ENG 503 Practical Theory

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Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. Cassandra D. Brown Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to a Workplace Document ENG- 503 Professor Sarah MacDonald. Grand Canyon University. June 10, 2020

Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. Whether it be human resources, hiring staff, managers or whomever you wish to persuade when seeking new employment- recommendation letters are often required. A job seeker may have a particular employer in mind, and may have already made contact; therefore a recommendation letter can be written and addressed to that individual. On the contrary, what happens when a person seeking new employment wants to apply to a position and does not have a point of contact? Suppose a person is applying to a position that is dissimilar from which they still hold? How does one set the tone and address an unknown audience? The audience may be a small group, or one individual or broad and require you to write in a way that works for many different people with different positions. I received a recommendation letter from my former Principal Michael Paolino. The letter declares what a privilege it was working with me and having me as a part of the team. He praised me on my pride for the profession, my readiness and willingness to work and my helpfulness toward all students, faculty and parents. As the letter continues, Mr. Paolino expresses his gratitude and articulates more qualities and characteristics that made me an asset to Hackett Middle School. The letter is structured toward an audience unknown (To Whom It May Concern) and written to the assumption that I will be applying to another educational institution. The letter only highlights my achievements while working at Hackett Middle School, yet does not contribute to any other attributes that might be useful when acquiring a different profession.

Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. REWRITE Dear Sir/Madam: It is with great pleasure that I write this letter of recommendation for Cassandra Brown. As the Principal of Hackett Middle School, I have had the privilege of working with Cassandra while she fulfilled her obligation as a Teaching Assistant. Cassandra has been one of our strongest facilitators; receiving the Principals Award for her great work. She is an exemplary employee, and any employer who is lucky enough to have her work for them will quickly see that. She has excellent written and verbal communication skills, is extremely organized and connects with adult students, faculty and anyone that she meets. As a higher level Teaching Assistant or HLA, Cassandra was given additional duties due to extra needs within the building and with her teachers. She took on the responsibilities for creating lesson plans, modifying and accommodating lessons according to individual learning plans (IEP’s), maintained class records necessary for state Social Workers and participated in all professional developments. With all of these duties Cassandra excelled. Cassandra would be an asset to your staff. Once she becomes a part of your team, she will give her time unselfishly and willingly. Ms. Brown is a hard worker who also dedicates herself to her community. Her praiseworthy work record, her service to the middle school and her innovation in program design all demonstrate that there are no limits to her growth and achievements. Sincerely, Michael Paolino.

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Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. Changes made to the document were to show how word usage can have an effect on decision making. In the original document, the focus is on my abilities as a good Teacher Assistant and is directed toward a hopeful future in education. Characteristics mention, although advantageous, may get my application, resume, cover letter and recommendations looked at, but do not necessarily solidify that I would be the right person for a career outside of education. The document was written and rewritten in plain style, so not to over exaggerate accomplishments and stay within what Aristotle believed to be good rhetoric, which is the ability to persuade. Also, emotional appeals are needed in the effectiveness of speech (Bizzell p.4.) Universal Audience- Appeal to reason is conceived as an appeal to an ideal audience. People who are rational, or all knowing (Bizzell p.1393.) The universal audience helps form the orators approach. It is not an audience that has their minds made up, or is set on a particular belief, but makes up their minds in accordance with the orators content included with facts and rationality. Because this is a recommendation letter, the intended audience is expected to be a single audience, usually made up of a hiring manager, directors and supervisors in an internal environment. Since the audience is unknown, the revision of the letter is to address an audience within any entity of employment and not just in education. The purpose of the document is to encourage employment; to display achievements and accolades from a personal perspective. The writer uses rhetorical appeals to address the audience by its use of ethos, pathos and logos. Starting from the beginning of the letter and focusing on ethos, the letter begins with an introduction; addressing himself “As the Principal of Hackett Middle School, which gives his words credibility. The rhetorical use of pathos by way of motivational appeals provides a colorful display of actions that led to my success in my position. Emotional appeals are needed in the effectiveness of speech and are most commonly found in the introduction. (Bizzell p.3.) As for logos , his communication with the audience seeks to convince addressees with reason behind his statements that I am a worthy candidate for the position to which I apply.

Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. The use of rhetorical appeals indicates the functions of rhetoric by generating a plain text document, that when presented, allows the audience to identify with the source, or writer on a professional level. Aristotle would be satisfied with the document due to his view of audience and the idea that rhetoric is all about the topic (topoi) and how the audience creates a relationship with it. Ethos- an audience will only understand what they can comprehend and if it seems to be coming from someone that they believe knows what they are talking about; the audience will roll with it. The recommendation letter also makes good use of forensic oratory by the display of past actions in order to provoke judgments (Bizzell, p 30). If the audience can relate through personal experience, judgment is automatically made. Furthermore, Aristotle believed that rhetoric should appeal to the whole person, not just to the “rational being” and should be used to convey information/truth (Bizzell, p.175). The intended audience already knows that the document is being used for a proposal for employment- shining some light on the candidate. In the original document, the larger debate, discussion, or conversation would be of any other skills had? The document mentions all that I excelled in while at the middle school, but does not highlight the likelihood of me going beyond that. The tone suggests assurance; exhibiting a candidate that is worthy of a position, without over exaggerating the benefits of having me on a team. Aristotle required that the rhetor investigate systematically both the situation with which he is presented and his own inner resources for handling it (Bizzell, p 30). Recommendation letters are particularly a base for decision making. Decisions are not made solely on the strength of one’s words, and what usually follows is the examination of references and so forth. References: Bizzell, P., & Herzberg, B. (2001). The rhetorical tradition: Readings from classical times to the present (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's

Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document. Original Document June 20, 201 1 To Whom It May Concern: It is my pleasure to provide a letter of reference for Ms. Cassandra Brown. As the Principal of Hackett Middle School, I've had the privilege of working with Ms. Brown in her current role as a Teaching Assistant. Ms. Brown takes great pride in her profession. She is always on time, prepared and ready to work. While in the presence of her fellow colleagues, students, and parents, Ms. Brown continually presents herself in a confident and professional manner. She has demonstrated the willingness to communicate frequently with the parents of her students and to successfully engage them in their child's instructional program. As a teaching assistant Ms. Brown consistently displays the ability to work closely with classroom teachers to ensure that all aspects of her students' IEP's are being effectively accommodated. Ms. Brown often shows great insight into her students' behaviors by developing excellent behavior intervention plans that enable them to maintain their classroom interactions. While working individually with her students, Ms. Brown has also demonstrated the ability to create modified lessons that meet the needs of her students. One of Ms. Brown's greatest attributes is her ability to connect with students who may struggle or lack the motivation to succeed. Her knowledge and patience, as well as her respect for an interest in her students, makes her an asset to any classroom. Ms. Brown's nurturing and compassionate approach has enabled her to develop a positive working relationship with all of her students. Although concerned about their needs, Ms. Brown has also clearly communicated to her students that she will not simply allow them to "get by". As a result of this approach, Ms. Brown has been able to create a learning atmosphere where students take pride in their work and ensure that it is completed with the highest of quality. To assist students in making this commitment, Ms. Brown has offered motivational rewards to her students. Ms. Brown's willingness to provide her students with positive reinforcement has resulted in her students having more confidence in their abilities and their likeliness for future academic success. In a relatively short period of time, I have come to recognize that Ms. Brown is a tremendous asset to our school. Her commitment to excellence, professionalism, and natural abilities for working with students make her an outstanding candidate for any teaching position she might pursue. I am positive that she will bring energy and excitement to your school and have positive effect on your students. Sincerely, Michael Paolino

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Practical Theory: Application of Rhetoric Theory to Workplace Document.

ENG 503 Practical Theory

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