EmpoWord: A Student-Centered Anthology & Handbook for College Writers

Glossary 481 kairos the setting (time and place) or atmosphere in which an argument is actionable or ideal. Consider alongside “occasion.” lens a metaphor for the conceptual framework a reader applies to an analysis. A “lens” brings certain elements into focus, allowing the reader to attend to specific parts of a text to develop an interpretation. logical fallacy a line of logical reasoning which follows a pattern of that makes an error in its basic structure. For example, Kanye West is on TV; Animal Planet is on TV. Therefore, Kanye West is on Animal Planet. logos a rhetorical appeal to logical reasoning. medium the channel, technology, or form through which rhetoric is constructed and communicated. Different rhetorical situations value different media, and different media value different kinds of rhetoric. metacognition literally, “thinking about thinking.” May also include how thinking evolves and reflection on growth. mode the style and techniques employed by of a piece of rhetoric to achieve its purpose. Different rhetorical situations value different modes, and different modes value different kinds of rhetoric. Compare to genre. mood the emotional dimension which a reader experiences while encountering a text. Compare with tone. motif a recurring image or phrase that helps convey a theme. Similar to a symbol, but the relationship between symbol and symbolized is more one-to-one than between motif and theme. multimedia / multigenre a term describing a text that combines more than one media and/or more than one genre (e.g., an essay with embedded images; a portfolio with essays, poetry, and comic strips; a mixtape with song reviews). multipartial a neologism from ‘impartial,’ refers to occupying and appreciating a variety of perspectives rather than pretending to have no perspective. Rather than unbiased or neutral, multipartial writers are balanced, acknowledging and respecting many different ideas. narration a rhetorical mode involving the construction and relation of stories. Typically integrates description as a technique.