Notes on Rhetoric

Rhetorical Appeals
1. _______________--appeal to _______________; asks the reader/listener to look favorably on the
writer/speaker; stresses the writer/speaker's intelligence, competence, fairness, morality, and other qualities
desirable in a trustworthy leader. The WRITER presents the READER with the __________ of experts in order to
gain the readers _______________ that this is the right conclusion.
2. __________________--rational appeal; asks the readers to use their intellects and powers of reasoning. It relies
on established conventions of _______________ and ______________. the WRITER presents the READER with
FACTS to help the reader agree that the conclusion is right based on common sense or what is obvious
3. _______________--an _____________ appeal; asks readers to respond out of their beliefs, values, or feelings. It
inspires, affirms, frightens, and angers. the WRITER tries to get the READER to feel an EMOTIONAL connection
NOT what the character feels

Rhetorical Devices
1. _____________________expressing the _____________________using the _____________________
2. _____________________--expressing the same idea using _____________________
3. _____________________--asking questions for effect, not to get _____________________
4. _________________-- the speaker
first asks a ________________ and
then __________________ it.
5. _____________________--this is a
_____________________ to a
_____________________ person,
place, thing or historical event.
6. _____________________--Writing
structures that are grammatically
parallel

7. _____________________--is the act or placement of two things (usually abstract concepts) near each other; the
act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side
8. _____________________--A figure of speech in which sharply contrasting ideas are juxtaposed in a balanced or
parallel phrase or grammatical structure
9. _____________________--A list of_________________, or a sentence in which there are three parts or clauses.
10. _____________________--using several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some might be
omitted used to stress the importance of each item
11. _____________________--comparing two similar things to clarify or simplify a point
Rhetorical Strategies
1. _______________when one event causes (________________) another to happen (__________________)
2. _____________________a _______________ of a person, object, or event
3. _____________________the use of a _______________ to illustrate a point
4. ____________________a _______________ of actions, changes, or functions bringing about results
5. ________________something that is ____________ of a group or a similar cases that can be used as a model
or ____________
6. ________________to point out ____________and ___________ to assess value or worth
7. ________________a __________ between two things that are __________ or typically to clarify a point
8.

________________________________based on _______________ and _______________

9.

_______________to tell the___________of a phrase, word or idea

10. _______________--the _______________ in which things happened

11. _______________--assigning order of ___________ to
information and presenting it in that order
12. ____________--present a ___________ and then present
your _______________
13. _______________an order relying on proximity
_______________ to farthest _______________ or vice
versa
How will the test look on test day?
After reading a speech you will be asked to address how the author uses
rhetoric to achieve her/his purpose. Include at least three pieces of
evidence from the text that correlate with a rhetorical terms. Please
refrain from using first person and second person pronouns. Do not just
summarize the text. That is NOT the assignment Some rhetorical terms
you might use to prove you point are a. rhetorical appeal b. rhetorical
strategies c. rhetorical devices
Thesis statement: In the (genre) (title) by (author), (the author) uses
(rhetorical appeal, strategy, and device) to (purpose--NOT SUMMARY)