More Rhetorical Modes

Module 07: Week 7: More Rhetorical Modes
Attached Files:
https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/images/ci/ng/cal_year_event.gif Woolf.pdf (88.151 KB)
Module 07 Assignment:
Complete the writing exercise described below (two total paragraphs)
“Professions for Women” due (Final version)
*There is no discussion board for this module
Learning Objectives:
Become acquainted with the process of writing in various rhetorical modes
Learn how to develop body paragraphs
Rhetorical Modes
We write paragraphs and essays for a purpose. It may be to entertain, to inform or to convince. The rhetorical modes are ways of organizing writing so that a reader can understand our purpose clearly. Knowing the different modes helps writers shape their material and helps readers too because material is arranged in a way in which many people think things through.
Sometimes writers use one of the modes, more than one or several in the same piece of writing. A topic may match a particular mode very closely, or the topic may be developed in several modes. For instance, if you were to write about how two important people – a teacher and your best friend – changed your life, the obvious mode to write in would be cause and effect. If the topic were broadened to be about your best friend and your teacher, you could relate stories about their lives (narration), their personality traits (description), or how they are very different kinds of people (Division and Classification).
The following paragraphs illustrate two commonly used rhetorical modes.
Make sure to write the exercises at the end of this chapter
Comparison and Contrast
A paragraph that compares two things, people, places or ideas shows how they are similar and one that contrasts shows how they are different. A comparison-contrast paragraph may focus on one important similarity or difference or several. Often, comparing and contrasting go together since it is likely that when things show similarities with each other, they will also show differences. For instance in comparing two comedy shows, it may be that both have the “clueless” father who is unaware of what his teenage children are doing. However, the other characters may be very different.
When comparing or contrasting two people, objects, ideas or places, leaving out obvious similarities or differences that most readers would know about and sticking to less obvious facts makes the paragraph more effective. For instance in contrasting New York City and Los Angeles, mentioning that New York has a far more extensive public transportation system than Los Angeles would be more important than stating that New York and Los Angeles are on different coasts, information that most readers may be expected to know.
Los Angeles and New York: Comparison Contrast
Two of the most populated cities in the U.S.
In L.A. more people depend on cars for transportation
Different ethnic neighborhoods
More private homes
Many tourists visiting all year round
Very different climate
Home to many cultural events
Entertainment industry more important
Comparison-Contrast paragraph to consider: Democrats vs. Republicans
When a democrat catches a fish, he eats it, but when a republican does, he mounts it on his wall. In 1997 the New York Times published a column explaining to Americans how to distinguish Democrats from Republicans. What to do after catching a fish was only one difference between adherents to each of the two political parties. An extra room in a democrat’s house is storage for old baby cribs, highchairs and old clothes, while republicans turn it into a study or a library. Republicans name their children after the family member with the most money whereas democrats name them after popular musicians, actors, and athletes. When it comes to politics, Democrats and Republicans differ on most issues. With regards to the environment, democrats tend to favor conservation while republicans wish to expand industry. Regarding the Middle East, Democrats tend to be more pro-Palestine, Republicans more pro-Israel. Among these differences, there are also issues and policies that both Democrats and Republicans support; both believe in the importance of national security, though they often disagree about how it should be established. Both believe in tax breaks, though they disagree on which people should get them and both understand the importance of supporting U.S. troops in time of war. Democrats and Republicans differ on many issues, but in times trouble they usually come together as Americans.
Argument
Arguments are quite common in every day life. We argue with friends and family about who should be invited to a party or family gathering, about who would make the best president or about where to go on vacation. We are probably best able to convince our adversaries if we have good reasons to back up our point of view. A good argument may convince someone that our point of view is reasonable and based on logic, and possibly persuade our adversary to take action because of it. Likewise, when we are writing an argument paragraph, logical reasoning rather than random thoughts is usually more likely to get others to agree with us. Two important characteristics to keep in mind when writing an argument are to avoid logical fallacies and to anticipate counterarguments (See Chapter Seven)
Building an argument with reasons. Although the list of reasons listed below may convince the writer that Puerto Rico is a better choice than Vermont for winter vacation, it may not be enough to convince others. If someone prefers snow to warm weather or prefers skiing to swimming all the other reasons may be irrelevant to him or her. In an argument essay therefore, depending on the topic, even a convincing argument may not win over a reader.
Winter Vacationing in Puerto Rico vs. Skiing in Vermont
Puerto Rico vs. Vermont for Winter Vacation
Predictable, warm weather
More activities: swimming, snorkeling, nightlife, sightseeing, greater choice of restaurants, more shopping
Larger choice of hotels in different price ranges
Possibility of visiting different islands nearby
Argument paragraph to consider: “The Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered”
The legal drinking age should be lowered to 18. People at this age are fully capable of making responsible choices about whether they should consume alcohol or not. At this age, many people are working, are in college, are in the army or are even raising families. Many might argue that drinking has many harmful effects and that is why a minimal drinking age of 21 is necessary. While it is a good idea to keep children from drinking, 18 year olds are capable of understanding the consequences of their actions if they are educated about alcohol. That is why educating 18 year olds about what alcohol can do is more important than banning it. In some cases, the allure of alcohol is greater because it is not legal. 18 to 21 year olds drink anyway. Friends by the drinks or they acquire alcohol with fake identification cards. Lowering the drinking age to 18 makes sense.
In this module, you:
Learned about two different rhetorical modes
Were shown examples of how to develop paragraphs in the different rhetorical modes
Practiced writing in different modes
“Professions for Women” Final Draft
Click here to submit essay
“Modes” Writing Exercise
Click here to submit
There are two modes listed below with a choice of topics for each. Choose one topic for each mode in order to develop a paragraph. For this exercise, you will have written two distinct paragraphs.
Write a comparison, contrast or comparison/contrast paragraph for one of the following

