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“Rhetorical Heritage, Modern Applications”. Write a letter to your mentor explaining why a study of rhetoric and rhetorical canon is valuable to you, a modern-day student of English Composition. In order to explain the function of rhetorical study in your life, you may refer to your professional or academic experience and goals.
The paper should be about 300 words long ? longer if necessary?and should clearly demonstrate your knowledge of paragraph and sentence construction and boundaries. REMEMBER: Compose a first draft, set it aside for a day or so, and then revise. If it is possible, have another reader act as your audience by reviewing your first draft and offering suggestions for revision. The reason for rhetoric and rhetorical canon are so valuable to me, a leader of Soldiers and a modern-day student, are because understanding how words come together to influence and persuade others to accomplish tasks are the bread and butter of my job.
Being a First Sergeant in the Army, the words that I write or speak must be clear and concise for the intended audience, both seniors and subordinates, in order to understand my Commander’s Intent effectively and accomplish the mission. In this paper I will associate rhetoric and rhetorical canon with several tasks and reports I deal with regularly at my job. According to Aristotle rhetoric may be defined as the faculty of observing in any given case the available means of persuasion. It is imperative that the words I speak to my subordinates are clear and easily understood.
This is so they can accomplish task without constantly coming back to ask questions due to unclear guidance. Secondly I must understand the task and how to do it myself, this is to provide confidence to my subordinates that what I am telling them is correct and builds trust in my leadership. Finally the tasks given are not always pleasant but are critical to the success of the mission, so my words must appeal to them in order to motivate them to accomplish the mission despite the uncertainties or the comfortableness of the situation.
When dealing with my superiors I must be able to articulate any shortcomings or obstacles that may hinder mission accomplish the mission. This may include written correspondence with seniors so it is imperative I understand how to express the situation with written word. Sometimes I will need to deal with superiors that have no clue as to what is happening on the ground as they are focused on other tasks, so must be able to be prepared to describe the situation. This must be done with preparation and a vernacular able to be understood easily so they can make decisions based off good information.
Finally must rate junior leaders under me, this evaluation is written and used to show promotion potential for these individual to a board of personnel that have never met the person. Needless to say, understanding rhetoric is very important, as how well you can persuade someone thru written prose has a major impact on that individual’s career. Understanding rhetoric and rhetorical canon are very valuable studies that help me with my every day job. The more you understand the use and strategies of rhetoric, then one can become a better writer and presenter.
These strategies help me think about what I want to say and how I want it to come across. Communication is important in all aspects of life, and the more you understand how to apply words together to get your point across will be what sets you apart from your peers and directly relates to the success of your career. Part 2: “Considering Your Audience” (Lesson 1, Chapter 1) Your text discusses three possible ways to view your writing audience (classical view, cognitive view, social view). Briefly describe each view, and for each one identify a type of writing or which that view would be particularly appropriate.
Close your brief essay by telling which view you employ most often in writing. The paper should be about 250 words long?longer if necessary?and should clearly demonstrate your understanding of the content. Three possible views to write to an audience are the classical view, cognitive view and the social view. All three vary in approach to the written word and can be used to address the writing process. Classical view is writing from our classical world and echoes the Classical writing from yore. It is comprised of theory, analysis and practice.
Classical view would be the most appropriate when one wants to make the intended audience to think a certain way. Classical view helps writers put thoughts into artistic and persuasive communication. Cognitive view is when the reader gains information or insight through the writers thought process. The writer represents the subject as a problem to be solved. He list how it was solved and in depth. This particular writing view is appropriate for marketing and reaches out to how a reader may learn store and integrate the information he/she reads.
Social view is more specific and dependent on what one is writing. The most appropriate way to use social view writing is for the writer to know how to choose strategies that aid in critical thought. The writer must be familiar with the social background of the audience. The view I use often in writing is the cognitive view. Try to think through and develop my ideas using facts then, communicate them to the reader or audience through my words. I believe that if I show my data to the reader and guide them through my thought process I can persuade them to agree with my conclusions.