Junior I: Writing
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Rhetorical Analysis Outline
LEARNING TARGET: I CAN ORGANIZE A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS
REMINDER: use formal language, no contractions, writing in first person, or improper grammar.
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
Claim: The beginnings of an argument. Your claim is an analytical statement that requires evidence to be proven—without evidence,
it is merely an assertion. Your claim is the first step in building an argument.
Evidence: What you supply to prove your claim. It is your responsibility as a writer to explain clearly the relationship between your
supplied evidence and your stated claim.
Explanation of Evidence/Inference: to form an opinion or reach a conclusion through reasoning of information. You must infer
ideas or greater insights from your evidence. This may also be referred to as developing your evidence.
Warrant: a statement that explains why a particular example provides evidence that supports a particular claim
Essential Question: How does the author use rhetorical devices (tropes and/or schemes) to
achieve his or her purpose?
INTRODUCTION:
 Explain the context(s) for the argument (Describe the time period this text is
from)
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 A brief synopsis of the text you are analyzing. You must summarize it in enough
detail so that a reader can imagine it; however, you do not want to overdo your
summary. Ideally 1 sentence of your introduction should cover this.
(SUMMARIZE THE PASSAGE OR THE TEXT)
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 Comment on the rhetorical effectiveness of the work. (HOW EFFECTIVE IS
THE ARGUMENT THAT THE AUTHOR MAKES?)
___________(the author’s) ARGUMENT WAS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE
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 Your claim The author uses language to achieve his or her purpose of_______
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Junior I: Writing
FIRST BODY PARAGRAPH: 2 examples of same trope
(Choose one trope that is used twice: use two examples of the same trope here)
Subclaim #1: Topic sentence of this paragraph. This sentence should reflect the part of your claim that you
will address in this body paragraph. (BE SPECIFIC ABOUT TROPES AND SCHEMES)
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Evidence #1: TROPE OR SCHEME (Direct quote with quote weave) + Citation in MLA from the literary
or informational text with context or necessary background for evidence.
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Explanation of Evidence/Infer/Analysis #1:
What are the KEY words from the trope or scheme? What do these KEY words reveal? What
else needs to be explained about this trope or scheme?
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Describe how this trope or scheme helps build a development of ethos, pathos or logos.
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Warrant #1: How does evidence #1 (trope or scheme) support your claim? How does this evidence prove
the position you have taken? (Do not use the words “my claim” in the warrant).
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Transition between evidence #1 and evidence #2: Refer to transition word list for more ideas.
Evidence #2: TROPE OR SCHEME (Direct quote with quote weave) + Citation in MLA from the literary
or informational text with context or necessary background for evidence.
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Explanation of Evidence/Infer/Analysis #2:
Pick a trope or scheme to use as evidence. What are the KEY words from the evidence, if you
provided a direct quote? What do these KEY words reveal? What else needs to be explained
about this trope or scheme?
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Describe how this trope or scheme helps build a development of ethos, pathos or logos.
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Warrant #2: How does evidence #2 support your claim? How does this evidence prove the position you
have taken? (Do not use the words “my claim” in the warrant).
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Concluding Sentence: Restate your claim and compare your two major pieces of evidence using fresh
language.
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Junior I: Writing
SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH2 examples of same scheme
(Choose one scheme that is used twice: use two examples of the same trope here)
(Paragraph Break Here) The part of the claim this body paragraph will address.
Subclaim #2: Topic sentence of this paragraph. This sentence should reflect the part of your claim that you
will address in this body paragraph.
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Evidence #3: TROPE OR SCHEME (Direct quote with quote weave) + Citation in MLA from the literary
or informational text with context or necessary background for evidence.
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Explanation of Evidence/Infer/Analysis #3:
What are the KEY words from the evidence, if you provided a direct quote? What do these KEY
words reveal? What else needs to be explained about this trope or scheme?
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Describe how this trope or scheme helps build a development of ethos, pathos or logos.
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Warrant #3: How does evidence #3 (trope or scheme) support your claim? How does this evidence prove
the position you have taken? (Do not use the words “my claim” in the warrant).
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Transition between evidence #3 and evidence #4: Refer to transition word list for more ideas.
Evidence #4: TROPE OR SCHEME (Direct quote with quote weave) + Citation in MLA from the literary
or informational text with context or necessary background for evidence.
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Explanation of Evidence/Infer/Analysis #4:
Pick a trope or scheme to use as evidence. What are the KEY words from the evidence, if you
provided a direct quote? What do these KEY words reveal? What else needs to be explained
about this trope or scheme?
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Describe how this trope or scheme helps build a development of ethos, pathos or logos.
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Warrant #4: How does evidence #4 support your claim? How does this evidence prove the position you
have taken? (Do not use the words “my claim” in the warrant).
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Concluding Sentence: Restate your claim and compare your two major pieces of evidence using fresh
language.
Junior I: Writing
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CONCLUSION:
 Creatively reword/restate your claim.
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 Make a statement about the effectiveness of the writer’s argument (The author’s
argument was/was not effective because…)
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 Connection/Synthesis: How does this claim apply to the larger world? (DOES THE
AUTHOR’S ARGUMENT STILL APPLY TODAY?)
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