Rhetorical Writing

Learning how to write rhetorically is the key to writing a competent, persuasive essay. The main concept behind rhetoric is effectively predicting how an audience will connect with the main point of an argument. It is vital to approach an essay with the audience’s reaction in mind, because it forms the entire foundation of the work. Rhetorical appeal assists with the basic structure of the paper by allowing writers to assert a distinct voice within their writing. Once a writer has distinguished his or her voice and point of view, rhetorical appeal can be used as a tool in facilitating an opinion in a way that will genuinely resonate with the audience. A writer who knows how to efficiently use rhetorical appeal has a better chance of persuading the intended audience. This is because the appeals provide a method where credibility and value can be established without simply listing things off. It also influences a style within the writing that allows emotion to simmer within the reader. As I review my graduation paper I wrote in high school, I am now aware that I did most of the things someone who understands rhetorical appeal would not do. I am pained by this fact not only because I know my final argument would have been more persuasive, but also because the process could have been simpler and more organized. Understanding rhetorical appeal would have aided me with a specific way of thinking and more importantly made my argument about early child hood education exceptionally persuasive.
To give a little background about the paper I am reviewing I will give some information about the paper and the process I underwent with my preparation and writing. My junior year English class was centered on writing a ten-page graduation paper that would eventually turn into a speech. The essay had to be argumentative and we chose a side that we had to validate within the paper. There were a lot of requirements entailed, such as formatting, referencing certain sources and