Essay 2: Synthesis Argument, Comparison
For this essay I want you to do a rhetorical comparison of two political speeches. In essence this is a compare/contrast essay. Pick two speeches or articles that are on the same topic, but are by different politicians. They can argue for a different side of the same topic, or the same side. Who you pick and the topic are open, and you are not limited to recent speeches, though you must have English versions of them. You are then to compare how each speaker or writer uses rhetoric to sway people to their point of view. Using your critical reading skills break down and analyze things like imagery, word choice, figurative language, gender, class, racial, or sexuality relations (if appropriate to your choice of topic). Think about how these rhetorical choices affect things like ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos.
Your thesis will argue which text has more effective rhetoric and why. For example, your thesis might read something like "Douglas' use of rhetoric, most notably his vivid animal imagery, makes his writings against slavery especially effective when compared to John Doe's."
You of course need to look at the scope of all the rhetoric you can, but this kind of thesis suggests you will pay special attention to one kind of imagery, as well as probably more attention to Douglas' work than Doe's.
There are two dominant organization strategies for compare/contrast: addressing one side first and then the other, or looking at specific topics on both sides in each paragraph. I recommend the latter for this paper, but the choice is yours.
Remember you need a strong introduction, a solid thesis, supporting evidence in the body of your paper, and a conclusion that explains why your rhetorical analysis of these two speeches/articles is important in a broader sense.
I expect your paper to follow the following formatting rules:
- Double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font. Disable "Add extra space after paragraph" in Word 2003 and after.
- 1" margins all around. Those on Word 2007 and earlier should check their settings as the default is larger.
- A header with your name, the assignment name, the class (ENGL 1102), and the date.
- A title, centered under the header.
- Your last name and the page number in the upper right hand corner of each page.
- Four full pages in length, NOT including the Works Cited or Consulted. I lower the final grade of a paper by 1 grade level (a B+ becomes a B) for each half page you are under the total.
- You must directly quote from each speech/article in the paper with a proper in-text citation.
- A works cited page that has a proper bibliographic entry for each speech/article, and any outside research you mention in your paper.
- A works consulted page with any works you looked at but did not cite (OPTIONAL).