Definition of Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of persuading others. This is done by accounting for many things and then tailoring your argument to work best with them. You must consider your audience, the larger context, your medium, the design, the message you are trying to send, and your own stance. In thinking rhetorically it is important to modify your statement to better influence the audience. This is done by determining the sort of people your audience is, what they would find familiar and agreeable, and what they would immediately reject. For example, a scientist would immediately reject an argument based on flawed logic and pseudo-science, but would be more inclined to agree if the argument was supported by up to date scientific theory. Considering the larger context is another important aspect of rhetoric because you need to know your restrictions and goals. If you are writing a paper for a professor you might want to make your paper stand out by taking a different approach from your fellow classmates but at the same time you must be mindful of the criteria of the assignment. Evaluating your own stance is another vital part of rhetoric but often overlooked. To evaluate your own stance in a rhetorical situation you need to consider your attitude towards the subject, how you will convey it, and your own relationship with the audience. For example if you are arguing for legalizing all drugs and you have a very strong attitude on the subject you might want to tone it down in your argument due to it being a controversial subject. If you are also known by your audience to illegally use drugs consistently you will also lose ethos with your audience and might want to consider taking a more cautious, neutral approach to the subject so as to not seem as if your argument is designed for the sole purpose of benefiting yourself.