https://drive.google.com/open?id=1BQokmmfO2_i2swEob1nqkyc5QNdGdsXu
Introduction
This rhetorical analysis will be on the website pshares.org which is home to Ploughshares at Emerson College located in downtown Boston Massachusetts. Ploughshares has been working on publishing quality literature since 1971 as well as their award winning literary journal which is published four times throughout the year.
Thesis
Ploughshares has created an excellent source to not only find literary pieces, but also be able to promote their own work and their well known journals. By piecing together the website in a clean, organized manner, it has allowed the content to be front and center in all aspects. The simple layout offers an easy experience for users to find whatever they need whether it be to read up on the yearly journals, place an order on an article, or subscribe to be a member of Ploughshares.
Audience
The audience which Ploughshares is intended for would be someone who enjoys very mainstream, simple literature, which can also include a professor at a college or a teacher in an elementary school. The content of the writings in Ploughshares is something that is easy to understand and gets to the point, making it easy for everyone to understand it. The audience can range from those of an older age who are teaching the writings, or those of a younger age who are interested in educating themselves on the poems and writings.
Purpose
The purpose of this website is to give readers simple access to some great pieces of literature for an affordable price. By giving access to different pieces, this not only creates good press for Ploughshares, but also satisfies the readers and gives them incentive to subscribe or purchase more content from the site. For prospective readers it allows the opportunity to explore and learn more about the literary journals and give them a chance to find their passion for literary pieces if they have not already found that.
Context
The context of the website and the content of the website is something that is meant to be sat down with and read over thoroughly and in a timely manner. Some of the users might use literary pieces such as these for educating if they are a professor, or for personal use if they are able to find enjoyment out of reading these pieces on their own. Since these pieces of the journals are spread out over a number of years, it can be educating on different times than some readers are used to and have not been very educated on.
Genre
The genre of this website can be labeled as educational pieces of writing used for multiple purposes. These purposes as mentioned earlier can be for self use or educating a particular group of people. Since the texts are all different in their own way pertaining to different events and sub genres, we can not accurately label this as one specific genre. Specifying a genre in the case of pshares would not be beneficial as some can see it as being labeled as one particular genre of literature.
Modes
Visual – The visual mode of the website includes a very simple layout, but something that is effective in bringing in the viewer and giving them all the information they need in order to purchase, subscribe, and read. You can see different style fonts used, different coloring on fonts, as well as bold being used in order to help a certain category stand out.
Aural – Throughout the website, the aural mode is not to be seen in the sense of music or sound effects, or any kind of noise that is typically seen when we think of aural mode. Much of the aural mode can be seen in the tone of sound used in the reading which the website contains.
Spatial – The spatial mode of the website allows easy access for all users and to help them navigate with whatever they are needing information on. The simple organizing used throughout helps keep it clean and look professional.
Gestural – Gestural mode is not seen with Ploughshares. Being that it is a website, there is no physical human interaction or expression going on, but rather in the readings contained in the website.
Linguistic – The linguistic mode seen in the website is written words. Being that it is a professional publishing site, the use of words and sentences might not be something that the user might see on a day to day basis. Regarding the content of what is being displayed, it can be professional or more casual depending on the topic of that piece of literature.
Conclusion
Ploughshares has been proven to be of the highest quality when looking for literary pieces. Through their history of being in operation, the website has been a goldmine for users of all kinds. Through the analysis of the site as a whole, this allows the perception of the site, and the publishing as a whole to be looked at from a different view in order to show its full potential and help anyone gain access to the articles of writing that are being displayed.