions for argument: 1. Forensic : arguments about the past – What are its concerns? What happened in the past? – What does it look like? Court decisions, legal briefs, legislative hearings, investigative reports, academic studies

2. Deliberative : arguments about the future – What are its concerns? What should be done in the future? – What does it look like? Proposals, bills, regulations

3. Epideictic/Ceremonial : arguments about the present – What are its concerns? Who or what deserves praise or blame? – What does it look like? Eulogies, graduation speeches, inaugural addresses, roasts

Assignment: In a recent magazine, newspaper, or blog, find three editorials – one that makes a forensic argument, one a deliberative argument, and one a ceremonial argument. Analyze the arguments by asking these questions: – Who is arguing? – What purposes are the writers rying to achieve? – To whom are they directing their arguments? Then decide of whether the argument’s purposes have been achieved and how you know.

Three major forms of argument :

Ethos “character” Appeals to ethos demonstrate that the speaker/writer is credible and trustworthy to speak on a given topic. It is established by who you are and what you say.

Pathos “emotion” Appeals to pathos generate emotions (fear, pity, love, anger, jealousy) that the writer hopes will lead the audience to accept a claim.

Logos “logic” Appeals to logos include the presentation of facts, statistics, credible testimony, examples or even a narrative or story that embodies a sound reason in support of an argument.

Assignment: Find three advertisements. (You may clip ads from a magazine, newspaper or online). On a separate piece of paper, list the title or brief description of the ad and explain whether it is an appeal to ethos, logos, or pathos. We will post the ads on a board in class according to their categories.