When I first began my writing journey, pathos, ethos, and logos were the three persuasive techniques that my instructors taught me, and the ones that I would frequently use in my academic writing. Of the three, I found that I used ethos the most as it demonstrated my understanding of the subject under discussion by establishing my authority and credibility. However, my comprehension of authority was limited to this definition until I read Penrose and Geisler’s “Reading and Writing Without Authority” and Wardle’s “Identity, Authority, and Learning to Write in New Workplaces,” particularly the stories of Alan and Roger. Only then did I truly grasp the full meaning of having authority. Prior to this, I could identify with Janet, a college student who lacked authority. Janet may have known about paternalism, but she believed—as did I—that merely stating the facts established authority on the subject. In actuality, Roger possessed the authority since, as an insider, he was skilled at utilizing the right words and strategies to include himself in the topic discussion. This is what it means to be in a position of authority—not as Alan, who defied the standards set out by his workplace, but as someone who is prepared to learn and exhibit those policies through their actions and words.
After coming to understand what it means to have authority, I began to wonder how I could exemplify my own authority within the workplace, without overestimating it. Learning from Alan’s mistakes, I believe I would start by using clear and consistent communication to establish trust with my superiors and coworkers. Once this trust is established, I would seek feedback on how I may improve, as well as advice on how I may uphold my workplace’s standards. As long as I remain consistent with my communication, my language should begin to reflect my position. Like Roger, I might, for instance, start incorporating myself into the professional conversation by using the right terminology and examples. As a result, I believe I will be able to build and maintain a sense of authority within the workplace. But how can this be translated into academic writing?
As a student, according to Penrose and Geisler, personal authority is typically not used within school contexts. As such, in what ways can this new definition of authority be used? Should it be used to challenge authors as Roger did? But if I am an outsider, how can I establish that authority? And how can students such as myself maintain their authority in academic writing when confronted with criticism and counterarguments of our work?
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