Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. Professional writings in many ways encompasses rhetorical approach. This type of writing has persuasion as a main objective, which pursuits audiences’ acceptance of their writings. Professional writing is also different from some other types of writings due to its emphasis on audience.
An approach in professional writing would be the rhetorical triangle of appeals which are logos, pathos and ethos. These appeals are crucial in professional writing make a deeper development and support for persuasion. In ethos, persuading the audience require the communicator to build credibility and character that is favorable. This is important in professional writing because writers represent themselves as well as the company or organization they work for. Persuasion is more effective if the writer could show that they have a great understanding and knowledge on the subject. Pathos on the other hand, focuses on the appeal to the audiences’ values or emotions. This would help create a bond with the audience and keep them invested with the issue. The third element of the rhetorical triangle is logos which is the appeal to reasoning. This is important in professional writing as discussed by Bowdon and Scott that this type of writing requires a secondary persuasive claim and that effective arguments need persuasive, well-supported reasons.
In addition to the rhetorical triangle, professional writing recognizes the importance of the writer’s purpose(s). This is one of the most important part in professional writing, considering the purposes of the text. The purpose(s) of the text could come from the writer or the people above him. The writer needs to have an objective of writing the text including the effect he hopes to bring from the text. I believe that this aspect of writing professionally helps create a better and more persuasive writing.
In the previous post, I discussed the issue of gender equality and women’s rights. This issue obviously affects women everywhere, but the text was meant to bring realization to everyone. It is important that for the text to appeal to both men and women. For the text to be effective and persuasive while still being written professionally, the rhetorical triangle could be implemented in it. The purpose(s) of the text should be considered when tackling the issue as well.
Firstly, the ethos appeal could be implemented in this writing by building credibility with the audience. This could be done by providing a good understanding and knowledge of the issue by citing a well- known organization. To persuade and keep the audience invested, I wrote about my personal experience on the issue. The connection or bond established by getting the audience emotionally invested in the text would help the piece to be more effective and create a bigger impact. Providing evidences and reasoning is also crucial, so in this particular issue, there are a lot of research and statistics that could support it. I would also need to consider the purpose of my text. I want this text to bring realization to everyone that this issue still happens today and that even with progressive developments, we are not truly progressing in this matter. I want women to feel proud of who they are and not scared to voice out their opinions. The text should then include more empowering stories and motivational language.
Using these aspects of rhetoric in professional writing would hopefully bring a more positive outcome from the text.
Give me some life to this writing! Engage us as a class, and don’t show us how much you know, and that you can define some things. Take a stand and have something to say about what you read, rather than trying to prove that you read. I know you have something to say!
That being said, I’m interested to hear more about how you want to appeal to both men and women. Will you have to take different tacts in some cases? Might you see one gender as a sort of “secondary audience” (Bowdon and Scott, p. 35)? Looking forward to reading more as you write more!
You show great comprehension of the article! In your first paragraph, you mention that professional writings want the audiences’ acceptance as a difference between professional and other writings. Personally, I think that almost all writing has acceptance as a goal. For example, papers that are written for classes have the goal of the teacher reading and accepting your work to receive a satisfactory grade. So, while I think that audience acceptance is important to professional writing, I do not find it a significant difference.
Your description of the rhetorical triangle is accurate and relates to the description given in the reading. As mentioned by Bowdon and Scott, ethos was often thought to be the most important part of the triangle. What do you think is most important, if any? Personally, I feel that pathos is most important because I personally respond most to emotions. Even if the author has not established their ethos, if I my emotions or beliefs are challenged, it still catches my interest. What do you think is most important for professional writing? Is it the same for other types of writing?
In your relation to your previous post, I was most interested by your mentioning of appealing the text to men and women. That kind of mindset, I believe, is exactly what our reading wanted you to achieve. I am interested to see how you could reach both audiences! It is a great thought.