Download Rhetorical Situation - Nikki D. Johnson, M.Ed.

Rhetorical Situation
Rhetorical Situation
The rhetorical situation is the underlying
factor that affects every exchange that occurs.
Every piece of communication, both written and
spoken, relies on consideration of the factors that
make up the rhetorical situation. These factors
are:
Purpose
Audience
Medium/Media
Stance
Genre
Purpose
Rhetorical Situation- Purpose
Purpose is arguably the most important
aspect of communication. It is the reason why
people have chosen to speak or write.
Politicians give speeches to persuade others
to vote for them. Novelists writes books to
entertain. Technical writers write manuals to
inform.
Rhetorical Situation- Purpose
A piece of communication can have more
than one purpose. For example, Steve Jobs,
the CEO of Apple just unveiled the iPhone 4.
His purpose is to both inform about the product
and persuade consumers to buy it. The A&E
television show Cold Case Files presents
factual information about old crimes that both
entertains and informs.
Rhetorical Situation- Purpose
Take a minute to think about some of the
reasons you had for recent communications
with others. For example:
Why did you contact a relative?
Why did you update your resume?
Why did you enroll (or drop) a college class?
Audience
Rhetorical Situation- Audience
When we communicate, we must always
think about to whom the communication is
aimed. A book about animals for preschoolers
would look very different than a book about
animals for a veterinary student. The
purpose, to inform, might be the same but the
audience would determine just how much
information the book contained. The
audience would also determine the language
used to convey the message.
Rhetorical Situation- Audience
Take a minute to think about how some of
your recent communications changed based on
the audience. For example:
When contacting your relative, how did you describe a bad day at work?
On your resume, did you describe a bad day at work, or just list your
responsibilities?
When you enrolled (or dropped) a class, did you mention any job
related details or just that it was the reason for your recent decision?
Media/Medium
Rhetorical Situation- Medium/Media
How information is presented is just as
important as who it is presented to. The
medium (or media), is what’s used to convey
the message.
Consider an informative piece on how
women can gradually save money throughout
the year that appears in Time magazine and is
broadcast on Lifetime Movie Network.
Rhetorical Situation- Medium/Media
The purpose and audience are the same,
however one can be accessed repeatedly, as
necessary, throughout the year. The other was
a one time viewing, accessible only to those
with cable, and viewable only to those who
happen to be watching that channel at that
moment.
In this example, it is evident that the
medium has affected the message.
Rhetorical Situation- Medium/Media
Take a minute to consider what medium you
used in recent communications. For example:
When contacting your relative, did you call, write a letter, e-mail?
Is your resume, handwritten or typed? Did you use bold type throughout,
pink paper, or add perfume?
When you enrolled (or dropped) a course, did you call or go to the
office, fill out a form, and wait for a copy of the form?
Stance
Rhetorical Situation- Stance
How you feel about your communication
often comes through in the words or the
medium used. This is your stance.
Imagine discussing a raise with your boss.
You could demand the money (“give me a
raise”), ask for it (“I would like a raise, please”),
or you could put together a presentation that
shows why you have earned a raise.
Rhetorical Situation- Stance
Each stance shows that you want the
money, however only two display a respect for
your boss, and only one actually shows a
respect for the time and finances of the
company.
For this reason it is important to know what
you want to communicate and how you want
to communicate it.
Rhetorical Situation- Stance
Take a minute to consider how you expressed
yourself during a recent communication. For
example:
When contacting your relative, what words did you use? How long
was the communication? How long are your usual communications?
Is what words did you use in your resume? Are they neutral words or
words that imply how you felt about your previous jobs
When you enrolled (or dropped) a course, were pleasant to
the enrollment advisor or were you curt and dismissive?
Genre
Rhetorical Situation- Genre
Genre is the type of communication being
used. This is the easiest of the five elements
because this is usually chosen for you and/or it
is largely based on your purpose and audience.
For example, in a history class, the
professor will tell you to report information
(genre).
Rhetorical Situation- Genre
The professor will also provide information such as:
- Whether you are to write a paper or give a
presentation (medium)
-Who it is for (audience)
and
-The reason your assignment (purpose).
Rhetorical Situation- Genre
If the professor did not provide the genre, but
gave you a purpose (to inform) or audience
(classmates), then it is obvious that no matter
what the medium, you would be giving an
informative report (genre).
Rhetorical Situation- Genre
Take a minute to consider what category of
writing used in recent communications. For
example:
When you contacted your relative, what genre did you use?
What genre would your resume fall into?
When you write a paper for an English literature class,
what genre will that paper most likely fall into?
Rhetorical Situation
Each element of the rhetorical situation
depends on the others. The purpose affects
the medium, the audience, the genre, and
your stance. By that same token, the medium
will affect the audience you reach, the genre
you use, and your stance- it may even change
your purpose. No matter what element you
start with, the others must be considered if
you plan to communicate effectively.