Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet
Your task is to be critical of your artifact by performing an analysis of it.
Audience
Who is the primary audience? How do you know? How does the artifact
communicate the needs or values of the audience?
Thesis and Support
What is the thesis (or main argument)? What information do you find to
be the thesis’s “support”?
Purpose
What is the purpose of the argument? How does the arguer want the
audience to think/behave differently? If there is more than one purpose,
what are they?
Exigency (need)
Why was this argument created? What need is it fulfilling for the
audience? For the speaker?
Counterargument and Concession
What opposing views could the target audience make in response to the
thesis? Please brainstorm a few suggestions.
After performing your analysis how do you see this artifact differently?
What is your opinion of the argument? To what extent do you find
the argument is effective in persuading the target audience?