1. Introduction to Rhetoric

2. What is rhetoric?
A technique of using language effectively and persuasively in spoken or written form.

3. Argument, Persuasion, Propaganda?
Goal
Discover the “truth”
Promote an opinion on a
particular position that is
rooted in truth
Offer “political advertising”
for a particular position that may distort the truth or include false information

4. Argument, Persuasion, Propaganda?
General Technique
Offers good reasoning and evidence to persuade an audience to accept a “truth”
Uses personal, emotional, or moral appeal to convince an audience to adopt a particular point of view
Relies on emotions and values to persuade an audience to accept a particular position

5. Argument, Persuasion, Propaganda?
Methods
Considers other perspectives
on the issue
Offers facts that support the
reasons (in other words, provides evidence)
Predicts and evaluates the consequences of accepting
the argument
May consider other
perspectives on the issue
Blends facts and emotion to make its case, relying often
on opinion
May predict the results of accepting the position, especially if the information will help convince the reader to adopt the opinion
Focuses on its own message, without considering other
Positions
Relies on biases and
assumptions and may distort or alter evidence to make the case
Ignores the consequence of accepting a particular
position

6. Propaganda Examples

7. Why you should know the difference
Most college writing is ARGUMENT writing– you need to support details LOGICALLY with EVIDENCE
If you do not analyze the author’s purpose, you may get suckered into believing something that isn’t logical
If you do not recognize the manipulation of propaganda, you will fall prey to advertisements and political ads—then you will make a poor purchase OR cast a poor vote

8. Introduction to Rhetoric
Ethos, Pathos, Logos Video

9. Rhetorical Appeals:
Ethos- the establishing of credibility or authority
Logos- the use of logical arguments, facts, statistics, etc.
Pathos- the use of emotional arguments

10. Example Teacher- stop giving so much homework
Ethos: “We are reliable students! You know that we will read the chapters without forcing us to write a one page summary!”
Logos: “We have homework in all of our classes, and there aren’t enough hours after school to complete it.”
Pathos: “I no longer have any time to spend with my family, and I miss them.”

11. You try it Parent- allow child to stay out past curfew Ethos: Logos:
Pathos:

12. Review Rhetorical Devices
Alliteration
Figurative Language
Parallelism- use of similar syntactical structure
Like father, like son.
Easy come, easy go.
Flying is fast, comfortable, and safe.
Repetition- the repeated use of important words or phrases
The word “freedom” appears over 20 times in Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech
Allusion- an indirect reference to an historical event, text, etc.
Imagery- the use of words that appeal to the senses

13. New Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical Questions
Anecdote
Loaded Words
Analogy

14. Rhetorical Questions
A question not answered by the writer (or reader) because its answer is obvious or obviously desired, and usually just yes or no.
“Are we men or are we mice?” 

15. Anecdote
An anecdote is a short and interesting story taken from a person's past experience - or that of someone they know or have heard about
'I know that many of you think the homeless are a lost cause and that they are lazy good for nothings. Well, of course, that might be true for some of them, but let me tell you about Dave. I went to school with Dave for three years until Year 11. It was just before our exams when Dave's mum and dad hit problems - big-time! From there on in life began to fall apart for Dave. He just wasn't able to cope. By the time he was eighteen, when I was sitting for my A-levels, Dave was on the streets...'

16. Analogy
Analogy- compares two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or concept…
“He that voluntarily continues ignorance is guilty of all the crimes which ignorance produces, as to him that should extinguish the tapers of a lighthouse might justly be imputed the calamities of shipwrecks.”- Samuel Johnson

17. Loaded Words Use of words with strong and/or emotional connotations
“Are we to be enslaved by this ruthless dictator?”