W233
Instructor Name
RHETORICAL ANAYSIS
According to Richard Bullock, rhetorical analysis occurs in “the context within which
writing or other communication takes place, including PURPOSE, AUDIENCE,
GENRE, STANCE, and MEDIA/DESIGN” (510). That analysis involves moving
beyond just what the content means in a given source (content), but also about who the
author is (background), why the author wrote about it (purpose), where and when it was
published (forum), and how the piece was organized (structure).
Further explanations include analyzing the rhetorical situation of a piece of writing is a
matter of building on reading strategies to examine how and why a particular piece of
writing got written in the first place, who its indented readers are, and what its writer is
trying to accomplish (Trimbur 47). This might also include background information
(context of issues, the writer, the publication), your analysis of the writer’s purpose and
relationship to readers, the analysis of the writer’s language (tone, denotation or
connotation, figures of speech, and stereotypes).
Assignment
Choose an article or two (each of at least 2 pages each or longer) that takes a position on
an issue--one that you can and will use in your researched argument later in the semester.
It helps if you know something about the topic and the issues involved. Make sure you
are interested. You will read, annotate, and then analyze that article(s) based on the
information above. (Or, you could have the students choose one longer, scholarly article,
of at least 5 pages each and conduct the analysis.)
Purpose and Audience
Your audience will be made up of mid to upper level college students who are
majoring in the academic discipline that would deal with your topic. They will
have some knowledge of your topic, along with a familiarity of MLA and the
conventions of academic writing.
Sources
Newspaper editorials and op-ed pieces, featured columnists published in newspapers and
magazines, magazine commentary, political ads, and ads from advocacy groups are all
good sources for this assignment, as well as scholarly journal articles. (You could have
the students write a comparative analysis, examining how, for example an Internet site
and a book covered the same topic/issue.)
Length and Formet
Your final draft will be 3-5 pages, double spaced, using Times New Roman. Proofread
your work for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and sentence sense (wording). A
references page will be required (using either MLA or APA).
Relevant Readings from Norton:
Rhetorical Situations, Chapters 1-5
Guide to Analyzing a Text, Chapter 7
Finding/Evaluating Sources, Quoting, Documentation, Avoiding Plagiarism,
Chapters, 40-46.
Guiding Your Reader, Chapter 29
Organizing, Drafting Getting a Response & Revising
Chapter 47-49 discusses Media Design
Chapter 23--Drafting
Chapter 28--Beginning and Ending
Chapter 25--Getting a Response and Revising
Chapter 26--Editing and Proofreading
Due date:
Your Rhetorical Analysis Should Meet the Following Criteria:
1. The introduction provides adequate and necessary background information to
generally inform your audience about the crucial elements of the issue in
question.
2. A clearly stated thesis is located within your introductory remarks, indicating the
topic and issue you’re discussing, along with some reference to the 3 sources that
will relate to that discussion
3. Any and all sources used should support your thesis, either directly or indirectly.
Substantial and effective connections (transitions) are made between and among
all 3 of your sources.
4. Direct references are made to all cited sources, using an effective blending of
summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotations, using MLA documentation and
appropriate signal phrases/author tags.
5. An obvious and logical plan or organization is used to support your thesis and
guide your audience, as evidenced by effective transitions.
6. The subject matter, purpose, and vocabulary used by your reflects an awareness of
the audience’s needs and knowledge of the subject matter.
7. A conclusion is present, effectively restating your overall impressions about the 3
written texts’ perspectives and an analysis of their significance.
8. The final draft is correctly formatted, using standards established by MLA for intext documentation, and the Works Cited page.
9. The paper illustrates and incorporates the specific strategies of comparing,
summarizing, analyzing, and synthesizing as discussed in class. Evidence of
annotating and otherwise “marking” up your texts should be included.