III. Rhetorical Situation
Introduction
Terri Pantuso
Oftentimes in a composition course, the focus is on getting students to view themselves as part of a larger dialogic, or discursive, community. In order to do so, students must understand the rhetorical strategies employed in argumentation. In the section that follows, we introduce you to the concept of rhetoric from the classical viewpoint and discuss ways in which to use Aristotelian strategies. The classic appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos are discussed along with common logical fallacies that weaken an argument. We end the section by covering different rhetorical modes of writing that typically precede argumentation and ways in which visuals present an argument.
To enter into a dialogue or conversation about a topic; to consider a subject formally in speech or writing. Public discourse refers to the speeches, publications, media attention, social media posts, and other statements that discuss the public good, the function of government, and the role of the individual in society.
The manner or way in which something is done or completed; method, process, or technique; the form that something takes.
