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  • Sophist
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      The Sophists were a group of traveling teachers in Ancient Greece who were hired by citizens who were looking to become better, more persuasive teachers. Today, the term "sophistry" carries a negative connotation, as it refers to arguments that use rhetoric for malicious reasons, like to confuse or distort.
  • What is it, anyway, and why do people say such terrible things about it?
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      This comment makes me feel like rhetoric isn't such a bad thing even though I hate it.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I think the reason why people do not like rhetoric is because it is very diverse.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Why do you hate, rhetoric?
  • truth exists in an absolute way, and the only proper use of rhetoric is to lead people to it.
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      This helps in my understanding of rhetoric and makes me want to use rhetoric to see the truth.
    • Meghan Winn
       
      I like this way of looking at rhetoric.. not just convincing people what you believe but leading them to the truth.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      Also i think if you believe in what the truth stands for it makes it easier for you to bring people to it.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      It always depends on where the person wants to take you. What truth they consider to be the right one. Always worth pondering over because people get sucked in without even knowing it.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Cybil brings up a good point here. In a world where many truths, be they religious, scientific, philosophical etc. exist for many different people, it is often the execution of rhetoric that leads people to believe in one thing over another.
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  • People should use rhetoric to try to persuade each other, so that in the end, after hearing arguments on all sides of a question, they might arrive at the best course of action.
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      This is a good way to look at rhetoric. It gives me a new perspective on it.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I think this is one of the best explanations of rhetoric i have seen so far.
    • Bob The Builder
       
      Using rhetoric to persuade each other is an excellent idea because it helps make an answer to a question more objective and it reduces any biases.
  • Anyone who has lived with a cat or a dog can think of numerous ways these animals practice rhetoric in Kennedy's sense -- exert rhetorical energy -- to express their feelings and to get humans to do what they want.
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      I never thought of rhetoric being used by animals but now that is explained to me, I guess I could see where it is possible!
    • Charlotte Randolph
       
      I would have never thought about animals using rhetoric. I found it very interesting that they would use it in such a simple way. They convey what they need throught their sounds and actions.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      Wow, i never thought of an animal using rhetoric to make sense. My dog will get his leashe when he has to go out or when hes hungry he will put his head on my leg while i am sitting down. Also he eats around the same time everyday and he will start following me around and pacing back and forth till i get him his food.
    • Brandon Cruz
       
      My dog does many of the same things. So really, rhetoric is communication. If we did not have a need to express different ideas we would not need language.
    • Bob The Builder
       
      When I read the line above that states "rhetoric is manifext in all animal life..." I thought that sounded ridiculous. But by reading this line, I now understand what they are talking about and, in fact, it seems very true.
  • Even when rhetors do not intend to persuade outright, still they must be concerned with their credibility
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      Thinking about this comment, I reflect back to when I speak to my friends and pretty much anyone and I realize that in some way or another I am always trying to persuade them of something. Even when I don't realize it!
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Yes. And I'd like you to carry this idea to the papers you write for this class. You'll want to pay careful attention to whom the intended audience is, and then make your own rhetorical writing decisions based on what you know about that audience's expectations.
  • [R]hetoric is inoperative when the audience lacks the power to respond freely to the message
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      This is so true! If you are trying to persuade someone to be on your team, but they are already on your team, then why are you trying to persaude them?
    • Sean McMillan
       
      This statement solidifies the importance of the audience when it comes to rhetoric. You could have the best argument in the world, but without the right audience it could be meaningless.
  • Asian writing is more likely to spiral on itself, reiterating ideas in various ways. Many students who come to us from foreign countries have to learn not only to speak and write in English, but also to follow the rhetorical conventions of a foreign culture.
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      I never knew this. Interesting fact!
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I had no idea. Must be tough!
    • Sean McMillan
       
      you don't really think of rhetoric as being any different from any other language or culture. I guess it's all relative.
    • Brandon Cruz
       
      I couldn't imagine going to study in China and having to write like that. Hats off to the students over here.
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      This is an awesome paragraph and really helps to describe what its like being immersed in something you don't know and how we still use what we learn after we are not involved in it anymore!
    • Ashlee Duckworth
       
