The Rhetorical Situation

The What?

ENC 3241 Day 3: Clayton Benjamin

What is Rhetoric?“The art of persuasion.”More broadly: “The newer sense of

“rhetoric” implies that whenever humans communicate with other humans, they seek to elicit any number of responses ranging from understanding to emotional reaction to agreement to enlightenment or any one of almost limitless reactions,” OWL Purdue

What is the “Rhetorical Situation?”Elements:

◦Author: ◦Text◦Context◦Audience

AuthorSomeone who uses communication for a

purpose.◦Eg: entertain, perform, persuade, educate,

instruct, sadden, punish...

Factors of authorship:◦Age◦Income◦Expertise◦Location

TextThe medium/media used to disseminate

the author’s intention.◦Eg: TV commercial, instruction manual, speech,

email, letter, book, YouTube video, Prezi, PowerPoint, etc.

ContextThe situation in which the “writing” is

taking place.◦Eg: Time, Place, Culture, Online/Offline, Current

Events…

AudienceThe people who will see or hear the

message.

Audience factors◦Socio-Economic Status◦Knowledge/Expertise/Education/Subject

Familiarity◦Political/Religious views◦Age◦Language◦Expectations

Applying Rhet Situation In Tech CommUser Centered Design: design your

documents around your user (audience)!Who is your audience?What prompted the need for the

information you need to communicate? (purpose)

Who are you? (author)Which medium should be used to

effectively communicate? (text)

Due Next Time:Read Chapter 2!