Rhetorical Analysis of a Speech [ 5 pages double spaced; needed in 17 hours ]

HU 143 ESSAY 1 ASSIGNMENT

(I know this is long. Don’t panic . It’s just a very detailed list of how to do this that will help you.)

In about five double-spaced pages, provide a detailed analysis of the one of the essays listed below: In your analysis, you will examine how effectively the author employs the three rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, and pathos), and any other means, to persuade his/her audience.

· “Profiting from a Child’s Illiteracy”

· “Dying of the Light”

· “The Real World Effects of Budget Cuts

· “Going Cheney on Climate”

· “We’re all Guilty of Dehumanizing the enemy”

· “The Gall of it All”

· “Equal Opportunity: Our National Myth”

An outline of this essay is due at the start of class on Wednesday, May 22. A rough draft of this essay is due at the start of class (for peer editing) on Thursday, May 23. The final version is due at the start of class on Tuesday, May 28. You should submit a hard copy in class and upload an electronic copy onto Safe Assign on Blackboard

Goals

Your goal in this essay is to analyze the author's rhetorical strategies with an eye towards the audience for whom this argument was originally made. Your challenge, then, is NOT to respond personally to the argument, agreeing or disagreeing with any part of it (regardless of whether you consider yourself part of that original audience). It is also NOT to simply summarize the article like a book report. Instead, focus on the ways in which the author tries to persuade his/her audience and the likely audience reaction, based on our study of the components of rhetoric.

This means you'll want to:

· Describe generally the argument this writer is making

· Describe the audience(s) this writer is likely addressing

· Identify the rhetorical strategies the author employs (as he appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos) and describe how these strategies function in the argument by examining closely a handful of representative examples

· Analyze how effectively the author employs these strategies considering his/her audience

· Discuss how this audience likely might variously respond to the writer's argument and some of his rhetorical strategies

Method

There are various ways to compose and organized a rhetorical analysis. I will provide a basic outline that works well for most students, but do not feel compelled to mimic the order. You should, however, be sure to include all the elements cited in the outline.

FIRST PARAGRAPH – Introduction

Your introduction should include the following components.

· A creative introduction to the topic of the article you’re analyzing. Introduce your analysis in a way that will capture a reader’s attention. Get to the heart of the topic being discussed, starting in general terms and then being more specific. One way to do this is to put it in a contemporary or current context, or connect it – even if it is old news – to a similar issue in today’s world. We’ll look at some examples to illustrate this better.

· A succinct articulation of the main argument the writer is making.

· The name of the article, writer, publication, and publication date. This must be punctuated according to the style we discuss and outline in class. Just follow the model.

· A brief overview of how you will assess the effectiveness of the writer’s persuasion. Here you will signal whether you feel the rhetoric is effective or not (avoid the first person, however) and why. This is more of an overview that needn’t be too specific. The specifics will come later in the essay.

PARAGRAPHS 2 and 3 – Audience/Ethos

· Audience. It’s likely you have already mentioned the publication in which the article appears. Now tell me a little about the audience of this newspaper and the audience the author is trying to reach.

· Author’s background – Ethos part 1. Tell me a little about the author’s background. Does his/her background make him more or credible with specific audiences? Why?

· Ethos Part 2. How does the author establish his/her ethos through his writing? Does he/she show solidarity with the readers? Does he/she show virtue by establishing that he/she likely shares all or some of the readers’ values? Disinterest? Practical wisdom? Does the writer seem like an authority or expert? Possess good moral character? Does the writer manage to make a point without offending those likely to disagree? Use specific examples here (quotes) and explain how the reader is likely to feel about this writer based on the example/quote?

· Counter-argument/concession. How does the author address those likely to disagree? Does he acknowledge an opposing argument? Show respect toward the opposition. How does this impact ethos?

PARAGRAPHS 4 and 5 – Pathos/Logos

These paragraphs are interchangeable. Decide what you think flows best or makes more sense with your particular article. Start with a topic sentence generally assessing the evidence and emotional appeal, and answer the following questions.

