PB2B

4/28/16

PB2B

Capturing authorial action:

By bringing other authors and specialists in to a piece of writing, an author can establish more credibility. For example, In Navigating Genes, Dirk says “Anne Freadman, a specialist in genre theory, points out that ‘it is this kind of genre theory with its failures that has caused the discredit of the very notion of genre […]’” This outside source makes Dirk appear as though he has done his “homework” by extensively researching the topic and how others may feel about it. He effectively establishes credibility with this technique.

Introducing objections informally:

Informally introducing objections to the topic of discussion is effective when the audience is probably already mostly in agreeance with you. In Teaching Two Kinds of Thinking, Peter Elbow employs this move when he says, “Yet, despite my fascination with the conceptual power of creative intuitive thinking—of what might seem to some like ‘careless thinking’—I have learned not to forget to tell the other side of the story.” Elbow easily disputes the objection in an informal sentence that effectively works to get the readers to agree with him even more.

Establishing why your claims matter:

This move is essential to every piece of writing and is almost always effective. In Backpacks vs. Briefcases, the author states that “Because media rhetoric surrounds us, it is important to understand how rhetoric works.” By taking a step back from the argument itself and contextualizing the information, the author reveals why it is important on a much larger scale. This helps the information apply more to the reader and therefore makes them more invested in learning and reading the piece closely.

Introducing an ongoing debate:

Introducing an ongoing debate is effective in setting up the topic of discussion for the piece of writing. For example, in Teaching Two Kinds of Thinking, the author introduces the debate by saying, “Some say, ‘Yes, good, we all need holidays from thinking.” Others say, ‘Horrors! Their vigilance muscles will get flabby and they’ll lose their ability to think critically.” This sentence previews what the writing piece will focus on, and is effective in giving a little bit of objective background information to the reader, that could help them be more informed about the topic.

Introducing “standard views”:

By introducing standard views of society or a certain group of people, authors can appeal to their readers by then challenging those views. Backpacks vs. Briefcases states that “We have, of course, heard that ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover,’ but in fact, we do it all the time.” If the author introduced a standard view and did not dispute it, it would not be captivating to readers because they would just be restating a fact that everybody already knows. However, when he challenges the view, it raises the stakes and becomes effectively makes the piece interesting for the reader.

The “I know this sucks, but listen anyways”:

This move is used by authors to relate to their audience and therefore gain credibility. For example, in Navigating Genres, Kerry Dirk says “Bear with me on this if you’re not a fan” when talking about breaking down the genre of country music. By putting himself in his reader’s shoes, he is able to better understand that the topic of discussion may not be one that they are particularly interested in, but the concept is still important. This move is effective because it lets the reader know the importance of the overall concept, despite their interest in the one given example.

The “I know what you’re thinking”:

Authors use this move, again, to relate to their readers and therefore get their attention. In Navigating Genres, Dirk says, “I would surmise with near certainty that at least one of these headlines made you laugh.” By making a claim like this, Dirk assumes he knows his readers’ thought processes very well. If the author is right, this can be extremely effective by catching the reader’s attentions even more. If a reader is going through a piece of writing and has a thought that the writer then immediately points out, it can be intriguing and show that the writer really knows what he is talking about.

The “getting in your head”:

An author could use this move effectively to make sure the readers are paying attention, and give context to the information that the author is sharing. In Backpacks vs. Briefcases, the author brings the reader into the moment by saying “Imagine the first day of class in first year composition at your university.” Instead of just sharing the information that he is leading up to, the author effectively gives the information context in order to make it more applicable to the intended audience of students.

The “statistic drop”:

This tactic is very effective in giving more credibility to the author. In Backpacks vs. Briefcases, the Carroll says, “For example, research has shown that only 2% of women consider themselves beautiful.” This use of a statistic supports Carroll’s argument with an objective fact, giving the points made in the paper much more credibility. Too many statistics could be boring and lead to a dry piece of writing, however if they  are used in the right circumstances, they ad to the paper by giving the author credibility.

“The parent”:

Authors use this tactic when they are giving instructions or advice about how to carry out a certain action or behavior. In the case of Responding to Other Students’ Writing, the author Staub was trying to teach students how to respond to their peers writing in a helpful way. An order he gives is, “Don’t be stingy.” This almost sounds like a command, which is why I named it the parent. This tactic can be effective in situations where explicit instructions are needed, however it can also feel a bit harsh and unhelpful.