One new thing I learned about this course is that there are five foundational goals that I will be able to meet by the end of this term. First and foremost, I would be able to read and analyze different forms of literary texts with a critical point of view, be able to identify the style of the author and the rhetorical strategies the author applies to convey his/her message clearly. Secondly, I will be able to write my own piece of work by utilizing similar rhetorical strategies and in consideration of the audience, my work is intended towards. Thirdly, when I write in the future, I will be able to use reliable sources and different perspectives to further strengthen my argument. Also, my work would be composed through a series of drafts, peer review, revision, and editing. Lastly, I will be using conventions for writing and composing my work that has impactful rhetoric language in it. This course will definitely help shape my ability to read and write proficiently.
In simple words, the reading “What is rhetoric?” talks about the misconceptions of what the term really means, the variety of meanings it can be interpreted into, what is a rhetorical analysis of an “artifact” (subject to rhetorical analysis) and why is it significant. It starts off by clarifying that rhetoric doesn’t mean to manipulate or to deceive, but rather it is a way to persuade someone into doing something or think in a certain way. Later on, the reading discusses that every writer uses different rhetorical strategies depending on the audience he/she is writing for. Furthermore, the significance of identifying this is that it helps us be more persuasive in our own writing and is also important in developing critical thinking skills. In the end, since rhetoric is being used in every little part of our lives, learning how to identify it holds utmost importance.