Orla Ruane

Vicky Ballmes
Writing 2
Writing Project 1
Given the unlimited variety of textual works, every genre has its own purpose targeted at
a specific audience. Authors employ certain tactics to appeal to these audiences as well as to
differentiate their works from others. It is clear that while comparing magazine articles to gossip

Comment [Office1]: ?

blogs there will be various differences within the writing format. Blog posts and news articles,
for example, contain similar techniques yet are written with different intentions. While the two
are generally written to inform the public on a certain issue, blog posts are a form of
entertainment that update the audience of topics in a more comical way while news articles are a
written with a more forthright method. Ultimately, within both blog posts and news articles the
authors present rhetoric strategies to inform the reader of current events and influence their
opinions on the matter, however, the authors utilize these techniques to appeal to different

Comment [Office2]: ?

audiences.

Comment [Office3]: Thesis is a statement of fact

Blog posts are a genre of writing often used by individuals who want to express their

Comment [Office4]: Same rhetorical strategies?

opinion. More often than not, they consist of independent bloggers who do not work for a large
corporation and produce genuine posts solely based on their own judgment. Authors utilize
certain techniques within these blog posts such as intriguing headlines, exaggerated word choice,
and constant updates to amuse an audience interested in a certain topic, in this case, politics. By
employing these strategies, the author is able to entertain the reader while informing them of the
issue. In all blog posts examined, there was some form of headlines that addressed the topic and
a brief summary to inform the reader of background information. Headlines including Winners

Deleted: were

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and Losers: The First Republican Debate! (the Presidential Debate Blog) introduce the point by
portraying the message of the blog and appealing to an audience that may not be completely
familiar with the debate process yet are still interested in politics. The author puts great ambition

Comment [Office5]: Why do you say that?

into headlines in order to grab the readers attention and attract those scanning for something to
read. They must amuse an audience curious in the subject while appearing as an easygoing
account. Due to this, alarming headlines intrigue the readers to the article and briefly inform
them of the issue.
Inevitably, the blog posts are often written with an opinionated diction, meaning every
blog post has a different voice depending on the author. Although a few examples of biased

Comment [Office6]: Which is it?

Comment [Office7]: Word Choice?

reporting could cause the reader to question the plausibility of the post, it allows for an
interesting story. This strategy appeals to those who do not want to read continuous facts and

Deleted: not wanting

statistics, yet desire to be updated on the issue in an easier to follow format. One post in

Deleted: but still want

particular mentioned how the Republicans got together in the Reagan Library last night for five
godforsaken hours of lying about Planned Parenthoodand trying to throw some shade at
Donald Trump (AMERICAblog News Elections RSS). It is clear that the author does not support
the ideas presented in the most recent debate and is quick to express his feelings on it.
Contrasting from the other more formal blogs, this one has a clear bias and attempts to persuade
audiences towards his point. This satirical comedy can make the information more entertaining
to read by lessening the seriousness of the issue, however, when authors include dramatic
phrases similar to these, readers might challenge the credence of the post. With this being said,
the author intends to educate the audience on the event whilst including his own opinions.
In addition, blog posts include constant updates as the topic progresses in order to keep
the readers up to date on the subject and edit any information. Although in Recap: Live blog of

Deleted: lessoning

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the Republican presidential debate, the author gives bihourly updates on the event, most of the

Deleted: debate

other blogs are occasionally updated when pertinent information is brought forth. By always
having new information to share with the readers, the author can build a loyal base that will
return to the story when new evidence is brought up. This also appeals to those who are invested
in the issue and want to remain notified about the event. Altogether, the blog posts contain
unique techniques that allow the readers to have an entertaining read. The author employs
methods such as intriguing word choice and inserts of comedy to keep the audience amused yet
educated about the subject.
News articles, on the other hand, are also a source of information in which authors
educate the public on current events. These works tend to be more straight forward and the
author will ideally be objective about the issue. Although news articles share similar trends with
blog posts including intriguing headlines and word choice, the author writes a more direct story
focusing on the facts of the issue. Headlines such as Exit Walker (Ross Douthat Exit Walker
Comments) inform the reader of the topic to be discussed in a very direct way. Given the

