The ability to understand the attributes of both the presenter and the audience is critical to a presentation. The objective and the target spectators are so closely intertwined that you should consider them coexisting variables. In fact, the message is buried in between the speaker and the audience. Additionally, the physical properties of the setting and the purpose of the presentation, also dictate key design and topic decisions. You will learn about the Rhetorical Triangle, the speaker, the audience, and the situation.

Beware: The AIM Triangle is NOT the Rhetorical Triangle!

Imagine you have been asked to prepare a presentation with speaker's notes on the Rhetorical Triangle for the following group of students:

Audience: Fifty students who have neither seen the Course Materials nor read the readings for this unit.

Topics: The Rhetorical Triangle, the speaker, the audience, the situation

Rhetorical Triangle: The dynamic relationship among the speaker, the audience, and the situation is known as the Rhetorical Triangle. The rhetorical triangle is comprised of three primary elements: the speaker, the audience, and the situation. The shape and form of a presentation is driven by these three primary elements.

The Speaker: The actual individual speaking
The Audience: Who will actually be attending in addition to those who may not be present but will be influenced by or have access to the content of the presentation
The Situation: The purpose of the presentation as well as the location and the social/cultural backdrop of the presentation.

Make a simple PowerPoint presentation with speaker's notes that will relay the key points of the Rhetorical Triangle to students who do not know anything about the rhetorical triangle. Your presentation should contain the following elements: