Rhetorical Analysis
Your third major paper for this class will be a rhetorical analysis of two texts of your choice. In order for you to write effectively, you must be able analyze how these texts work to achieve their purposes. This assignment gives you the opportunity to analyze the argument and rhetorical context of these texts, compare how they work in relation to their rhetorical settings, and discuss their effectiveness in their own contexts.
In order to conduct the comparative rhetorical analysis, you need to choose two texts that are related to each other in some way. You could, for example, choose two advertisements for the same product that are located in different magazines (or different cultures), or, you could choose two speeches on the same topic that are delivered to different audiences (these are just examples - there are many possibilities). In your paper you will be analyzing the texts in terms of their overall purpose, argument, and structure (including ethos, pathos, and logos), paying close attention to how the text relates to the context of the text (audience, purpose, context, author).
In your analysis you should:
1. Write a brief summary of both of the texts you are analyzing. The summaries should contain a description of the features of both texts as well as a description of the main goal/purpose/argument of both texts.
2. Identify and explain the rhetorical situation of the text by focusing on the type of text, the target audience, the author, and the purpose. Remember that texts may have more than one audience and purpose. Use examples and evidence from the text to show how author of the text is relating or not relating to the rhetorical situation.
3. Identify and analyze how the author uses rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos) to connect with and support his claim for his target audience. Also, pay attention to how the author uses language, format, word choice, and organization to present information, inform/mislead/flatter/etc. (as we have read about in the texts for the class). Use evidence and examplesfrom the text to show how the author uses rhetorical strategies.
4. Discuss what parts of the text are effective in reaching the audience and what parts of the text are not effective in light of the texts audience/context.
5. Submit both the analysis and the texts you are analyzing to me with your first and final drafts.
You will be graded on:
• your ability to accurately describe the text and the rhetorical situation of the text.
• your ability to analyze the rhetorical strategies, including ethos, pathos, and logos and other language and rhetorical strategies used to persuade the reader.
• your use of examples and evidence from the text to support your claims.
• your ability to construct a coherent analysis.
• your ability to construct effective paragraphs and sentences/grammar and mechanics.
Your paper should be 4-6 pages long (excluding the title page and works cited page), 12pt font, double-spaced, times new roman, 1 inch margins, MLA style. It should include a title page and a works cited page.