      These two paragraphs help me with understanding alot about rhetoric and how to use it!
  • Everyone practices rhetoric
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This entire section of the work makes it more clear how everyone uses rhetoric. When I think of rhetoric, I just think of advertisers and authors who use it to persuade their audiences, but I really didn't realize how much we use rhetoric until you see an example like the dog and cat example in the sixth paragraph.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      It's kind of exhausting when we think about all the rhetoric we see on a daily basis. Especially in advertisiing!!!
    • Bob The Builder
       
      This is an excellent title for a section because, while most of us do not realize it, we all do practice rhetoric on a daily basis. Because its such a broad topic, people dont realize how often it is used.
  • The rhetoric is a kind of smoke screen, or a trick with mirrors meant to deceive.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I like this metaphor. It makes the story a little bit more interesting. I don't feel like I'm just reading something out of a textbook when I read this. It makes me want to read further to understand exactly what they are trying to say.
    • Meghan Winn
       
      I agree with Angela about liking this metaphor. So many people think that rhetoric is a "trick..meant to decieve" but really they probably use it all the time without even noticing.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      Yeah i really like this metaphor also, and i agree with the second comment i dont think alot of people realize how often they use it.
    • Garrett Granger
       
      I think this comment is very accurate. Sure, people may not realize how often they use this technique, but when in use, rhetoric helps to steer the listeners opinions in the speakers direction.
  • the emotional energy that impels the speaker to speak, the physical energy expended in the utterance, the energy level coded in the message, and the energy experienced by the recipient in decoding the message.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I really like the way this was put-it makes me think further into what he means.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      I love this. It's such a huge statement on the basis of the world, and in philosophy. Talking about energy and the way it comes through people is another subject altogether.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I like the way that he put this-it really makes me tihnk further into what he's saying.
  • Put another way, rhetoric is a way to affirm values and hopefully avoid armed conflict: it's better that people work out their differences with words rather than with swords or guns.
    • Meghan Winn
       
      It would be nice if that could always work and we could avoid wars and other conflicts!
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      Yeah i agree, wouldn't it be nice to bring some troops home or had a couple of wars and such avoided?
    • Cybil Scott
       
      Wow. If we could work stuff out by just using words, wouldn't the world be quite a different place!! There's only one requirement though, everyone would have to be educated and intelligent. So until then, if we're gonna be dumb we gotta be tough.
    • Brandon Cruz
       
      I wish the world would work like this. I feel that people today are so concerned with being "right" that they forget to try look at all of the angles my self included. Many of are just so stubburn that we will never be able to think this way.
  • But the domain has shifted many times in subsequent ages.
  • Even when rhetors do not intend to persuade outright, still they must be concerned with their credibility; with what their audiences already know and needs to know; with how their audiences are likely to feel about the subject; with how to begin, how to end, how to arrange the middle -- all these and more, to earn the greatest possible cooperation from their readers.
  • In the academic community we would do well, all of us, faculty and students, to think of ourselves as rhetors -- even as rhetoricians, students of rhetoric. Because in some ways we are.
    • Charlotte Randolph
       
      I think this is very true because we use rhetoric in papers we right in school to convince the readers of what we are discussing. Faculty uses rhetoric to persuade their colleagues and students almost every day.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I think at some point everyone uses rhetoric probably once a day if not once a week to try and get something across.
    • Garrett Granger
       
      Again, I have to agree with this statement. As college students, we use rhetoric everyday to try and prove ourselves. More specifically, logos is used almost everyday at the university level.
  • Discourse that affects an audience, that informs, moves, delights, and teaches, has a rhetorical aim. . . . Rhetoric implies choices, for both the speaker or writer and the audience. When we practice rhetoric we make decisions about our subject, audience, point of view, purpose, and message. . . . Furthermore, the audience must have a choice in responding to the message, must be able to adopt, modify, or reject it.
    • Charlotte Randolph
       
      I liked this paragraph because I think it is very true, when we practice rhetoric we are making a decision about what we want to convince our audience of and how to do it. At the same time the audience makes the desision of how to take the information and accept it or not. This is really evident in a debate, because you as the speaker make the decision of how to convince your audience and they in return decide how they will respond to it.
  • Hitler's Germany
    • Cybil Scott
       
