What is a rhetorical situation...and why do I need to know about it?

Ah, the rhetorical triangle. What is my purpose? How do I determine that? Who is my audience? Reader, Writer, Purpose: It is these three things that make up your rhetorical triangle. All these factors must be taken into account. Almost makes you want to quit while your ahead. The important thing is to realize that you know most of these things already, you just might not've defined them "out loud" to yourself. In terms of our assignment, the rhetorical analysis, you want to try on these three lenses as you look at your journal article. That is, who is this person trying to reach? WHo is the typical reader? Who is the writer trying to make him/herself oout to be for the reader (how is s/he trying to create the feeling that s/he is qualified to write this paper)? What is the overall aim/purpose of the paper? Once you answer these basic questions (and you can find out some of the ways to recognize the answers in our readings online), you are on your way to performing a more detailed rhetorical analysis.

To quote is to take text directly from the source. "The important thing is to realize that you know most of these things already." (Shannah's Reading Journal, published 10/9/07)

To paraphrase is to restate a thought in your own words, keeping to about the same length as the original. Everyone knows, even if they don't, that reader, writer and purpose are important when writing. (Shannah's Reading Journal, published 10/9/07)

To summarize is to condense what you've just read into a far shorter and less detailed, yet accurate, account. "An Overview of the Rhetorical Situation" tells us that writer, reader and purpose are necessary parts of all writing projects. THe author goes on to describe various kinds of purposes, including objective, persuasive and expressive ways of writing, and defines each by discussing some ways of creating each kind of writing.

Well, not a very lovely summary, but a summary all the same. Gah! Time's up!