Rhetorical Situation is the guideline writers or speakers use in order to frame their message/writings. Writers must consider multiple factors in order for their message to be understood and appreciated. Those factors include their audience, the message they are trying to deliver and the purpose of the writing.
Lets break down some these factors in order to help you understand Rhetorical Situation. Audience is a key factor, without audience there is no need to write or speak. You must consider you audience when writing. As stated by the WAC Clearing House “Most readers don’t read something unless they see some sort of benefit in doing so.” Consider the benefit to the audience, are you trying to entertain or educate. Consider who your target audience is. Are they scholars, teachers, casual readers or students. Once you understand this you can start to shape your document.
The next item to consider is the message you are trying to convey. What is your message, what do you wan to convey to your audience? Perhaps you are telling a story, perhaps you are educating them on the ins and outs of selling a home. Whatever it is you need to fully understand your message when writing or speaking.
The purpose is key. Without understanding your purpose there is no value in writing or speaking. WAC Clearinghouse states “Every writer has a purpose for writing. In fact, most writers have multiple purposes. A student writing an essay for a class might want to accomplish several things, including completing the particular assignment as required, learning something new, improving writing skills, convincing others to adopt a particular point of view about an issue, and getting a good grade.” Whatever your purpose is it influences your writing.
In conclusion all of the above help in defining the rhetorical situation which will be used in order to guide you through the writing process. A Research guide sums it up best by saying “For the purpose of academic writing, and only after you have established the rhetorical situation either in part or full, you can begin to develop appropriate material for your writing.”
Works Cited
WAC Clearing House. “What Should I Know about Rhetorical Situations? ” wac.colostate.edu. WAC Clearing House. Web. 2 March 2019.
A Research Guide for Students “Understanding and Using a Rhetorical Situation.” http://www.aresearchguide.com. A Research Guide for Students. Web. 2 March 2019.
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