      Hitler was indeed a truly evil person with a hidden agenda who exterminated over 6 million people. Unfortuantely, as many people realized he was a very skilled public speaker. He was popular for a reason. He was extremely good at persuasion and making people think what he was accomplishing was good for the nation as a whole. This is where the danger lies. One always has to think critically and see beyond the rhetoric.
    • Vincent DiDomenico
       
      I agree with Cybil. Rhetoric is, as Hitler has proven, a powerful form of persuasion. We must always remember, however, that it is just that--a method of persuasion.
  • winning
    • Cybil Scott
       
      A mind-set that many people should change. It's never about being right or winning for the sake of winning.
  • Speech would not have evolved among human beings unless rhetoric already existed
    • Cybil Scott
       
      So philosophical and deep. I could debate on this for hours!
    • Garrett Granger
       
      This is a very interesting statement. It seems very possible that it could, in fact be true. If we accepted everything we were told, there would be no reason to respond when spoken to, except for a gesture of acceptance.
  • Ethos: how can I establish credibility, to show I've "done my homework" on the subject I'm writing about? What face should I present to the reader: that of a student? a professional in training (Word Works #55-56)? Pathos: who are the audiences for the writing? What can I assume the audiences already know and feel about the subject (#76, 77)? Logoi: how can I make sure my information is complete and my arguments logical (#78)?
    • Bob The Builder
       
      Because i often confuse ethos, pathos and logos, these questions are great examples to distinguish one from the others. It is especially useful because these are questions we (the students) constantly ask ourselves.
    • Meghan Winn
       
      I agree that these examples of the types of rhetoric helped me distinguish between the three! Every time I write a paper or just an informal writing assignment I ask myself many of these same questions.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      Yes i also often get the three confused but these examples helped out big time!
  • "How `true' is a truth if you can't get anybody to accept it?"
    • Sean McMillan
       
      very good quote. Sad but true. Just because your speaking the truth doesn't mean there isn't someone else with a better argument.
  • he took the domain of rhetoric to be uncertainty and probability, particularly in the law courts and the deliberations of democratic government
    • Michael Gutierrez
       
      This is important because rhetoric is only as trustworthy as the speaker.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      I think that this is looking at rhetoric from one perspective, however I think that rhetoric can also be used as a good thing. Helping people make the right decisions, not necesarilly a "trick with mirrors"
    • Sean McMillan
       
      very true, rhetoric can be used to just inform. It's not always used to just trick or persuade. Its a good way to pass on information.
  • In fact, rhetoric is manifest in all animal life and existed long before the evolution of human beings.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      This is a good observation applying the notion of rhetoric not only to humans but to all living things. Wolves for example have a very strict hierarchy that is strictly regulated. The leaders in these poeitions utilize body language and strength, along with experience. Which is all a part of rhetoric.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Great comparison, Alex. Thanks.
  • Rhetoric has always been a tool that can serve either good or evil,
    • Sean McMillan
       
      This statement clarifies that rhetoric can and does get used in situations when the authors not necessarily right. As stated before with the hitler reference, someone with a good understanding of their audience and rhetoric can do some harmful things.
  • People moving from one culture to another must cross not only a language barrier, but also a cultural barrier -- part of which is rhetorical.
    • Dena Rennie
       
