“Rhetorical Reflections” should focus on the rhetorical choices you made in your recently completed authentic argument text. The terminology in this section reflects language used in the “Rhetorical Situation” chapter. You are not required to answer all of the questions; doing so may lead you into repetition, but you should aim to answer them as thoroughly as possible. Although this assignment does not call for a traditional essay format, you should use clear and complete sentences and elaborate on your ideas.

1. What was the purpose of your text?

2. Who is the primary audience you want to reach and why? [Remember that you are asked to choose an audience who is relevant to the issue in some way. In the initial stages of your process – were there other audiences you considered and rejected? Why?]

3. What can you say, generally, about your primary audience – what relevant interests, values, beliefs, experiences, etc, did you consider when composing your text? How is your awareness of your audience reflected in the text you created?

4. To what extent is your text likely to be encountered by multiple audiences? Did your awareness of multiple audiences present writing/composing dilemmas you had to negotiate?

5. What is your relationship with your audience, and how does that relationship impact your composing choices?

6. What response are you hoping to evoke in your audience? What aspects of your text, in your view, specifically aim to evoke that response?

7. What genre/medium did you choose? Did the genre affect what content you can or should include? How?

8. Explain why your genre and medium choices are well-suited for the audience and topic you have chosen.

9. What are some general conventions of the genre you choose? Explain how you applied those conventions (and note places where you may have chosen to veer from them).

10. Did the choice of medium (print vs electronic) shape your composing choices in any significant way? How?

11. Does your text openly convey your stance, or it is more indirect? Why did you make that choice?

12. To what extent does your text offer direct support for your message, and why?

13. How do your design choices serve to reinforce your message?

14. Overall, are you satisfied with what you produced? Why or why not? If you had the chance to revise (you don’t :), what would you change?