The Five Elements of a Rhetorical Situation

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The Five Elements of a Rhetorical Situation
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Five Elements

• Author
• Audience
• Purpose
• Topic
• Occasion
• To help you remember this, just think AAPTO

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Topics of Discussion

• Writers will pursue different motives they
  emphasize certain elements of the rhetorical
  situation over others.
• Whatever your emphasis, do not lose sight of
  these elements for long.

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Topic One

• Writers have different habits.

• Author

• All good writers have at least one common
  characteristic they are all active readers.

• Good writers are critical readers of their own
  work.

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Topic Two

• Audience
• This is the most important factor in writing
  well.
• Understand who your audience is.
• Your writing will benefit if you are aware of how
  the readers differ.
• Identify with the audience and appeal to them.

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Topic Three

• Purpose
• Essentially the same as the writers motive, both
  terms are used to describe what a writer hopes to
  accomplish.
• Keep in mind if the essay is expressive,
  informal, or persuasive.

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Topic Four

• Topic
• Subject and topic are often used interchangeably.
• Always narrow a subject to a specific topic.

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Topic Five

• Occasion
• A sense of occasion will help the writer
  satisfy the conventions.

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Next Steps

• Summary
• The purpose is determined by your assignment.
• The audience and occasion determines your topic.
• The audience and occasion will also influence how
  you present