This lecture was created to give students a basic overview of the history of rhetoric, the foundations of rhetorical theory and how rhetoric is practiced in modern times.

1. The Study &
Practice of
Rhetoric
November 1, 2012
Professor Emily
Scherberth

2. Introduction
 Professor Emily Scherberth (SHUR’ – birth)
from Loyola Marymount University
 Public Relations & Social Media
 B.A. emphasis in Rhetorical Theory (LMU)
 CEO of Symphony PR & Marketing, Inc.
 M.A. @ California State University,
Northridge

3. Overview
 What is rhetoric?
 What does rhetoric teach us?
 Why do we care about rhetoric now?
 How do we use rhetoric today?
 Aristotle’s Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
 Applying the Proofs

4. What is Rhetoric?
What are YOUR ideas about rhetoric?
What have you heard or what do you
know about it?

5. What is Rhetoric?
 Historical background
◦ Western rhetoric born in Ancient Greece
◦ Rise of democracy meant citizens needed
new skills to participate
◦ Popularized by the Sophists to help the
polis participate in public life
◦ Integral part of education in Athenian
schools

6. What is Rhetoric?
 Definitions of rhetoric
◦ Plato: “The art of persuasion”
◦ Aristotle: “The ability, in each particular
case, to see the available means of
persuasion”
◦ Key terms: persuade, art, available means
• In other words: Rhetoric is communication
that is meant to persuade

7. What does Rhetoric teach us?
What do you think?
What can we learn from using rhetoric?

8. What does Rhetoric teach us?
 Construct (SEND) arguments that seek
to persuade
◦ How to arrange words, facts
◦ Consideration of the audience
 Deconstruct (RECEIVE) arguments that
are trying to persuade us
◦ Digging deeper; not taking messages at face
value
◦ Critical thinking & analysis

9. Why do we care about Rhetoric
now?
ULTIMATE GOAL:
If we understand how arguments (messages
meant to persuade) are created, we can
become more critical consumers of arguments
in the future

10. How do we use Rhetoric
today?
 Most common uses for rhetoric:
◦ Political Communication
 Debates, speeches, etc.
 Persuading you to VOTE!
◦ Marketing Communication
 TV commercials, magazine ads, billboards, press
releases, etc.
 Persuading you to BUY!
 Since the election is next Tuesday, we’re
going to focus on how rhetoric is used in
the realm of Political Communication in the
form of political ads tomorrow

11. How do we use Rhetoric
today?
 But FIRST – an introduction to
Aristotle’s method for constructing,
deconstructing and analyzing
arguments…

12. Aristotle
 Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)
was Plato’s student;
contributed a ton of big
ideas to rhetorical theory
 Artistic Proofs (created)
◦ Logos, Ethos, Pathos
 Inartistic Proofs (existing)
 Artistic Proofs + Inartistic
proofs = Strong Argument

13. Artistic Proofs
 LOGOS – the logic of the message;
rationale, reasoning, etc.
 ETHOS – the credibility of the speaker
 PATHOS – emotional, empathetic
appeal of the speaker

14. Artistic Proofs
LOGOS
(consistency, logic, reasoning)
ETHOS
(credibility, trust)
PATHOS
(emotion, empathy)
ARGUMENT
OR
MESSAGE
MEANT TO
PERSUADE

15. Artistic Proofs
 LOGOS – California’s public schools are facing a
budget crisis on an unprecedented scale. Voting YES
on Proposition 30 will save our schools and help the
next generation get the education they deserve.
 ETHOS – As an elementary school teacher and
graduate student at CSUN I see first hand the impact
that the budget cuts have had on public education in
California.
 PATHOS – It breaks my heart when my students have
to sit on the floor because we can’t afford desks or my
classmates have to quit school because it’s too
expensive. Please vote YES on Prop 30 so we can
educate our children and protect California’s future.

16. Inartistic Proofs
 Facts, statistics, documents,
contracts, etc.
◦ EX: 88% of political advertising in the
2012 election has been spent creating
negative ads*
 Anything factual and pre-existing that
a speaker can use to create his
argument
 Meant to be used in conjunction with
artistic proofs
*Source: National Journal

17. Combining Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
Political campaign spending is spiraling out of control in the
United States. The Presidential candidates have spent a
record-breaking $2 billion so far on the 2012 election. Instead
of wasting taxpayer money on political campaigns it should be
redirected to our public schools.
Having researched and authored a bill to control campaign
spending, I have a unique perspective on this issue. The
Campaign Finance Reform Bill provided a clear formula for
curbing campaign spending by 60% and redirecting more than
$3 billion to our nation’s public schools.
I am a parent, just like you. I see my children’s schools
struggling financially. Taxpayer money should be redirected
from political campaigns and used for more important
purposes like educating our children so America doesn’t fall
behind in the world.

18. Combining Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
Political campaign spending is spiraling out of control in the
United States. The Presidential candidates have spent a
record-breaking $2 billion so far on the 2012 election. Instead
of wasting taxpayer money on political campaigns it should be
redirected to our public schools.
Having researched and authored a bill to control campaign
spending, I have a unique perspective on this issue. My
Campaign Finance Reform Bill provided a clear formula for
success, curbing campaign spending by 60% and redirecting
more than $3 billion to our nation’s public schools.
I am a parent, just like you. I see my children’s schools
struggling financially. Taxpayer money should be redirected
from political campaigns and used for more important purposes
like educating our children so America doesn’t fall behind in the
world.
LOGOS ETHOS PATHO INARTISTI

19. Up Next for Tomorrow…
 Watch Obama & Romney political ads
 Analyze & identify artistic & inartistic
proofs in modern day political
messages

20. The Study &
Practice of
Rhetoric
November 2, 2012
Professor Emily
Scherberth

21. Rhetoric Recap
 What are the ARTISTIC proofs?
 Name some examples of INARTISTIC
proofs
 What are ARTISTIC and INARTISTIC
proofs used for?

22. 2012 Presidential Campaign
Ads
Watch and take careful notes – when
you spot an artistic or inartistic proof,
write it down!
 Super PAC on Obama (1:15)
 Obama on Romney (:33)
 Republican Women for Obama (2:37)

23. Small Group Work
 Break into four groups (2 Obama, 2
Romney)
◦ Team Obama Video (1:02)
◦ Team Romney Video (1:41)
 Identify/discuss the artistic and
inartistic proofs found in the ad your
group watched
 Each group to present their findings to
the class

24. What did we learn?
 What was most interesting to you
about rhetoric?
 What surprised you the most?
 What did you learn from Aristotle’s
artistic & inartistic proofs?
 How will you watch political ads
differently now?
 Are there other areas that you can
apply the artistic & inartistic proofs?