Narrative Rhetoric in Expert Reports: A Case Study

Authors

  • Clive Baldwin St. Thomas University

Abstract

Rhetoric within narratives has been the focus of attention for several well-known scholars in the field of literary criticism. While other forms of writing, such as professional reports, have been analysed through the lens of narrative, the rhetoric therein has received little attention. Although the official position is that UK child protection proceedings are inquisitorial and evidence-based, it is possible to identify rhetorical practices in both narratives of professional reports and the court proceedings. Drawing on Aristotle’s Rhetoric, I will analyse rhetorically the expert pediatric reports presented in a case of alleged Munchausen syndrome by proxy, focusing in particular on ethos and pathos. In so doing, I will seek to illustrate how rhetoric permeates child protection proceedings and indicate how rhetorical analysis might aid the evaluation of evidence and testimony.

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Published

2011-12-12

How to Cite

Baldwin, C. (2011). Narrative Rhetoric in Expert Reports: A Case Study. Narrative Works, 1(2). Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/NW/article/view/18793

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 2 (2011)

Section

Invited Articles

License

Copyright for articles published in Narrative Works is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to Narrative Works. By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings.