Rhetorical+Terms

Rhetorical Terms
 * Argument: ** persuasive writing meant to convince the reader of the writer’s view.


 * Audience: ** the person or group to whom the writer makes the argument.


 * Bias: ** a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment or prejudice.


 * Connotation: ** what a word suggests beyond its dictionary definition.


 * Counter argument: ** writing within the argument that acknowledges the other side fairly and respectfully.


 * Denotation: ** the dictionary meaning of a word.


 * Ethos: ** a rhetorical appeal based on the credibility of the writer.


 * Inference: ** a conclusion based on facts or premises; an educated guess.


 * Logos: ** a rhetorical appeal that relies on logic or reason.


 * Objective: ** a balanced argument; a writer’s willingness to consider all of the possible claims and counterclaims to make an argument.


 * Pathos: ** a rhetorical appeal to the reader’s emotions or values.


 * Subjective: ** an argument based on biased opinions; a lack of balance and fairness by the writer.


 * Syntax: ** the word order in a sentence.


 * Thesis: ** the major claim in an argument to be proved or disproved.


 * Tone: ** the writer’s attitude toward the subject.


 * Voice: ** a writer’s style, determined by the word choices and word order they use when writing.


 * Warrant: ** an established link between the evidence and the claim.


 * Evidence: ** factual statements about a topic based on statistics, etc.