The Study &

Practice of
Rhetoric

November 1, 2012
Professor Emily
Scherberth
Introduction
 Professor Emily Scherberth (SHUR’ – birth)
from Loyola Marymount University
 Public Relations & Social Media
 B.A. emphasis in Rhetorical Theory (LMU)
 CEO of Symphony PR & Marketing, Inc.
 M.A. @ California State University,
Northridge
Overview
 What is rhetoric?
 What does rhetoric teach us?
 Why do we care about rhetoric now?
 How do we use rhetoric today?
 Aristotle’s Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
 Applying the Proofs
What is Rhetoric?

What are YOUR ideas about rhetoric?

What have you heard or what do you
know about it?
What is Rhetoric?
 Historical background
◦ Western rhetoric born in Ancient Greece
◦ Rise of democracy meant citizens needed
new skills to participate
◦ Popularized by the Sophists to help the
polis participate in public life
◦ Integral part of education in Athenian
schools
What is Rhetoric?
 Definitions of rhetoric
◦ Plato: “The art of persuasion”
◦ Aristotle: “The ability, in each particular
case, to see the available means of
persuasion”
◦ Key terms: persuade, art, available means
• In other words: Rhetoric is communication
that is meant to persuade
What does Rhetoric teach us?

What do you think?

What can we learn from using rhetoric?
What does Rhetoric teach us?
 Construct (SEND) arguments that seek
to persuade
◦ How to arrange words, facts
◦ Consideration of the audience

 Deconstruct (RECEIVE) arguments that

are trying to persuade us
◦ Digging deeper; not taking messages at face
value
◦ Critical thinking & analysis
Why do we care about Rhetoric
now?

ULTIMATE GOAL:

If we understand how arguments (messages

meant to persuade) are created, we can
become more critical consumers of arguments
in the future
How do we use Rhetoric
today?
 Most common uses for rhetoric:
◦ Political Communication
 Debates, speeches, etc.
 Persuading you to VOTE!

◦ Marketing Communication
 TV commercials, magazine ads, billboards, press
releases, etc.
 Persuading you to BUY!

 Since the election is next Tuesday, we’re

going to focus on how rhetoric is used in
the realm of Political Communication in the
form of political ads tomorrow
How do we use Rhetoric
today?
 But FIRST – an introduction to
Aristotle’s method for constructing,
deconstructing and analyzing
arguments…
Aristotle
 Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)
was Plato’s student;
contributed a ton of big
ideas to rhetorical theory
 Artistic Proofs (created)
◦ Logos, Ethos, Pathos
 Inartistic Proofs (existing)
 Artistic Proofs + Inartistic
proofs = Strong Argument
Artistic Proofs
 LOGOS – the logic of the message;
rationale, reasoning, etc.

 ETHOS – the credibility of the speaker

 PATHOS – emotional, empathetic

appeal of the speaker
 Artistic Proofs
LOGOS
(consistency, logic, reasoning)

ARGUMENT
OR
MESSAGE
MEANT TO
PERSUADE
ETHOS PATHOS
(credibility, trust) (emotion, empathy)
Artistic Proofs
 LOGOS – California’s public schools are facing a
budget crisis on an unprecedented scale. Voting YES
on Proposition 30 will save our schools and help the
next generation get the education they deserve.

 ETHOS – As an elementary school teacher and

graduate student at CSUN I see first hand the impact
that the budget cuts have had on public education in
California.

 PATHOS – It breaks my heart when my students have

to sit on the floor because we can’t afford desks or my
classmates have to quit school because it’s too
expensive. Please vote YES on Prop 30 so we can
educate our children and protect California’s future.
Inartistic Proofs
 Facts, statistics, documents,
contracts, etc.
◦ EX: 88% of political advertising in the
2012 election has been spent creating
negative ads*
 Anything factual and pre-existing that
a speaker can use to create his
argument
 Meant to be used in conjunction with
artistic proofs
*Source: National Journal
Combining Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
Political campaign spending is spiraling out of control in the
United States. The Presidential candidates have spent a
record-breaking $2 billion so far on the 2012 election. Instead
of wasting taxpayer money on political campaigns it should be
redirected to our public schools.

Having researched and authored a bill to control campaign

spending, I have a unique perspective on this issue. The
Campaign Finance Reform Bill provided a clear formula for
curbing campaign spending by 60% and redirecting more than
$3 billion to our nation’s public schools.

I am a parent, just like you. I see my children’s schools

struggling financially. Taxpayer money should be redirected
from political campaigns and used for more important
purposes like educating our children so America doesn’t fall
behind in the world.
Combining Artistic & Inartistic Proofs
Political campaign spending is spiraling out of control in the
United States. The Presidential candidates have spent a
record-breaking $2 billion so far on the 2012 election. Instead
of wasting taxpayer money on political campaigns it should be
redirected to our public schools.

Having researched and authored a bill to control campaign

spending, I have a unique perspective on this issue. My
Campaign Finance Reform Bill provided a clear formula for
success, curbing campaign spending by 60% and redirecting
more than $3 billion to our nation’s public schools.

I am a parent, just like you. I see my children’s schools

struggling financially. Taxpayer money should be redirected
from political campaigns and used for more important purposes
like educating our children so America doesn’t fall behind in the
world.
LOGOS ETHOS PATHO INARTISTI
Up Next for Tomorrow…
 Watch Obama & Romney political ads
 Analyze & identify artistic & inartistic
proofs in modern day political
messages
The Study &
Practice of
Rhetoric

November 2, 2012
Professor Emily
Scherberth
Rhetoric Recap
 What are the ARTISTIC proofs?

 Name some examples of INARTISTIC

proofs

 What are ARTISTIC and INARTISTIC

proofs used for?
2012 Presidential Campaign
Ads
Watch and take careful notes – when
you spot an artistic or inartistic proof,
write it down!

 Super PAC on Obama (1:15)

 Obama on Romney (:33)
 Republican Women for Obama (2:37)
Small Group Work
 Break into four groups (2 Obama, 2
Romney)
◦ Team Obama Video (1:02)
◦ Team Romney Video (1:41)
 Identify/discuss the artistic and
inartistic proofs found in the ad your
group watched
 Each group to present their findings to
the class
What did we learn?
 What was most interesting to you
about rhetoric?
 What surprised you the most?
 What did you learn from Aristotle’s
artistic & inartistic proofs?
 How will you watch political ads
differently now?
 Are there other areas that you can
apply the artistic & inartistic proofs?