Download E-Rhetoric Chapter 4

E-Rhetoric
Writing for Electronic Delivery
ACU
What is rhetoric?
Rhetoric is the art of persuasion
The new rhetoric: ERhetoric
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Web sites
Digital media: videos, movies, podcasts,
photos and other images
Presentation programs: PowerPoint, Keynote
Social media: Blogs, instant messaging,
texting and online communities such as
Facebook, Twitter and Myspace
Brevity works
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Twitter message – 140 characters
Lord’s Prayer – 56 words
Gettysburg Address – 266 words
Ten Commandments – 297 words
Declaration of Independence – 300 words
Box of breakfast cereal – 1,200 words
U.S. government order on pricing cabbage –
29,911 words
Rhetorical strategies for making
online content persuasive
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Well-written content
Information architecture
Navigation
Visuals
E-rhetoric
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Bringing together
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Text
Photos
Illustration
Typography
Animation
Navigation
Links
Audio and Video clips
For the purposes of persuasion on the Web
Four C’s of Web Content
(Rhetorical Strategies)
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Credibility
Clarity
Conciseness
Coherence
Sound familiar?
Credibility
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Criteria for evaluation of credibility
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Authority
Accuracy
Objectivity
Currency
Coverage and intended audience
Credibility and promotional text
“You’ll be glad you’ve landed on the “Tax Info for You”
page. Because here you’ll
find tax tips for individuals – for folks just like you.”
OR
“The Tax Info For You page is designed to help you
through the process of filing your federal income tax.”
Tips for Credibility
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Avoid marketing language and hype
Don’t be overly chatty or informal
Skip the humor
Include logo on each page
Eliminate typos, grammar and spelling
mistakes
Credibility?
Southeast Christian Church -- bio
Clarity
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Online text
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Short sentences, short words
Active voice
Concrete
No adverbs (smile happily?)
Worldwide audience considerations
Presentation
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Title
Headers
Bold
Captions for figures, photos, etc.
Conciseness
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Brief but thorough
Consider drive-thru readers
Consider how your audience will use the info
you provide
Coherence
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Even though the Web is non-linear, readers
look for cues that will lead them on a path
through the text
The value of repetition
Use of headers, bullets to guide readers
For next class
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Assignment on the course blog about
Erhetoric.
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Read chapters 1 and 2 in The Elements of
Style and do the exercise on the course blog.
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Lab meets on Thursday