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Understanding Writing:The Rhetorical Situation
Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab
What is a Rhetorical Situation?
– Rhetoric: Using language to persuade
– Rhetorical Situation: The circumstances in which you communicate
The Author or Writer
• Culture, personal characteristics and interests affect the topic and how it is written.
Factors which can affect writing include:
• Age• Experiences• Gender• Location• Political beliefs• Interests and Attitude
• Education
Presentation (Genre) and Tone
• Category or type of writing
• Genre hinges upon purpose and the needs or expectations of the projected audience.
• Examples: fiction, autobiographical story, news article, review, letter to the editor/editorial, rhetorical analysis, criticism, persuasive essay
Audience: To whom are you writing?
• Many of the same factors which affect the writer also affect the audience– Age– Social class– Education– Past experience– Culture/subculture
– Expectations– Attitude
Text or topic
• The piece of writing and what it says
• The topic should be appropriate for the rhetorical situation.
Context (Exigence)
• The real life situation which generates the need for writing
• Context is influenced by – Time– Location– Current events– Culture
Rhetorical Situation
• Writer/Author• Purpose• Audience• Topic or Text• Context• Culture• Presentation (Genre) and Tone