Week 2_1_23_16 How to Improve Your Rhetoric

Rhetoric writing can be defined as a comprehensive art of writing and speaking, in order to craft a persuasive argument that appeals to the various appeals of the senses. Gideon Burton agrees when he writes, “Rhetoric is the study of effective speaking and writing. And the art of persuasion. And many other things.” At face value this quote serves the simplest form of explaining what rhetoric is, the craft of persuading your audience with an effective speaking and writing. But furthermore rhetoric writing has more elements than constructing a well written paper influencing your audience, as Gideon Burton puts it, “Rhetoric studies the effectiveness of language comprehensively, including its emotional impact”. Appealing to the senses of your audience is one of the main core concepts of constructing rhetoric writings, without it the paper would lack the depth to persuade a reader or a listener. The appeal to logic, emotion, and one’s character, provide the argument with personal characteristics making the argument come to life and giving the audience personal connection. Gideon Burton himself writes, “One way to understand the overlapping nature of logos and lexis, res and verba, invention and style, is through the word "ornament." To our modern sensibilities this suggests a superficial, inessential decoration--something that might be pleasing but which is not truly necessary. The etymology of this word is ornare, a Latin verb meaning "to equip." The ornaments of war, for example, are weapons and soldiers. The ornaments of rhetoric are not extraneous; they are the equipment required to achieve the intended meaning or effect.” Likewise the appeals to logic, emotion, and one’s character are not there to be to standout but rather combine the various elements of the writing to strengthen it and cohere it together.  

By taking in this information, our next rhetorical papers or arguments should be stronger since we know what makes a rhetorical paper or argument differ from a lab report or a book summery. By adding in the elements that appeal to the three appeals, we can make the paper more personal and give it the depth it needs to stand out on its own.

Furthermore this website was mostly helpful in figuring out what rhetorical writing since it broke down the bare elements of what a rhetorical argument was. By providing multiple sections and explaining the different concepts in rhetorical writing it gave us a bigger picture to what was inside a rhetorical argumentative paper or speech. From explaining that a rhetorical paper is composed of appealing to the senses and that without it your argument doesn’t have any depth or personality. While the canon of rhetoric provides an explanation and a template that a paper or speech is constructed in.  

Lastly, the site was unhelpful due to the way things were written and the type of vocabulary and language used to write it. Otherwise than being at times hard to read it was a bit confusing since it refers to multiple sections in a non-linear order. Along with that it feels that the most of the topics could have been easily written in three sentences or a simple paragraph rather than having large sections that bounced around. Also despite having a glossary sections on the right side of the page, some of the words seem to be unnecessary. Sure it nice to know the Greek word, but it seems to be just information that wasn’t need.

Regardless of the flaws this website, the site has provided the benefit of being able to clarify and explain what a rhetorical writing is and how it differs from other forms of writing.

Burton, Giedon O. "The Forest of Rhetoric." Silva Rhetoricae:. Brigham Young University, 26 Feb. 2007. Web. 23 Jan. 2016.