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A Rhetorical Analysis of the Introductions of 40 Speeches About Engineering

Lessius University College, Antwerpen, Belgium, dorien.vandemieroop{at}lessius.eu

Jaap de Jong

Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands

Bas Andeweg

Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands

This article investigates the introductions of 40 professional speeches from a rhetorical perspective to address the problems audiences seem to have with presentations about engineering. The authors use an exordial model that they derived from classical manuals on rhetoric. This model enumerates and groups rhetorical exordial techniques into 3 main functions: attentum, benevolum, and docilem . The study shows that rhetorically complete introductions are rare. Most of the speakers seemed to prefer a content-oriented, direct approach (docilem) in their introductions and seldom used techniques to garner the audience's attention (attentum) or sympathy (benevolum). The article concludes with an evaluation of the exordial model and a discussion of the study's pedagogical implications.

Key Words: rhetorical analysis • oral presentations • engineers • introductions • exordial model

Journal of Business and Technical Communication, Vol. 22, No. 2, 186-210 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1050651907311926


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