This document provides guidance on developing an effective writing strategy by considering purpose, audience, and voice. It advises the writer to determine their purpose by asking questions about what they want to say and achieve. The writer should also consider their audience and adopt an appropriate voice. Different types of writing, like narratives, descriptions, examples, definitions, and arguments are discussed. For each type, key elements and structures are outlined. The document stresses tailoring the writing based on integrating considerations of purpose, audience, and voice.

1. Karen S. Wright

2. Rhetori
cal
Triangl
e
Purpose
Topic
Voice
Audience

3. Ask the Right Questions Before
You Begin to Write
•What am I trying to say?
•What effect do I hope to
achieve?
•What main point do I
want to make?
•What form/type of writing
will I use?
•What is my purpose?

4. Your strategy becomes the purpose and
the goal you wish to reach with your paper.
Narration
Explanation
Persuasive
Definition
Description
Argument

5. A Narrative tells a
personal story
The narrative essay is told
from first or third person
point-of-view
It’s important to follow
a clear sequence of
events.

6. A descriptive essay will put into
words what you want your reader to
see in his or her mind.
Using concrete examples are very
important in a descriptive essay.

7. Example essays begin with
generalizations and then move to
examples.
If you were writing an essay on
city traffic, you would begin with
a general statement and then give
specific examples.

8. Definition
A definition essay says what
something is and what something is
not
The denotative and connotative
definitions of the word need to be
included in the essay.

9. •All of our lives we have tried to
persuade someone to do
something or to think like we
do…that is the beginning of an
argument paper.
•Your reader won’t believe you,
just because you say something
is true.
•The argument requires
research to support your
thinking.

10. When you consider the
purpose of your essay, consider
the following:
1.What problem is suggested
by the topic?
2. What are your writing
goals?
3. What is your intent-persuasive, argumentative,
informative?

11. Voice is the identity the
writer adopts and his/her
credibility as an authority.

12. Do you want to sound-…objective and fair
…
heated and passionate …
sincere and persuasive …
informative and impartial

13. A piece of writing is
often judged by how
effectively it reaches its
intended audience.

14. Here are some questions to consider
about audience:
1. Who are your readers (age, sex,
income, belief systems, potential
biases)?
2. Are your readers novices or experts on
the subject?
3. What are your readers likely to know
(education level, prior knowledge)?

15. The rhetorical Stance reflects the way you
define the various components of the writing
situation: your purpose for writing, your
voice or how you wish to come across to your
readers, and your audience.