Rhetoric is the art of persuasion

• When we read rhetorically, we are looking at how an author/writer/rhetor is persuading their audience.

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When we read rhetorically, we are concerned with “three” people...

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We are looking at the interaction between the writer and the audience. How effective is the writer in reaching their audience and how receptive is the audience?

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One way to understand the interaction between the writer and the audience is to figure out HOW the writer puts together, or organizes, their argument.

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A Persuasive Argument is made up of claims and evidence

Claims = opinions

Evidence = facts

An Author has an opinion and supports it with facts

It’s that simple

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Types of Evidence

Facts/Data/Statistics

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Personal Experience (Anecdotal Evidence)

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Examples

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Expert Testimonial

Once you have identified the evidence, you can begin to ask these questions...

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• What types of evidence does the author mostly use?
• Why does the author mostly use this type of evidence for their audience?

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• What is the author’s purpose? Do they use this evidence to fit their purpose? Why? How does it fit their purpose?

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One last thought...

Studying how people craft their arguments helps you to become a better writer of arguments and a better reader.

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