An overview of the rhetorical situation (adaptation of a presentation by OWL at Purdue)

2. Rhetorical Situation
 Writer
 Purpose
 Audience
 Topic
 Context

3. Writer
 your personal
characteristics and
interests affect
what you write
about and how
you write about it

4. Writer: factors which can affect your
writing include
 your age
 your experiences
 your gender
 your location
 your political beliefs
 your education
 your parents and
peers
 your religion

5. Purpose: your reason for writing
 to ___________
 to inform
 to persuade
 to educate
 to call to action
 to entertain
 to shock

6. Genre
 category of writing
 examples: fiction,
autobiographical
story, news article,
review, editorial,
analysis
 genres hinge upon
purpose and the
needs of the
projected audience

7. Audience: to whom are you
writing?
 many of the same
factors which affect
the writer also affect
the audience
 age
 social class
 education

8. Topic
 whatever it is that
you have selected to
write about
 may be broadened or
narrowed, depending
upon the length of
the article and your
level of interest

9. Context
 the “situation” which
generates the need
for writing
 affected by time
period
 location
 current events
 cultural significance

10. Rhetorical Situation
 Writer
 Purpose
 Audience
 Topic
 Context

11. What This Means
You need to be aware that a rhetorical
situation exists EVERY TIME you
write.
You need to adapt your writing
depending upon your purpose and
your audience.