· How does the writer use emotional appeal? Find two or three specific examples, quote them, cite the specific emotions involved, and explain why (or why not) the audience is likely to respond in this emotional way. Remember that this is not the author being emotional, but the emotional reaction the audience is likely to have. Does he/she use storytelling, one of the strongest emotional appeals? What is generating this emotion? Analyze this. Why is the audience emotionally moved by this statement?

· What evidence (logos) and reasons do the writer cite to support his/her argument. Specific examples? Data? Quote from experts? Find two or three specific examples, quote or paraphrase them, and explain why the audience is likely to accept this (or not) as evidence supporting the argument. Analyze this. Does the writer utilize a particularly effective logical argument (artistic appeal) that is likely to influence the reader? Does it make sense? Is it clever? How/why is this line of argument effective?

· There will likely be some areas where you believe a certain portion of the audience (not the majority, usually) will dispute certain parts of the argument. If you think of something like this, include it and say why. And if possible, explain how the writer attempts to overcome this potential hole or dispute in the argument.

PARAGRAPHS 6 – CONCLUSION

Try not to simply rehash what you’ve said previously. Put your general spin on the rhetoric, and how – if effective -- it might lead people to ACT, make a choice, or take a side.

Here are some additional prompts to help with ethos and pathos. You needn’t cover all of this; use what is most relevant to your particular article.

Ethos

· Do the writer's credentials (relevant experience, job title, place of work, place of training, awards, previous positions, etc.) make his/her claims more (or less) believable?

· Does the writer show respect for his readers or talk down to them?

· Does the writer seem arrogant or approachable? Caring or insensitive?

· Does the writer ignore or demean the opinions of others, or is he careful to consider alternate viewpoints and treat opponents with respect?

· Does the writer exaggerate, not do his homework, use evidence in ways that are misleading; or does he seem well informed, fair-minded, and willing to deal with evidence from all sides?

· Does the writer seem sloppy and disorganized, or does he seem careful and meticulous?

· Does the writer display proper decorum relative to the audience? Practical wisdom? Indifference?

Pathos

· Does the writer evoke emotions (sympathy, outrage, anger, delight, pride, awe, shame, horror, etc.) in his audience that are likely to help (or hurt) his case?

· Does the writer evoke sensations (seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling) that make his writing and language vivid and cause readers to experience things imaginatively? Or does he just appeal to readers’ heads and leave the rest of them feeling dull?

· Does the writer appeal to values (freedom, justice, tolerance, patriotism, faith, equality, etc.) that his audience shares? And does he do so in a way that will help or hurt his case?

· Does the writer employ storytelling to evoke emotions?

Writing Style: Saying Things Effectively

Your most important stylistic concern should be with crafting strong paragraphs. A strong paragraph is unified, focusing a reader’s attention on one main idea. It is coherent, indicating which thoughts go together logically. A powerful paragraph is also well-developed, supplying ample details and explanations to make each point come to life.

So, make sure you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that clearly states the paragraph’s main idea; then make sure all your supporting sentences cluster around that main idea without detours. Refer to the instructions above and the review power point for content requirements. If you find yourself well off-track from your topic sentence, it’s probably time for a paragraph break (and perhaps some more work on that paragraph).

Make sure also to use strong transition words and phrases to connect ideas and sentences. These words and phrases –- which include such terms as “however,” “furthermore,” “on the other hand,” “additionally,” “therefore,” etc. –- help guide your reader through your writing while also signaling important shifts, contrasts, comparisons, qualifications, etc. in your analysis or argument. Do not use lazy, directional transitions such as “the first example,” “the second quote,” “the fourth paragraph.”

Also, be sure to provide enough -– but not too many -– details and examples to make your points clear, mostly through quotes and paraphrases from the text.

And finally, beyond coherent paragraphs, your paper should adhere to the conventions of academic writing you mastered (I hope) in COM 122 and other college writing courses you might have taken. So, revise and edit your work; and don’t forget to proofread your work carefully to catch errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics. Visit the writing center if this has been a problem in the past. And, of course, you can always come to me for help.

Your paper should be in Times New Roman font, with 12 point character size. For this paper, because you are using only one source and because that source is only a couple pages long, do not worry about parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page.

