Thinking Rhetorically

Writing a

Rhetorical

Analysis

What is a rhetorical analysis?

Questions to ask the text/ad/song

What is the purpose?

Who is your audience?

What appeals or techniques

does the argument use?

What shape does the argument take?

How does the language or style of the argument work to persuade an audience?

How is the argument presented or arranged? What media does the argument use?

What are the contexts for this argument? Social? Political?

Historical? Cultural?

What authorities does the argument rely on?

Whose interests are served? Who gains or loses by it?

Don't just list...Explain!!

Tell how these things work together to help the argument succeed...or fail.

Show readers where and why an argument makes sense...

Bad claim: "This editorial has good pathos and ethos, but lousy logos."

Good claim: The editorial in today's 'Daily Skiff' about campus crimes may scare first-year students, but its anecdotal reporting doesn't get down to hard numbers--and for a good reason. Those statistics don't back the position taken by the editors."

To develop your thesis within your rhetorical analysis, think about these questions...

Which of its rhetorical features will likely influence readers most? It's connections with the audience? Emotional appeals? Style?

How can I describe what this argument achieves?

How do the rhetorical elements interact?

Text and images drawn from

"Everything's an Argument," (4th ed.,) and

the website http://tinyurl.com/ygxh2hc

How do you normally think about taxes and how is this ad trying to change those ideas?

Why would

"fast" be attractive?

Why not "accurate"

or "secure"?

What do MP3's have to

do with taxes?

What relationship does

the target audience have

with the internet? Are some

people more likely to trust

their taxes to the internet

than others?

How important is individuality to the target audience? How does this ad use words and layout to get at that?

How has this model been dressed? Why

a backpack, choker, and this ridiculous

hat? What is she supposed to look like?

Ethos?

Logos?

Pathos?

What are "young adults"?

Do young people do taxes?

Is that really the target of this ad?

The ad doesn't

urge you to

"sign up now" but

to "learn more."

Why would they

choose this type of

low pressure approach?

In an internet ad, the reader can simply click a link to get more information or sign up. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this approach compared to print and tv ads?

A method for studying and understanding

any sort of communication

...and where it falls apart.

Most importantly, your rhetorical analysis must have a claim.

Does the argument have a clear purpose? Who is its audience?