When I used to get angry, I would …, but now I ….
Before I was …, but now I am ….
My friend and I have very similar interests because we both like to … and ….
My favorite teacher would … but my least favorite teacher would ….
Write an argument paragraph for one the following:
Should English be the official language of the United States?
Are athletes and celebrities paid too much?
Colleges should require all students to take a class in …
Are we too dependent on computers (or cell phone)?
Having an argument with a family member
Writing a Rough or First Draft
*One of the assigned essays requires a rough draft. Rough drafts are optional for all other essays.

A rough draft is a version of your paper that is complete but not polished. It’s a good idea to write an outline before starting your rough draft, to help organize your ideas and arguments.
Here are the steps you can take to write your rough draft:
Take some time to think about the essay that you have read and what the important points are that the author is making. Also, think about what important events the essay is relating. If you are summarizing an essay keep the focus on main points, not necessarily on specific examples the author relates about those points. So if the author is discussing his childhood poverty, for purposes of the first draft of the summary it may be important to state his poverty and perhaps give one example but not all examples of his or her poverty.
Find information if necessary, for your body paragraphs
Identify the issues related to your topic
Locate books, articles, and reports that give you background information and more if appropriate
Create and state what you wish to write in each paragraph in the topic sentence
Organize your thoughts and notes
Make an outline
Find more information, this time find content that supports your points
Write your introduction
Write the body of the paper
Write the conclusion of the paper
One purpose of a rough or first draft is to get something down. You can revise for proper grammar and organization after the first draft. Another purpose of a rough draft is to allow you to write your paper in the form described above and then edit it or revise it later, based on feedback from your instructor. You need not be concerned at this point that every issue in your paper is resolved or that your paper is error free. Getting feedback on your draft allows you to create a better paper and to become a stronger writer.
Writing a Final Draft
Each of the six essays should be 600 – 700 words and contain:
An introductory paragraph (no more than 3/4 page): Summary of assigned essay.
Body paragraphs (2-3) (5-10 sentences each paragraph): Choose ideas that are implied or explicit in the essay you have read and develop body paragraphs about it with details from your own experience and knowledge.
A concluding paragraph: A conclusion is often a summary of the entire essay. However, since we are writing relatively short essays, it’s not necessary to write a summary. What you may do instead is leave your readers with a question or series of questions so that they have something to think about regarding your topic. You may also briefly explore another issue not raised in your paper very briefly to indicate ideas worth exploring further.
More information about how to write the essay will be available in the weekly modules and in the syllabus.
Example: Introductory Paragraph
“Shame” by Dick Gregory is an autobiographical account of a time when he was made to feel ashamed by his teacher when he was in elementary school. The young, seven year old Gregory was a poor child who washed his socks and shirts with melted ice that he had gotten from a soda machine in a grocery store. One inspiring element in Gregory’s life was the crush he had on a girl in his class, Helene. He loved her for her “goodness.” “cleanliness,” and “popularity.” At the time, Gregory thought he would get over Helene, but an incident happened “…that made her face hang in front of me for the next twenty-two years.” In class one day the teacher was collecting money from the children that their fathers had donated for the community chest. In order to impress Helene, Gregory said that his daddy would donate $15. The teacher said that if Gregory’s daddy had that kind of money he wouldn’t be on relief, – what we might call “welfare” now. The teacher also pointed out how Gregory didn’t even have a father. This incident affected Gregory for a good part of his life. One day Gregory was eating lunch at a cafeteria when a “wino” came in and ordered food. When it came time to pay, the “wino” said he had no money and got beat up by the owner. Gregory offered to pay for the man, but it was too late said the man. He had gotten beaten already. He asked Gregory why he hadn’t paid earlier.
Example: Concluding Paragraph:
Because Dick Gregory was ashamed in his class when he was seven years old, it affected him for many years after the incident. Anyone dealing with children has to understand how sensitive and hurt they might be by incidents that adults might find insignificant. To the teacher, her comments to the young Gregory might have been slightly insensitive, or perhaps seem like not much at all. To a young child, it was very different. Most of us have probably experienced a humiliating or embarrassing event that had a lasting result on us. How do we overcome such incidents.? Is it only the passing of time or do we have to resolve the issue in some other way? I remember reading that Lady Gaga, the famous singer, was embarrassed in school by the way she was bullied. She still remembers the hurt from that time. She recently started a foundation to combat bullying. Maybe like Lady Gaga, we must face up to our feelings and do something about this problem. Maybe helping others with the same problem is a good way to help ourselves.
Body Paragraphs:
Each module with an essay assignment has suggested body paragraph prompts. Modules 4 and 5 focus on developing body paragraphs.

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