When it comes to conveying a message to an audience, whether it is a specific group or a broad range, there are certain methods of communication that can be more effective for certain people. Combining sound or images with digital text can help readers with interpreting ideas conveyed by the author. Although the two modes can help immensely with portraying an author’s message, there are various situations where one mode will appear to be better than another. The comic strip below is an example of a visual mode and it does a decent job of providing an uplifting message with a story that is easy to follow.
The comic above is a mixture of “word specific” and “duo-specific” panels. Panels that are “word specific” only have rectangular boxes with no dialogue among the characters. They allow the reader to understand what is going on in a particular picture, but it does not convey the entire story. “Duo-specific” panels include both words and convey what is happening in a panel. This particular combination of words with pictures displays an “interdependent” relationship; this is the most common combination in comic strips to help convey an idea that neither a picture or words can do alone.
This comic strip can also embody the style and arrangement rhetorical canons. The style rhetorical canon tends to focus on the artistic depiction of a text. This form of text also coincides with the three duties of the “orator,” or writer; to teach, delight, and move. The arrangement of the panels is also divided in a logical way so readers to follow the story. This comic strip conveys a memorable message easy for readers to follow and connect to the overall story.
In this post I will be continuing with my posts about key aspects of rhetorical writing. There are endless ways rhetorical writing can be analyzed by readers, but the biggest aspects that a reader of rhetorical writing should look out for are rhetorical canons. Rhetorical canons are divided into five categories that serve as guides for criticism of a certain discourse. These rhetorical canons have evolved over time, but they can help us understand an authors perspective on an issue and possibly influence us with their evidence. The five categories of rhetorical canons that will be discussed in this post are invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery.
Invention
Invention is considered the process of finding or creating the right framework for an author to convey a persuasive message. Invention is considered the core of rhetorical canons because it is the stage in which writers try to find the best ways of persuading an audience by utilizing various tools to determine what would be the best at conveying their message. In some cases, writers try and incorporate quotes from other texts or find the best relationships to convey their ideas for what they want to say about a topic. In other cases, invention can be seen when people try and figure out the best ways to present their ideas; today, many writers turn to digital technologies to convey their ideas. Some examples of some of the things writers think about in terms of invention when it comes to digital writing are finding the best networks and technological tools. WordPress is an example of finding a good network because it provides an easy way for writers to convey their ideas and opinions on a particular topic.
Arrangement
Arrangement is the division of supporting details provided by the writer into parts based on their purpose for the writing piece. An example of how arrangement can be conveyed is something that many of us are familiar with; classical oration. This order can be seen in essays and articles that we read every day. The layout of a classical oration includes an introduction, thesis, division of information, supporting elements, contrasting elements, and a conclusion. In the introduction, the author conveys their personal appeals, from the thesis through contrasting elements the author embodies arguments to support or disprove their claims, and sum up their thoughts and try to make the audience feel impacted in the conclusion. This is an example of arrangement because it follows a specific order that helps readers follow the authors train of thought and understand their point of persuasion.
Style
Style kind of goes hand in hand with arrangement. However, style mostly considers the artistic expression that the information is presented. Similarly to how Invention discusses what will be said in a rhetorical writing piece, style helps with how to say it. In digital rhetoric style is the same as elements of design. When it comes to style for digital platforms, writers and designers consider aspects such as color, font style and size, layout of information, and interactivity with users and readers. One example from a previous post that embodies style is the layout of the Penguin Random House blog The Perch. This is a perfect example of style because it makes the titles of articles a bright orange and the font makes readers feel drawn to click on the article to learn more.
Memory is considered the basis of mentally storing information about previous beliefs, ideas or experiences. In the classical rhetoric canon, memory mostly focussed on memorizing speeches or developing arguments for rhetorical writing that you could refer to whenever necessary. Memory also considers psychological aspects of a presenter preparing to communicate and present their perspective on a particular topic. Today some examples of how memory can be seen through rhetorical canons are through presentations with a speaker. This is an example of memory because the speaker has to review and prepare his thoughts so he can help convey his idea to the audience so they get a better understanding.
