In my last blog post, I focused on rhetoric of all types and the ways that rhetoric can be used to enhance writing. My last blog discussed how rhetoric could be used by authors and designers in order to persuade readers, but it also discussed the reasons why consumers should guard against rhetoric in order to be smart viewers of content. As teachers, we have a responsibility to teach students how to use rhetoric, but also to recognize it in their daily interactions with content, especially online content.
In this blog, I want to focus on a specific type of rhetoric that was discussed in Chapter 4 of our text: Visual Rhetoric. In this infographic, you can find more information on visual rhetoric:
Visual rhetoric is the use of visuals to persuade a viewer or consumer. It is used by advertisements, graphics, video games, television shows, movies, social media, and much more. Visual Rhetoric was used from the beginning of time; it can even be traced to cave paintings. Even the creators of those paintings were using their visual to tell a specific story. Lawrence states that, "Even in constant illumination from a fuller source, we can see repetition in the cave paintings that appear to show movement of the animals" (Lawrence, 2022, p. 164). As time has evolved and technology has advanced, we encounter visual rhetoric daily. Commercials use visual rhetoric to try and convince viewers to buy their product. Every aspect of the advertisement was created with purpose. The designers intentionally choose to use rhetorical appeals in their work.
One specific type of visual that students encounter frequently is video games. In an article written by Emily Johnson entitled "The Aural-Visual Rhetoric in Video Game Tutorials," Johnson breaks down how designers create video games with purpose. I thought this was especially interesting considering many of our students play video games regularly. Johnson writes that, "Designing the communication of this
information so that it does not overwhelm or bore the player is a difficult task" (Johnson, 2024, p. 377). A game cannot be so difficult or overwhelming visually that it confuses the player, but it also cannot be so basic that it bores them. Therefore, the use of visual rhetoric is very crucial. Players need to be led visually to learn the controls of the game, but they need to do so at a comfortable pace. In addition, the article discusses the inclusion of auditory sounds into the formation of the player's overall view of the game. It concludes with the realization that "By better understanding both sound and visuals as important forms of multimodal communication, as aural-visual TPC, technical communicators can more explicitly dissect
the way these rhetorical elements are used" (Johnson, 2024, p. 382).
Just like in a video game, we are bombarded with auditory and visual rhetoric at all points during our day. As stated in the last blog and emphasized again here, students need to know that these things exist and play a major role in the way the world is viewed. Being a smart consumer means learning how to both use rhetoric to craft complete and compelling arguments, but also guarding against those arguments when needed. As Lawrence describes, "Visual rhetoric, then, is the study of how visual forms of communication can be persuasive" (Lawrence, 2022, p. 169).
You can watch this video to learn more about visual rhetoric:
References
Johnson, E. K. (2022). The Aural-Visual Rhetoric in Video Game Tutorials. Technical Communication Quarterly, 31(4), 374–384. https://doi-org.ezproxy.montevallo.edu/10.1080/10572252.2021.2021452
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: a guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.
You make a strong connection between ancient cave paintings and modern digital media, showing that visual rhetoric is not new—only the tools have changed. I especially appreciate your focus on video games. Your discussion of Johnson’s point about balancing clarity and engagement highlights how persuasion is not always about selling a product; sometimes it is about guiding behavior and shaping experience. The inclusion of sound alongside visuals is important because it reinforces how persuasion is often multimodal. Your conclusion about teaching students to both analyze and create rhetoric is compelling. Media literacy today requires awareness, intentionality, and critical thinking in every digital space.
I like how you emphasized that visual rhetoric is not new! It is something society has used to persuade for centuries. Jill Gilstein stated in her article, “The object of visual rhetoric is used as a means of persuasion for a particular idea and may be accompanied by words or stand on its own” (Gilstein, 2024). Humans have been using pictures and words to sway others since the beginning. In Chapter 4, Lawrence discusses all the evidence of times in the past when visual rhetoric was used and how it affected others.
