The Rhetoric of Science

The Rhetoric of Science

Rhetorical Multimodal Final Projectby Eileen Delgado

START

SECTION 01

What is rhetoric?

Define Rhetoric

"Rhetoric is language that’s carefully constructed to persuade, motivate, or inform the reader or listener about the speaker or writer’s position."

Rhetoric is communication that persuades, motivates, or informs an audience. Key Characteristics: The relationship between speaker, audience, and context. Fluid and always changing along with human interpretation and interaction.

SECTION 02

My question...

My Question...

How does rhetoric influence scientific research?

• Scientific Communication and Accessibility
• Addressing the challenge of making scientific information understandable to non-experts.
• The potential role of rhetoric in simplifying complex terms.
• How we communicate scientific information
• Recognizing that scientific communication involves more than just facts, incorporating storytelling and engagement techniques.
• Subjectivity in Science
• How the use of persuasive language may influence the credibility of scientific information and the trustworthiness of the audience.

SECTION 03

My Research

Scientific Communication and Rhetoric Survey

In the spirit of scientific research, I did a bit of my own investigation. I designed and administered a 10-question survey, drawing respondents from diverse educational backgrounds, to ensure a well-rounded and unbiased collection of data.

Questions:1. What is your current highest level of education?2.What is your major or field of study? 3. Are you familiar with the term "rhetoric"? If so, how would you define it? 4. What comes to mind when you hear "science" or "scientific research"? 5. Please describe your typical engagement with scientific information. (If not applicable, write N/A.) 6. If you answered N/A, please briefly explain why you do not engage with scientific information. 7. When engaging with scientific information, what aspects do you find most important or impactful? 8. How do you think language and communication strategies affect your interpretation and reception of scientific findings? 9. Have you ever encountered scientific research that presented findings contrary to your existing beliefs or understanding? If so, how did you respond to this information? Did it prompt you to reconsider your perspective, or did you seek out additional evidence to support your viewpoint? 10. Do you think rhetoric is important in scientific research, why or why not?

Scientific Communication and Rhetoric Survey

Responses and Insights

Quotes

• "Some scientific terms can be hard to comprehend"
• Science is "rigid"
• "I think it's important. One may have important data, but if they are not able to persuade the audience, people may not believe them or read the information."
• "I think it depends on the context and the level of research..."

SECTION 04

The Rhetoric of Science

Rhetoric of Science

Alan G. Gross

"The Rhetoric of Science" (1990)

Alan G. Gross

His Ideas

• Believes science is inherently rhetorical
• Forming logical arguements
• Specialized language
• Writing for their audience
• Social and contextual nature of scientific communication
• Not fixed or objective; it is influenced by cultural, institutional, and historical contexts

• Combining rhetorical analysis with social science methods
• Rhetors and scientists
• Evelyn Fox Keller and Leah Ceccarelli
• Language, persuasion, and argumentation
• Essays, Articles, Books
• Deirdre McCloskey "The Rhetoric of Scientism" (1985): “Scientistic” patois to plain English
• Case studies
• Scopes Trial (Scopes v. State 1926)"
• Indeed, even in the legislature the question was not the truth of evolution but the right of the state to exclude from the curriculum what was, for the people of Tennessee, academic knowledge perhaps, but religious heresy certainly."

• Rhetorician
• Born in NY in 1936
• Graduated from Princeton University
• Professor of rhetoric at the University of Minnesota
• Coined the term "Rhetoric of Science" in the mid-20th century
• "It is a relatively new form of rhetorical criticism that began over half a century ago with studies in science policy...."

"Science, like religion or finance, does not offer itself as a rhetoric. It must be reread against considerable resistance from those who are committed to other readings or descriptions of science. And the fate of universal rhetoric will turn largely on the efficacy of those rereadings."

Dilip Parameshwar Gaonkar "The idea of rhetoric in the rhetoric of science" (2009)

SECTION 05

So? How does rhetoric impact scientific research?

Takeaways

Effective communication

Shaping Public Perception

Audience-centered, Language, Persuasion

Improved policy making and increased public support for scientific research

Eureka!

Thank you!

Let's continue to use rhetoric to advance our scientific knowledge and change the world!

Works Cited

Ceccarelli Professor of Communication, Leah. “Defending Science: How the Art of Rhetoric Can Help.” The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2023, theconversation.com/defending-science-how-the-art-of-rhetoric-can-help-68210. Gaonkar, D. P. (1993). The idea of rhetoric in the rhetoric of science. Southern Communication Journal, 58(4), 258–295. https://doi.org/10.1080/10417949309372909 Gross, A. G., (2014) “Bibliography of the Works of Alan G. Gross”, Poroi 10(2), 1-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.13008/2151-2957.1193 Gross, A.G. (2008). Rhetoric of Science. In The International Encyclopedia of Communication, W. Donsbach (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405186407.wbiecr075 Hamilton, David E. “The Scopes Trial.” Bill of Rights Institute, billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/the-scopes-trial. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024. Joy Ritchie, and Kate Ronald. Available Means : An Anthology Of Women’S Rhetoric(S). University of Pittsburgh Press, 2001. Mcgee, Timothy. “Scientists on the Rhetoric of Science.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 Jan. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8KMA6hSDZM&ab_channel=TimothyMcGee. Rhetoricae, Silva. “ Litotes.” Litotes, rhetoric.byu.edu/Figures/L/litotes.htm. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.