analysis 1

Major Essay #1 – TED Talk Rhetorical Analysis

For the first major essay, you will analyze the rhetorical strategies of a TED talk of your choice.

https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance?lan guage=en

The purpose of this essay is to evaluate how effectively your TED Talk persuades the audience to re-think an aspect of education. You will evaluate the talk in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos as outlined in Chapter 2 of our textbook.

A successful essay will:

• Briefly outline the talk’s rhetorical situation and summarize its claims and reasons. • Include your

claim about the talk’s rhetorical effectiveness in a clear and concise thesis statement early in the

essay. A strong claim is both contestable – reasonable people might disagree – and predictive – it

will set up expectations for the direction of your essay. • Develop your main points around specific

criteria for evaluating the talk. Consider how the talk make its argument, not whether you agree

with them. You might discuss its weaknesses and strengths in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos.

• Support your main claims with concrete evidence from the talk. This should include paraphrase,

summary, and a few carefully chosen direct quotations. Do not use lengthy block quotations and choose your quotations judiciously.

• Include a separate Works Cited page following MLA guidelines outlined on pp. 135 – 208 in A

Writer’s Reference

• Introduction: Briefly summarizes the main ideas of the TED talk and clearly states your thesis. • Body paragraphs: Begin with a claim; followed by reasons and evidence. Paragraphs are

arranged in logical and rhetorically effective sequence and include clear transitions. • Conclusion: Provides a sense of closure; directly relates to the essay’s contents

• Length: 3-4 pages (1000 words), double spaced, in Times New Roman 12 point font.