      This is undoubtedly true. To give another example like the one listed below here. Being a sign language interpreting major, here is a cultural barrier problem I have seen. In Deaf culture, Deaf and hard of hearing individuals value directness and being blunt about subjects. If you have put on a little weight, it is nothing for a Deaf person to sign HEY YOU LOOK DIFFERENT, BEFORE THIN NOW FAT HAPPEN? (cultural note, that is ASL syntax, i couldn't really add the facial grammar glosses- but that would be the basic sign order. Prepositions and conjuctions are usually implied) This may be very difficult to accept for a person who is not associated or well-versed with the Deaf community because one may think they are being rude, when really that is how the cultural as a whole is. I have noticed sometimes Deaf and hard of hearing people get frustrated sometimes with people who beat around the bush because they feel that the person that they are communicating with is trying to hide something. This sometimes causes problems, especially if the interpreter forgets to interpret the cultural differences (which happens upon occassion).
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      An absolutely fascinating comment, Dena. Those of us who are not hearing impaired know that without body language it is often difficult to communicate clearly. For people who depend wholly on body language, it is even more important. Thanks for sharing.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I think you made a really good point with your example. When I think of different cultures, I think of someone who maybe lives in Europe compared to the United States, but your example opened my eyes to a differnt way in looking at cultures. :)
  • Cultures vary over space and over time.
  • Cultures vary over space and over time. What was true of rhetoric for the ancient Greeks and Romans is not necessarily true for us.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This is a very true statement. Culture affects many different aspects of our lives, so I can definitely see that it would affect how rhetoric is viewed. Even someone from a different culture today may not see the same rhetoric as we see.
    • Garrett Granger
       
      I find it interesting how this statement suggests our form of rhetoric is different from the Greek and Roman forms, when we still classify rhetoric based on Aristotle's three appeals.
  • the shock of entering the "Burkean parlor."
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I really like this phrase and it's explaination, a lot. I've learned about culture shock in many of my classes, but seeing it in this way makes it so much more clear to me how difficult it must be for a person coming from one culture to enter into a competely different culture and have to adjust to the customs of the new culture without knowing basically anything about the culture ahead of time. One of the things they have to adjust to is the rhetoric of the culture.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      This really is an interesting way of puting that cultural barrier into perspective for those of us who have never been forced to experiance is.
  • However, the discussion is interminable. The hour grows late, you must depart. And you do depart, with the discussion still vigorously in progress.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This part, to me, goes with the fact that culture changes all the time. When the person enters the conversation, it is impossible for them to catch up in every single bit of the discussion, and when they leave, the discussion is still going on, making it impossible to know the entire rest of the conversation. It is, in a way, saying that it's impossible to know every single bit of a culture because it is ever-changing.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      Such is life.
  • The "Burkean parlor" might be taken as a parable for a lot of things: for entering the culture of a different country (as many of our students have done), for entering college or a new job, perhaps for life itself.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Before reading this sentence, I only thought of a person being entered into a new culture from a differnt country, but now I know that it can mean many different tihngs.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I also interpreted it as say going to a new country for the first time but it is now easy to understand how it can mean different things.
  • When we study the organization and style of journal articles and conference presentations in order to write and speak in a similar or different manner, we are being rhetoricians. When we teach our students how to write in the discipline, how to handle the conventions of subject matter, arrangement, language, format, and documentation, we are being rhetoricians.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This is another example of how rhetoric can be used in every day life.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      I think we are rhetoricians all the time; when we speak to someone else that is. I don't think we can be rhetorical to ourselves.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I said it earlier and this makes sense to me also, i think people especially teenagers use rhetoric everday.
    • Sean McMillan
       
      rhetoric is definatley everywhere. It's used from trying to decide where to eat dinner to matters of national security. Rhetoric is a skill set that can help anyone in life.
  • A year later the student happens across the original article, reads it again easily, and wonders, What was so hard about that?
  • A year later the student happens across the original article, reads it again easily, and wonders, What was so hard about that?
    • Meghan Winn
       
      This is definatly something that has happened to me before! Whether it's a new subject in school or just something I happen to be interested in, the first few times I look into it I have no idea what they are talking about but later on it seems so easy!
  • A student (and that could be any of us) tries to read a journal article in an unfamiliar field. It could be in physiology, education psychology, rhetorical theory. The student struggles with the article, rereads paragraphs, writes notes all over the margins trying to understand the gist of what's being said.
    • Garrett Granger
       
      I could be completely misinterpreting this, but I think that it would be the content of what is being discussed that causes the confusion, not rhetoric. I understand that there are many forms of rhetoric, but don't they all have the same purpose? In some way or another, rhetoric persuades and informs. Again, I could be looking at this the wrong way. I'm interested in seeing other thoughts on this topic.
    • Cybil Scott
       
