Week 4 GE 101 Lecture

Summary

In this week four lecture, students are guided through the final stages of their literacy narrative assignment and introduced to the upcoming rhetorical analysis essay. The instructor explains rhetoric, its Greek origins, and Aristotle’s rhetorical appeals—ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos—using relatable examples from media and advertising. Students learn to identify persuasive strategies, evaluate credibility, logic, and emotional appeals, and consider context and audience. The lecture also covers grammar tips on pronouns and antecedents, highlights the midterm exam logistics, and provides resources for study. Guidance is offered for one-on-one support and assignment feedback to ensure student success.

Takeaways

• 😀 Week 3 involved drafting the first essay and participating in peer review; feedback guides final revisions.
• 😀 Week 4 introduces the rhetorical analysis essay, focusing on persuasive texts and close reading.
• 😀 Students can analyze various types of texts, including literature, media, advertisements, speeches, and song lyrics.
• 😀 The rhetorical analysis essay should be around 750 words and tailored to students' interests, majors, or career goals.
• 😀 Rhetoric originates from Aristotle, who defined it as the ability to identify means of persuasion.
• 😀 Key rhetorical appeals include Ethos (credibility), Logos (logic/data), Pathos/POS (emotional appeal), and Kairos/Chyros (timeliness).
• 😀 Persuasion influences beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors, and examples include *Shark Tank*, commercials, and brand promotions.
• 😀 Evaluating rhetorical appeals requires attention to credibility, accuracy, authenticity, ethical use, and avoidance of bias or manipulation.
• 😀 Grammar focus: pronouns must match their antecedents in number and gender, with some modern flexibility (e.g., singular 'they/their').
• 😀 The midterm exam is open until January 31, must be completed in one sitting, and study resources like Quizlet cards are provided.
• 😀 Instructor support includes office hours on Wednesdays and email availability for questions about the literacy narrative or rhetorical analysis essay.

Q & A

What is the main focus of week four in this course?

Week four focuses on revising the first essay (literacy narrative) based on peer and instructor feedback, preparing for the midterm exam, and introducing the rhetorical analysis essay assignment.

What is a rhetorical analysis essay and what should it include?

A rhetorical analysis essay examines a text closely, analyzing how its parts work together to persuade, inform, or entertain. It should be about 750 words and focus primarily on persuasive elements, evaluating ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos in the chosen text.

What types of texts can students choose for their rhetorical analysis essay?

Students can choose a wide variety of texts including essays, journal articles, news stories, commercials, political campaigns, TV shows, music lyrics, and research studies. The text can relate to the student's interests, major, or career goals.

Who is Aristotle and why is he important in the study of rhetoric?

Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher known for his work on rhetoric and poetics. He defined rhetoric as the ability to identify the available means of persuasion in any situation and introduced the concepts of rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos.

What are the four rhetorical appeals and what do they mean?

The four rhetorical appeals are: - Ethos: credibility or ethical character. - Logos: logical reasoning, facts, and evidence. - Pathos: emotional appeal to the audience. - Kairos: timeliness or contextual appropriateness of the message.

Can you provide examples of ethos, logos, pathos, and kairos?

Examples include: - Ethos: Shaquille O’Neal promoting Icy Hot or dentists recommending toothpaste. - Logos: Cheerios claiming to lower cholesterol by 4% in six weeks, backed by data. - Pathos: ASPCA commercials showing sad animals to evoke empathy. - Kairos: Zoom gaining popularity during the pandemic due to timely relevance.

What should students be careful about when evaluating rhetorical appeals?

Students should evaluate ethos for credibility and potential bias, logos for accuracy and relevance, pathos for manipulation or exaggeration, and kairos for appropriateness and timeliness in the context of the audience and message.

What grammar topic is emphasized this week and what is the key rule?

The grammar focus is on pronouns and antecedents. The key rule is that a pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent, meaning singular antecedents take singular pronouns and plural antecedents take plural pronouns. Modern usage increasingly accepts 'their' as a singular pronoun.

What are the requirements for the midterm exam this week?

The midterm exam is available until January 31st at 11:30 p.m., must be completed in one sitting due to enhanced security, and study cards on Quizlet are provided for preparation.

How can students get additional help or feedback on their assignments?

Students can email the instructor with questions about their assignments or sign up for one-on-one office hours on Wednesdays for personalized assistance.

Why is choosing a relevant text for the rhetorical analysis essay important?

Choosing a text that aligns with the student's interests, academic major, or career goals makes the analysis more engaging and meaningful, allowing for deeper understanding and personal connection with the material.