Since we began our discussion on rhetoric, I have wondered when the topic of arguments would be presented. Since day one, my compositions course has been centered around making valid and strong arguments as well as using rhetoric to support our claims. While reading the Wysocki-Lynch chapters on rhetoric and design planning, I continually made connections to the readings I have done in my composition book with respect to audience and how thoughts or facts are presented. One such section was when the author told the story of Walter and his communication errors during a presentation.
Walter's story is an unfortunate tale, but does provide a good example of how your audience should always be the main focus of an argument. What happened to Walter is he essentially told the Society of Women Engineers at his university that a team Walter was involved in was looking for women to do paperwork for the team. Though this is not the message Walter or his team intended, there was clearly an error in how the team proposed their ideas to the SWE group. Poor planning such as this is usually the main factor behind a poor presentation or a weak argument, but it can also be the difference between an easily forgiven error and a grave mistake.
Though not everyone will have the same experience as Walter when arguing, it is still very important to take the variables of an argument into account. When you have time to prepare for a presentation or debate, do so until confident in your information and platform for argument. Take special care when an argument begins on the fly and gauge responses with respect to what is the point and who is being effected. From getting extensions on projects to negotiating prices, arguments can be much more than just who is right and who is wrong. If rhetoric is the motor for communication, argument could easily be considered the wheels and drive train: constantly moving and adapting to the communication road ahead.
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