• Describe the challenges of conveying technical content to communicate to non-technical audiences.
• Apply the rhetorical situation to written and oral communications.

Summary of the Chapter

This chapter highlights the importance of communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders. An expert who speaks in technical terms must communicate their knowledge to non-technical audiences. For efficient communication, the materials should be kept as simple as feasible. Avoiding jargon and delivering straightforward facts about technical information might help improve audience understanding. Being aware of the rhetorical situation helps communicators prepare necessary documents and presentations to persuade their audiences. The rhetorical situation can be considered a “formula” for effective communication while conveying detailed information.

The real-life scenario discussed in this chapter illustrates how to document the process clearly and professionally, and to compose and summarise the message while focusing on audience needs and interests.

Considerations for Lesson Planning

There are several possibilities when creating lessons around The Rhetorical Situation. In the context of this e-resource, it is most common to discuss the elements of the rhetorical situation to ensure that students understand each of the elements by incorporating articles, videos, etc. related to emerging technologies. Suggested approaches for a range of contexts are listed below:

1. Use social media posts to guide students through each of the elements: pathos, ethos, logos. Require learners to identify the purpose of the post and explore the resultant replies to determine whether the author reached his/her/their goal with the post.

2. Guide students to create their own samples of writing for different audiences. For example, learners could investigate a topic related to technology such as the impact of a particular technology on regional economic development. Then, create smaller activities and assignments that require students to develop communications for different stakeholders (e.g., investors, community members, municipal assessors, etc.)

3. Watch TED Talks related to technology with the learners. Use the transcripts of the Talk to have students outline and identify each element of the rhetorical situation and have them critique the success/failure of the speaker’s delivery. Then, incorporate a similar exercise for students to plan for, and practice, their own presentations.

4. Create an activity where learners generate actor maps to begin considering their audience with “empathy” (many models of design thinking can be useful here). For a particular scenario, invite students to question what each stakeholder group (e.g., government, citizen, user, etc.) is thinking, feeling, saying, and doing. Although a relatively simplistic approach, students often find this activity to be less intimidating and instructors can therefore guide the engagement and analysis to a level that meets the needs of the course and the learners. Learners might also find value in interviewing potential audiences as part of their research.

Assessment Strategies

Assessments can range from simple, recall quizzes (i.e., asking students to identify each element of the rhetorical situation and define them) to broader projects where students must complete research to prepare a report and then create a meta-analysis of their own work where they outline each of the rhetorical elements within their own work.

The course that inspired this e-resource is graduate-level, so learners are often required to prepare a variety of complex reports and presentations that guide them through the processes of identifying their audiences (including stakeholders), and determining how best to “reach” the audiences with the different forms of communication that we explore (e.g., memo, literature review, business case, debate, pitch presentation, etc.) When the opportunity allows, learners are encouraged to meet with and interview potential stakeholders.

Suggested Resources

A. Bruzzese, “How to Explain Technical Information to Non-Techies”, 2019, https://careerlaunch.mays.tamu.edu/blog/2019/03/19/how-to-explain-technical-information-to-non-techies/

Department of Communication, University of Pittsburgh, “Audience Adaptation”, [n.d.] https://www.comm.pitt.edu/audience-adaptation

S. Last. Technical Writing Essentials: Introduction to Professional Communications in the Technical Fields, 2019, BC Campus & University of Victoria.

E. Markowitz, “How to Write an Executive Summary”, 2021, https://www.inc.com/guides/2010/09/how-to-write-an-executive-summary.html

D. Rondot, “Turbo Encabulator” The Original, (Apr. 09, 2010). [Online Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac7G7xOG2Ag. [Accessed Nov. 03, 2021].

University of Illinois Springfield, “The Rhetorical Situation – Center for Academic Success”, 2021,  https://www.uis.edu/cas/thelearninghub/writing/handouts/rhetorical-concepts/the-rhetorical-situation/

University of Jamestown Writing Center, The Rhetorical Situation, (Aug. 17, 2020). [Online Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE0thkr6GPA. [Accessed Nov. 03, 2021].

L. Wahlin, Fundamentals of Engineering Technical Communications, (n.d.), https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/feptechcomm/ [Accessed Feb. 22, 2022].