Essay Assignment
For an ignorant reader, perform a rhetorical analysis of Wiseman's "What Boys Want." Your essay will identify and explain effective rhetorical strategies used by the author, Aristotelian appeals generated by these rhetorical strategies, and logical and emotional fallacies committed in her essay. The tone and language of your essay will be formal/professional (Maintain 3rdperson throughout; maximum 5 sentences in 1st person; NO 2nd Person ALLOWED). Your essay will follow the steps listed below:
1. Introduction/background: introduce the author (her full name) and text title and then summarize the essay for a reader who has never read it.
2. Introduction: your essay will briefly mention the idea of rhetorical strategies, as well as Aristotelian appeals and logical and emotional fallacies.
3. Introduction/Thesis: your introduction will also contain an instantly recognizable thesis that identifies whether you feel the author's overall argument is rhetorically strong or weak (use a professional/objective voice - that means maintain 3rd person as much as possible).
o Your thesis also needs to indicate the purpose and direction of your essay (i.e. WHAT will you do/prove? and HOW will what you will do/prove be achieved?).
o Remember that your essay is NOT about whether or not you agree with the author. Rather, your essay is about the rhetorical strengths and weaknesses of the author.
4. Because of the nature of the assignment, you will organize your body paragraphs using block-style. What this means is that you must discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your author separately.
5. Your essay must contain at least one effective demonstration of paraphrasing, correct in-text referencing, at least one block quotation, and at least one other type of quotation.
6. Your discussion of the author's rhetorical strengths and weaknesses will be framed in terms of:
o Strengths: Specific effectively used rhetorical strategies - name them, classify them as generating one or more of the 3 types of Aristotelian appeals (logical/ethical/emotional), and describe HOW and/or WHY they are effectively deployed.
o Weaknesses: Logical and emotional fallacies (at least one of each type).
7. Obviously, if you feel the author is ultimately effective, you will write about more strengths. Of course you will also list at least two (minor) fallacies for that author. If you consider the author ineffective, you will begin by identifying the many logical and emotional fallacies in the essay. However, ensure you describe at least two effectively use rhetorical strategies for this "weak" author. Doing this will demonstrate a greater sense of objectivity and grace on your part. (Please do not use dismissive/pejorative language against the author)
8. Your essay must feature clearly identifiable topic sentences in EVERY paragraph that are supported deductively (i.e. your topic sentence is the FIRST SENTENCE of each paragraph).
9. Your essay must also feature at least TWO instances of paragraph transitions (i.e. using the last or first sentence creating transitional links with the paragraphs that follow or precede it).
10. You are NOT required to include a Works Cited page but ALL quoted and paraphrased data require CORRECTLY PRESENTED MLA-style in-text page references in parentheses.