Rhetoric Application Log

According to the Rhetoric of Aristotle, not only does the speech itself have to be believable, but the speaker must also be credible. He says that there are three qualifications for a credible speaker: intelligence, character and goodwill.

One of my favorite speakers from the National Collegiate Media Convention was Michael Koretsky, a professor from the University of Southern Florida. He reminded me of House with his cynicism and sarcastic humor – he even carried around a golf club, mirroring House’s cane. Koretsky gave several helpful tips on writing, but I would not have listened to him had I not believed he was credible. He proved it to me through Aristotle’s triad:

Perceived intelligence. Koretsky listed off his credentials: his work as a newspaper adviser, his freelance work for tabloids, etc. While he gave us students tips on designing newspapers, he gave examples which further increased his credibility – he’s obviously knowledgable in newspaper design because he can prove it to us with examples.

Virtuous Character. So Koretsky wasn’t virtuous in his speech (he let swear words fly) and like I said before, he’s very sarcastic. But, he’s honest. He was fairly gracious in how he spoke to students whose work he critiqued, but he was first and foremost honest with them.

Goodwill. The whole reason Koretsky spoke at the conference was to help students. He made that clear. This wasn’t a power trip. When the group got riled up with his jokes, he brought their attention back to the main issue: newspaper design.