Digital rhetoric is a complex, abstract concept that, at its essence, is the “application of rhetorical theory to digital texts and preferences” (Eyman 13). The concept is constructed of three parts: rhetoric, digital qualities, and text. Rhetoric is meaningful, persuasive writing that communicates knowledge and ideas. The term digital defines any type of encoded information that bridges “textual production and rhetoric” (20). Text is any collection of symbols that can be read and interpreted into meaning.
There are numerous terms that students of rhetoric should be aware of, but one of them is ethos. Ethos involves ownership of information, primarily questioning whether said information is credible and true. As discussed by Eyman on pages 31 to 32, approaches to determining the ethos of information has evolved. Readers now look at the author’s education and expertise, the visual rhetoric (aka images) surrounding the information, the information’s content, and the writing style’s suitability to the information presented. Any digital writer should be aware of this approach and how to create content that meets the approval of readers.
A second important idea is that of procedural rhetoric and recognizing its role in the rhetoric that takes place in digital medias. Quoted by Eyman on page 36, Bogost uses the term to describe “the practice of using processes persuasively.” More specifically, it is the practice of using processes such as coding, graphic design, etc. to present persuasive writing. Digital writers should be aware of these processes and how closely related they are with the rhetoric itself.
It is also crucial to know visual rhetoric and its integration into digital rhetoric. Visual rhetoric is the persuasive use of shapes, color, images, and sometimes text–graphic design. “Because digital rhetoric incorporates the visual,” writers on digital spaces should be aware of the impact and influence of visuals on audiences (18). Understanding visual rhetoric increases understanding of digital rhetoric overall, as suggested by Eyman on pages 17 to 18.
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