1. Transition to College English
How do we use writing in our everyday lives?
What is college writing?
What is the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing?

2. Basic definition Rhetoric is:
SITUATED COMMUNICATION (rhetorical situation)
Communication in some context
The art of speaking or writing effectively and persuasively in a particular context
(context = a social space, i.e., classroom, work environment, dinner gathering)
Forms of communication that are shaped by a particular social situation
Rhetor’s purpose: to inform, to persuade, to entertain

3. Example: Studying Rhetoric in Politics
Studying the “rhetoric” of political speeches might include:
Understanding how politicians use language to persuade
Looking at their non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, hand movements, etc.
Considering how politicians use tone and intonation to get a rise out of the audience

4. Expanding the Definition of “Text”
Studying the “rhetoric” of some text means understanding all relevant communicative devices
(a “text” = anything that communicates, not just written texts)
-this includes written devices, spoken devices, nonverbal gestures, or actual objects (i.e. an outfit)

5. Examples of “Texts” Studying the “rhetoric” of hip-hop could include:
Analyzing song lyrics, beats, styles of hip-hop
Considering clothing styles
Thinking about messages
Considering how rap videos define hip-hop culture
(in other words, we’d study different rhetorical “moves” or “strategies” that define hip-hop)

6. College writing often entails reading rhetorically and writing rhetorically.
Studying the “rhetoric” of a “text”
Author purpose, intended audience, and author ethos
Rhetorical elements a writer uses to achieve his or her purpose
pattern of organization (narrative, cause/effect, definition, etc.)
rhetorical appeals (logos, pathos, ethos)
types of evidence (facts, statistics, expert testimony, narratives, observational description, etc.)
diction (persuasive, connotative language, and biased language; specific and descriptive word choice; figurative language; active verbs, etc.)
syntax (sentence structure such as sentence length and variety; repetition)

7. Elements of the “rhetorical situation”
Classic author-speaker/text/audience relationships that guide arguments; author’s purpose and stance, audiences, texts, and contexts (socio-cultural-historical.)

8. Readers and Writers in Context
Image from: Lunsford, Andrea; Ruszikiewicz, John J., and Keith Walters. Everything’s An Argument, 6th ed. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2013.

9. So . . . what does it take to achieve success in college writing?
Rodin’s “The Thinker,” Image from Wikipedia
The answer might surprise you . . .

10. WPA, NCTE, and NWP
This Framework describes the rhetorical and twenty-first-century skills as well as habits of mind and experiences critical for college success.

11. The Habits of Mind
Curiosity – the desire to know more about the world.
Openness – the willingness to consider new ways of being and thinking in the world.
Engagement – a sense of investment and involvement in learning.
Creativity – the ability to use novel approaches for generating, investigating, and representing ideas.
Persistence – the ability to sustain interest in and attention to short- and long-term projects.
Responsibility – the ability to take ownership of one’s actions and understand the consequences of those actions for oneself and others.
Flexibility – the ability to adapt to situations, expectations, or demands.
Metacognition – the ability to reflect on one’s own thinking as well as on the individual and cultural processes used to structure knowledge.
See handout from the Framework on pp. 4-5 for extended descriptors.