      When someone thinks to hard about anything they make it more complicated that it is. Creativity and clarity usually comes when you least expect it, or when you are not thinking, and this should be applied to everything. Quietness of mind.
  • For instance, two of the main "arts" or rhetoric, memory and delivery, have taken entirely new forms in this age of word processing and desktop publishing.
    • Brandon Cruz
       
      This is interesting to think about. Instead of us being able to write and re-write something to make it more rhetorically sound, ancient Greeks only had one opportunity, while speaking, to get it right.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      This is interesting, as I discussed last week anything that stays around for a while has to evolve, and adapt to the times.
  • Aristotle taught that there are many areas of human experience where the truth is hard or impossible to determine
    • Bob The Builder
       
      I've learned that this is very true. It goes back to the old saying that not everything is in black and white. We often find ourselves in the gray area.
  • Some of the most dramatic scenes are those in which the characters attempt to persuade other characters: Agamemnon's disastrous attempt to rally the troops; Nestor, Ajax, and Odysseus trying to persuade Achilles to rejoin the battle; Hera seducing Zeus to distract him from the war; Priam persuading Achilles to give up the body of Hector.
    • Bob The Builder
       
      This line caught my eye because many of these stories, such as Zeus, Odysseus and Achilles, were taught to us when we were younger and, at the time, we never knew that rhetoric was being used.
  • Another assumption behind the slogan "cut through all the rhetoric" is that rhetoric is only what certain people use, such as politicians and orators, and they only use it on certain occasions.
    • Bob The Builder
       
      I think this assumption is often made because it is such a broad topic that most people do not understand what is considered rhetoric.
  • Even the writer of a parts list has to decide on nomenclature, arrangement, and the appearance of the list on the page or computer screen for the greatest clarity -- all rhetorical decisions.
    • Bob The Builder
       
      This is a good example of how the simplest writing, such as a list, uses rhetoric.
    • Angel Aramayo
       
      I don't know why but some things seem to get alot more complicated when you start thinking rhetorically.
  • Also, Westerners want their writing (not in all genres, but in exposition and argument) to drive forward, from beginning to end, in a linear fashion.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      American's are very to the point when looking at accomplishing goals. Sometimes a little bit to much and it hurts us. However this also why we are number 1. Rhetoric is definitely a clutural aspect as it fluctuates. Rhetoric really is devided into many different ways, depending on who is trying to be convinced. Rhetoric is constantly changing and must be in order to be used effectively.
  • But all of us function as rhetoricians
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      This is a great example. Teachers are people that we look up to, and expect to understand the topic at hand. We put our faith in their history, and knowledge in that specific topic to help us understand better.
  • In fact, we would do well to think of most of our communication as rhetoric, as a series of decisions and strategies for earning the cooperation of our audience.
    • Alex Gutierrez
       
      This is exactly what rhetoric is compacted in one sentance. Very good brief description I think.
    • Sean McMillan
       
      I agree, great wording. It helps cement the face that rhetoric isn't just some overblown academic technique, but a instinctual ability that you've been honing since childhood.
  • Today, many rhetoricians argue that most speech and virtually all writing must be regarded as not only rhetorical, but as persuasive in some important ways.
    • Michael Gutierrez
       
      I think it is interesting to see how how writing and speech have been viewed throughout history. From the Ancients to current day Rhetoric has been looked at in many ways. I dont agree with most rhetoricians today who argue that most speech today is Rhetorical. The main purpose of a speech in my opinion is not to persuade but to motivate.
  • The student has been initiated into the discourse community and is getting ready to join the conversation.
    • Michael Gutierrez
       
      If a person wants to be good at anything the key word is practice. The student referred to in this paragraph was completely lost in the beginning but soon the tasks ahead of him became simple. This is because of his dedication and practice. The same can be applied to rhetoric. In order to give a good persuasive speech one must practice practice and practice some more. Rhetoric is more than just language its a art.
    • Sean McMillan
       
      practice is definatley important. The more you practice rhetoric no matter how foreign it may seem at first, the better you become. And the better you become the more persuasive or informative your argument can be.
  • It might be interesting, too, to think of our students' writing as rhetoric, and help them understand it as rhetoric.
    • Michael Gutierrez
       
