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last.updated 5.05.09

 

Rhetorical Analysis


Purpose

This assignment gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply the course content by using the principles taught to explain why a text of choice is or is not persauisive.


Instructions–Invention

Choose a text that you want to analyze. For the purposes of this assignment, "text" is being loosely define to include a product composed for an audience. Therefore, your choices can range from, but are not limited to, a political speech to a novel to a YouTube video to a Sunday morning cartoon to an academic journal article.

As you engage the text, ask yourself what rhetorical strategies the composer used, tried to use, or failed to use effectively to make the text persausive. You will only be responsible for the concepts that we have discussed thus far in the semester. But you may go beyond these concepts if you choose to; however, if you do so, you still need to be accurate and rigorous in your approach.

Instructions–Writing

Write a conference length paper (2000-2500 words) in which you rhetorically analyze the text you have chosen. This paper should include...

  • a brief description of the chosen text. You will provide most of the important details from the text as you analyze specific parts or passages
  • a brief development of a rhetorical framework. You will need to put the views of the rhetorical concepts you will be using into conversation with other scholars in the field and then ultimately explain how YOU will be using the rheotrical concept to analyze this text
  • an analysis of the text you have chosen using the rhetorical framework you have created. The analysis should be supported with parts or passages from the text

In lieu of a paper, you can produce an alternative type of text. If you choose to do this, you need to 1) consult the instructor and 2) compose a text that is self-sustaining (in other words, the audience should be able to understand your argument without your presence).


Criteria

Logistics:

In addition to the general evaluation criteria, the instructor will be looking for evidence of...

  • a sense of audience–do you provide enough information and detail about the chosen text to understand the analysis
  • does your text converse with and contribute to the academic discussion on rhetoric?
  • an informed understanding of rhetoric. Does your inquiry demonstrate an understanding of rhetoric, especially related to the concepts you have chosen? Does your inquiry demonstratehow the use of rhetoric is relevant to the reception of this text?
  • a well supported argument with evidence from the text analyzed in substinative ways
  • appropriate use of conventions, including MLA or APA citation formatting