Rhetoric and Rhetorical Strategy: A quick review of Thank

You For Arguing

Rhetoric is the art of ruling the minds of men---Plato

The tools of argument:

Pathos - playing to the audiences emotions.
Logos using reason and logic. Good arguments are based on facts that are solid and
reasonable and support a well-founded claim
Ethos your essay, letter or speech will be voiceless and powerless if you do not believe
in what you have to say!
o Tone tone of writing/speech must match that of writer to the subject.
What kind of TONE does Twain use? _______________________________________
What does that tell you that HE believes?
What does that make you feel like as a reader?

What is a CLAIM? what you are trying to prove.

Also called a proposition, assertion, or

thesis.

A Claim of Fact a very direct statement about something that is true to the writer.
The purpose the author has in mind in this case is to simply have their audience believe
them.
o Fact must be verifiable:
Published in credible sources
Empirical-known by experience or observation; qualitative
Quantifiable measurable with quantitative data (numbers)
o Facts are not always 100% accurate and undeniable:
Can change over time
Not always true for everyone or in all cases ---may use words to qualify this
(generally, probably, typically)
A Claim of Value a judgment or evaluation based on personal taste and/or ethics.
These can be tricky because not every value is universal to all cultures, groups, lifeexperiences. In order to use ethos and to be relatable, a writer needs to utilize universal
truths within their argument.
o Examples of evaluation:
Right or wrong
Good or bad
Approval or disapproval
Beautiful or ugly
Worth your time or waste of time
o Types of value:
Aesthetics (what is pleasing, beautiful, or artistic)
Morality ( what is ethical, right and/or good)

A Claim of Policy a call to action; an argument that suggests that certain conditions,
policies or practices need to be put to a stop or changed.
o In order to properly argue this kind of claim, a writer needs to first prove that a
problem exists and that change is called for, supporting this assertion with
evidence: facts and statistical evidence (qualitative and/or quantitative)
o THEN you will propose your solution and support that reasoning with facts and
statistical evidence (qualitative and/or quantitative).

How does one SUPPORT and provide evidence for claims:

Appeal to Logic examples, statistics, expert opinion

o Evaluate the sources that you use for this to be sure that they are:
Credible and authoritative
Unbiased
Relevant
Sufficiently detailed and having no important information omitted
Relatable and understandable for audience
Verifiable by fact
Appeal to Emotion personal examples, hypothetical examples, expert-backed,
o Find ways to:
Pull at audience heartstrings
Know audience and focus on their needs:
Physiological food drink, air, health
Safety- security, shelter, order
Belonging/Social love from family, friends, and a sense of community
Esteem recognition from others, a feeling of success and
achievement
Self-Actualization the need to realize potential, set goals and have
dreams, and to reach for them.
Connect with audience through ethical commonalities
Use commonplace and tradition to develop ethos
State expert fact and opinion and attribute it to them, in order to lend
yourself credibility

What did Jay Heinrichs say about tense again?

You must match your tense to your purpose. The past (forensic rhetoric) is good for blame or
punishment, but will not help you win an argument with your spouse. Assessment of things,
without any need to make change can be done in forensic rhetoric. The present (demonstrative)
has to do with values, what is good and bad; but one must keep in mind that values are abstract
and not the same for everyone. When you are ready to debate the issues importance, use
demonstrative rhetoric. The future tense (deliberative) deals with choices and what is to the
advantage of your audience. If you want the audience to take action, use deliberative rhetoric.

What is Propaganda? diction intended to persuade a mass audience; generally

involves pushing a particular political or religious agenda. The techniques used to spread
propaganda include:

Appeal to Fear using uneasiness and nerves to control an audience

Appeal to Authority be it for fear or laziness audiences are typically reluctant to
oppose authority.
Unwarranted Emotional Appeals mania or histrionics can quickly whip an audience
up into a frenzy.
Bandwagoning - Everyone else is doing it (Patriotism can be used this way as well)
Glittering Generalities using vague terms to cover over imperfect logic. Makes things
more appealing to audience
Scapegoating - getting audience to band together over a common enemy One form of
this is Stereotyping

What is a LOGICAL FALLACY? an error in reasoning or logic.

In summation:

a well-organized argument requires the writer to know their

audience and to seek to appeal to the reader/listeners sense of reason using logic,
and to their needs with emotional appeals. A good persuasive writer/speaker will
appear trustworthy and credible and use language and logic to their advantage in
convincing the audience that their proposition/thesis/assertion is right.