Rhetorical Analysis
For your first paper, your assignment is to write a rhetorical analysis of a text of your choice. Be sure to select something complex enough to allow you to write a thoughtful and insightful analysis.
By definition, the act of analysis is breaking something into its component parts and examining the ways in which those parts contribute to the whole. Textual analysis often involves extracting and creating meaning. Rhetorical analysis is something more specific. Rhetoric involves all the available means of persuasion. So as you write a rhetorical analysis, you are not analyzing only the meaning of the text; you are analyzing the effectiveness of the text by examining the different strategies that the author uses to persuade their audience.
1. How effectively does the writer of your chosen text convey the main idea of the text? In what ways do ethos, logos, and pathos affect the author’s ability to persuade the audience? You must discuss all three strategies. For this topic, you must include thoughtful analysis of direct quotations from the text of your choice.
A draft of this paper of at least 900 words .
Formatting Requirements
Use MLA format to document all sources.
Typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman.
You need a header with your last name and the page number on every page.
Include a word count at the end of your paper (before the Works Cited list)
The Works Cited list should be the last page of your paper and does not count toward the total number of words.
Checklist for Paper 1
I. Content
____ A. Development of ideas
____ B. Support
___ direct quotes
___ detailed analysis and discussion of support
____ C. Discussion of rhetorical strategies (ethos, logos, pathos)
____ D. Discussion of social context and ideologies
II. Structure
____ A. Title is captivating
____ B. Introduction provides sufficient background and/or context
____ C. Thesis statement (main idea for the whole paper) is clear and specific
____ D. Topic Sentences for body
paragraphs are focused and clear
____ E. Conclusion emphasizes the significance of your discussion
____ F. Unity (paragraphs are focused)
____ G. Coherence (using effective transitions)
III. Style
____ A. Complexity and variety of sentence structure
____ B. Diction and tone are appropriate for an academic audience
____ C. Clarity
IV. Grammar and Punctuation
As you proofread, you may want to look for these common errors:
___ Verb tense
___ Subject-verb agreement
___ Fragments
___Point of View
___Comma splices
___Run-ons
___ Apostrophes
___ Comma use
V. Formatting
__ 12-points Times New Roman, double-spaced
__ Heading (Your name, professor’s name, class, date)
__ MLA in-text citation
__ MLA Works Cited List
