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Rhetorical analysis on writing in college...

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Rhetorical Analysis Writing in College In Paul Roberts’ How to Say Nothing in 500 Words, the typical issues of collegiate writing are addressed. Roberts first addresses “avoiding the obvious content” when one is writing (244). Stating common knowledge and going into too much detail are just a few of the things one should avoid when writing a professional, clean, flowing paper. The next topic he addresses is taking the less usual side. By choosing the side of an argument that most people tend to avoid, it will challenge the writer and provide readers with insight on a subject that has a largely opposing opinion. Roberts then addresses that as a writer, in order to effectively argue a opinion, one must step out of abstract ideas and shift toward presenting concrete examples and evidence to substantiate one’s argument. The author also mentions that utilizing fillers and “obvious padding” in order to reach a word count should be avoided (247). Sentences that have no real substance or relevance to the piece of writing as a whole weaken the overall worth of the paper. The next weak point of many essays that Roberts addresses is that writers are often not clear with their arguments. They often sugarcoat their opinions and ideas for sensitivity’s sake where it simply is not necessary. It can lead to confusion on the reader’s part and dwindle the argument of the paper. Another point the author argues is that students often use “pat” expressions (250). Phrases that are unoriginal and cliché often times do not contribute to the quality of the paper: “They add nothing to the paper except words” (251). The final argument the author discusses in his work is avoiding the use of colorful and colorless words. By this he means that students should always use vocabulary that is appropriate and professional for the intended audience. Using words that are too expressive and

Theis 2 “fancy” does not necessarily equate to a valuable paper. On a similar note, using words such as “nice,” “good,” or “cool” generally have no substance and contribute next to nothing to the piece of writing (253). Roberts writes and interesting article regarding common mistakes found in many students’ writing and provides them with tips on how to avoid them. In order to effectively educate his audience on his opinions, he uses many tools such as examples, diction, stories, vocabulary, informality, and detailed imagery to grasp the attention of the reader and effectively demonstrate his argument. While these tools may not work for many other pieces of writing, Roberts creates and informative paper that is well written, informative, interesting, entertaining, and relevant. One of the most prominent tools used in his work is that of informality. Throughout his writing, he addresses the reader as “you.” While in many other essays and works this would be considered useless, it works very well with this particular work. Since his audience is largely college students, the informality allows the essay to seem more personal to the reader. By reaching the personal level, particularly with college students, Roberts proves his point more successfully than he would have had he used first person. The author’s vocabulary was very appropriate to appeal to his desired audience. He uses words that are a decent medium between elementary and professional. This tool assists in reaching a more intimate level with his audience. The informality and relaxed language of the paper made his work a very enjoyable read. It was rather entertaining, but also quite informing. His use of imagery helped him connect to his audience in a subtle, well-organized manner. He encourages his audience to imagine certain scenarios or recall various events to backup the point he is

Theis 3 attempting to prove at that time. This allows him to work his way inside the minds of his readers and perhaps assist them in better their writing. Roberts’ paper on improving students’ writing was extremely helpful and applicable to his audience.

Theis 4 Works Cited Roberts, Paul. "How to Say Nothing in Five Hundred Words." Trans. Array The Prose Reader: Essays for Thinking, Reading, and Writing. 6th. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2002. 241-254. Print....