Rhetorical Analysis

 Prompt

W'rite a rhetorical analysis of a persuasive text of your choice.

Start by analyzing all aspects of the rhetorical situation, including the author, audience, purpose, topic, message, medium, genre, and context. Then analyze how the author attempts to influence their audience through their uses of language. What rhetorical techniques do they employ, and what are the effects of those techniques on their target audience(s)? How effectively do they use ethos, pathos, and logos to achieve their purpose?

• Ethos: Is the author qualified to address this topic? How do they convince their audience that they are credible, authoritative, and/or trustworthy? What shared values do they establish with their audience?
• Pathos: What specific emotions does the author evoke in their audience, and how?
• Logos: What evidence does the author use to support their argument? What types of reasoning do they employ? Is the argument logically sound? In other words:
  • Are their premises warranted?
  • Do they address alternative arguments or viewpoints, and make a reasonable effort to consider all relevant information?
  • Is their argument deductively or inductively valid?

Objectives

• to read rhetorically and discuss a text in depth
• to uncover the different layers that are a part of that text
• to situate a text within its social, historical, and cultural contexts
• to understand that w'riting is always a response to a larger conversation within a community/society
• to see how author, subject, purpose, audience, and genre function together dynamically in a w'riting situation
• to discuss the complicated ways that texts communicate meanings to particular groups of people

Requirements

• W'rite a rhetorical analysis of 1200-1500 words, excluding heading, title, and Works Cited.
• Support your analysis with 2-3 secondary sources.
• Adhere to MLA general format.
• Do not plagiarize: Cite sources according to MLA style for in-text citations and Works Cited pages.
• Include a title that describes what your essa'y is about.
• Include an introduction that describes the rhetorical context of the argument and presents a clear thesis statement asserting your conclusion about its rhetorical effectiveness.
• Craft cohesive body paragraphs with clear topic sentences and properly-documented supporting evidence.
• W'rite a conclusion that considers the broader implications of your thesis.
• Meticulously proofread and edit your essa'y to correct errors in grammar, usage, mechanics, and documentation