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After reading all assigned materials for week 2, respond with at least one thorough paragraph (7+ sentences) here with your answers to the below questions:

• Is it clear to you what rhetoric and the rhetorical situation mean? If so, describe them in your own words, and give an example of how you assess rhetorical situations in your daily life.
• How do you feel about 5-paragraph essays? Were you taught that style in the past, and do you still use it now?

After you post, respond to at least two classmates: you can look for those you agree with and share your common points, or look for those with different views and offer your differing perspective. Your peer responses should also be at least one paragraph (5-6 sentences or more).

• https://www.noodle.com/articles/dont-limit-your-college-essay-format-to-five-paragraphs
• http://www.stevendkrause.com/tprw/chapter2.html

 respond no.1 

Rhetoric has been a major focus of my education this year. I have been taking many sociology classes and was lucky enough to take an entire class focused on media and how it psychologically and biologically affects humans, as well as overall society. Rhetoric is a hugely important factor in all consumerism, as well as effective writing. Rhetoric and language itself are some of the most important things to look at in modern times; while we may not notice how rhetoric manipulates us-even the most self-aware of us- it absolutely does. Rhetoric can make or break a point, and the connotations established with a different language (which can be versatile depending on culture and location) are extremely important to understand when both writing and reading. Rhetoric to me put simply, is the way a message or idea is encoded with connotative language to make an audience perceive it in whatever way intended by the rhetor. In terms of how I assess rhetorical situations in my daily life is, as the reading mentions, largely based on context. I try to approach rhetorical situations under the new context of my education; more skeptically, considering what the rhetor wants from me as an audience, and generally using more critical thinking when I am in any situation in which something or somebody wants to “get” something from or out of me, emotionally or tangibly.

While I pride myself in writing an effective, strong 5 paragraph essay, I absolutely hate the format now. I will not lie; I am somewhat of a long-winded writer. Considering this and the fact that I appreciate writing complex essays, I feel a 5 paragraph essay is rarely useful for communicating a more complex idea and does not read as well if attempted. I much prefer to have multiple paragraphs that logically lead one into the next, feel refreshing each paragraph, and do not attempt to attack too many ideas at once per paragraph. A 5 paragraph style essay is certainly effective for the purpose of most highschool essays, yet on a college level are generally elementary. For example, as the readings mention, a conclusion that is simply a summary is not the most intelligent way to finish establishing a point. Rather, I desire for my essays to read well, and do my best to have as little repetition as possible; instead, I prefer for my ideas to sensibly overlap as the essay concludes.

respond no.2

My only experience with writing essay comes from high school and I was taught the basic five paragraph essay. I remember this method working back then but after reading the article and watching the video I can see why this may not be the most effective. What I was able realize is how repetitive this form of essay writing can be and how your audience may get bored when reading it. I also like how if you write your essay in a different format, they flow easier. One paragraph sets the tone for next and the next sets the tone for the ones to come. This will help with keeping your reader engaged and if done correctly  you will be able to support your thesis better. I’ve never written an essay this way, but I am excited to learn how to do it properly and effective.

Rhetoric is a tool writers use to effectively persuade their audience to do, feel or think about how they want them. There’s rhetoric every where we go and in all aspects of our lives. We use it ourselves and we probably don’t realize it, when hinting to our significant other to buy us the latest purse, to bribing our children to eat their vegetables. A Rhetorical situation is referred to any circumstance  where someone is communicating and using rhetoric. I work in a financial institution and I come across rhetorical situations all the time, the way I tackle this most recently is by stoping to critically think. I often ask myself when my boss is hosting a conference call, what does he want from me? How will I accomplish this? Corporate America is filled with rhetoric and rhetorical situations and I didn’t even realize it until now.