Paper 3: Rhetorical Analysis

Draft Due: Nov 27th

Overview

The third essay this semester will prepare you the most for College Composition II which is
focused around Rhetorical Analysis and argumentation. In this project you will analyze an
argumentative text revolving around advocacy. You will chose one text from a list of options and
analyze its arguments and the tools it uses, be it effectively or ineffectively for a particular
purpose, audience and context in which you too will be tasked to articulate.

Goals

To understand and analyze the conventions of an argument (Core Value 2).

To demonstrate an awareness of audience and purpose by providing necessary

background information to contextualize adequately, and recognizing and working with
the beliefs and values of others understood via critical reading and analysis (Core Value 2
& 3).

To treat other views and experiences respectfully as you analyze carefully (Core Value
5).

Contextualization: While introductions often need a good deal of summary, designing a

purposeful summary is more involved than restating the main points of a text in a concise
manner. For this project you must provide audiences with necessary information such as who the
author is and the title of the artifact, but you must also provide the rhetorical situation (the issue
or experience that calls for a response), the authors intended audience, and the pieces purpose
(to change, advocate, undermine, reveal, etc.)

Thesis: After articulating the artifacts purpose you must also define your purpose in analyzing
it. What will your analysis do to your audience and the authors text? (ex: correct, defer
purposefully, ground or make practical, help audiences join an important conversation and take
action, etc.) Consider what tools contribute to the authors argument and purpose that make it
effective or ineffective. Be sure to narrow to very few things to examine so you have adequate
time to analyze.
Tools: The course lectures, readings, and discussions have prepared us to be critical readers
capable of analysis by using a host of tools (kind of like many pairs of glasses) to analyze
effectively and purposefully. You must work with the rhetorical appeals (Ethos, Logos and
Pathos) to examine the tools the artifact uses to prepare an argument. Just like Stephen King and
Annie Dillard used metaphor, what tools does the artifact use? (Ex: Simile, Imagery,
Exemplification, Anecdotes, Theory (like feminist theory or critical race theory), Repetition,
Images, Videos, Tone, Allusion, and so much more.)

Details

1) Part of contextualizing your audience is showing that the problem the author discusses
actually exists. This entails getting your reader to care enough to read. To get the reader
to care, you will need to work on their hearts as well as their minds by showing how the
problem affects people (and, potentially, the reader specifically) and how so they, you or
the author have something important at stake.

2) In order to illustrate your purpose in writing you must point to and explain select samples
of the text. In other words, you must use textual evidence or quotes (but not excessively)
in order to contextualize your audience enough and to show your analysis.

3) Your body paragraphs should allow your audience to follow the evidence to arrive at
some destination in the conclusion. Your conclusion should address the argument
specifically, give an overview of strengths and weaknesses, and reinforce why you
believe the text proves effective or ineffective.

Guidelines

900-1200 words.

Original title for paper.

12 pt. Times New Roman, 1 margins, double-spacing.

Last name and page number in upper-right corner; appropriate heading in upper-left
corner of first page.

APA-style manuscript, in-text citations, and bibliography. For formatting guidance, see
Writing Arguments or Purdue OWL.