Intro to Prof Comm: Chapter 3

Timing

The relationship between productivity and concentration in writing.

Writer’s Block

A significant obstacle to effective time management in writing.

Critical Thinking

The need to articulate ideas clearly, as they may not be as clear when spoken as when thought.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to favor information that confirms existing beliefs.

Egocentrism

The assumption that one's own perspective is the best or only valid one.

Audience Perception

The importance of acknowledging how the audience may perceive your ideas.

Fear of Writing

The anxiety that can arise from overthinking and the fear of making mistakes.

Executive Summary

A brief overview presented at the beginning of a document to summarize key points.

Bold Headings

A formatting technique to enhance document readability and organization.

Topic Sentence

A sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph, typically placed at the beginning.

Bullet Points

A formatting style used to present lists clearly and concisely.

Sensitivity

Openness to seeking out new information during research.

Exposure

The process of finding new information.

Assimilation

Understanding and integrating new information into existing knowledge.

Accommodation

Filtering new information to determine its usefulness.

Incubation

Reflecting on new information before incorporating it into writing.

Incorporation

The act of including new information into one's thought process.

Production

The actual writing phase of the process.

Revision

The editing and improvement stage of writing.

compilation of research results:

sensitivity → exposure → assimilation → accommodation → incubation → incorporation → production → revision

Rhetorical Appeals

Techniques used to persuade an audience, including ethos, logos, and pathos.

Ethos

Establishing credibility to gain audience trust.

Logos

Using logic and reasoning to support arguments.

Pathos

Engaging the audience's emotions to enhance persuasion.

Thesis Statement

A concise statement that presents the main purpose of a document (consider who, what, where, when, why, how)

Organizing Principles

Logical frameworks for structuring text:

1. chronological

2. compare and/or contrast

3. casual

4. problem → solution

5. classification

6. process and procedure

3 elements that constitute rhetoric

1. logic

2. credibility

3. passion

Rhetoric

art of presenting an argument (idea)

Cognate Strategies

ways of framing, expressing, and representing message to an audience (strategies under the elements of rhetoric)

Logos Strategies

• clarity — clear understanding

• conciseness — key points

• arrangement — order, hierarchy, placement

Ethos strategies

• credibility — character, trust, appearance (perception from others)

• expectation — norms and anticipated outcomes

• reference — sources and frames of reference

Pathos strategies

• tone — expression

• emphasis — relevance

• engagement — relationship

Classical Rhetorical Strategy

1. exordium

2. narration

3. proposition

4. confirmation

5. refutation

6. peroration

exordium

prepares the audience to consider your argument

narration

provides the audience with the necessary background or context for your argument

proposition

introduces your claim being argued in the document

confirmation

offers the audience evidence to support your argument

refutation

introduces to the audience and then discounts or refures the counterarguments or objection

peroration

your conclusions of your argument

GASCAPT

1. Generalization

2. Analogy

3. Sign (semiotics)

4. Cause

5. Authority

6. Principle

7. Testimony

generalization

if true of sample, true of whole

analogy

if sample characteristics are true, rest of characteristics are

sign (semiotics)

symbols (including # or cases) coincide with meanings

cause

if A and B occur together, there is casual relation

authority

if source is credible, then statement is true

principle

if statement generally accepted, the statement is true

testimony

if it is personal experience, then it is true

evidence list:

1. supportive

2. relevant

3. effective

Emotional Appeal

The use of emotions to persuade, which should be used cautiously in professional writing.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

A hierarchical model of cognitive skills used to categorize learning objectives — 6 levels of using AI

Level 1: Know

Basic recall of facts and information (who? what? why)

Level 2: Understand

Comprehending and demonstrating knowledge through comparison and contrast (compare, contrast, demonstrate)

Level 3: Apply

Using knowledge in practical situations (apply, build, choose)

Level 4: Analyze

Breaking down information into categories and classifications (analyze, categorize, classify)

Level 5: Synthesize

Combining information to create new ideas or solutions (build, choose, combine)

Level 6: Evaluate

Making judgments about the value or quality of information or arguments (criticize, decide, defend)