Writing and Audience

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Rhetoric in Writing and Audience

What is Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the study of effective speaking and writing . It is the art of persuasion and many other things . Over its long history there have been many different definitions of rhetoric , which stretches back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans in particular . In its long and vigorous history rhetoric has enjoyed many definitions , accommodated differing purposes , and varied widely in what it included . And yet , for most of its history it has

maintained its fundamental character as a discipline for training students 1 ) to perceive how language is at work orally and in writing , and 2 ) to become proficient in applying the resources of language in their own speaking and writing

To see how language and thought worked together , however , it has first been necessary to artificially divide content and form what is said and how we say it . How we say things is precisely the way in which we ensure that our desired meaning has been transmitted to others , so there can be no passing on of ideas without also taking into account lexis . Because rhetoric examines so attentively the how of language , the methods and means of communication , it has sometimes been discounted as something only concerned with style or appearances , and not with the quality or content of communication . For many (such as Plato ) rhetoric deals with the superficial at best , the deceptive at worst "mere rhetoric , when one might better attend to matters of substance , truth , or reason as attempted in dialectic or philosophy or religion . Rhetoric studies the effectiveness of language comprehensively , including its emotional impact , as much as its propositional content

Why Rhetoric is Important

The importance of rhetoric provides significant changes in the areas of learning and the development of a persons and institutions . The study of rhetoric , nearly continuous over 2500 years , has always been central to the objectives of a liberal arts curriculum . Extending that study to film , television , protests , politics , debates , philosophy and all forms of discourse has advanced such study into the 21st century . Here are the following reasons why the study of rhetoric is essentially important

It gives scientific writing a focus on argument in scientific debate

Numerous studies have called attention to the importance of rhetoric in scientific writing by focusing on arguments presented in scientific debate articles . Rhetorical analysis and textual analysis stress the importance of studying scientific writing to provide better instruction of students learning the genres of academic writing . For example , Swales describes the difficulties of novice researchers or students with English as a second language in learning the literary conventions of American journals . Gusfield is one of the early to argue that scientific methods courses should include the study of literary techniques as well as statistical procedures . Davis subscribes to a similar view in that he claims only to be formally describing a model that he believes many social scientists intuitively or inadvertently follow . Davis argues...