Rhetorical Analysis
Preface:
The purpose for writing a rhetorical analysis is to explain how an author attempts to
influence an audience. That is, we use specific evidence from the text to establish a
generalization (thesis) about the text's rhetoric (how it persuades its readers).
Assignment: write an analysis that will help your readers understand how the text works to
persuade its audience. Introduce the text and identify its basic claim/thesis. Arrange the body
of your paper so that the readers move through it in an orderly way. Also, make a judgment
about the text's rhetorical effectiveness.
Further Instructions
Before analyzing the argument, you should provide a brief summary of the text you're
going to discuss, its purpose, and the audience at which it's aimed. This kind of
background information is important for your readers, who may not be familiar with the
text.
After that, your purpose is to provide a way of understanding
how the text
persuades its audience
.
Below are some basic questions. These questions are not meant to provide an outline for the
paper; rather, they simply help you to think about the rhetorical aspects of the text.
1.
What is the rhetorical situation? Who is the writer's audience? What is the writer's
purpose? Also, think about where the item originally appeared. This may help you to
determine the purpose, audience, and scope of the text's argument.
2.
How would you describe the writer's ethos ? That is, what can you apprehend in the
text about the writer's character, ethics, attitude, and overall credibility? " Ethos "
speaks to the trustworthiness of the writer. Those who employ ethos to persuade say
this: "Believe me, identify with me, because of the kind of person I am."
3.
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- Spring '08
- DEBORAHMORKUN
- English, Rhetoric, Writer
-
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