Quick Write
Why do we use sources?
Why Use Sources?
- To understand an issue
- See what has come before
- To find the facts
- To inform and persuade your audience
You need to understand that research is connected with ethos, an appeal that establishes credibility with readers.
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.
- Personal info
- Sources
- Identification with Audience
- Point of View
- Balanced Presentation
5 Ways to Persuade with Character (Ethos) | How to Craft an Argument
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.
Determine what is important to your audience. What do they really care about? What do they value?
Presidential Hats
Effective Images
Rhetorical Analysis Notes
- Make sure to describe the text you are analyzing to your audience. Explain what you see and how you see it. Don’t just refer to the image, paint a picture with words.
- Clearly describe the methods of persuasion being used. If they are using a celebrity, make sure to highlight that and the corresponding appeal being used.
A Checklist for Analyzing Images (Especially Advertisements) on page 145 of our textbook is very thorough and helpful for analyzing visual images.
Page 181 has a checklists for analyzing a text. Use these as guidelines to begin your analysis.
Page 191 has a checklist for writing your analysis of an argument. Very helpful for the early stages of drafting.
Research for a Rhetorical Analysis
The assignment asks you to research scholarly sources to add to your analysis.
If your text is dealing with a major issue, you will want to find some scholarly research to help define, back up, and analyze the text.
For example. If your text deals with gender issues, search for gender AND media. Or gender AND ads. Or sexism and media. What else can you look up?
Find keywords related to the broader topic and bring in research to use in your analysis.
Homework
- Read Chapter 5, Writing an Analysis of an Argument
- Journal 7 Due
- Decide on your text for the rhetorical analysis
- Research the topic
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