Constructing Scholarly Ethos in the Writing Classroom

Constructing Scholarly Ethos in the Writing Classroom

Overview

  • Author: Kathleen J. Ryan

  • Context: Chapter in Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 3

  • Purpose: To offer a robust definition of ethos and teach students how to construct their scholarly ethos effectively in writing.

Definition of Ethos

  • Traditional View: Often defined merely as credibility.

  • Proposed Definition: Ethos is the strategic positioning of the rhetor in relation to their audience and community.

    • Emphasizes ethos as:

    • Social: Involves relationships with others.

    • Relational: Depends on interconnections with audience.

    • Dynamic: Changes based on context.

Four Parts of Ethos

  1. Name Your Identity

    • Involves detailing pertinent sides of identity (e.g., race, political affiliation, academic status).

    • Identifying with the audience helps create a bond.

    • Example: A student from Libby, Montana, shares personal stories to enhance her argument about asbestos poisoning.

    • Should emphasize relevant identities that connect with readers to establish consubstantiality.

    • Extended Example: Molly Williams wrote about the wild horse issue and included her identity as an equestrian to strengthen her argument’s authenticity.

    • Must balance disclosing chosen characteristics (like personal commitments) with the risk of exposing unchosen characteristics (like race) that may bias readers.

  2. Commit to Being a Responsible Writer

    • Writers must own their positions and understanding of their topics.

    • Intellectual Humility: Being open to adjusting beliefs and acknowledging different perspectives.

    • Good Will: Another key concept; involves respectful disagreement and understanding differing views.

    • Strong example: Molly’s respectful acknowledgment of ranchers’ concerns about wild horses.

    • Ethical Consideration: Writers must accurately represent sources and be accountable for the information provided.

    • Citation and proper sourcing are essential to establish credibility and responsibility in academic writing.

  3. Bridge Gaps Between Writer and Readers

    • Acknowledge gaps in beliefs, values, and life experiences between the writer and the audience.

    • For effective persuasion, writers should understand the perspectives of their readers and frame arguments accordingly.

    • Example: When writing about a smoking ban on campus, a writer might draw on shared experiences or identities to connect with a diverse student body.

    • Rhetorical Consideration: Utilize values or identities that are known to resonate with the audience for stronger connection.

  4. Locate Your Perspective

    • Writers should be conscious of their geographical, social, and self-identifying positions while writing.

    • Place not only refers to physical location but also metaphorical spaces of community and knowledge.

    • Example: An individual writing about environmental issues could leverage their identity as an environmental studies student to enhance their argument.

    • Genre Awareness: Understanding the genre influences how the writer constructs their ethos, for example:

    • Writing a product review requires establishing authority through personal experience with the product in addition to meeting genre norms.

Emphasizing Adaptability of Ethos

  • Ethos is not static; it evolves with context and audience.

    • Writers must continuously assess which aspects of their identity are relevant for each specific writing situation.

  • Establishing good ethos often requires careful reflection on how to adapt messaging for diverse audiences.

Practical Implications & Assignments

  • Application: The awareness of ethos can help students present themselves effectively in various situations (job interviews, scholarship applications).

  • Task Suggestions: Students should practice constructing their ethos in writing assignments by naming their identities, demonstrating responsibility, bridging gaps, and contextualizing their perspectives.

Works Cited

  1. Applegarth, Risa. "Genre, Location, and Mary Austin’s Ethos." RSQ.

  2. Baumlin, Tita French. "Ethos, Self-Fashioning, and Gender in Renaissance England." Ethos: New Essays in Rhetorical and Critical Theory.

  3. Hyde, Michael J. "Rhetorically, We Dwell." The Ethos of Rhetoric.

  4. Killingsworth, M. Jimmie. Appeals in Modern Rhetoric: An Ordinary-Language Approach.

  5. Pittman, Coretta. "Black Women Writers and the Trouble with Ethos: Harriet Jacobs, Billie Holiday, and Sister Souljah." RSQ.

  6. Resnick, Brian. "Intellectual Humility: The Importance of Knowing You Might Be Wrong." Vox.

  7. Reynolds, Nedra. "Ethos as Location: New Sites for Understanding Discursive Authority." Rhetoric Review.

  8. Williams, Molly. "America’s Wild Horse Problem."