Allie Wisniewski Journal #2

Where there is rhetoric, there can be found and analyzed a corresponding rhetorical situation. Through both the lenses of Bitzer and Edbauer, one can dissect a particular piece of writing in order to break down this rhetorical situation, in this case using the example of a college syllabus. Both Bitzer and Edbauer, when analyzing a college syllabus, would examine the motivating factors behind the creation of the rhetoric as well as why the professor’s approach and delivery was efficient in reaching and affecting his audience (college students).

According to Bitzer, there are three main components of a rhetorical situation, each of which can be identified in the context of the syllabus. First, exigence must be considered, or the urgent imperfection that exists to inspire the following rhetoric. In the case of the syllabus, the beginning of a new school year prompted the professor to create a schedule for the upcoming semester, as he is expected to do every year. The syllabus is necessary rhetoric in order to avoid or at least minimize student confusion regarding deadlines, assignments, and expectations throughout the semester. The choice to produce this rhetoric reduces the frequency of questions that would be unnecessary with a syllabus readily available. The professor certainly also considered his audience before composing the syllabus, utilizing a writing style appropriate for college-aged students. He took care to include certain resources that would be specifically useful for college students, such as contact information for tutoring and study resources. In addition, the professor must consider constraints when analyzing the syllabus, one of which could include his need to make a professional, yet approachable impression in order to gain maximum respect from his students. Another identifiable constraint could be the necessity for the material included in the syllabus to be relevant to the particular class for which it was created.

The syllabus can also be analyzed through the perspective of Edbauer, who notably considers rhetorical situation beyond the concepts of exigence, audience, and constraints. Edbauer considers the elements of a rhetorical situation to be far too vast to categorize so specifically. She encourages the consideration of rhetoric on a far less limited, wider scale that takes into account ongoing shifts in perception and analysis. When examining the syllabus, Edbauer would likely take into account previous versions of a similar syllabus, considering that the professor would probably choose to improve upon past mistakes or elements that were not received well by students. Maybe the language the professor chooses to use will be affected by current social trends popular among college students, in order to appeal to them.