Post 06
November 13, 2024
After reading Boyd's essay, I felt enlightened. I enjoy how she explained everything, and kept it interesting. I won't lie, I often find myself getting bored reading school articles about something that I must know. But, I do love reading. So if it's interesting enough, has outside views, and tells enough of a story, I don't mind it. Boyd used 5 "facts" which are simply interrogative words. We learned these as a little child. However, as we grow old they become so used, we forget how important "Who? What? Where? When? and How?" are.
Boyd uses her previous students responses to what is rhetoric. This helps me connect better, and understand better from people in the same shoes I am in; a college student trying to pass the classes I am in. Boyd using the detective analogy also resonates to me, as I am majoring in criminal justice and love to be in that "detective" mindset. Boyd writes "Every time you go to write anything (and every time you open your mouth), whether actively conscious of the purpose or not, you are making decisions about which words to use and what tone to establish as you order your thoughts based upon what is appropriate for your intended audience in that context. (Boyd, 87)" This is a great, and simple way to explain what rhetoric is. So, I do find Boyd persuasive because she uses techniques that makes it easy for a college student to understand the lesson she is trying to teach.
Works Cited
Boyd, Janet. “Murder! (Rhetorically Speaking).” Writing Spaces Reading on Writing, edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky, vol. 2, Parlor Press, 2011.
Great post Yvonne! It’s clear that Boyd’s engaging style, combining storytelling, relatable examples, and practical analogies, resonated with many. The importance of the “five W’s” is particularly important, as these basic interrogative words are often taken for granted, but Boyd’s emphasis on them reminds us of their foundational role in both critical thinking and effective communication. I liked how you related Boyd’s detective analogy to your criminal justice major. This personal connection shows how rhetoric, as Boyd describes it, is not just an academic exercise but a practical skill that applies to many fields, including your own. Her emphasis on tailoring tone and word choice to the audience is vital, especially in professions like criminal justice, where communication can significantly impact understanding and outcomes. Her approach demonstrates that learning can be engaging and relevant, not just a task to “get through.”
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