The comic, Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, was constructed to help readers understand the idea of rhetoric in a simplified way. The comic first introduces the negative conceptions of rhetoric, in particular, those of the past. Rhetoric has always had some negative connotations as people perceive it as something used for debate or other intense conversation where you are trying to shut down someone else. This being caused by the incorrect understanding and definition of rhetoric being passed around. To correct this misconception, the authors explained a few main points which encompass rhetoric; ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos. Ethos meaning ethics, which is used to prove credibility, earning the audience’s trust. Pathos meaning empathy, in which the speaker or writer invokes emotion commonly through images. Logos meaning logical, as in the statistical evidence which can help in the development of your argument as it supports your points. Kairos is based around timing and its importance, whether it be not rushing an assignment or completing a piece while an event is still relevant.

The article labeled Labor Log serves the purpose of teaching how to keep track of the work you complete. Recording your labor done for the course helps to trace your progress and helps the instructor to be aware of your strong points and weaknesses. Maintaining an account of all the time and work you put into assignments and projects are important in proving your credibility. Labor Log shows you how to properly record your data by explaining what is necessary to document no matter how you decide to showcase this work. When Your Grades Are Based on Labor summarizes into five points how you should work when your grading isn’t penalized for mistakes and isn’t based around tests and quizzes like a typical classroom. This article teaches students to focus on remembering their purpose while completing an assignment, don’t be shy to broaden their horizons and work to their highest potential.

Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, this book seems to be first of its kind in composition and rhetoric which is a writing textbook presented in the form of a comic book. The book bids a contradictory message, while it is composed in the form of a comic book, it tries to teach mostly print-based writing. Understanding Rhetoric suggests an interest in textual, visual, and artistic aspects of composing. It lists four authors: two are teachers and scholars in rhetoric and writing (Losh is the director of the Culture, Art, and Technology program at the University of California, San Diego, and Alexander is director of the Center of Excellence in Writing and Communication at the University of California, Irvine); Kevin and Zander Cannon (not related to each other) are established artists and cartoonists. The illustrations and overall approach as a comic book are visually interesting and informative. In terms of structure, the book presents seven chapters, or “Issues” each chapter is color-coded and includes a three-part structure, first section in which the teachers present an issue and “illustrate” it with examples; a second section, titled “Reframe with Luis and Cindy,” in which two imaginary freshman students work through an assignment; and finally, a two-page “assignments” section that proposes a sampling of possible class projects inspired by the chapter’s content.

The main idea is Rhetoric analysis where terms are, Ethos which is the credibility of the speaker, Pathos which is the use of emotion in debate, Logos which is appeal to reason and Kairos which is timing. In the second section, titled “Reframe with Luis and Cindy, when Luis was writing an email for the class that he would miss, he wrote in an insulted manner where he doesn’t mention why he needs to be gone and instead he was implying that her class time might not be important in insulted manner. But later Cindy tells Luis about the rhetorical writing and analyzes all the proper writing for the email he sent which was much better way of writing.