Quick Write

 

Titles as Metacommentary

Chapter 10 (“But Don’t Get Me Wrong”: The Art of Metacommentary)

Metacommentary is “a way of commenting on your claims and telling others how – and how not – to think about them” (129). Metacommentary is telling the audience how to interpret what has been said. They aid the reader by helping them understand why you are saying what you are saying. They prevent readers from getting confused and lead to a more developed paper.

How can we use titles to tell the readers about your paper?

Let’s look at some examples.

Ethos

Ethos is about values. In rhetoric we connect ethos to character, credibility, and trustworthiness. At their core, these concepts have to do with values. We tend to believe and trust those individuals who exemplify the values we cherish, who live the sort of life that we would want to live. Ethos Handout from University of Maryland

Ethos is inferred, NOT possessed. Five strategies for persuading through character.

  1. Personal info
  2. Sources
  3. Identification with Audience
  4. Point of View
  5. Balanced Presentation

5 Ways to Persuade with Character (Ethos) | How to Craft an Argument

Presidential Hats

Trump in Cowboy Hat
Obama in Cowboy Hat
Bush in Cowboy Hat

Using Rhetoric Notes

Ethos

  • Research
  • Unbiased

Pathos

  • Emotional
  • Storytelling
  • So What?

Logos

  • Logical
  • History
  • Facts
  • Statistics
  • Evidence
  • Authority/Pros
  • Background
  • Include the Conversation

Understanding Audience

Audience is quite possibly the most important thing to consider when writing an argument. You need to appeal to them, understand their problems, values, and beliefs, in order to convince them of your point of view.

  • Who your audience is should influence how you present your argument.
  • Who your audience is should influence how you present yourself.
  • Who is your audience?
  • Determine what is important to your audience. What do they really care about? What do they value?
  • Are your reasons in line with those values?

Arguing a Solution

  1. Position. Take a clear position on an arguable topic.
  2. Reasons. Develop main reasons, keeping audience in mind.
  3. Evidence. Support all reasons with strong research.
  4. Opposition. Acknowledge the opposing argument and take it out.