SADLIST Cheat Sheet Structure - Rhetorical Modes ● Narration - tell a story or relate an event ● Description - recreate, invent, or visually present a person ● Example - carries one or more examples into great detail ● Definition - deeply examines a word or concept ● Process Analysis - show how an existing problem came to be, or how it might be solved ● Division/Classification - divides a large concept into individual pieces ● Compare/Contrast - focuses on similarities and differences between things ● Cause/Effect - explains why a sequence of events matters ● Problem/Solution - clearly identifies a problem and provides a logical, practical solution Appeals ● Ethos - the use of credibility and trust ● Pathos - listener emotions and values ● Logos - reality, logic and proof Diction ● Abstract vs. Concrete ○ Intangible - Tangible ● Elevated vs. Colloquial ○ Complex words, superior tone Everyday jargon ● Convoluted vs. Simple ○ Complex words, difficult to follow - Easy, clear words ● Denotative vs. Connotative ○ Exact meaning - Suggested meaning ● Euphonious vs. Cacophonous ○ Pleasant sounding - Harsh sounding ● Formal vs. Informal ○ Academic - Conversational ● Ambiguous ○ Vague ● Bombastic ○ Arrogant ● Didactic ○ Instructional ● Emotional or Loaded ○ Expressive - Heavy emotional charge Language - ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Esoteric ○ Understood by a chosen few Idiomatic ○ Peculiar Moralistic ○ Puritanical, righteous Pedantic ○ Scholarly, bookish Poetic ○ Melodious, romantic Pretentious ○ Pompous, arrogant Sharp ○ Harsh Simple ○ Clear, short, easy words Verbose ○ Talkative, wordy Vivid ○ Full of life and animation Humorous Patriotic Political Sarcastic Offensive Shocking ● Figurative language ○ Simile, direct metaphor, implied metaphor, allusion, personification, hyperbole Imagery/Detail ● Sight - colors, movements, shapes, appearance ● Smell - fresh, moldy, putrid, sweet ● Taste - bitter, tangy, hot ● Touch - damp, cold, fuzzy, sharp ● Sound - piercing, rowdy, racket Syntax ● Sentence types ○ Declarative, Imperative, Interrogative, Exclamatory ● Sentence length ○ Staccato - short, very abrupt ○ Telegraphic - fewer than 8 words, typically omit words ○ Long and involved - more than 30 words ● Sentence structure ○ Simple, Compound, Complex, Compound-Complex ● Other characteristics ○ Parallelism, Repetition, Anaphora, Juxtaposition, Rhetorical question Tone ● Positive ○ Amiable, amused, brave, calm, cheery, compassionate, encouraging, exuberant, jovial, lighthearted, loving, optimistic, peaceful, proud, revenant, soothing ● Neutral ○ Ambivalent, contemplative, detached, factual, judgmental, indirect, informative, intimate, meditative, nostalgic, objective, sentimental ● Negative ○ Abhorring, angry, annoyed, belligerent, bitter, condescending, derogatory, frightened, harsh, hopeless, scornful, violent ● Humorous/Ironic/Sarcastic ○ Bantering, comical, cynical, ironic, mocking, satiric, taunting, teasing, wry ● Strong ○ Ardent, assertive, authoritative, candid, confident, direct, dominating, earnest, fervent, matter-of-fact, persuasive, stern, straightforward