How I Grade the Rhetorical Analysis (What I’m Looking for, What I Expect)

Combined, the below areas constitute (roughly) the four major sets of criteria with which I will evaluate the content your rhetorical analysis essays. And while each set corresponds (roughly) to 25% of your essay, it is important to note that there is overlap among the criteria. That is to say, one set necessarily informs and affects the other. So, for example, if your analysis is unclear, then you will also likely demonstrate less effectively your understanding of course content. And if you try to analyze too much in too little detail you will likely compromise both the breadth and depth of your analysis.

In short, then, we are generally looking for (1) balance and thoroughness, (2) detail and insight, (3) clarity and organization, and (4) a working and clear understanding of course content. More specifically, however, we are looking for the following.

Breadth of analysis (criteria set 1):

Have you adequately examined each of the three major rhetorical appeals (logos, ethos, pathos)? Is your analysis of these three appeals proportional, that is, balanced throughout your essay? Have you discussed and analyzed just enough of your selected essay so as to provide your readers with a good sense of its author’s general argument, general rhetorical strategies, and some specific examples of those rhetorical strategies? Have you provided more analysis than summarization of the argument? Have you provided just enough description and analysis of the argument for your readers to gain a clear sense of what that argument was about, what its author’s position was, what general rhetorical strategies he/she employed, what few examples from the argument best represent each of those major rhetorical strategies, and (most importantly) how his original audience might likely have responded to those strategies?

Depth of analysis (criteria set 2):

Have you analyzed each appeal in sufficient detail? Have you focused your analysis on a limited set of key examples of each rhetorical appeal? Have you analyzed each example in detail, explaining where and how it operates in the argument and how the original audience might likely respond to the strategy? Have you contextualized and framed your examples with introductory and concluding commentary and analysis? Have you provided your readers informative and interesting insights and observations about the argument, its author’s rhetorical strategies, and the audience’s likely responses to those various strategies?

Clarity of analysis (criteria set 3):

Have you helped guide your readers through your analysis? Have you provided an effective introduction that both contextualizes (that is, familiarizes your readers with) the subject at hand and previews what your analysis will entail? Have you structured your essay in a way so as to guide your reader from one section, paragraph, and rhetorical feature to another? Have you organized each paragraph in a way so as to focus on a limited, coherently related set of ideas/rhetorical strategies? Have you provided effective topic sentences for each paragraph to help guide your reader through and among paragraphs? Have you stated each sentence clearly and directly enough so as to guide your reader through your paragraphs and ideas. Have you edited your paper, rewriting sentences and reshaping paragraphs to improve upon your essay’s clarity, style, and tone? Have you proofread your essay to correct typographical errors, check for omissions, verify details, and eliminate inconsistencies?

Demonstration of knowledge (criteria set 4):

Have you demonstrated effectively your understanding of course content – that is, the specific and various rhetorical strategies/concepts discussed in class? Have you examined effectively and clearly how the writer employs these strategies in his argument? Have you used our rhetorical terms accurately and clearly? Have you sufficiently signaled your use of these terms by referring to them explicitly (or sometimes perhaps effectively implying them) in your essay? And have you avoided defining explicitly these strategies/concepts to your readers who we will assume are familiar with them.

Writing Style: This essay will also be graded for writing style. The three areas I consider significant are sentence structure (void of run-on sentences and comma splices), clarity, and proper incorporation of quotes. If you have one or two issues related to these, it will minimally impact your grade. If they are numerous and/or habitual, the essay will not be passing regardless of the quality of the content.

Other items to remember

· Write in present tense

· Do not write in the first person

· Refer to “reader” and “audience.” You can use these interchangeably so that you’re not using the same word too often.

· If you get stuck, go back to your prompts and keep writing. You can always rearrange later.

· Follow the model. If you’re doing the same things, you’re on the right track.

· Integrate quotes properly. See the examples we discussed in class.

· Refer to the author by first and last name only once (first reference). From then on, use only last name.

· Spell names correctly. Misspelling someone’s name is a major error.

· Visit the writing center, if necessary. Remember to bring copy of assignment.

· Have a friend proofread.

· Look through the notes for key terms related to pathos, logos, and ethos. It won’t only give you terms to use, but likely will spark ideas.

· Come see me for help, but don’t simply come in and say you’re having problems. Try and specify those problems so I can better assist you.

· Put quote marks around the title of the article you’re addressing.