Rhetorical Analysis (Draft #1)

Anthony Bradt

MAJ Garriott

ERH-101-18

21 October 2016

Rhetorical Analysis of MAJ Wainwright’s Syllabus

The syllabus acts as the foundation for any major college course giving the professor an opportunity to express their expectations to the student as well as outline the overall goal of the course upon completion. The use of specific rhetoric within a syllabus can persuade the student to push toward success, or, if poor rhetoric is used, drive the student to give minimal effort. The use of satisfactory rhetoric can make the course goals a reality for both the student and the professor.

The rhetorical approach taken by the professor generally appeals to the students emotions, or pathos, which, when used correctly, is an extremely effective tool for both parties to reach their common goal, or logos. And the last component to a successful syllabus is to establish the rhetor’s pathos. In MAJ Wainwright’s case, his credibility is outstanding. He is a member of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), has worked with Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) as a Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNET) System Administrator, and began his career at VMI after 24 combined years of working for the DoD, DoJ, and DHS.

Computer Science 101 is intended to provide a solid foundation for computing and create the opportunity for positive growth with advanced level classes in the years to come. From the beginning of the syllabus, Major Wainwright declares the need for “a C or better” to continue on track and graduate with a CIS degree. This appeals to the student’s pathos encouraging them to give effort because the overwhelming majority of students who are in CIS 101 are Computer Science majors. Major Wainwright’s overall tone of the syllabus is uplifting and his credentials encourage the student and instill them with the confidence and drive to complete the course. He writes that the course will start with the basics and work its way up to complex subjects such as artificial intelligence and human interaction with machines. Major Wainwright’s extensive background in this field provides a secondary sense of confidence knowing that the students goals are achieveable as well as knowing that there is always a knowledgeable professional to receive help from.