The Rhetorical Situation

 

These notes will focus on the actual strategies involved in writing effectively. They introduce the idea of a “rhetorical situation” to show that understanding the meaning and effectiveness of a document goes beyond simple mechanical correctness. Good grammar, organization, and sentence structure surely make documents easier and more enjoyable to read, but the full meaning and effectiveness of a document can only be determined by looking at the bigger picture—who is being written to and for what purpose.

In the following notes, we will look at a real letter written by one of my previous students in order to practice process of assessing the rhetorical effectiveness of a document. But first, a note on rhetoric.

A Note on “Rhetoric”

“Rhetoric” is considered a dirty word in some circles. It’s very common to hear politicians complain that their opponents are merely “using rhetoric.” By this they usually mean that these people are employing unethical means of persuasion, that they are trying to fool you with slick words.

But this is not the original definition of rhetoric Aristotle gave us. According to Aristotle, rhetoric is the ability to see, in any situation, the available means of persuasion. Of course, certain unethical speakers might see that they can persuade people through trickery, and choose to do so. But rhetoric only helps you see what is possible; it does not lead you to choose ethical or unethical tactics.Aristotle-Rhetoric-3

In fact, most people would argue that rhetoricians have normally aspired to instruct people to be good citizens, to use rhetoric for the benefit for the community and not just for self-gain. When we analyze a rhetorical situation (looking at purpose, audience, the social context, and the genre we are writing in), we are investigating the possible means of persuasion available to us in the situation we find ourselves in. In some cases, only certain writing genres will work. In some cases, only certain types of evidence will work. In some cases, only a certain tone or approach will work. Rhetoric helps us choose the most effective means to get our message across.
What is a Rhetorical Situation?

Generally, a “rhetorical situation” refers to the entire circumstances in which a text gets written, not just the words on the page. It includes:

  • The Writer (including her or his Purpose for writing),
  • The Audience,
  • The Topic being written about and the Genre being written in, and
  • The Social Context and Culture

For a more detailed presentation on the rhetorical situation, see this slideshow from the Purdue OWL.

What Makes a Text Effective?

Being a good writer means being able to assess whether what you wrote will be effective. Good writers are not really those with the largest vocabulary or the smoothest style. Good writers are those who understand the situations in which they are writing—who understand why a certain argument might gain acceptance with a particular audience, or why a particular example might fall flat. They understand the expectations readers bring to texts, and the processes of meaning-making that guide the organization of texts. And they can closely read their own writing to understand the possible meanings readers will take from it.

What this approach reminds us of is that you can’t evaluate a text simply based on whether it is complete or correct. In order to know if it is truly effective, you have to understand the entire situation to which it is a response. A text that is successful in one situation may not be successful in all situations. This means that writers need to be flexible and attentive to the particulars of each writing situation. One key to producing rhetorically effective texts is to understand your reader and anticipate how s/he will respond to your text.

Now let’s look at a sample text to think about how effective it is.

Our Sample Text

Below is a real letter written by a former student while I was teaching at USF. A few context notes now, and a few more below:

  • “OASIS” is the name of USF’s online registration system.
  • At USF, if students do not attend the first day of class, they are automatically dropped from the course roll.
  • The poor formatting (lack of paragraph breaks) and mechanical errors were in the original letter.

Read the letter below at least twice–really read it and try to understand it.

Dear Sir:

I am completing this petition so that I can be refunded for a class that was dropped this semester. The first week of classes was a busy one for me, as it is for all students, and I was preparing for a trip over the weekend to visit my mother in Georgia. I had registered for four classes but found that I would not be able to attend a class which I was registered for, because of a time conflict (MAR 1600-901). So I thought that if I didn’t go to my Wednesday night class I would be dropped and everything would be ok. My understanding was that if a student did not show up for the first day of class, then they would be automatically dropped from that course. So, I went to my class the next day and directly afterwards drove to Georgia. I figured I would be dropped because it is a school wide rule, that students must attend the first class, or they will be dropped from the course. I did not have access to a computer at my mother’s house and I just assumed that I had been dropped because I did not show up to class. When I returned home, I was using Blackboard and noticed the class was still listed under my courses. I then checked OASIS, which it was still there, so I dropped it myself not knowing what to do. Then I called the Registrar’s office and they informed it was my responsibility to drop it and I was fee liable, which I was unaware of until that moment. I have dropped classes in the past, once I have tried to complete them or other obstacles have forced me to withdrawal, but it just gets to me that I might possibly have to pay for a class that I had to drop in this way. It was my understanding that I should have been dropped and therefore would like a refund. I now know the way it should be done but urge the college to give me this one forgiveness.

Sincerely,
K.T.

The basic background: This student signed up for a class and later decided she didn’t want to be in the class. As I said above, at USF, students are required to attend the first day of class. If a student does not attend class on the first day, the registrar is notified and the student is automatically dropped from the class roll (i.e., they are no longer registered for the class).

The student assumed that if she didn’t attend the first day of class, he would be automatically dropped. But she wasn’t. She was not dropped from the course, and a few days later, she discovered she had to pay for a course she didn’t want to take. This was her attempt to get a refund from the registrar.

A Close Reading of the Letter

In this sample close reading, I go through and annotate the letter, responding in ways to help point out weaknesses in the letter, ones that can be resolved by thinking more about the rhetorical situation.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://techrhet.com/3213/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/08/Close_Reading_KT.pdf”]

Key Elements of the Letter’s Rhetorical Situation

The purpose of the letter is to secure a refund for a class not dropped by the end of the drop/add period.

The audience is the USF registrar, an institution that must follow rules, and is committed to applying the same rules to all students (and thus unlikely to grant special favors). The person who reads the letter will probably have to adhere to certain rules regarding refunds, and will have to convince their superior that this student’s predicament falls within the bounds of these rules. Also, many of the employees at the registrar are adults without a college education. Are they likely to sympathize with the ethos the student projects?

The text centers on the student not attending class, and what the policy says. It should focus more clearly on why a refund should be given. There must be situations in which the registrar does give refunds. It’s likely this information is published somewhere.

The writer uses a tone and evidence that make her seem childish and unreasonable. Soon, we’ll discuss how the three appeals—logos, ethos, and pathos—can work together.