      Once again I dont think all writing should be looked at as rhetoric. Most writing should not be rhetoric in my opinion.
  • In the Middle Ages, rhetoric was concerned with sermons and letter- writing. In the Renaissance, its domain was extended to poetry and all else that we call "creative" writing. During the Enlightenment, rhetoricians and natural philosophers studied the role of language and rhetoric in the making of scientific knowledge.
    • Michael Gutierrez
       
      It is interesting to see how the view of rhetoric changes with the changing of culture.
  • Anyone who has lived with a cat or a dog can think of numerous ways these animals practice rhetoric in Kennedy's sense -- exert rhetorical energy -- to express their feelings and to get humans to do what they want.
  • Rhetoric implies choices, for both the speaker or writer and the audience. When we practice rhetoric we make decisions about our subject, audience, point of view, purpose, and message. . . . Furthermore, the audience must have a choice in responding to the message, must be able to adopt, modify, or reject it. . . . [R]hetoric is inoperative when the audience lacks the power to respond freely to the message
    • Dena Rennie
       
      This is very true (I accidentally read too far last week so now I'm switching since I wrote on the latter half last assignment). Rhetoric is about choices for both parties. The speaker/writer chooses the direction they wish to persuade their audience to feel, and hope that they choose to accept that direction. This is seen everywhere, but as the Presidential Debates are going on as I write this in the background, we will use this an example. McCain and Obama are both posing their choices tonight. They are posing their strategies which choices should be made about our country. Each of them discuss their point of view, and why it is important to them why do carry things out in such a way. We, as the audience, whether watching on TV or at the debates- will make a choice after the are finished (or maybe even before they are finished). Those choices could be to support Obama, McCain, or we can choose to support neither and simply not vote as neither, one may feel, is truly qualified. Even if you don't want to make a choice, eventually you will. And the beauty of this great country is that you're free to choose any of these options. In countries where freedom of speech or choice of how you will place your vote is obsolete- there really is no use for rhetoric, because you lack the power to respond to the messages they give. We might as well put the two names in a hat and draw for President without the power to respond. This is why I'm glad I live in America. We have the choice to respond to rhetoric. We still have most of our liberties that allow us a voice, a number of countries in the world don't have as they under communist rule.
  •  
    Rhetoric has been around for thousands of years, and the reason why is because it evovles to better suit the times. It is almost a fundamental ellemant of what rhetoric is. What possibly would have persuaded someone thousands of years ago possibly would interest us today. The way we speak and persuade has changed, and that is a part of the evolution of rhetoric.
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  •  
    Even when rhetors do not intend to persuade outright, still they must be concerned with their credibility; with what their audiences already know and needs to know; with how their audiences are likely to feel about the subject; with how to begin, how to end, how to arrange the middle -- all these and more, to earn the greatest possible cooperation from their readers.
  •  
    Rhetoric, like most things has a formula, an equation that if performed correctly achieves the goal of persuasion and credibility.
  •  
    Even when rhetors do not intend to persuade outright, still they must be concerned with their credibility; with what their audiences already know and needs to know; with how their audiences are likely to feel about the subject; with how to begin, how to end, how to arrange the middle -- all these and more, to earn the greatest possible cooperation from their readers.
Ryan Meehan

