The definition of rhetoric commonly used is “the art of persuasion,” although it also has a larger meaning that includes the way we communicate—specifically the words, language, and techniques used to convey a persuasive message. For example, the rhetoric you use to send an email to a friend is different than the rhetoric you use to compose an essay for your class.
Rhetoric is about strategic choices and approaches to communication whether textually, verbally, or even aurally and visually. When we communicate to different types of audiences about the same topic, we make strategic decisions on what details to include or omit, what types of evidence or support to use, and so on.
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