Revision
Handouts for
Rhetorical
Analysis Essays
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Rhetorical Analysis Essay Self-Reflection
Does my essay identify the rhetorical situation and offer a
defensible thesis in the introduction?
Yes
No
Do I include layers of evidence and commentary in each body
paragraph?
Yes
No
Do my evidence and commentary relate to and help prove my
thesis?
Yes
No
Do I correctly embed direct quotations into a sentence of my own?
Yes
No
Do I have more commentary than evidence?
Yes
No
Do I use transition words or phrases effectively within and
between paragraphs?
Yes
No
Do I have strong topic and concluding sentences for each of my
body paragraphs?
Yes
Mostly
No
Which body
paragraph do you
feel is strongest
and why?
What is one skill
you feel you
applied well within
your essay?
What is one skill
you would like to
continue to
improve upon?
© Coach Hall Writes
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Peer-Edit Reflection
Name:
Peer’s Name:
Does the essay identify the rhetorical situation and offer a
defensible thesis in the introduction?
Yes
No
Does the essay include layers of evidence and commentary in
each body paragraph?
Yes
No
Do the evidence and commentary relate to and help prove the
thesis?
Yes
No
Are direct quotations correctly embedded into a sentence?
Yes
No
Is there more commentary than evidence?
Yes
No
Does the essay include effective transition words or phrases
within and between paragraphs?
Yes
No
Does the essay contain strong topic and concluding sentences?
Yes
Mostly
No
Which body
paragraph do you
feel is strongest
and why?
What is one skill
this student writer
did well?
What is one skill
that could be
improved upon?
© Coach Hall Writes
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Checklist
Introduction
Identify the rhetorical situation.
q
Thesis includes rhetorical choices and a specific purpose, message, or
argument
q
Does the thesis contain rhetorically accurate verbs?
q Yes
q No
Body Paragraph 1
The topic sentence effectively leads into or establishes the main idea.
q
Short, direct quotes are effectively embedded into a sentence.
• Avoid She says, “…” or For example, “…”
q
The commentary explains the significance of the evidence by addressing
“why,” “how,” or “so what?”
q
The commentary connects the choice to the rhetorical situation by analyzing
• the writer/speaker’s needs, beliefs, desires, or values or characterizing
the speaker
• the audience's needs, beliefs, desires, or values
• relevant historical context
• the exigence
q
The commentary connects the choices to a specific message, purpose, or
argument.
q
The paragraph contains active voice.
q
The paragraph contains rhetorically accurate verbs.
q
The paragraph contains precise word choice, avoiding lower-level words
such as “good,” “bad,” “thing,” etc.
q
Sentences are appropriately combined to avoid repetition, leading to varied
syntax.
q
The paragraph contains “layers” of evidence and commentary.
q
The paragraph contains effective transitions between layers of evidence and
commentary.
q
The concluding sentence effectively “wraps up” the paragraph by referring
to the main idea/thesis.
q
© Coach Hall Writes
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Checklist
Body Paragraph 2
The topic sentence effectively transitions from the previous main idea to the
new main idea.
q
Short, direct quotes are effectively embedded into a sentence.
• Avoid She says, “…” or For example, “…”
q
The commentary explains the significance of the evidence by addressing
“why,” “how,” or “so what?”
q
The commentary connects the choice to the rhetorical situation by analyzing
• the writer/speaker’s needs, beliefs, desires, or values or characterizing
the speaker
• the audience's needs, beliefs, desires, or values
• relevant historical context
• the exigence
q
The commentary connects the choices to a specific message, purpose, or
argument.
q
The paragraph contains active voice.
q
The paragraph contains rhetorically accurate verbs.
q
The paragraph contains precise word choice, avoiding lower-level words
such as “good,” “bad,” “thing,” etc.
q
Sentences are appropriately combined to avoid repetition, leading to varied
syntax.
q
The paragraph contains “layers” of evidence and commentary.
q
The paragraph contains effective transitions between layers of evidence and
commentary.
q
The concluding sentence effectively “wraps up” the paragraph by referring
to the main idea/thesis.
q
Notes:
© Coach Hall Writes
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Checklist
Body Paragraph 3
The topic sentence effectively transitions from the previous main idea to the
new main idea.
q
Short, direct quotes are effectively embedded into a sentence.
• Avoid She says, “…” or For example, “…”
q
The commentary explains the significance of the evidence by addressing
“why,” “how,” or “so what?”
q
The commentary connects the choice to the rhetorical situation by analyzing
• the writer/speaker’s needs, beliefs, desires, or values or characterizing
the speaker
• the audience's needs, beliefs, desires, or values
• relevant historical context
• the exigence
q
The commentary connects the choices to a specific message, purpose, or
argument.
q
The paragraph contains active voice.
q
The paragraph contains rhetorically accurate verbs.
q
The paragraph contains precise word choice, avoiding lower-level words
such as “good,” “bad,” “thing,” etc.
q
Sentences are appropriately combined to avoid repetition, leading to varied
syntax.
q
The paragraph contains “layers” of evidence and commentary.
q
The paragraph contains effective transitions between layers of evidence and
commentary.
q
The concluding sentence effectively “wraps up” the paragraph by referring
to the main idea/thesis.
q
Notes:
© Coach Hall Writes
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Checklist
Conclusion
Restate thesis (not verbatim)
q
Other ways to develop a conclusion:
• Examine the effectiveness of the passage (ex. Historically speaking, did the
writer/speaker accomplish the desired goal?)
• Situate the message/argument in a broader context by connecting to relevant
real-world implications.
• Examine the conclusions, messages, or lessons that can be learned from this
passage.
• Reflect on the overall message of the passage and examine how the message
applies to other relevant situations.
• Examine what will happen if the audience heeds (or fails to heed) the
writer/speaker’s call to action.
q
Reflection
Which body
paragraph do you
feel is strongest
and why?
What is one skill
you feel you applied
well within your
essay?
What is one skill
you would like to
continue to
improve upon?
© Coach Hall Writes