Defining Rhetoric | Diigo - 0 views

  • Rhetoric can be used through visual, oral or written language.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Rhetoric permeates almost every aspect of our lives. Can you imagine a time in which you are not acting rhetorically?
  • Plato said that rhetoric is the "art of enchanting the soul." Rhetoric is defined as "study of the technique and rules for using language effectively to please or persuade."
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      That Plato's quite a character. I'm not sure if rhetoric "enhances the soul," but it is certainly a means through which one can enhance an argument. Next week, we will explore a few popular common rhetorical appeals that will help us identify and name different types of rhetoric.
  • A person would not use colossal locutions from their extensive vernacular when speaking to a group of five-year-olds.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Haha. Well said.
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  • Rhetoric is basically used by people to make sure that they convey their message in a way that the audience is able to grasp the concept of what the speaker is trying to get across.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Right, which means that having a keen awareness of the audience to whom you are writing or speaking is of paramount importance. The concept of "audience" will be an important one this semester. I will often ask you to cater your writings to their intended audiences. And the reality is, even though you may not think about it, in most cases you do this automatically. For instance, in this discussion forum, you are probably writing in a style that you feel is appropriate for an audience of mostly freshmen college students.
  • The company usually isn't just saying "Our product is better than theirs" but, rather they use discreet methods to lure our minds into believing that the viewer can not live without this product and that they need to get it right away.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Advertising is LOADED with rhetoric, and it's usually not all that subtle. Have you ever seen an Axe bodywash commercial? How about Cialis? In politics, generally rhetoric can be a bit more tricky. Fortunately, we're in prime season for political rhetoric and we will have a project that focuses on how the candidates each approach "being rhetorical."
  • Rhetoric is the use of style and form to pursuade or simply inform the reader of certain arguments or ideas. Rhetoric uses the literary techniques logos, ethos and pathos to appeal to a variety of readers and viewpoints. Logos is the logical appeal, pathos is the emotional appeal, and ethos is the appeal to the writers or anyones credibility. Using these techniques rhetoric is a powerful and useful way to argue a viewpoint or present and idea.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Two thumbs-up for being concise AND covering a lot of ground. Also, good work digging up a good academic resource from RPI. I have used that exact source before in previous classes and may very well use it again this semester.
  • or convincing my parents that I need a new car for my birthday.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      This is crucial, and I am pleased that you raised this point. We are ALWAYS acting rhetorically, even when we aren't writing college papers or giving oral presentations.
Ryan Meehan

"Faces of New York" by Simon Hoegsberg - 0 views

  •  
    Consider the portraits in Simon Hoegsberg's Faces of New York project. What can you tell about these people just by looking at their faces? Are the decisions we make about the way we keep our faces rhetorical? If so, how?
Angela Moneck

Rhetorical analysis - 0 views

  • "Why Liberty Suffers in Wartime".
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I noticed that you put puncuations outside the quotation marks in some parts of your paper, but I'm pretty sure they're supposed to go on the inside of the quotation marks.
  • He used the references to past mistakes very well but relied on them too heavily.
  • connect
  • ...14 more annotations...
  • connect
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This should be "connected," not "connect."
  • where he said "All of us today share a feeling of grief and outrage over the events of September 11 and a desire that those responsible for mass murder be brought to justice. But at times of crisis the most patriotic act of all is the unyielding defense of civil liberties, the right to dissent and equality before the law for all Americans"(foner).
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I believe that there should be a comma in between the word "said" and "All" before your quote. Also, Foner's name at the end of the quote should be capitalized.
  • One thing Foner could have improved on, like many of the other writers discussed, is his use of other professionals.  When a writer uses ideas, theories, or quotes from other field experts it makes the reader feel that he really did his homework and successfully researched and studied the topic, it almost acts as a security blanket reassuring the reader.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I think this is a very good point. It seems like you really took a lot of time to analyze the works. Good job!
  • It felt as is
    • Angela Moneck
       
      The word "is" should be "if."
  • Rhetoric is one of the most important part
  • Further proving that it's not always what you say, but how you say it.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I like the way this was said. It's very true!
  • Rhetoric, simply put, is the ability to effectively use language.  Rhetoric relies on three basic appeals to capture an audience: logos, ethos, and pathos.  Logos, or the logical appeal, bolsters an argument by supplying data, facts, or any method of logic.  Ethos, the appeal to ones emotions, connects the reader by using personal experience or "tugging heartstrings".  The last appeal, pathos, is the appeal of the publishers and writers credibility.  This being said, the four writers, LeGuin, Levin, McCullagh and Foner show how diverse rhetoric is and how a writer can manipulate any of these three appeals to gain and inform an audience.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I like your introduction. It's good that you explained what rhetoric was and how it's used because when writing pubilcly, all readers may not know exactly what you're talking about.
  • tackles
    • Angela Moneck
       
      I like that you used the word "tackles" instead of some other not-so-exciting verbs.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Conventions-I didn't mean to pick on your grammer and puncuation, but that was all I could really pick on! The rest of your paper, I thought, was very good. Most of the stuff I could critique involved small grammatical errors, (which everyone makes), especially on papers.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Oh, also, in the Conventions area, your references were correct. You used the correct format and used in-text citations, so there is definitely no plagiarism is present.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Assignment Parameters-I thought you did a VERY good job with keeping on topic. You explained everything that you needed to explain to the reader including if the author's credentials effected their work, what rhetoric they used, etc. It was easy to understand exactly what you were saying.
  • She also refers to the child as "it" helping us to understand how the child as viewed, as an "it" rather than a "whom".
    • Angela Moneck
       
      This is a very good analysis.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Style-You chose good words to use, making the paper not boring. You switched some of the verbs and descriptions you used, which is very important, especially in a long paper. Your sentences varied with construction, which is also a good thing. You kept your opinion out of the paper and kept the point of view as being non-biased.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      Overall I thought your paper was very good. I can tell you really took time to analyze the works, figure out what the author was attempting to say, and answer all the questions that were assigned.
    • Angela Moneck
       
      It won't let me highlight another section that was already highlighted, but I really liked that you used "tugging heartstrings" to describe the use of pathos.
Ryan Meehan

"Trendspotting" by Demetri Martin on The Daily Show | Diigo - 0 views

  • Rhetoric is important in the advertising industry, and in a way, I’m kind of selling my page to other people.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Great response, Angela. I appreciate your wiliingness to be so thorough here. Let me ask you, though. You make a good point that maintaining and updating a social networking profile page is a way in which you can "sell your page," and that you employ similar tactics to ad agencies trying to sell products. My question would be: What do you suppose your product is? In other words, why are you focused on driving more traffic to your page?
  • You need body language, eye contact, touch, sound, inflection!
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Great point. In what ways do you think we account for the lack of "traditional" rhetorical tools we have available to us in the online format?
  • who by the way has other funny stand up videos on You Tube, you should check them out
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Your instructor agrees.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • The Daily Show sometimes takes the rhetoric of pathos to the extreme and ruins the validity of their argument all together.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      I think this is an interesting point that might be worth exploring a bit more in-depth at some point in the semester. Does The Daily Show get a "free pass" due to its status as a comedy show? What are some undoubtedly valid arguments it has presented over the years, and what are some examples of arguments that maybe get lost in the slapstick?
  • I think that my page truly represents who I am
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      This comment reminds me of a discussion I have had with previous classes about the rhetoric of clothing and body decorations (tatoos, piercings, etc) Many students would often say something to the effect of "My clothes help me express who I am as a person." I sometimes think of Facebook the same way - it's like the clothes we wear on the Internet.
  • (Prostitot- preteen/young teen girls who dressing in a slutty-esque fashion.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      Brilliant!
Ryan Meehan

Common Core State Standards Initiative - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 0 views

  • The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a U.S. education initiative that seeks to bring diverse state curricula into alignment with each other by following the principles of standards-based education reform. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Announced on June 1, 2009,[1] the initiative's stated purpose is to "provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them."[2] Forty-eight of the fifty states in the United States are members of the initiative. Standards were released for mathematics and English language arts on June 2, 2010, with a majority of states adopting the standards in the subsequent months. (See below for current status.) States were given an incentive to adopt the Common Core Standards through the possibility of competitive federal Race to the Top grants. The common standards are funded by the governors and state schools chiefs, with additional support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and others.[3] States are planning to implement this initiative by 2015[4] by basing at least 85% of their state curricula on the Standards.
    • Ryan Meehan
       
      talk about this common core standard....
  • here are six categories of content to be covered at the high school level: number and quantity; algebra; functions; modeling; geometry; and statistics and probability. Some topics in each category are indicated only for students intending to take more advanced, optional courses such as calculus, advanced statistics or discrete mathematics. Even if the traditional sequence is adopted, functions and modeling are to be integrated across the curriculum, not taught as separate courses. In fact, modeling is also a Mathematical Practice (see above), and is meant to be integrated across the entire curriculum beginning in kindergarten. High school standards in other categories which are intended to be tied to the modeling category are indicated in the Standards with a star symbol.
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