Understanding the Rhetorical Situation

What is it?

The set of circumstances that brings a text to existence

Considering the three elements below can help us find deeper understanding of what a text says and how certain factors shape the way it is composed and interpreted.

Author

• Writer/speaker/artist's relationship to topic

• Author's purpose for creating the text

• Cultural and historical influences on author

Audience

• Anticipated reader/viewer/listener

• Audience's purpose for reading

• Cultural and historical influences on audience

Context

• Written, oral, visual, multimodal, and genre parameters

• Time period and current events

• Sociopolitical influences on author and audience

Why do we use it?

As readers, considering a text's rhetorical situation can help us find a deeper understanding of what the author is saying and doing and why they made the choices they did.

As writers and speakers, paying attention to the circumstances in which we are communicating allows us to make conscious choices in order to express our ideas in the best way possible.

When do we use it?

In reality, you probably already use this knowledge every day without knowing it.

Have you ever...

• wondered whether an author's background influenced what they were saying and/or how they were saying it?

• changed the way you speak to your friend versus a professor?

• considered how current events impact which details are included in a news story?

If you answered yes, you've thought about how a composer, their audience, and/or specific contextual elements work together to influence communication.

In Reading

When reading, we can pay attention to who the author is, what their relationship to the content is, who they are intending to communicate with, and how world events might have impacted their choices.

In Composing

When writing or speaking, we can keep in mind our audience, purpose, the genre, and the time and place in which we are communicating in order to make conscious choices in our language, structure, formality, and more.

For example...

#1: You're reading an article that reviews different brands of tablets, like Apple, Microsoft, and Google. You look up the author of the article and find that they actually have done freelance work for Microsoft. Knowing that this person's career is tied to Microsoft, you might wonder if their review can be unbiased. How might the information about the author help you assess their review?

#2: Your professor announces that industry professionals will be visiting your class to critique your latest work. You need to prepare a presentation that reflects and rationalizes the choices you made in no more than 5 minutes. How much do you tell them about your previous work? How do you demonstrate your industry knowledge without over-explaining things they already know? Consider what your audience needs to hear and how to best communicate it within the parameters of the situation.

Clues for Canva

Canva can be a great tool for professional, academic, and personal design needs. Check out these helpful tips to get the most out of it!

Getting Started

Your Account

A standard Canva account is FREE. You will notice certain elements, fonts, and apps have dollar signs on them, which indicates they are for premium or paid accounts only. You can set up a free trial period or choose to pay for a premium account. Think about what you are using Canva for and if a premium account is needed.

Collaboration

Work with peers by sharing your file via the "share" button on the top right corner of your design page. Just like Google Docs, multiple people can edit a design at once. You can even leave comments and notes for each other to make working asynchronously more efficient. 

Creating Teams is another great way to collaborate with your peers. You can create and/or join multiple teams and set designs to be available to anyone on a particular team. 

Organization

Utilize folders to sort your designs in a way that works for you. You can set up folders for specific classes or projects and keep your personal, professional, and academic work separate. This helps you avoid confusion and group corresponding files together. 

Choosing a Template 

Analyze the Situation

Choosing from the thousands of templates can be overwhelming, but if you keep in mind the situation you are designing for, you can narrow down your search. Pay attention to your audience and purpose, any calls to action you want to include, and what your role is as a communicator. 

Look at Templates with an Open Mind

Templates are a fantastic way to get started and figure out how you want to organize your information. But remember that you are in charge of the colors, fonts, layout, and other design elements. When browsing templates, look at the bones of the design. Does the template help you envision possible ways to present your information effectively? 

Creating Your Design

Choosing Your Fonts 

The options for fonts are endless; you can choose from Canva's list or upload your own. Either way, you have access to dozens of font combinations through the "Text" tab on the left side of your design page. Decide which fonts represent the aesthetic of your design, keeping in mind your audience, purpose, and goals. And remember, you can always make adjustments to the proportions, colors, formatting, etc.

Setting Your Colors 

Canva will always show you a set of default colors and document colors. With these, you can easily access the colors they've already set for you in the design. To find your own colors, click on the rainbow plus sign in the color tab and either drag your cursor to the tone you want or type in the color code. (Hint: you can usually find lists of color codes on Google!)

If you have a brand that you design for often and have a paid account, you can set brand color palettes by clicking on the "Brand" tab on the homepage's lefthand menu. Search for and save the colors you use most often, and these will be more easily accessible on the design page color tab.

When you upload photos or add elements to your design, Canva will automaticaly provide the tones it detects in the color tab. Use these colors to easily match your design elements and create even more consistency in your document. 