I like how you referenced your prior blog – giving a nice Segway from broad to specific rhetoric and then even more detailed by discussing video games as an important visual rhetoric for kids today. As Lawrence states, “procedures in software can be persuasive and lead to particular interpretations or actions through what is called procedure rhetoric” (Lawrence, 99-100). Game design goes so much deeper than just aesthetics. The creators focus more on the human behavior and interaction of the game than anything else. As the Rocky Mountain College of Art blog states, “Creating game art requires not only artistic skill, but also a mastery of software and interactive design principles” (RMCA, 2024). As an art teacher, I chuckle when these middle school kids talk about how they are going to become a game designer. They have absolutely no idea the level of knowledge outside of the actual game itself this entails!
Reference List Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web. Broadview Press.
Rocky Mountain College of Art. (2024, August 8).The Psychology of game art: How colors and design affect player behavior. https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-game-art-how-colors-and-design-affect-player-behavior/
Rhetorical Appeals Rhetorical appeals, including ethos, pathos, and logos are extremely important both for the producer and the consumer. While they were originally conceived by Aristotle, they continue to persuade viewers and readers alike even into the present day. As the textbook states, "Oftentimes an advertisement does not sell a product directly, but rather these associated ideas" (Lawrence, 2021, p. 35). By using ethos, pathos, and logos, advertisements get you to buy the product based on what you see. Ethos implies credibility and trustworthiness of a source. Pathos appeals to the emotions, whether positive or negative, that the source invokes, and logos uses rational arguments and factual evidence to create a rational argument. While logos is arguably the most common used by academic writers, ethos and pathos are more common in the world, in general, and especially in the media and on the Internet. This video gives an interesting ta...
When thinking of social media, it is easy to think about the negatives. Undoubtedly, there are many negative aspects of social media. However, through reading different studies and texts, there are also some positives. First, social media is a platform for each person to express themselves and tell their stories. As the text states, "We must teach students how to find their own writing topics by sifting through their own life and stories" (Hicks, 2013, p. 120). Many students need a place to express their stories, and social media can be that space. Moreover, writing through social media can teach students to become better writers because it teaches them how to write for an audience from which they want approval. (2026, January 22). Social Media Apps . Tridens Technology. Retrieved March 16, 2026, from https://tridenstechnology.com/social-media-statistics/ One study that looked at the importance and benefit provided extremely interesting res...
You make a strong connection between ancient cave paintings and modern digital media, showing that visual rhetoric is not new—only the tools have changed. I especially appreciate your focus on video games. Your discussion of Johnson’s point about balancing clarity and engagement highlights how persuasion is not always about selling a product; sometimes it is about guiding behavior and shaping experience. The inclusion of sound alongside visuals is important because it reinforces how persuasion is often multimodal. Your conclusion about teaching students to both analyze and create rhetoric is compelling. Media literacy today requires awareness, intentionality, and critical thinking in every digital space.
ReplyDeleteI like how you emphasized that visual rhetoric is not new! It is something society has used to persuade for centuries. Jill Gilstein stated in her article, “The object of visual rhetoric is used as a means of persuasion for a particular idea and may be accompanied by words or stand on its own” (Gilstein, 2024). Humans have been using pictures and words to sway others since the beginning. In Chapter 4, Lawrence discusses all the evidence of times in the past when visual rhetoric was used and how it affected others.
ReplyDeleteI like how you referenced your prior blog – giving a nice Segway from broad to specific rhetoric and then even more detailed by discussing video games as an important visual rhetoric for kids today. As Lawrence states, “procedures in software can be persuasive and lead to particular interpretations or actions through what is called procedure rhetoric” (Lawrence, 99-100).
ReplyDeleteGame design goes so much deeper than just aesthetics. The creators focus more on the human behavior and interaction of the game than anything else. As the Rocky Mountain College of Art blog states, “Creating game art requires not only artistic skill, but also a mastery of software and interactive design principles” (RMCA, 2024). As an art teacher, I chuckle when these middle school kids talk about how they are going to become a game designer. They have absolutely no idea the level of knowledge outside of the actual game itself this entails!
Reference List
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web. Broadview Press.
Rocky Mountain College of Art. (2024, August 8).The Psychology of game art: How colors and design affect player behavior. https://www.rmcad.edu/blog/the-psychology-of-game-art-how-colors-and-design-affect-player-behavior/