Windmills & Giants

Here is an overview of things to keep in mind when rhetorically analyzing a text. (You might want to print this.Highlight the text, hit "Print," then select the "Selection" button under "Print Range" area before printing. This will prevent you from printing all the other blog stuff.):

T-DIDLS:

Tone- how a piece "feels" to the reader. Often used by an author to express his or her opinion of a particular topic. The rest of the acronym (the DIDLS part) often contributes to the tone.

Diction- the author's word choice; an author can make a short piece more meaningful than a longer one just by choosing cool words.

Imagery- written representation of a visual experience

Detail- aspect of a written piece devoted to a small aspect of a whole. Used by an author to draw his or her reader's attention to something.

Language- Can make a speaker seem closer to his or her audience (think ethos), but may also cause the speaker to seem like an "outsider," so pay close attention to the speaker/writer's language if it seems foreign or specific to one group.

Slang words make a piece more informal. This is rarely used in academic writing, as they can send the wrong impression.

Colloquialisms are tied to a geographical location. Use sparingly.

Jargon is tied to a group or organization. Computer jargon, engineer jargon, literature jargon, even rhetorical jargon can be confusing for those outside of the particular field. Can be confusing to "outsiders."

Syntax is how the words are combined in a piece. Pay attention to grammatical structure, as it contributes to the flow and pacing of what is being communicated.
In periodic sentences, the main idea is withheld until the end, creating tension and interest. (Neat Quick Note: A reader is more likely to remember the last thing they read in any given segment. This is why the thesis goes at the end of your first paragraph, and why a call to action is most effective at the end of an essay.)

Example: As long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care, we will fail to solve the problem of school violence.

In loose sentences, the main idea is presented at the beginning, allowing the reader to closely read the supporting ideas closely (which is why we put the thesis before the supporting argument).

Example: We will fail to solve the problem of school violence as long as we ignore our children and refuse to dedicate the necessary time and money to their care.

Simple sentences are punchy and can contribute to a fast pace communicating urgency.

Complex sentences provide a more relaxed pace.

Compound-complex sentences are reflective and distancing.

Syntactical variation is one of the most important skills a writer can learn. In order to hold interest and emphasize important points a writer must understand how a natural voice is replicated in text. There are two ways to do this: Read well and read often; write often and write well.

We will review how punctuation can clarify thoughts and improve communication another time.

PELIDS:
Pathos- appeal to the emotions and interests of an audience

Ethos- appeal through the speaker/writer's credibility

Logos- appeal through logic

Inductive reasoning- making a judgment or conclusion about a broad topic based on a few examples.

Biologists use this type of reasoning often in their work. They take a sample of a population and apply what is learned to the entire population. Opinion polls work on the same principle.
It is important to consider two things when dealing with inductive reasoning:
Is the sample sufficient?
Is the sample relevant?

Deductive reasoning- making a conclusion about one example based on many

This is often used in geometry. All triangles are closed figures with three straight sides and three angles that add to 180 degrees; this figure fulfills the requirements of the above premise; therefore, this figure is a triangle.
The validity of this type of reasoning (the above is a syllogism, a three-part statement utilizing two premises and a conclusion) is contingent upon the validity of the premises.

Syllogism- see above. The final three terms of this acronym (IDS) are the major aspects of logical reasoning. Use these in your arguments often, while keeping them in mind when analyzing another's argument. If you are able to solidly challenge a premise, the entire argument falls apart.