Preparing for Rhetorical Analysis
Rhetorical Ad Analysis
• After watching the following videos, please fill
out the worksheet.
Civic Super Bowl Ad
Apple Mac 1984 Ad
Detroit Super Bowl Ad
Rhetorical Analysis
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a rhetorical analysis assignment generally asks you to do two
things: 1) figure out what each writer is trying to accomplish, and
2) identify what writing tactics he or she is utilizing to accomplish
it.
What we will be looking for are examples of the following:
What does the author express directly and indirectly?
How does the writer’s voice and use of rhetorical techniques
convey key ideas?
What effect does the author’s choice of words have on the
reader?
What things or ideas does the writer describe through figurative
language?
What words, phrases, or ideas are repeated?
What is the writer’s attitude towards the subject?
Non-Literary Analytical Essay
• An analytical essay that focuses on how effectively an author expressed
their opinion considering word choice and writing style
• 500 words or less (two typed pages)
• Standard MLA format
• Cites the text on at least three occasions
• Approximately two and a half weeks to fully process the paper
Non-Literary Analytical Essay contd.
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Read one of the non-fiction pieces from the textbook
Discern the author’s main arguments
Develop a working thesis which discusses at least two of the following:
What does the author express directly and indirectly?
How does the writer’s voice and use of rhetorical techniques convey
key ideas?
What effect does the author’s choice of words have on the reader?
What things or ideas does the writer describe through figurative
language?
What words, phrases, or ideas are repeated?
What is the writer’s attitude towards the subject?
Options for the essay:
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“The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli page 454
“The Spectator” by Joseph Addison page 602
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift page 622
“A Vindication of the Rights of Women” by Mary
Wollstonecraft page 720
“Evidence of Progress” by Thomas Babington Macaulay page
1032
“The Condition of England” by Thomas Carlyle page 1036
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell page 1252
“Words and Behavior” by Aldous Huxley page 1266
Common Rhetorical Devices Found on
the SAT Test
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Hyperbole
Repetition
Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Symbolism
Rhetorical questions
Idioms and clichés
Irony
Verbal irony (sarcasm)
Dramatic irony
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Flashback
Foreshadowing
Motif
Anecdote
Appeal to authority
Appeal to fear
Appeal to patriotism
Appeal to pride
Appeal to objection
Bandwagon
Emotional words
Metacognition
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The non-literary analytical essay
poses very unique challenges. While
the pieces you are reading are small,
and I have already discussed the
main ideas, you still have to get your
head around what your author is
expressing, how they are expressing
it, and how that means of expression
either helps you as the reader make
more sense out of the essay or
contributes to the effectiveness of
the message. Your journal today is to
discuss what you have figured out
about your primary work and what
questions you have about the essay
you are required to write. What am I
asking you to tell me is which of the
six questions apply to the piece you
are reading and what you understand
to be the next step in the process.
Pop Quiz!
• What are you arguing in
this paper?
• How many quotes need
to be on the reflections
chart?
• How many items must
you argue about in your
paper?
• Name one rhetorical
device and give an
example:
Thesis statement
• Thesis must argue what sort of
rhetorical devices the author is
using and for what purpose.
Why are they using the
specific words and phrases to
express their point?
• This is a basic thesis statement
for this essay: Using a flippant
tone and hard numerical data,
David Brooks, in the article
entitled, “The Good News
About Poverty”, paints a very
optimistic future for those in
the lowest economic class.
Peer Editing
• Break into groups based on topic
• Whoever has their paper completed, please
share your thesis
• Each person name the two items they are writing
about and give at least one example for each
• After fifteen minutes, return to your original
seats and we will talk about the essay’s as a class.
Basic Format for the Essay
• Introduction should give a little background on your author such as when were
they alive, where did they live, what are they famous for? Another good thing to
put in the introductions is the main argument of the essay. What was the essay you
read about? Finish your introduction with a thesis statement.
• The thesis statement should argue that (your author) using (rhetorical or literary
device one) and (rhetorical or literary device two) made the point of (main point of
essay)
• Your first body paragraph should discuss the first point you brought up in your
thesis. Begin by explaining the point you are going to make, then set up your quote
by discussing what is going on in the essay when the point is made, use your quote,
cite your quote, and then explain how the quote proves how the author expressed
their point and why they expressed it the way they did.
• The second body paragraph is just like the first
• The conclusion should summarize your introduction, rephrase your main points,
and finish by praising your author for their great writing skills. Be sure not to be
redundant. Do not use the same words you used earlier in your essay
Ratiocination Instructions:
• Please read your essay and circle the words
“I”, “my” or “you”
• Next, please put a box around any “to be”
verb: is, am, are, were, was, be, being, been,
or any conjunction with them in it such as
isn’t, wasn’t, or weren’t
• Then, underline your main points
• Finally, please put a star next to where you
cited the text
Point of View
• The reason why I had you circle “I”, “my”, and
“you” has to do with point of view. Since this
essay is academic in nature (analyzing a text),
it should be in third person point of view,
meaning I, my, and you are not used. You will
need to rewrite any parts of the essay where
you made this error.
“To Be” Verbs
• “To be” verbs have the distinctive nickname of
lazy verbs. The reason for this nickname revolves
around their lack of action. As I stated earlier in
the year, you cannot is, nor can you was. Please
count the number of times one of these words
appears in your essay and write that total at the
top of your page. Try to reduce this number by
half. Again, this might mean having to rewrite
entire sentences, but your essay gets better each
time you do
Main Points
• Often people believe their essay is great because they
used a lot of words. Those words are just fluff if you do
not have a point. Since you are trying to prove at least
two things from the six options, you should have at
least two or three main points. These points should
have to do with what you noticed about how an author
expressed something and why they expressed it in such
a way.
• The last thing is, you were supposed to cite the text at
least three times, so you should have three quotes.
Remember: “Quote” (Author).
Essay help
• Your introduction should give a short bit of background about
your essay, summarize the main argument of your essay, and
then conclude with your thesis statement.
• Your thesis statement should argue two or three of the six
points from the Reflection Chart
• Your body paragraphs should elaborate on the points
identified in your thesis. Be sure to quote your primary text at
least three times and give (author’s name, page #)
• Your conclusion should restate your main points without being
redundant
• You need a works cited page which only needs to include your
textbook (unless you used the Internet for background
information on your essay)
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Peer
Review
Groups by essay
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• Discuss the main arguments of your chosen essay
• Each member must then discuss which points they are
arguing in their thesis
• After about ten minutes each group will report to the class
• One member will explain the main argument
• Each of the other members will discuss one point and how
they are proving it
• “One technique (author) uses to express his point of view
is (point). An example of this is when he/she writes
(example) which makes his/her essay better for the reader
by (how?)
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