Rhetorical Analysis
Purpose: Read a persuasive essay or story, and answer the following questions to analyze the
author’s persuasive arguments and strategies? Write a 3-4 page essay that answers the
following questions:
1. Is there a persuasive argument in this essay or story?
2. Who is the author or narrator of this essay or story?
3. Who was his or her intended audience?
4. When and where was this essay or story first published?
5. What are the author’s (or main character’s) major claims or thesis?
6. Does he or she support these claims with strong evidence?
 Facts and statistics
 Reasons and logic
 Expert opinions
 Personal experiences or stories
7. Does the author or narrator respectfully respond to counter-arguments and avoid logical
or emotional fallacies?
8. What kind of appeals does the author use?
 Ethos: Maintaining a the tone of a fair, reasonable and open-minded speaker
 Logos: Using facts, reasons and evidence to support claims
 Pathos: Using emotions, values and personal stories to move the audience.
9. How persuasive was this argument and why?
Argument Criteria
Analysis: Clearly analyze the persuasive arguments and strategies in this essay or story. (50%
or grade)
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Context: Display clear understanding of the essay’s or story’s context, purpose, audience,
background and methods of argument. (20% of grade)
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Organization: Provide clear connections and transitions between ideas and topic sentences,
with specific examples and coherent, unified and well developed paragraphs. Include an
effective introduction and conclusion. (20% of grade)
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Editing: Use correct spelling, punctuation and mechanics. Use correct MLA documentation for
all quotes and references. (10% of grade)
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Average Score:
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GRADE:
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