Eyman argues digital rhetoric is the study and practice of applying rhetorical theory to digital texts, media, and communication. Defining this is complicated because it draws on many traditions and is still emerging and constantly changing.
Rhetoric As Foundation
Rhetoric is concerned with persuasion, meaning, and communication. This can include classical concepts like logic (logos), emotion (pathos), and ethics (ethos). n addition, the five canons of rhetoric—invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery—continue to shape how messages are created and shared. However, in digital spaces, these principles are often expressed through interactive and multimedia formats rather than static text.
Modern scholars see rhetoric as knowledge and meaning through language and communication in context.
At its most basic digital rhetoric is applying these concepts to digital texts and environments. efining digital rhetoric can be challenging because it draws from multiple traditions and continues to evolve alongside technology. At its core, it builds on the long-standing foundations of rhetoric while adapting them to new, dynamic environments.
Rhetoric has evolved from the days of the ancient Greeks Aristotle or the great orator Cicero.
Digital texts are interactive, networked, and constantly changing, unlike traditional print.
“Digital” means information encoded in binary (0s and 1s). It can also refer broadly to electronic communication systems.
“Text” is expanded beyond written words to include any communicative event (images, videos, interfaces, code, etc.).
For further reading on rhetorical theory, visit the Purdue Online Writing Lab at https://owl.purdue.edu, which provides comprehensive resources on both classical and modern rhetoric.
Ultimately, digital rhetoric highlights how traditional communication principles continue to shape meaning in increasingly complex digital environments.
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