Survival Guide Rhetoric And Writing - 1741 Words

Survival Guide to Rhetoric and Writing This guide is to help aid you in bettering your writing skills and provide tips that approach the process of writing with rhetoric. I’m not a great writer myself therefore I cannot make you one. I can, however, explain to you the most important rhetorical concepts and writing strategies needed when writing any paper in hopes that it will aid you with any future writing assignments you come across. Introduction to Rhetoric The traditional definition of the word rhetoric was proposed by Aristotle. He said rhetoric was just a means of persuasion, which is only partially correct. The current textbook definition of rhetoric, according to Webster and embellishments made overtime, is stated as â€Å"the art or†¦show more content†¦It is more beneficial if you are aware of when you’re using it because it makes it easier for you to employ. The easier it is for you to employ rhetoric, the easier it is for you to transform your writings into better ones. The familiarization of rhetoric is one of the single most important skills for a writer to effectively communicate their purpose to their audience and successfully write in different styles, or genres. Purpose, Audience and Genre Any and every paper has a purpose. Whether we write: to entertain, to inform, to express, to communicate, or to persuade, there is a purpose. In most cases, our purpose determines the genre we choose which then determines our audience; it’s almost like a domino effect. When you’re trying to decide what your purpose is you should ask yourself two important questions. The first thing you should ask yourself is â€Å"Why am I writing this essay?† and, â€Å"What do I want my audience to feel after reading my essay?† Most students answer to the first question tends to be â€Å"I’m writing this essay because my professor told the class to and I need to pass the class.† Instead of thinking like that, a writer should try to dig deeper by considering the purpose of the assignment. The more a writer understands their assignment, the better he or she can focus on what they want to accomplish with their paper or get through t o their audience. When writing a paper, after you consider WHY you’re