Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical Analysis

Summary

What is a Rhetorical Analysis?

WHAT an article says

Analysis

HOW

A rhetorical analysis is a close reading of a text in order to find out how it tries to persuade readers and whether or not it is effective.

It analyzes how well the components of an argument work together to persuade or move an audience.

How does the writer make the argument?

Ethos, Pathos, Logos...

Getting Started:

Finally,

• Look for elements that stand out or make the piece intriguing or problematic.

• Don't just describe the techniques and strategies.
• Show how the key devices in an argument actually make it succeed or fail.

• Describe how the argument affects the audience and why.

• Your rhetorical analysis should become an argument itself!

and...

Don't forget about the basic components of an essay like topic sentences and a thesis statement!

Writing Your Paper...

• An argument/ claim about the rhetorical effectiveness of the text

• A detailed analysis of how the argument works

• Evidence for every part of the analysis

Here are some things you should include in your rhetorical analysis:

• Facts: author's name, title of the article, place of publication, and date published.

• Context: What is the text responding to? Is it part of a controversy?

• A summary of the text: Write enough detail so that a reader can understand what you're talking about even if they haven't read the article. (1 or 2 paragraphs - don't let the summary take up most of your paper!)

Group Work:

Organization

Rhetorical Elements:

Your rhetorical analysis should follow basic essay structure, with only a few minor changes.

• Introduction: Introduce readers to the article (title and author), describe the text's main argument, and state your claim.

• Brief summary: describe the piece's context, and give readers a short overview of the article. Include only what they need to know to understand your analysis.

• Detailed analysis of HOW the argument works and supporting evidence: This is the main body of your paper. Come up with two to four points of analysis that support your claim and provide textual evidence to back up your argument.

• Conclusion: Bring all your information together and show how it supports your claim.

1 - Ethos

2 - Pathos

3- Logos

4 - Audience

5 - Exigence and Constraints

Pathos: look for pathos in the words, claims, and emotions evoked.

Does the emotion raised advance the claims offered?

Is it convincing? distracting? or does it undermine the argument?

Logos: not only identify but also analyze the logos in the text.

How does the writer present and assess the information?

Is the information from a reliable source?

Ethos: the words, voice, and style of a text help create its ethos.

Does the writer establish credibility through respect, "straight talking," creating equality with the reader, or some other way?

As a group, look over "My Carbon Footprint" and identify examples of your assigned rhetorical element. Write two or three sentences about how the author uses this element.

Elements to Look For:

Organization of the text

• Writer: who wrote and published the article? Researching the writer and the source of the article can help your interpretation of the text.

• Audience: Who is the target audience? In other words, who is the writer trying to reach or who are the intended readers?

• Purpose : Why write this article?

• Claims: What is the main argument? Many published texts don't have a thesis statement. Sometimes you have to figure out what the claim is based on the information given.

Rhetorical Analysis

2015 Super Bowl Commercial

A rhetorical analysis deals not only with words, but also with the way a text is formatted and organized. (What are the constraints?)

Some questions to ask:

• How is the argument set up?
• What is left out?
• What is the writing style?
• How is the text situated on the page?
• Are there any drawings, photos, or other visual media printed along with the text?