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What are Rhetorical Strategies?

Learn about the different rhetorical strategies and techniques that can help make your writing and speaking more persuasive. Understand the importance of ethos, pathos, and logos in convincing an audience, and discover how rhetorical devices such as parallel structure, rhetorical questions, allusion, and humor can strengthen your arguments.

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What are Rhetorical Strategies?

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  1. What are Rhetorical Strategies?

  2. Persuasion • The type of speech or writing, usually non-fiction, that attempts to convince an audience to think or act in a particular way. • (To persuade is to change one’s perspective)

  3. Argument • A statement of opinion about a problem or an issue and the support for the statement. Argument (Proposition) Evidence (examples, facts, expert opinions) Reasons (explanations)

  4. What is rhetoric? And why bother studying it? • “the art of effective expression (speaking & writing) and the persuasive use of language” • We study rhetoric because: • it helps us to better appreciate appeals to our ethos, pathos, & logos (more on this to come) • it helps us to become more effective persuasive speakers and writers

  5. Here is a real-life example of rhetoric in action… • If you were trying to persuade a student to get to class on time, you might say, “it is WHS policy that students serve detention after three tardies”. What makes this statement effective? • What could you use to persuade the students?

  6. Ethos, Pathos, LogosPersuasive Techniques • Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that there are three basic ways to persuade an audience that you are right.

  7. Ethos • Persuasive appeal of ETHICS/one’s character. Tells us that the author is reliable and competent • Example: “I am a father, a taxpayer, and have served you as senator for 20 years. I deserve your vote to continue my service. AK Senator Hollis French

  8. Pathos • Appeal to EMOTIONS (of course, meant to evoke emotional response) • Example: “Imagine for a moment a tragic collision on the Parks Highway. A family is killed and many others are injured. The cause is determined to be frost heaves. We must use more state funds to pay for road improvements.”

  9. Logos • Appeal to LOGIC/reason (evokes a rational response) • Example: “Alaska’s roads are in a state of disrepair. Without quality roads, our transportation system will falter and hinder our economy. Hence, we must use more state funds to pay for road repairs.”

  10. Rhetorical Strategies • The strategies that follow are just some of the ways to make your writing/speaking more persuasive…

  11. Parallel Structure • Parallel Structure-repetition of grammatically similar words, phrases, clauses, or sentences to emphasize a point or stir the emotions of a reader/listener. Used to create a sense of rhythm, balance, and order in writing or speech. • Chiasmus=“inverted parallelism” (i.e. eat to live, not live to eat)

  12. Parallel Structure The coach told the players: “You will get some sleep tonight, you will not eat too much right before the game, and you will do some warm-up exercises before the game.”

  13. Rhetorical Question • Rhetorical Question-question not answered by writer b/c the answer is obvious or obviously desired. Used in persuasion to encourage the reader/listener to reflect on what the answer must be. • “How much longer must our people endure this injustice?”

  14. Allusion • Short, informal reference to famous person, event, story. Relies on reader/listener to be familiar with the reference and hidden meaning. Used to stimulate ideas, associations, add extra information. • If I want to persuade you to wash your hands, I may say “thou shalt wash thy hands”. I am trusting that you respect the commandments and, hence, my statement.

  15. Analogy • Comparison between two things that are alike in certain respects. Used in persuasion to demonstrate the logic of one idea by showing how it is similar to an accepted idea. • (“Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them reveal the riches within.”-Sydney Harris)

  16. Alliteration • Repetition of initial consonant sounds. Used to call attention to a phrase and fixes it in the reader’s/listener’s mind. • (i.e. “Let us go forth to lead the land we love.”- John F. Kennedy Inaugural speech)

  17. Humor • Humor can be used to make you like the writer/speaker and “win you over” • Hyperbole-exaggeration for emphasis/effect (“at night she needs a paint scraper to take off her makeup”) • Sarcasm (“Obama doesn’t have the experience of being Miss Wasilla!”) • Irony (verbal, situational, dramatic) (“it is ironic that the window store had all of its windows broken by vandals”) • Understatement (From Monty Python: Army officer loses a leg, “Stings a bit.”)

  18. Audience • When attempting to persuade, consider your audience. • For example, you would not use caustic satire to persuade a potential employer to hire you. • (“The food served here is great if you are a teenager with two dollars in your pocket.”)

  19. Active Voice v. Passive Voice • Active Voice- The boyhit the ball. The subject of this sentence actively hits the ball. • Passive Voice- The ballwas hit by the boy. The subject sits passively, doing nothing while some outside agent performs the action.

  20. Fact and Opinion • A fact-a statement that can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt (Example: Barak Obama is the current president of the United States. (fact) • Opinion- a personal interpretation of belief (Example: Cedar Hill ISD has the best track team in Dallas/Ft. Worth. (opinion)

  21. Substantiated and Unsubstantiated Opinion • Define the word: Substantiate/ Unsubstantiated • Which can be debated or argued? • A. Wednesday is the fourth day of the week. • B. Wednesday feels like the longest day of the week.

  22. Substantiate(Opinions) • To substantiate you can: • Verify facts • Use examples • Use statistics • Get an expert opinion • Use anecdotes

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