Analysis Of Textbooks To Tablets By Dawn Reiss

In today’s school systems, an important decision must be made in order to determine the future of the students. The decision is whether or not to get rid of textbooks and switch to digital ebooks. Dawn Reiss shares her side of the dispute through an article she wrote from 2013, “Textbooks to Tablets,” which focuses on how having technology in the classroom will create a more efficient learning environment as well as decreased spending on physical books. Her article includes rhetorical appeals that persuasively communicate to the audience. In Reiss’ article, I argue that she successfully supports her claim that ebooks are superior to textbooks by presenting evidence that is aimed towards people involved with education. Her focused writing style provides reasoning behind the claims she makes, making it easier for the reader to understand her point of view.

The purpose of

Reiss puts a great example of logos into the paragraph when she talks about the statistic that, “technology-based instruction can reduce the time students take to reach a learning objective by up to 80 percent” (Reiss) This statistic is taken from a study conducted by the reputable U.S Department of Education and by the National Training and Simulation Association. Reiss sets a foundation before pulling out numbers by using ethos. This claim is a great example of a firm use of the rhetorical triangle as well. She establishes the ethos right at the start, then uses a powerful statistic to create emotion in the reader. It took some analysis on my part to notice that all the rhetorical appeals are present in this claim, making it more intense. I personally am amazed at this statistic, since eighty percent is such a significant increase. For many readers of this article, this piece of the argument creates a stronger bond between their belief in the claim and Reiss’ side of the