President Joko Widodo’s Rhetorical Technique of Arguing in the Presidential Speeches of the Reform Era

Abstract

A good speech has the power in presenting the rhetorical argument, therefore it is required a study corresponds to the speech preparation with rhetorical techniques to argue, especially in the presidential speech of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo of reform era in the field of education. The research method was the critical discourse analysis method of Norman Fairclough model. Data collection techniques used were documentation techniques, note-taking techniques, and interviews. Data analysis techniques were administered by connecting micro, meso, and macro elements in dimensions: (a) text, (b) discourse practice, and (b) socio-cultural practices. The results show that President Joko Widodo and his team used the argument technique: 1) The introduction has two patterns: (a) claim and ground; and (b) claims. 2) The trunk or content section has a pattern: (a) claim and ground; (b) claim, ground, and claim; (c) claim, ground, and warrant; (d) claim, ground, and possible; and (e) claim, ground, warrant and backing with each sub topic or argument, minimally and dominantly comprising claim and ground. 3) The closing section has a pattern: (a) claim, ground, and claim; (b) claim. The rhetorical technique of arguing in a presidential speech aims at explaining the plans of educational programs, undertaken educational programs, and the promise and expectation to improve the quality of education in Indonesia during the reform era.