Rhetoric is usually associated with speeches and/or other similar modes of communication that seem to be aimed at appearing impressive or formal. However, understanding rhetoric and the way it works helps elevate everyday communication to achieve its basic purpose: to persuade someone else to believe in one’s point of view on a certain subject or, at the very least, to justify it to them. Rhetoric, in practice, is the use of language to communicate in the most effective manner possible. It can be applied in all forms of writing or speech, academic or otherwise. Employing the basic aspects of rhetoric in essays and papers ensures that they have a greater impact.
The Rhetorical Triangle
Given that the main purpose of communication is persuasion, the case is presented before readers in the form of appeals, which were first studied by Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. In fact, the three types of appeals he proposed continue to be the most widely accepted categories today.
- Logos: Logos appeals are those rooted in logic. They make use of facts, statistics, and logical reasoning to make an argument and to prove its validity.
- Ethos: Ethos appeals build trust in the writer’s character. Being an authority/citing authoritative sources and acknowledging opposing points of view help secure the reader’s confidence and establish credibility.
- Pathos: Pathos appeals engage the reader’s emotions, values, and beliefs. They are very efficient in capturing the reader’s attention and, if employed well, persuade the reader quickly.
Each of these forms a point in the rhetorical triangle. Most writing uses all three types of appeals to make its case. However, they need to be well balanced to ensure that they have the right impact on the reader.
No two arguments will require the exact same combination of the three appeals. So, to ensure that their essay has the desired effect on the reader, the writer must balance the three based on their awareness of the rhetorical situation.
Rhetorical Situation
The rhetorical situation of a particular text refers to the circumstances around it. These circumstances are informed by five elements.
- Purpose: The motivations behind the text’s composition
- Context: The external factors that have an influence on the text, such as the location, time period, cultural and socio-economic conditions
- Topic: The subject of the text
- Audience: The intended target audience of the text
- Writer: The individual or group that produced the text (Being aware of the culture, biases, and mindset that have been ingrained into them allows the writer to step away and gain some objectivity while writing. This objectivity is crucial to get an idea of how the piece might be received.)
Each of these elements plays an important part in determining how a text will land and the effect it is likely to have. All of them should be considered during the research and planning stages of the writing process. Doing so helps the writer craft a compelling piece.
Knowing these five elements is also instrumental when conducting a rhetorical analysis.
Rhetorical Modes
The term rhetorical modes refers to the writing style that a writer chooses to adopt in order to best achieve their purpose.
Selecting the correct rhetorical mode for a piece depends on the writer’s intention behind setting it down. Once chosen, it is the mode that shapes and defines the piece itself. It helps balance the rhetorical triangle for that piece of writing.
Several different rhetorical modes exist. However, the ones used most commonly for academic writing are as follows.
- Narration: The purpose of this rhetorical mode is to convey a message in the form of a story. Stories provide an excellent means for writers to engage emotionally with their readers as well as to develop a logical sequence.
- Description: The descriptive mode recreates and evokes a detailed image or experience for the reader. Usually, a great deal of information is conveyed in this mode. However, it may not always be explicit. Rather, the information is “shown,” instead of just “told.”
- Exposition: Writers using this rhetorical mode explain the subject matter to their readers. It is similar to description, but here, the style of the writer is formal and direct. It is commonly employed in academic texts and is accompanied with evidence/bibliography to establish its veracity. Often, expository writings may also include discussions and analysis that shed further light on the topic.
- Argumentation: The purpose of argumentation is to present a point of view to the readers. As it exhorts the readers to adopt a particular opinion or to take a specific course of action, supporting evidence is a key element in this mode.
Crafting a piece of writing while keeping these concepts related to rhetoric in mind and using the appropriate rhetorical devices will help in better and more effective composition.