Deleted: issue

competiveness of the news industry, there is a lot of pressure aimed at mainstream media to be
the first to deliver a popular story and the headline is the initial impression of the article. The

Deleted: first

author must purposefully choose a compelling headline to catch the readers attention so that

Deleted: readers
Deleted: enough

they to begin reading. By creating a clear and relevant headline, the author will attract an
audience interested in the issue, in this case politics, to the article.
Throughout the articles examined, the author provides detailed summaries to keep the
reader informed on the issue. They tend to be very descriptive and provide as much evidence as
possible. One author mentions how the debate turned into a rhetorical brawl in which Donald
Trumps rivals channeled his confrontational style while seeking to cast him as unprepared for

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the job (WSJ). Due to this strategy, the news articles remain fairly neutral and simply provide
evidence that allow the readers to interpret for themselves. Although there is an inevitable trace
of bias, the author summarizes the issue and focuses on certain points to write about since they
know it will appeal to many readers. Often times authors will concentrate on a particular issue
rather than a more general one in an effort to interest a larger audience. Furthermore, being
objective in this area is key given that the majority of the audience is drawn to news articles
based off their impartial, reputable stories.

Deleted: objective

Moreover, the articles are extremely direct and simply state the information rather than
including unneeded details. For example, within the article the author directly states how
Walker's failure to adapt to the real but very predictable challenges of running a high-profile
national campaign (Ross Douthat Exit Walker Comments). This technique permits the audience
to receive the facts of the issue without having to decipher the important context. It facilitates the
read and keeps the reader attached to the topic. The author purposefully does not include
redundant details so the reader can easily navigate through the article. This is done so the
audience can further understand the issue without being distracted by nonessential aspects. The
language used is slightly more advanced, yet extremely understandable allowing an audience of
all ages to read about the issue. Essentially, the authors usage of detailed summaries and

Deleted: Overall

informational headlines allow the reader to understand the issue and read the most pertinent
elements of the story. The authors straightforwardness attracts an audience who wants to be
informed on the issue and not have to be distracted my unnecessary details.
Overall, although there are slight differences within the construction of each work, blog
posts and articles aim to inform readers of current issues. They both are texts that educate the
public and influence the opinions of the reader. However, regardless of the two being

Deleted: want

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information sources, blog posts tend to be a more entertaining textual work while news articles
are strictly aimed at informing the public. The authors are able to target these separate audiences
through the uses of conventions that appeal to different readers. The comical diction of the blog
posts allows a lighter hearted read, while the blunt facts in the news articles attract those
interested in the the hard reality of the situation.

Comment [Office8]: In WP1, you analyzed and compared

the choices writers make within the rhetorical conventions of
two non-academic genres. If you choose to revise WP1,
your analysis should go more in depth than in your previous
draft. This means that all discussions of conventions will be
linked to larger arguments about audience and purpose. Your
analysis should be more specific than in your previous draft
with more extensive observations and analysis. This will
include more use of evidence from the texts, stronger
connections to that evidence, and a more meaningful
comparison based on the differences in audience, purpose,
and context. Your use of evidence should become more
strategic following the guidelines we have established (using
Stedman and the Hacker manual).

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Works Cited
"GOP Debate Round 2: CNN's Five-hour Marathon of Absurdity - AMERICAblog News."
AMERICAblog News Elections RSS. 17 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
Donald Trump Fields Jabs in Republican Debate." WSJ. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
"Exit Walker." Ross Douthat Exit Walker Comments. 22 Sept. 2015. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.
"Scott Walker Blew His Last Chance: The Debate." DataLab. 21 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"The Presidential Debate Blog." The Presidential Debate Blog. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.