Rhetoric

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Rhetoric Arguments

• The Art of Persuasion

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Suzanne WebbMichigan State University

• WRA 150 Consider Literacy
• March 13, 2006

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How will You Be Read

• Rhetorically Speaking
• Your Credibility, Persuasiveness,
• And Emotional Appeals

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Invention
• Arrangement
• Style
• Memory
• Delivery

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Invention
• Coming up with something to say

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Arrangement
• The order of the discourse

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Style
• How you say it

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Memory
• How the orator recalls the information

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Delivery
• The way the discourse is performed

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Write in the 21st Century

• Writing is one of the worlds oldest technologies
• Writing is both visual and verbal
• Writing is multilingual
• Writing can reach massive audiences (in a very
  short time)
• Writing is primarily public from p
  27 EDW

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When Writing an Argument

• You are attempting to convince readers of
  something
• Change their minds
• Urge them to do something
• Address a problem where no simple solution exists

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When Writing an Argument

• Who is your audience?
• Scholars?
• Fellow Students?
• Collegues?
• Children?
• Write to your particular audience

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When Writing an Argument

• Shape your appeal to your audience
• Establish common ground
• Respect your audiences interests and views
• Choose examples the audience can relate to
• Use language appropriate to your audience

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Audience p27 EDW

• What is your topic or message?
• What is your relationship to your audience?
• What are your values beliefs?
• Your audiences?
• You your audiences background knowledge?
• Time and space limitations?
• Purpose?
• Appropriate level of language?

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What do you want your project to do?

• Analyze?
• Classify?
• Compare? Contrast?
• Define? Describe? Discuss?
• Explain? Survey?
• Prove?

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The Argument p70 EDW

• all language has an argumentative edge.
• Do not assume that all writers agree with you!
• What one person might call a massive
  demonstration another might call a noisy protest,
  and yet another an angry march

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Analyzing the Argument p71 EDW

• What is the main issue (stasis)
• What emotional, ethical and logical appeals can
  you use?
• How can you establish your credibility?
• What sources do you have?
• How current and reliable are they?
• Does your thesis reflect your claim accurately?
• How can you use visuals to support your argument?

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When Writing an Argument

• Stasis Theory (stasis stand)
• Did the act occur?
• How is the act defined?
• How important or serious is the act?
• What actions should be taken as a result of this
  act?

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When Writing an Argument

• Reason Logic
• Emotion Values
• Character Credibility Ethics
• LOGOS PATHOS ETHOS

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Logos Pathos Ethos

• Logos
• The appeal to reason (logic)
• Pathos
• The appeal to emotion (values)
• Ethos
• The appeal to character (ethics)

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When Writing an Argument

• Logos reason
• The facts dont lie
• Use of evidence
• Trustworthy sources
• Clearly defined terms

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When Writing an Argument

• Pathos emotion of the reader
• Reminds us of deeply held values
• Stirs readers emotions
• Creates a strong emotional appeal

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When Writing an Argument

• Ethos character of the writer
• The credibility, moral character, and goodwill of
  the writer (ethics)
• Knowledgeable on the subject?
• Trustworthy?
• In the best interest of the audience?

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When Writing an Argument

• Identify the elements of an argument
• Most arguments share a claim, reasons for that
  claim, warrants (assumptions) which connect the
  claim to the reasons, evidence (facts, credible
  opinions, examples, statistics), and qualifiers
  (limiting of the claim)

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When Writing an Argument

• Identify the elements of an argument
• Claim
• Reasons, for that claim
• Warrants or assumptions, which connect the claim
  to the reasons
• Evidence, facts, credible opinions, examples,
  statistics
• Qualifiers, limits of the claim

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When Writing an Argument

• Recognize Fallacies
• Serious Flaws
• Barriers to common ground and understanding
• Pages 74-76 The Everyday Writer
• Emotional, ethical, logical fallacies

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Recognizing Fallacies

• Emotional
• Bandwagon appeal, flattery, in-crowd appeal,
  veiled threats, false analogies
• Ethical
• Ad hominem, guilt by association, false authority
• Logical
• Begging the question, post hoc fallacy, non
  sequitur, either-or, hasty generalization,
  oversimplification

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When Writing an Argument

• Demonstrating Knowledge
• Using credible sources
• Demonstrating Fairness
• Considering the other side in your paper adds to
  your credibility

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Organizing an Argument

• The Classical System
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Background
• 3. Lines of Argument
• 4. Alternative arguments
• 5. Conclusion

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Organizing an Argument

• The Toulmin System
• 1. Make your claim
• 2. Qualify your claim
• 3. Present good reasons as support
• 4. Explain the underlying assumptions
• 5. Provide additional evidence
• 6. Acknowledge possible counter arguments
• 7. Draw your conclusions

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When Making Presentationsof your finished
Arguments

• Know your material
• Practice, practice, practice
• Helps you be more comfortable on presentation day
• Make Eye Contact
• Adds to your credibility
• Lets the listeners know you know your stuff

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The 5 Canons of Rhetoric

• Invention
• Arrangement
• Style
• Memory
• Delivery

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When Making Presentationsof your finished
Arguments

• Who is your audience?
• How should you dress?

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Always Thank the Audience Be Sure to
Take Questions
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Props

• PowerPoint
• Brochure
• Flyer
• Website
• Press Release
• Poster board
• Other Ideas?

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Do You Remember C.R.A.P. ?

• Contrast
• Repetition
• Alignment
• Proximity

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CONTRAST

• Black type white background
• Sizes draw the eye to the focal point
• White space use it wisely!

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REPETITION

• Repeating Elements
• Colors
• Art (logos, pictures)
• Font
• Layout
• Navigation

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ALIGNMENT

• Flush Left
• Flush Right
• Centered
• Justified
• Pick one alignment and stick with it!

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PROXIMITY

• Grouping Elements
• Headlines close to their body copy
• Captions close to their pictures
• 3-5 Groupings per page
• Give it The Squint Test

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Dont forget C.R.A.P.

• Contrast
• Repetition
• Alignment
• Proximity

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Typography

• Promotes the feeling / Sets the tone
• Pick 2 typefaces
• Headlines / Sub Heads / Body Copy
• Serif / San Serif
• Use bold and italic for emphasis

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Typography

• Headlines
• Sub Heads
• Body Copy
• 1 serif / 1 San Serif
• Use bold and italic for emphasis

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Type Sizes

• BIG TYPE
• --LITTLE TYPE--
• Great for adding contrast!

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Type Sizes

• Varying Sizes Adds Contrast
• Establishes a Hierarchy of Info
• Consistency is Key
• Keep legibility and readability in mind

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How Much Info Per Slide?

• Not Much!
• A Bulleted List
• Five or Six lines of type
• Maybe 1 paragraph
• Better to break up long passages into two or more
  slides

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Color Psychology

• http//www.sheriftariq.org/design/images/color/col
  or_wheel.gif

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Color Psychology

• Do colors mean something?
• WARNING!
• JEALOUSY
• TRUST
• What about in other cultures?

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Color Psychology

• Sources on the web
• http//www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html
• http//www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idArt
  icle112idArea16

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How will your project be read?

• 4 Principles of Graphic Design
• Typographical Suggestions
• Color Psychology

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Rhetoric ArgumentsThe Art of Persuasion

• How will you be read?