Blog Post #25 - Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies in Horse Racing: How Much Whipping Is Too Much?

In Blog Post #25 I will analyzing the rhetorical strategies used in my chosen text.

pshutterbug. "It's about rules and strategy". 3/9/2008. via Flicker
Attribution 2.0 Generic

Appeals to Credibility or Character [Quote directly from your text when appropriate]

• Which items on the bulleted list of strategies on page 183 can you recognize in your text?
• References to credible sources. This strategy is used several times using keywords to ensure the reader knows the person making the source is extremely credible. Hall of Fame jockey, Veteran jockey and naming of sources of high standing in the industry.
• Word Choice. With deeper analysis I have seen the use of keywords to promote emotion about different ideas/values. Words that conjure images of animal cruelty (whip, strike, sting, brutal) are associated to thoughts about things that need change. In reference to what needs to be done, the use of words softens (encourage, safety, urge).
• Appeals to values or beliefs shared by the audience. Without directly writing about animal cruelty the text still puts that in the mind of the reader which leads the reader down the path to the need for change.
• How do these strategies affect the audience's perception of the author's credibility and character?
• By citing credible sources and prestigious organizations a weight is lent to the piece making it seem extremely valid. It also gives the impression that the author is in the know with key movers and shakers, thus giving more credibility to the text.
• By talking with the chosen sources there is an air of unbiased information as there are from all parts of the industry.
• How does the use of these strategies impact the effectiveness of the text's overall message?
• The text is extremely effective in getting its message across. You almost feel like you are hearing the gospel truth. The people interviewed, organizations giving input and general informative feel to it keep you from feeling you are being talked into something.
• Does the author seem to have any biases or assumptions that might impact his or her credibility?
• The way it is presented and the tone used throughout seem to make it unbiased. By stepping back and analyzing it you see there is a slant but you don't notice it upon first reading. That definitely lends to more credibility for the author.

Appeals to Emotion [Quote directly from your text when appropriate]

• Which items on the bulleted list of strategies on page 184 can you recognize in your text?
• Personal stories or other emotionally compelling narratives. "It's really changed a lot in the last 25 years," he said. "There were numerous riders that were brutal with their sticks."
• Shocking statistics. "Espinoza appeared to strike the horse more than 30 times."
• What emotional response is the author attempting to create?
• The author wants the reader to feel upset about jockeys who use excessive whipping. There is also a need to understand that the crop is necessary for safety but regulation over it's use must be in effect.
• What is the actual result?
• At the end you feel well informed. You also feel that there is a need for change.
• Are these emotions effective or ineffective for this particular audience and rhetorical situation?
• The use of emotional responses to the text is very effective for this audience or any other that were to read it. The number of credible sources corroborating the values and ideals put forth make you agree without a second thought.
• How do these emotional appeals affect the credibility of the author or the logic of the text?
• They are layered inside the text in such a way that you don't feel the author is attempting to manipulate you into feeling one way or the other. Without feeling pushed into making somebody else's choice the author's credibility isn't tarnished in any way.

Appeals to Logic [Quote directly from your text when appropriate]

• Which items on the bulleted list of appeals on page 184-5 can you recognize in your text?
• Interviews. Several key figures in the industry are interviewed and agree with the text.
• Expert opinions. Same as the interviews. The reader is seeing high profile figures agreeing with and commenting on the need for change.
• Historical records. Though not data, historical references are made to the way things used to be and how those old ways don't hold with current cultural norms.
• What response is the author attempting to create by employing these strategies?
• This lends credibility to the text as a whole. By using the data she did and presenting it the way she did, the reader feels they are making there own choices about the issue. This is a very effective strategy in writing of this type.
• What is the actual result?
• The reader feels that there truly is a need for change from current practices.
• Are these strategies effective or ineffective for this particular audience and rhetorical situation?
• Effective. With the cultural values/beliefs of the audience, this type of text is very effective at making reader's emotion tied to the issue. Being tied to the issue makes you feel compelled to do something about it.
• Which items on the list of logical fallacies on pages 185-6 can you recognize in your text?
• False Analogy: There is one piece where the author mentions that if a horse does not respond to a crop, they are done running. There are many reasons for a horse to not respond to a crop, not having any more gas in the tank is only one of them.
• What effect does the use of these logical fallacies have on the reader?
• At first glance I didn't even realize what I was seeing in this text. The use of logical fallacies immediately looses credibility for the author as the reader now thinks the author is trying to manipulate them. Though the use of logical fallacies can get your point across with some of the audience it usually ends up alienating them from the rest of your text.