Rhetorical Analysis Essay
“The Rhetoric of Speeches”
For your first essay, choose one speech from AmericanRhetoric.com’s Top 100 Speeches and write a
multi-paragraph rhetorical analysis.
Goal/Purpose: So far we have analyzed many speeches in our attempts at rhetorical analysis ("We Are
Virginia Tech," "9/11 Address to the Nation," "Eulogy for Princess Diana of Wales," "Pearl Harbor Address to
the Nation," "Remarks on the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.," & "The Space Shuttle Challenger
Tragedy Address"). With this paper, we will dig deeper into rhetorical analysis of the strategies that public
figures use to convey their purposes.
Step 1: Complete a “Goldilock’s experiment” (due Thursday, 10/4).
Step 2: Fill in a SOAPStone chart and Rhetorical Strategies Graphic Organizer (due Friday, 10/5).
Step 3: Complete an outline of your Rhetorical Analysis Essay (due Monday, 10/8).
Step 4: Write a rough draft of your essay (due Tuesday, 10/9).
Step 5: Complete a Peer Editing/Conferencing Activity (due Tuesday, 10/9).
Step 6: Complete a final draft (due Wednesday, 10/10 or Thursday, 10/11).
Essay Specs At A Glance:
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Point Value: at least 25 formative points & 100 summative points
Length: 1½ -3 pages (that’s a FULL 1½ pages minimum; 3 pages—to the bottom—maximum)
Font & Spacing: 12-point normal font; double-spaced; top & bottom margins-1”; left & right margins1.25”
Title Page: Containing the title of the paper, your name, my name (Miss Transue), your block, the due
date
Numbered Pages: Your last name and the page number should appear in the top right corner of each
page of text but NOT on the title page (ex. Transue 2)
Works Cited Page: Required for our text and other sources; MLA format
PLEASE NOTE: The English Department Deadline Policy applies to this project. In order to avoid any
late penalty (10 points off per day, up to 3 days maximum) please turn in your essay on the due date.
Essays may be submitted in person or emailed to btransue@cbsd.org. Failure to turn in your essay on
time will result in parental contact and an e-mail to your administrator. All materials for the essay
(Outline, Rough Draft, Editing/Proofreading Checklist, and Final Draft) must be turned in.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: STEP 1 “Goldilocks Experiment”
While perusing AmericanRhetoric.com’s Top 100 Speeches, find speeches that fit each of
the descriptions below. List the title of each speech and at least 3 bulleted points as
justification for your decision.
“Too Easy” Speech:
“Too Difficult” Speech:
“Just Right” Speech:
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: STEP 2
Title of Speech:
Subject
Details/Description:
Textual Evidence:
What is the speech
mostly about?
Occasion
Research and
describe the
historical context of
this piece. Who
might benefit from
the contents of this
speech?
Audience
What group(s) of
people is the
speaker targeting?
Purpose
Is the purpose to
inform, entertain,
persuade, console?
Be specific.
Speaker
What do you learn
about the speaker?
Is he/she
trustworthy?
Tone
o
Diction
o
Imagery
o
Details
o
Language
(Figurative)
o
Sentence
Structure
Be sure to cite your sources!
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: STEP 2
Title of Speech:
Pathos
Ethos
Logos
Rhetorical Strategy #1
Rhetorical Strategy #2
Rhetorical Strategy #3
Rhetorical Strategy #4
Rhetorical Strategy #5
Details/Description:
Textual Evidence:
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: STEP 3 Thesis & Outline
DIRECTIONS: Now that you have finished analyzing your speech, you are going to create a working thesis and a
basic paragraph outline of your essay. Look back through your notes and the Rhetorical Analysis thesis example.
Thesis: A working thesis should contain all the following:
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Subject of the speech
Purpose of the speech
Tone words that describe the speaker’s tone
Techniques used to reach that purpose
Example Thesis: President Ronald Reagan’s touching and inspirational Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy address
amplifies the important deeds and ultimate courage of the seven heroes in order to reassure the American people,
NASA and the families of those astronauts who perished, that the astronaut’s sacrifice is a crucial and sad part of
the process of scientific discovery; he accomplishes this through the use of reassuring diction, hopeful imagery,
references to past explorers and the repetition of the idea that this is not the end of exploration.
Outline of Topic Sentences: Now you must decide what you will analyze in each paragraph. Write out each final
topic sentence and then under the topic sentence list what you will discuss from that section. Check to make sure
that your outline supports your thesis.
Example Format:
Topic Sentence: Reagan opens the speech by declaring that everyone in the nation feels the pain of the loss of
astronauts, both current and past losses.
1. Overwhelming “pain to the core”
2. Loss of other astronauts on this day
3. Naming each astronaut lost in the Challenger
4. National loss
Topic Sentence: Astronauts are unique individuals and their courage and spirit helps the nation, and their loss
reminds us of their sacrifice.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: STEP 4 Rough Draft
1. Direct address to the families pain
Type EACH paragraph of the essay according to the plan that you created; you might find that you need to
2. Quote
about as
their
spirit
add paragraph
breaks
you
go.
o Type the topic sentence that you decided on from your outline.
3. “hunger” to explore and “serve”
o Make sure that each paragraph transitions smoothly from the one before it.
o Include several pieces of evidence and your analysis.
Etc…
 Introduce your evidence by describing the technique
 Include the evidence
 Explain how the effect is created
o End the paragraph with a clincher sentence that concludes the paragraph and reminds the
reader how the information presented supports the topic sentence.
Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Step 3 Thesis & Outline
Title of Speech:
Your Working Thesis:
Paper Outline: