Rhetorical Modes

(Patterns of Development with a particular Purpose in mind)

Mode / What it does… / Purpose/Effect
Narration / Tells a story or recounts a series of events to support a thesis/idea (narrating for a purpose) / Draws readers in, makes it appealing
Description / Emphasizes the senses by painting a picture of how something looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels (sensory details) / Establishes a mood or atmosphere
Process Analysis / Explains how something works, how to do something, or how something was done / Explains “how to”
Exemplification / Provides examples—facts, specific cases, or instances—to turn a general idea into a concrete one (“Inductive Reasoning”)
Types: (1) multiple examples, or (2) an extended example / Makes argument clear and persuasive
Comparison & Contrast* / Juxtaposes two things to highlight their similarities and/or differences
Types: (1) subject-by-subject, or (2) point by point / Reveals insights into the nature of information being analyzed
Classification Division / Sorts material or ideas into major categories to make connections between things that might otherwise seem unrelated / Provides a systematic way to explore problems
Definition* / Establishes a definition for an idea or term (may take one/two paragraphs or an entire paper) / Ensures writers and readers are speaking the same language; lays a common ground; helps identify areas of conflict
Cause and Effect* / Analyzes the causes that lead to a certain effect or, conversely, the effects that result from a cause
Signal Word: “Why” in the title or opening paragraph / Uses logic to create a powerful foundation for an argument

Other Rhetorical Strategies

(“Tools” used to move a reader)

Strategy / What it does… / Purpose/Effect
Persuasion / Appeals to authority using ethos, logos, and/or pathos
·  Ethos- appeals to character, morals, shared values / ·  Demonstrates the speaker is credible and trustworthy
·  Logos- appeals to logic/reason by offering clear, rational ideas and acknowledging a counterargument / ·  Demonstrates the speaker considered the subject carefully before making an argument
·  Pathos- appeals to emotion / ·  Engages the emotions of the audience
Satire / Claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it through its use of irony, sarcasm, and wit / Makes a point by poking fun at something

Process of Analysis

(1)  Identify context and purpose

(2)  Consider the relationship between the subject, speaker, and audience (Aristotilian Triangle)

(3)  Analyze Persuasive Appeals

(4)  Analyze Style (tone, diction, syntax)

Style

(Analysis of Tone, Diction [Tropes], and Syntax [Schemes])

Tone= author’s attitude as expressed in the text

Diction= word choice

Tropes (artful Diction)

Syntax= arrangement of words

Schemes (artful Syntax)