1. Understanding Rhetoric
Rhetorical Analysis
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2. Rhetoric is:
using words for a purpose; often this purpose is to persuade.

3. When studying rhetoric, students should
analyze the arguments of others (rhetorical analysis)
and
write their own arguments (persuasive writing).

4. Aristotle taught that in argumentation, there are three main strategies for appealing to the audience:
logos
pathos
ethos

5. Logos an appeal to logic (a reasonable way of thinking of something)
Ex. "In 25 years of driving, I have never had an accident.”
Ex. “You don’t need to jump off a bridge to know that it’s a bad idea. Why then would you need to try drugs to know if they’re damaging?”

6. Logos Commerical

7. Pathos an appeal to emotions
Ex. "I’m not just invested in this community – I love every building, every business, every hard-working member of this town.”
Ex. “Our advanced security systems will protect your family so that you can sleep soundly at night."

8. 2014 Chevy Commerical

9. Ethos An appeal to ethics (good vs. bad)
it is a way of convincing someone of the character or credibility of the persuader.
Ex. I’ve taught Sunday School at your church for years, babysat your children, and served as a playground director for many summers.
Ex. Not only have we been in business 100 years, we have decades of satisfied clients

10. Soup Commerical

11. At the core of rhetorical analysis is purpose.
What does the author/ speaker/ cartoonist/ filmmaker/ advertiser want the reader/ listener/ viewer to
Feel?
Think?
Do?

12. An appeal to logic can be created by using:
facts as evidence
research/ statistics
quoted authorities
cause and effect
analogies/comparisons
common sense/shared values
precedent

13. An appeal to the emotions can be created through:
Connotative diction, imagery, or figurative language
Anecdotes (personal stories), examples, images that evoke an emotional response
Carefully crafted syntax (sentence patterns)

14. An Ethical Appeal can be created by
Using first person plural pronouns (we, us)
Making qualified claims (perhaps, sometimes, etc.)
Stating qualifications for
expertise
Restating opposing views accurately and fairly
Citing relevant authorities and allusions

15. Once students understand the basic appeals, they can learn to analyze the rhetorical devices that help create these appeals.
Rhetorical Device: any device of language that writers/ speakers use to persuade their audience.
Note: Anything we might call a “literary device” can be called a “rhetorical device” when it is being used to persuade.

16. I continue to hold that….
The most effective arguments contain concession and counterargument.
I concede that…;
however,….
Yes…,
but….
While I agree that…,
I continue to hold that….
I recognize that…,
but I must point out
that….
Although I
understand that…,
I still believe
that.…
While it is true
that…, we must
remember
that….

17. Concession and Counterargument
A concession is a respectful acknowledgment of an opposing viewpoint.
Making a concession by recognizing and fairly summarizing an opposing viewpoint shows the speaker/ writer to be logical and fair-minded.
A counterargument follows a concession and strongly counters, or refutes, the opposing viewpoint.

18. Big Idea Details/Specifics INDUCTIVE REASONING DEDUCTIVE REASONING
Laws, rules, widely accepted principles-Newton’s Law states that everything that goes up must come down. So if I kick a ball into the air, it will come back down.
Experience or observation—Ex. When I kick the ball, it goes up and then down. So all balls that go up, must come down.
Details/Specifics

19. The “art of rhetoric” can be one of the most powerful life skills we can provide to students, enabling them to
filter the messages of advertisers, songwriters,
filmmakers, and politicians,
and
express themselves and their viewpoints in more sophisticated, persuasive ways.