Helpful Tricks 

The Paintbrush Tool

One of the most helpful and unknown tools available to you on the design page is the paintbrush tool. Once you've formatted a text box or image the way you want it, click on it, then click on the rolling paint brush icon on the right of the top toolbar. Then, click on another text box or image that you want formatted exactly the same way. Without look at the font, size, color, effects, spacing, etc., you can create consistency in your design with the click of a button. 

Layering Elements 

Let yourself get creative with how you arrange the elements in your design. Layering can be a great way to make an item pop and call your viewer's attention to it. Utilize the "Position" button on the top toolbar and/or right click on an element to position it in front of or behind another element. This applies to text as well as images. If you don't see a text effect that you like or that accomplishes what you need, try layering text boxes with the same content but different formats to create the effect you're looking for.

Resizing Your Document 

Sometimes we get into a deisgn and realize midway through that it's not the size we want. If you have a student/educator or premium account, you have access to the resize tool to easily adjust the proportions of your document. You'll see the resize button on the top left of your design page, and it will give you the option to choose from your recent sizes or create your own. Pay attention to the units of the sizes, whether they are in inches, pixels, centimeters, or millimeters. 

Once you've chosen or typed in the size you want, you have the option to click "Copy & Resize" or "Resize." The first options will keep your current document as is but create a new one with the designated size. The second one will resize your current document. Keep in mind you might have to adjust the design elements to fit the new size. 

Artist Statement 

There are many ways to write an artist statement! Think about the CONTEXT and PURPOSE of your statement in order to determine what you want your audience to know. 

What is the CONTEXT?

My statement is...

• for a portfolio 

• for a collection

• for a gallery show 

• a call to action 

• autobiographical 

• for a specific work of art 

• for promotional purposes 

What is the PURPOSE? 

My statement is meant to...

• analyze 

• promote 

• reflect upon 

• explain or describe 

• inform or educate about 

...the work I am presenting. 

Given the CONTEXT and PURPOSE...

Considering your context, purpose, and the audience you hope to reach, which of the following elements do you want to write about? Try freewriting your ideas for each applicable category!

• Philosophy/Ideology

• Aesthetic

• Concept 

• Elements of Art (Line, Color, Shape, Form, Texture)

• Principles of Art (Balance, Emphasis. Movement, Proportion, Rhythm, Unity, Variety)

• Process

• Muse/Customer Profile 

• Materials 

Applying to Graduate School

Instrospective Questions for Impactful Essays

I want to attend graduate school to ____________________, and my previous experience with ____________________ will help me succeed. This program meets my needs because ___________________, and I am looking forward to learning more about ___________________. I plan to contribute to my academic community by _______________________.

Organizing Your Application Materials

Applying to graduate school may require you to compile multiple essays, portfolio pieces, letters of recommendation, and/or standardized test scores. Take note of the deadline and required materials so that you have time to prepare and application that represents your strengths.

• What is the application deadline?

• What are the required application materials?

  • Prerequisite courses?

  • A standardized test?

  • Writing samples?

  • A portfolio of work?

• What is the topic of the application essay?

  • If there is more than one essay requirement, how can you strategize your outlines to cover different yet complementary information?

• Which of your professional or academic connections can you ask for targeted letters of recommendation?

  • What relevant achievements and specific project do you want your references to highlight?

Preparing to Write Your Statement of Interest

These questions are designed to help you clarify how your ambitions for graduate school align with your chosen program. Explore the prompts that feel important to you without the need to answer every question. Hopefully, this exercise will prepare you to write a focused statement of interest that demonstrates your informed choice to apply for this specific program.

Researching Your Program

• Is this program low-residency, online, or always in-person?

• What is the class or cohort size? Will you be in class with the same students throughout the program?

• Which specific courses interest you the most? 

• What are the major assignments that you will be responsible for? Is there a thesis paper or a final project?

• Does this program offer internships, mentorships, and/or industry networking?

Writing About Your Goals

• Why is now the right time to attend graduate school?

• What do you hope to learn from this experience?

• How is your undergraduate degree similar or different from your intended graduate program? 

• What motivates you to study or work in this industry?

• Do you have questions about your industry that you hope to explore through your program?

Reflecting With Community

• What are your interests outside of school? Can you bring some of these interests into your graduate school research or projects?

• What extra-curricular activities or practices help you to manage stress and find community?

• What is your relationship with the location of your prospective school?

• How will studying in this environment help you grow personally and professionally?

• How do you envision yourself impacting the greater community through your study in this program? 

I want to attend graduate school to ____________________, and my previous experience with ____________________ will help me succeed. This program meets my needs because ___________________, and I am looking forward to learning more about ___________________. I plan to contribute to my academic community by _______________________.