7.9: Rhetorical Context and Structure
- Page ID
- 59876
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Learning Objectives
- Recognize rhetorical context in relation to structure
Just like revising for content, revising for structure requires you to think about purpose and audience. A lab report for a chemistry class has a very different structure than a literary analysis for a literature class, for example, but many decisions that you’ll make about organization will be a little more subtle. If you are writing a paper about physics for a physics professor who has his or her Ph.D., chances are you won’t need to begin your paper with a lot of background. However, you probably would want to include background information in the beginning of your paper if you were writing for a fellow student in an introductory physics class. Consider these rhetorical situations and their corresponding structures:
Writing an email to your professor asking for an appointment
- Introduce yourself and identify the class you are in
- Explain the purpose of the appointment and suggest a few times you are available
- Thank the professor for considering your request
Filling out a Student of Concern form
- Explain your concern
- List events that have led to your concern
Composing an “About Me” page for a professional blog
- Explain why you’re creating this blog
- Describe professional qualifications (education, experience)
- Describe personal interests
CC licensed content, Original
- Rhetorical Context and Structure. Authored by: Meredith Harper. Provided by: University of Mississippi. License: CC BY: Attribution
CC licensed content, Shared previously
- Rhetorical Context. Provided by: Lumen Learning. Located at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/styleguide/chapter/rhetorical-context/. Project: Guide to Writing. License: CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial