Essay #1- Rhetorical Analysis Essay( 2 and a half pages)
Our textbook and online readings talk in depth about the rhetorical situation:
Ethos: the writer's authority/goodwill
Pathos: emotional appeals to the audience
Logos: logical appeals, based on reasons and evidence
Specifically, the textbook also discusses the difference between a textual analysis and a contextual analysis.One of the hallmarks of effective communication is the balance between appeals to an audience, the speaker's identity/authority, and the actual timeliness and logic of the message being presented.
Everyone has heard stories about people losing their jobs, being arrested, or becoming famous because of what they posted on social media. These examples are the result of people understanding or MISunderstanding the audience that views the posts online.
But even those of us who use social media without ever becoming famous (or infamous) often make conscious choices to present ourselves in a certain lights. Perhaps we only post things that are very positive. Perhaps we avoid in political posts-or engage in them. Perhaps we want our selfies to be sexy, or perhaps we want them to be quirky and funny. Whatever the case, the decision to present yourself in a certain way-or the lack of intention of how one presents oneself-can have interesting effects on the way others view the messages we wish to send.
For the first essay, you will be examining how you present yourself publically as a writer every day when you use social media, email, or texting to communicate with writing and images. For this assignment, you will have to think critically about the ways you use social media, the way you present yourself, and the audience you are intending to reach.
Directions: Examine your use of one of your social media accounts (OR your use of emails/texting if you do not use social media) in order to analyze your presentation of yourself publically.
Your essay should make an argument about how effectively you've presented yourself to both intended and unintended audiences.
If you do not use social media, you can do an analysis of emails you've sent in the last month OR texts you've sent recently.
Prewriting/Invention:
1. Examine the account you will be analyzing. Scroll back through and start to categorize and group the various posts you've made or conversations you've had. What are some similarities you see? How do you intend for people to view you?
2. Examine the audience for your account. Some sites, like Facebook, can be locked down for privacy, while others cannot be and are extremely public. Do a google search of your own name and see what comes up. Are these posts or images that you intended to have representing who you are?
3. Look for evidence of someone misunderstanding what you posted. What might have caused that misunderstanding?
Once you compile your evidence, you will have to select an argument and then choose judiciously from the various examples to support your argument.
You can use images, as long as they are professionally incorporated-please see the Rules for Writers handbook for how to integrate illustrations appropriately. This is not required.
Essays are due online by the date in the syllabus.