ENGL 4521
Wednesday, January 15
Syllabus
- Any questions about course policies or assignments?
- Let's take a look at the complete schedule...
- You will sign up for response paper assignments on Friday in class.
- If a reading looks particularly good to you, let me know after class or during office hours.
- I will select respondent assignments.
Questions or comments
from the reading?
What do Hart and Daughton mean when they say: “The story rhetoric tells is always a story with a purpose; it is never told for its own sake”?
Rhetoric is concerned with artifacts/texts—what does this mean? How does it limit or open up the uses of rhetorical study?
In what ways do you think reading rhetorically might mean reading (and attempting to understand) a text or artifact as it is written, not as we would have it be written (e.g. The Dalai Lama)?
Based on The general description of how rhetoric “works” in chapter one—what do you think you might “do” with it?
Let's go over some of the core concepts in the chapter.
What are the 5 basic "moves" that signal rhetoric in action?
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The rhetor creates and encourages change using symbols.
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The rhetor must be regarded as a helper rather than an exploiter.
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The rhetor must convince the audience that new choices should be made.
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The rhetor must narrow the audience's available options.
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The rhetor must be subtle by not specifying the details of the policies advocated.
Important characteristics of the "Art" of rhetoric
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Rhetoric is cooperative...there is always a speaker/writer and a listener/reader.
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Rhetoric is ordinary...meaning it is rooted in "everyday logic."
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Rhetoric is temporary...bound by context and the expectations of the present (not a past or future) audience.
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Rhetoric is frustrating...because there are no rules save those that "work" in a given time and place.
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Rhetoric is generative...it is the source of contemporary knowledge.
3 Features that make a message rhetorical:
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Delineations of the good (i.e. one thing is good, another is bad or wrong or inappropriate)
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Resonance for a particular audience (this audience can be very large, but will always be defined)
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Clear or Clearly Implied Policy Recommendations (an actionable item...something the audience should choose to do)
Hart and Daughton table 1.1 (pg. 13)
How are these artifacts rhetorical?
Photographs
Guided Tours
Poetry
Music
Can we apply this to education?
A Grading Rubric--A Prompt--A Syllabus
For Next Time:
Read Hart and Daughton Chapter Two:
"The Critical Perspective"
and
Jimmie Killingsworth Chapter One:
"A General Introduction to
Rhetorical Appeals"
ENGL 4521
By Scott Rogers
ENGL 4521
Class Notes for Wednesday, January 15th 2014; English 4521 Ohio Northern University. Course Instructor: Rogers.
