Stop. Think. Reflect

What is the stage of this class? Where have all of the terms and practices we have learned stem from?

Rhetoric.What does it all mean? Bitzer and Herzberg encapsule the sense of it here "Rhetoric has a number of overlapping meanings: the practice of oratory, the study of the strategies of effective oratory; the use of language, written or spoken, to inform or persuade; the study of the persuasive effects of language; the study of the relation between language and knowledge; the classification and use of tropes and figures; and, of course, the use of empty promises and half-truth as a form of propaganda" (1). I take in the meaning of rhetoric and think about what key terms I refer to when I go to further define it. I believe that rhetoric and composing are inextricably linked together. Rhetoric is essentially a means of persuasion. What is the tool to get to rhetoric? Composing. The composing process starts with invention, "One invents these means with reference to situational variables that might inform a speech situation, by surveying common relational perspectives, or topi, and constructing rhetorical syllogisms, or enthymemes, with the potential for psychological engagement and persuasion.” (Covino and Jolliffe, 60). Next style is the way we showcase our talent and personality, “Style concerns the this selection and deployment of the words and sentences that comprise a discourse“ (Covino and Jolliffe, 87). I feel that arrangement is important, because how we structure our argument, is heavily influential on the audience and Covino and Jolliffe agree when they state, “Arrangement refers to the placement and ordering of the parts of discourse” (29).Let's take a look at the important human elements "The, “persuasive appeal: the reason (logos), to emotion (pathos), and to the speaker’s authority (ethos) . All of the parts are necessary to ensure production of a full range of appeals” (Bizzell, Herzberg, 3). Establishing charachter, emotion, and reason is essential to our audience. Lastly, our audience is the most important term because it is who is subjected to our rhetoric, Bitzer says our "audience is a standard term."

I picked these key terms because I think they together encompass what is necessary in understanding rhetoric and composing. I do see an overlap of the meanings of these terms. Essentially all are aimed at persuading the audience in some way.

Knowledge is Power

Knowledge simply put is what we know. One may ask, is knowledge ever really new?

I believe that knowledge is a cycle. From day one of man kind, knowledge was born. Over time,the world grew, time passed, experiences were had and then a new generation bloomed while and old stepped aside. However known facts or opinons have been passed on over time. An example would be a history class, we learn from the past and make our own judgements on it. I think that knowledge is new, but we rely on prior knowledge. We refer to our past expeiences and what we have learned to devlelop new insights on things, share them, and the knowledge cycle continues.Knowledge always exists. This applies to our class and to us as EWMrs because we use prior knowledge to learn, and we reflect on it. For example, when we do a typical blog post. Ms. Taczak will give us a reading, we are to read it, analyze, state facts, and then reflect on it. Old knowledge is shared, new knowledge is developed. With our everexpanding online world, knowledge is readibly availabe for us to reflect on.

Composition

My composing process- When I am given an assignment, before I open my computer to write, before I do any research, I sit and think about the project. I may use my prior knowledge to reflect on it. After I collect my thoughts I begin research. The composing process or how I write is a drawn out experience. I don’t like to sit down and tap it all out. I work on my piece bit by bit, researching, reflecting and then stepping away from it so I can let new thoughts and reflections come in. It's kind of like Pachelbel's Canon in D, I start slow, and as I collect my knoweldge, the tempo increases.