Rhetoric is the study of how writers and speakers use words to influence an audience. A rhetorical analysis is an essay that breaks a work of non-fiction into parts and then explains how the parts work together to create a certain effect.

For your third formal assignment, you will analyze one of the articles assigned for this semester. The article can be one we have read or one we are scheduled to read but have not yet read. You will offer your own analysis of the article you have chosen. Is the article effective, convincing, and/or successful? What is the author’s larger point? Is that argument or point subtle or obvious? Does the writer fulfill his or her purpose? What does the author do well, and where, if anywhere, does the point fall apart?

A rhetorical analysis should explore the writer’s goals, the techniques used, examples of those techniques, and the effectiveness of those techniques. When writing a rhetorical analysis, you are NOT saying whether or not you agree with the author or the topic. Instead, you are discussing how the writer presents his or her point and whether or not the approach used is successful. You may look at any combination of techniques, including: thesis, tone, diction, evidence, logos, pathos, ethos, etc.

Here are some tips for organizing this essay:

• Your introduction should provide a brief summary of the article you have chosen.
• Your thesis statement should set up your analysis by providing a general framework for your essay.
• Your body paragraphs should each be organized around one main point you are making about the article’s strengths, weaknesses, and / or effectiveness.
• Each body paragraph will likely focus on a specific aspect of the essay which adds to the essay’s strength, weakness, and / or effectiveness. For example, in individual body paragraphs, you might focus on the author’s use of statistics or examples, the tone of the essay, the diction, the examples, the audience, or the thesis. Really dig into the essay to reveal what the author does well and / or what the author fails to do well.
• Your conclusion should pull the essay back together without introducing any new information.
• You should include a works cited page which lists only the article you analyzed.

As with any essay you write, you should spend sufficient time revising and editing this essay. Revision focuses on the bigger issues: focus, organization, unity, and content. In most cases, revision is more time consuming and difficult than editing. When you edit, you carefully read your work to identify lackluster sentences, dull word choices, unnecessary repetition, and mechanical errors. Editing is polishing the essay so that your readers delight in reading your thoughtful analysis. If your analysis is not thoughtful, though, editing will not have the impact you want. While you may revise and edit simultaneously, do not make the mistake of thinking revision means simply correcting errors.

All essays in my class fall within the “10% rule.” Under this rule, you may go 10% under or over the required word count, but if your essay falls outside of those boundaries, you will automatically lose 10% of your grade as a penalty. The acceptable word count range for this essay is 675 to 1100 words.

Specific Requirements:

No 1st person (“I” and related pronouns (me, my, mine, etc.)) in this essay
No 2nd person pronouns (you)
No contractions
Avoid slang / colloquialisms
Length: 750 – 1000 words
MLA Format: Typewritten
White Paper
Double Spaced
1” Margins
12 Point Font: Times New Roman or Arial
Last Name and Page Numbers in the Upper Right-hand Corners
Title Centered and Clearly Stated (Be Creative!)
Heading: Upper Left Hand Corner of Page 1 (Double-spaced)