Imagine that you are making the argument to your parents or guardians that you ought to have a later curfew. Your claim might be something like: because I am mature and responsible, I should be able to stay out until midnight. Now, let’s consider how the context can affect the argument. What if you were nine years old when you made this argument? Would it be received differently than if you made it when you were fifteen or sixteen or even eighteen? What if you had just made the honor roll at school? What about the audience of your argument? Would your parents react differently if they had recently read a newspaper story about a child being abducted? If you knew that one of your parents was having a difficult time at work, would you try to ease into your argument slowly and carefully?

The point here is that all arguments exist within a context, which directly influences not only what is presented but also how it is presented. We call this the rhetorical situation.

When thinking about context, remember to take into account the occasion: the time and place, and what circumstances gave rise to the argument. You should also think about the purpose: whether the speaker intends to entertain, educate, explain, respond to an accusation, bring about an action, or change a behavior.