Rhetorical Analysis
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IAHAssignmentSheetsandCoverLetters.pptxAssignment Sheets Cover Letters
What are they?
What do they do?
How do I write them?
Assignment Sheets
Assignment sheets are not “checklists.”
They are not meant to give you answers that you “check-off.” Nor do you have to answer the questions on the sheet.
Assignment Sheets
Rather, they are designed to provide you with different rhetorical situations.
They ask you questions that create challenges and opportunities to which you must respond.
So…
Treat the assignment sheets
like situations that need responses.
Use SWAP and RAIDS to analyze the situation and to compose responses to the situation that you think are relevant, timely, and effective.
Cover Letters
These are just as important as the essays!
They help to explain to me your thinking and decisions, and are the single most influential factor in how I assess your work!
After all, good writers and thinkers can tell you what they’ve done, how they’ve done it, why they’ve done it, and what else they might have done differently!
Cover Letters
Because the assignment sheets are not meant to give you answers to repeat, but create rhetorical situations to which you respond, you write “cover letters” that let me know about your thinking, writing, and learning.
Doing so improves your writing and your metacognitive faculties. You can click here to learn more about why reflecting on your writing and thinking are important.
So, let’s take a look at the cover letter…
and understand what they are, what they do, and how to write one!
The First Section (or more)
The first section in your cover letter asks you to summarize your essay.
Describe the subject, writer, audience, and purpose of the writing.
Provide a thesis/evaluation of your writing (“My essay is/is not effective because of the style, arrangement, etc.”
Summarizing your own writing does three things:
1) It makes you think deeply about your essay.
2) It lets me know what you are trying to do in your writing.
3) You can never analyze an object without first summarizing it.
4) Let’s me know what you think of your own writing.
The Second Section (or more)
The second section asks you analyze your own essay.
Explain and justify your decisions regarding revision, arrangement, invention, delivery, and style.
You can also reference the success criteria we develop in class.
These analysis paragraphs should have a claim that supports your thesis (“The arrangement of my essay is effective because it allows the audience to identify the problem-solution I’m trying to solve”).
You should reference your own writing to support the claim.
The Second Section (or more)
Analyzing your writing does three things:
1) It makes you think deeply about your essay.
2) Provides evidence for your thesis.
3) It lets me see if you are “thinking like a writer.”
4) Allows you the chance to generate good evidence that persuades me to read your text in the way you want me to read your text!
The Third Section (or more)
The third section asks you to explain how you revised your essay after receiving feedback, as well as tell me why these changes made your essay more effective).
You might have a claim like this: “The feedback I received helped make my purpose clearer to my audience.”
This is where the really good learning happens!
Writing is a communal act, and we learn from our peers, so it’s important that we consider their opinions, even if we don’t make the changes they suggest.
The Fourth Section (or more)
The fourth section gives you the chance to tell me anything that you think I should know.
If you didn’t follow the assignment sheet, you can tell me why, as well as why your essay is still effective.
If you didn’t meet the page-length suggestion, you can try to convince me that your short essay is still effective.
If you were sick and/or didn’t understand something, you can tell me in this section.
If you made an important realization, let me know!
Remember…
The cover letter is an essay about your essay. It should be well-written, which includes a clear thesis, engaging claims, good evidence, and effective paragraphs.
The Rhetorical Situation for Cover Letters
In other words, the rhetorical situation for each cover letter is as follows:
Subject: Your writing
Writer: You.
Audience: Me (Dr. Mike)
Purpose: To explain and justify the choices you made in your writing, and persuade me that those decisions are the best ones.
The Rhetorical Situation for Cover Letters II
In other words, the rhetorical situation for each cover letter is as follows:
Revision: Demonstrate to me (Dr. Mike) that you are “thinking like a writer” who makes smart rhetorical decisions.
Arrangement: The previous slides discuss arrangement. But, make sure your paragraphs have engaging claims, ample evidence, and clear connections to your thesis.
Invention: Use your writing, the assignment sheets, as well as any feedback you receive to write this letter.
Delivery: It’s a letter!
Style: It’s a letter to me (Dr. Mike), so use a style that you think to be appropriate.
Happy Writing!
If you have any other questions about the assignment sheets or cover letters, please ask!
Email: [email protected]
