In Unit 1, we focused on rhetoric in terms of having terms to name aspects of what we do in our writing to help build awareness:
- Rhetoric and its associated terms: genre, audience, rhetorical situation, purpose
- Rhetorical analysis: analysis vs. summary, claims, evidence, linking claims to evidence, thesis, lenses
Below is from the syllabus:
| Unit 2 – Rhetoric: Awareness and Writing |
| In this unit, we will explore rhetoric in greater detail. We will start with the importance of audience and the relationship between audiences and genre conventions (and the slipperiness of what we can ever actually fully know about either). We will then consider the full nature of the rhetorical situation (i.e., exigence, constraints, and audience), the impact of ideology on how everyone reads and writes, and consider the value of a rhetorical outlook on the world around us. To realize these ends, we will develop our abilities as rhetorical analysts. This unit will mostly address the third and fifth Learning Goals of the course (i.e., Read and analyze texts critically; Use conventions appropriate to audience, genre, and purpose). Some of the sub-goals for this unit include:
· Learn the functions of rhetoric: make knowledge, coordinate human and nonhuman activity, and impact others. · Learn the differences between genres at the level of words, sentences, paragraphing, document design, mode, etc. · Change stylistic features of your writing to accommodate your audience · Recognize the full rhetorical situation to understand the context for writing · Consider the important material concerns for writing, to include different modes, circulation, and other infrastructural concerns for writing · Learn how to analyze vs. summarize · Find, evaluate, and synthesize evidence in texts we analyze · Establish links between claims and evidence · Apply theoretical lenses to what we analyze in ways that both expand and limit what we can know · Integrate textual analysis into a larger argument or narrative |
Comment below to talk about which subgoal best represents the area of your writing you’d most like to work on and why. Take about 100 words to respond. We are still in the middle of this unit, so much of this is in-progress still.
After commenting, click on the button below to continue.
I think trying to apply several theoretical lenses could help me think more outside the box. In a way, it’s a type of mindfulness to look at text from a creator’s perspective but it is also interesting to see how something could be interpreted by different audiences. I feel that I would see the most improvement if I knew all of the tools in my toolbox.
I would like to work on recognizing the full rhetorical situation to understand the context for writing. I think that this process will help me with overall organization. If I have a good grasp on the rhetorical situation, my ideas will come easily. I can then brainstorm all the ways I tackle the topic, through the different lenses I can use.
I would like to better myself in summarizing vs. analyzing. At the moment, I know the common difference, but on longer assignments, It can be tough to analyze without summarizing at some points. I tend to mix the two, which at some times is necessary, but in some assignments, this can be detrimental. Out of all goals, this is the one that I would like to work on the most.
I would like to establish links between claims and evidence better. When writing (especially an argumentative piece), it is very crucial to prove your point/ argument and to give reliable, real facts that help prove said point. When linking a claim to evidence, I normally give very baseline/ basic answers to satisfy the argument being imposed. It would be a better idea to fully write out how the evidence helps prove the point I am making.
*Integrate textual analysis into a larger argument or narrative
I would like to work on structuring my arguments in a way that does not seem too structured. In school I was always taught that the way to format an analysis is evidence, summary of the evidence, and analysis. But I want to be able to structure my argument in a non conforming manner.
The subgoal that best represents the area of writing that I would like to work on the most is to recognize the full rhetorical situation to understand the context for writing. I think that a fuller recognition of the rhetorical situation would enable me to learn how to apply the same in my writing through an analysis of the methods that other writers use to incorporate rhetoric in a text. This knowledge would especially be helpful in rhetorical analysis drafting which requires one to explore how a text has been conceptualized and for what purposes.
I could definitely work on changing stylistic features of your writing to accommodate my audience. When writing I like to find what works for me and stick to it. But I need to realize that what works for me might not work for my audience. Also a change in style may be more effective depending on the type of piece I am writing. With that I need to learn the differences between genres at the level of words, sentences, paragraphing, etc.. It goes in hand with my first point and would be helpful for a change in audience and piece type.
I am looking forward to many aspects of my writing. One in specific is to establish links between my claims and finding evidence to support it. I enjoy this because when I choose a topic I am interested in, I like looking through it. This also will help me build the basis for my writing and develop much of my essay. I also hope to improve my ability to both summarize while I analyze. With these skills I am looking forward to writing much of my essay.
As I have mentioned, genre is kind of a confusing topic so my subgoal would be leaning towards learning the differences between genres at the level of words, sentences, paragraphing, document design, mode and other charactheristics. Also analyze vs. summarize I feel the obligation of giving a short summary for the audience but without realizing it sometimes I take it too far.
Two that stick out for me are “change stylistic features of your writing to accommodate your audience” and “learn how to analyze vs. summarize.” I usually stick to my style of writing, but to progress as a writer, I must adapt to all styles depending on my audience. I also need to work on analyzing vs summarizing. I tend to analyze, but then slowly move into summarizing.
I want to work on changing my stylistic features to accomodate for my audience. I think this is a good goal for me because in high school, I was only ever writing for my teacher to grade my work (or for another grader to evaluate what I had done). With this class, I often get to write for my classmates, and other times it’s just for my professor. Either way, I feel like I get to be a bit more natural with my writing in this class. I really enjoy writing knowing that others in my class will read what I wrote. I also like the ideaof writing for audiences besides just classmates.