Visual Rhetoric and Double-Chunk Paragraph Style

Visual Rhetoric

The use of visual elements in communication to convey messages or arguments.

Elements of Visual Text

Components such as color, shadows, focus, and symbols that create meaning in visuals.

Rhetorical Situation

The context in which communication occurs, including the speaker, audience, purpose, and message.

Rhetorical Appeals

Techniques used to persuade an audience: ethos (credibility), logos (logic), and pathos (emotion).

Evidence

The information or data used to support a claim in an argument.

Style

The distinct way in which an author expresses their ideas, including language and tone.

Ethos

An appeal to credibility, which assesses the author's or speaker's trustworthiness.

Logos

An appeal to logic and reasoning, using facts and data to persuade.

Pathos

An emotional appeal that seeks to elicit feelings from the audience.

Delineating

Describing features or concepts precisely.

Steps for double-chunk

1. Topic Sentence

2. Context; Attribution (cited), “Quote 1”

3. Explanation and Reasoning

4. Transition

5. Context; Attribution (cited) “Quote 2”

6. Explanation and Reasoning

7. Concluding Statement

What is topic-sentence in this writing?

In this case, it’s the claim.

Example of a Concluding Statement

Concluding Statement:  Since ________ happens, then (claim idea)___ results.

Example of Claim (Topic Sentence)

In the argument “___title__,” (author name)_ uses a ____tone and ___(evidence types)__ to effectively convince readers that (or to) _______.

Fact (1) Definition

Based on Objective Reality

Fact (2) definition

Based on a real-life occurrence

Opinion (1) definition

1. Belief based on personal feelings

Opinion (2) definition

1. Belief based on something support with weak evidence

Bias (1) definition

Preconceived ideas about a topic

Bias (2) definition

Personal experience that influences believe

Bias (3) definition

Incomplete info on a topic

Bias (4) definition

Persuasion without logic (logos)

Elements of Visual Text

1. Color, including intensity

2. Shadows and/or lighting

3. Focus and/or focal point

4. Framing or Background

5. Symbols

6. Font Type (personality?) and Size

7. Design (personality?)

Elements of Argument

1. Rhetorical Situation

2. Claim

3. Evidence

4. Rhetorical Appeals (logos, ethos, pathos)

5. Devices (personal experience, facts, expert testimony, statistics, research, etc.)

6. Style

Questions to Ask: Color and Lighting

1. What colors are used?

2. What do they usually represent?

3. What is emphasized with color?

4. What feelings could be evoked by color intensity (bold vs. pastel) and/or placement?

5. What is in the shadows?

6. What is the brightest point?

Questions to Ask: Framing and Focus

1. What is the viewer able to see most clearly?

2. What does the artist allow the viewer to see from a great distance?

3. What is in focus?

4. What is blurred?

5. Is the viewer sitting above, below, or behind the subject?

6. What is in the center and off to the side?

7. What (that we would expect) is missing inside the frame?

Questions to Ask: Layout

1. How is data categorized, organized, and/or presented?

(bar graph, pie chart, chronological list, time, amount, etc.)

2. What is the effect of blank space?

3. What is the effect of any shapes or border lines used?

(what stands out most?)

Questions to Ask: Fonts and Symbols

1. What is the tone of each font?

2. What do labels, captions, or speech bubbles clarify?

In order to analyze information text and arguments (1st part)

1. Identify the 

   1. Subject/Central Idea

   2. Audience

   3. Argument

In order to analyze information text and argument (2nd part)

1. Identify the appeals:

1. Ethos: Credibility of the artist/writer

2. Logos: Logic or reasoning

3. Pathos: Emotions evoked