Rhetorical Analysis Assignment
For this assignment, you will write an analysis of an assigned piece of persuasive writing. The rhetorical analysis draws upon essential critical thinking skills that will be important throughout college as you engage with the writing and ideas of others and develop your own ideas about different subjects and issues.
A draft of this essay will be written in class, and the subject of the analysis will be announced in class.
According to your text, a rhetorical analysis is an essay that examines a writer's strategy, considering the writer's
• Rhetorical situation (the writer's background, purpose, audience, question, and context for the writing)
• Means of persuasion (appeals to logic and emotion; establishing credibility)
• Rhetorical strategies (structure, evidence, and style)
In the end, you will consider each of these elements of an argument to determine how effectively the writer has developed his or her argument. In other words, you will assess the argument.
On page 119 in Practical Argument, you can find a template that will help you write your analysis. Your analysis should include the following:
• An introduction paragraph that identifies the author, title, and purpose of the subject. The
introduction should also present the main point you want to make about the subject.
• Body paragraphs that each focus on one main point. The rhetorical situation, means of persuasion, and rhetorical strategies should be discussed within the body of the essay. Specific detail from the writing should be included as evidence.
• A conclusion paragraph that assesses the argument and summarizes the reasons for the assessment.
Your rhetorical analysis is worth 100 points and will be evaluated based on the following:
FOCUS: The essay focuses on the source provided. The writing adheres to a main idea, and all ideas relate clearly back to it.
ORGANIZATION: The essay includes an introduction paragraph, sufficient body paragraphing, and a concluding paragraph. Body paragraphs each focus on a main point. Transitions guide the reader.
DEVELOPMENT: Ideas are developed with supporting detail. Evidence from the writing being analyzed is presented. The analysis includes the rhetorical situation, means of persuasion, and rhetorical strategies, with most emphasis on the latter two.
STYLE: Ideas are presented clearly.
CORRECTNESS: Grammar, spelling, and punctuation adhere to academic standards. Errors do not interfere with meaning or present a distraction to the reader. If the exact words of the source are presented, they are enclosed in quotation marks.
FORMAT: Final draft meets MLA formatting requirements.