PB2B Comparing 2 Reader Articles

PB2B “Moves”

                The word “move” is defined as a verb that means “to take action or make somebody act.”  “Hurry up, we have to move or else we’ll be spotted.” However, the word, in the modern era, has a different connotative meaning than its denotative meaning.  “Three seconds left on the clock, the ball gets into Bryant’s hands. He takes 2 dribbles to the left, he pulls up and he scores! What a move by Bryant to win the game!” Taken into context, a “move” is a certain action or convention that is repeated in a fashion that almost defines a person or a thing. Although moves can apply to a wide range of sports, jukes in football, crossovers in basketball, etc., moves also have a very special place in writing. A particular move in writing could define an author and his/her style. There is a large assortment of “moves” sitting inside the reader used for class in particular, Murder! (Rhetorically Speaking) and  Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis. Both Boyd and Carol utilize their own unique, techniques in order to convince the readers to listen to what they have to say.

                Janet Boyd, who created the work Murder! (Rhetorically Speaking), begins her paper by talking about her own experience with rhetoric. “The college where I first started teaching writing called its freshman composition course ‘Logic and Rhetoric’ after two of the three arts of discourse in the classical tradition (the third being grammar). (Boyd 36)” The very first sentence of her work establishes her connection with the readers as she knows that many college students, who are studying rhetorical writing, will read her work. This situation allows her to set up her credibility by letting student readers know that she has taught students exactly like them. The first section of her work is an anecdote that depicts her first experience teaching the complex subject of rhetoric. This technique could be classified as a move, as most writers don’t typically start informative essays with anecdotes. The use of an anecdote in the introduction sets up the rest of her piece to be casual, yet informational as well. For example, each of the subtitles of her work combines humor and summary. One of her first subtitles, “Getting in Touch with Your Inner Detective” provides a detailed outline of how a writer should go about analyzing works. Within this work, she utilizes CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and The First 48 as examples of works in which rhetorical devices reside in.  Overall, the very first sentence in the first paragraph of Boyd’s work provides an effective way for her to both establish the overall tone of her work and create her literary “move.”

                Laura Bolin Carroll, the author of the piece Backpacks vs. Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis, writes her piece with a similar structure to that of Boyd, but utilizes her own “move” in order to make this writing her own. Her opening paragraph talks about first impressions and how many students, without knowing it, judge the professor as he/she walks into class for the first time based on what he/she looks like. “The moment your professor walked in the room, you likely began analyzing her and making assumptions about what kind of teacher she will be. (Carroll 52)” Carroll presents this idea of “snap judgment (Carroll 53)” in order to transition into the idea of being able to analyze materials and people in a more efficient manner. “The more we know about how to analyze situations and draw informed conclusions, the better we can become about making savvy judgments about the people, situations and media we encounter. (Carrolls 53)” This smooth shift from anecdotal thoughts to rhetorical allows her to also establish her credibility and logic with the readers, especially students. By providing the example of first impressions, many students, who don’t initially think about how they judge others, find that what she said is, indeed, true, thus providing evidence for her logic. This logic ultimately creates the foundation for her credibility. By calling upon a particular thought that many students have, Carroll has created her “move.” Unlike Boyd’s piece, Carroll’s piece isn’t as casual or conversational. Her piece is more directed as a breakdown of rhetorical writing. She tends to reference many educational and informative sources particularly the Ad Council Website. The use of the first impressions example at the very beginning of the piece was intended to hook the readers while presenting a very informational piece. Her move, unlike that of Boyd, didn’t set the tone or style of the paper, but was solely used to grab the reader’s attention.

                “Moves” are found in almost every genre of any field. Sports, advertisements, science, etc., but moves are found particularly in writing. Moves are connotatively defined as a repetition of a certain set of skills. In basketball it could be a pull up jump shot, but in writing it could be the use of “I” or a conversational tone between the writer and the readers. These moves ultimately not only define the style or purpose in which the writer is trying to convey to the readers, but also provide a logical/credible reason for the readers to believe the writer.