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Lloyd Bitzer AssigmentComposition Assignment Based on Lloyd Bitzer’s Situational Rhetoric Bitzer wrote from the viewpoint of a rhetorical theorist – very much separating theory from practice. Thus, he did not write about how to use his ideas in the classroom, and I could not find any examples of assignments he has used. Nevertheless, his work has interesting implications for the composition classroom. The following is an assignment one could derive from his theory. In this assignment, you will be given the opportunity to craft an “appropriate response” to a situation, based on our study of Lloyd Bitzer’s “The Rhetorical Situation.” The assignment has two parts: Invention and Writing. Each phase is explained more below: Part I: Invention Exigence: What is the topic you wish to write about? What is the “ideal world” for this topic? What are its defects in its present state? What would it take to move this topic from its present condition to the ideal? Audience: Who is capable of modifying the exigence? What is their knowledge of the exigence? What is their level of interest in getting involved? Constraints: What values, attitudes, and beliefs does the audience hold that align with your own? What values, attitudes, and beliefs does the audience hold that would compete with modifying the exigence? What type of language (think about word choice and sentence structure) would be appropriate for the audience and exigence? How urgent is the situation (i.e., does it require action immediately, soon, or eventually)? Part II: Writing Now that you have identified the exigence, audience, and constraint, use the answers to the questions you asked during invention to guide your writing. Craft a 1,000 word essay in which you define the exigence (including the present state of your topic and its ideal), make a case for modifying the exigence, and call the audience to action. Make sure your writing is appropriate for your chosen audience, especially with respect to organization and stylistic elements. |