Vocab
The assumptions, values, attitudes, and other (often unexamined) factors that shape a person’s viewpoints.
Bias
What do you use SPACECAT for?
A reading/planning tool to perform a rhetorical analysis of a text, or media piece.
What type of verb should you never use in a college essay?
linking verbs
A charity commercial shows sad, stray puppies.
What is a Red herring fallacy?
A distraction from the main issue by introducing a different, unrelated argument.
The sensory, emotional, or cultural associations of a word.
Connotation
Who is the author trying to reach?
Is it better to use only simple sentences, only compound and simple sentences, or a blend of all the sentence structures?
“As a doctor of 20 years, this treatment would work best for you.”
Ethos
What is Kairos?
perfect timing/ spotting a moment or opportunity for a statement or a question
The relatively neutral dictionary definition of a word.
An author uses words like “disgusting” and “unacceptable”. What SPACECAT category focuses on this?
Tone
What is the term for when you have humor, dialogue, and other interesting features in your essay?
Voice
“4 out of 5 dentists recommend this toothpaste brand.”
What’s one thing you should never do in an argument?
Bad proof, threats, humiliation, utter stupidity, truthiness, etc
A rhetorical purpose that asks the audience to think or act in a specific way.
Persuasion
What does SPACE mean in SPACECAT?
S-Speaker, P-Purpose, A-Audience, C-Context, E-Exigence
Name 1 of the things college essay readers look for in an essay.
College preparedness, emotional depth, voice/humor
“We deserve freedom in our homeland.”
Pathos
When in an argument, the goal isn’t to win over your opponent, rather to win over the _______.
Audience
A message created to appeal to a specific audience.
Rhetoric
What does CAT mean in SPACECAT?
C-Choices, A-Appeals, T-Tone
Which essay prompt do college essay readers prefer you write about?
They don’t care
“It is going to rain today, so I will bring an umbrella.”
Logos
What are the 3 main rhetorical strategies used in an argument and define each one.
Ethos- appeal to the speaker’s character, trust, or credibility
Pathos- appeal to emotion
Logos- appeal to logic/reasoning