October 2020

Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page

Grant-Davie, K. (1997). Rhetorical Situations and Their Constituents. Retrieved from http://mjreiff.com/uploads/3/4/2/1/34215272/grant-davie.pdf

Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words

In Rhetorical Situations and Their Constituents, Keith Grant-Davie describes the four typical products of rhetorical situations. Those constituents are described as follows. Exigence is the reason for rhetorical discourse to be employed. Rhetors are defined as the personas (I use this word because according to Grant-Davie they can be either real or imaginary) which give meaning to the discourse. Audience is the constituent group whose purpose is to engage the rhetors and through such, achieve understanding of the discourse. Constraints are an ambiguous constituent that are most simply defined as obstacles to the attainment of the objective.

Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author.

Constituent – A part of something

Rhetor – A teacher of rhetoric

How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?

In this text, the idea of “rhetorical discourse” is thrown around quite a bit, making this easily relatable to that which we read of James Paul Gee.

Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion.

Provide an example of a rhetorical situation in which you were either a rhetor or an audience member.

Title of Article + Proper MLA Citation for Works Cited page

Jones, R. (1997). Finding the Good Argument OR Why Bother With Logic? Retrieved from http://writingspaces.org/sites/default/files/jones–finding-the-good-argument.pdf

Summarize the article — include your reaction, thoughts, anything to help you remember its claims. 100 to 150 words

        In this piece, Rebecca Jones states the current status of argument as a concept, stating that most Americans view argument as a war like construct, only used in defining a battle of sorts. She goes to explain how the term has much more positive potential than that, because it is not the word itself that constitutes battle, but those too consumed by emotion to understand it. Argument can establish an understanding of perspective in those who us it, however many Americans simply use it as a way of forcefully expressing their opinion without exhibiting the minimal consideration that it would take to simply hear out and comprehend those of others. The other idea that Jones’ writing touches on is the three Greek pillars of rhetoric; Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Ethos is the appeal to one’s personal values, seen in advertisements that use celebrity endorsement. Pathos is the appeal to one’s emotions, ie. Sarah Palin commercials. Logos is logical reasoning, the most quantifiable of the three.

Define new terms and concepts by quoting or paraphrasing the original author.

Intractable – Hard to control or deal with

“Argument is Dance” (157) – Rather than viewing argument as war, we can look at it as an exchange of perspective with the opportunity to use skill and elegance as a means of understand and being understood.

How does this reading connect to other articles from class and/or your own research?

I felt that this article had no connections to those which we have read previously. Comparative to beginning a new unit in a typical educational curriculum.

Based on the reading, craft one question to act as a springboard for class discussion.

If you can recall, which of the three aspects of rhetoric do you most frequently focus on in approach of your arguments?