Delivery
Delivery, complementary to style and memory, analyzes how a point is conveyed through rhetorical writing. This is contrary to Invention, which analyzes what is being said. There are many ways a piece of writing can be delivered, whether it is through digital platforms or during an oral presentation. An example of delivery that can be seen in everyday life is through an oral performance of theater or presentation. When actors or presenters speak their parts, they try to use their tone of voice to convey an important point and incorporate body motions to emphasize the importance of what they are about to say.
I think that the most interesting canon for me is style because there are so many things that you can do with it that can help you emphasize a point that you are trying to make in your writing. Since I love designing, I am fascinated with the fact that writers and designers have to think about how they are presenting their information. When it comes to figure out the best way to display an article, many designers consider font, color, and type to make a reader feel drawn to their writing. I think this is a very important rhetorical canon because if an audience is not drawn to your writing, then it may not prove to be effective at conveying a point.
For The Remainder Of This Course I Plan To…
Apply rhetorical canons to my writing(s)
Hone my writing/display of my writing to attract my audience
Make my content appeal to my audience so they feel tempted to read
“Private Home Reference Library” by warwick_carter, CC
Digital rhetoric is a topic that can has a broad range of definitions and ways of being expressed. To quote from the authors of Writer/Designer: A Guide To Making Multimodal Projects (2014), “rhetoric is the study of making texts that effectively persuade an audience toward change” (Arola, Ball, Sheppard, 2015, p. 21). When studying digital rhetoric, there are several ways of interpreting and analyzing writing to get a better understanding of the rhetoric genre. One way of analyzing a message from a rhetorical writing piece through rhetorical analysis. When analyzing a piece of writing through rhetorical analysis a reader should consider the author(s) intended audience, purpose for communicating, context in which their text will be read, and the genre that they choose for their texts. When an author conducts their own rhetorical analysis and they consider all these factors, they may have a strong depiction of a particular point of view and persuade readers to consider their opinion.
Digital rhetoric is a growing form of writing and there are countless reasons on why someone should consider studying this form of writing. In the book, Digital Rhetoric: Theory, Method, Practice, author Douglas Eyman states, “it is necessary to review the history of rhetoric because our understanding of its use and value depend in part on recognizing and recovering rhetoric from those philosophers and theorists who have sought to minimize its power and/or purview” (Eyman, 2015, p. 1). In other words, our understanding of rhetoric relies on looking at examples from philosophers who have tried to get a better understanding on rhetoric, so that it is not as broad for writers.
Eyman also describes different versions of rhetorical writing that have come and gone throughout the years. Some examples include Western Classical Rhetoric, Medieval Renaissance Rhetoric, and Contemporary Rhetoric. Douglas Eyman also refers to the rise of digital technologies, which in return led to the rise of digital rhetoric. To define digital rhetoric, the author quotes Richard Lanham when stating that digital rhetoric as a, “connection between computer-mediated communication and rhetoric” (Eyman, 2015, p. 18). This proves that there is no one definition of rhetoric writing; it has evolved throughout various generations and if we open ourselves up to learn more about it then we open ourselves to new ways of writing.
After learning more about how rhetoric writing is defined and how it should be studied, I have some new goals that I hope to engage in through the semester. One of those goals is to open myself more to different styles of rhetorical writing. If I learn about different styles of rhetorical writing then I will gain a better understanding of how to write good examples of rhetorical writing that will impact my audience and convey my overall purpose. I also plan on practicing more with considering outside factors, such as who my audience is and my purpose of my writing, when doing any piece of rhetorical writing. This will hopefully help me learn how to effectively get my point across through my writing and persuade my audience to consider a new way of thinking.
Write Your Verse 