Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet
Your task is to be critical of your artifact by performing an analysis of it. Please work in a
small group and answer the following questions about your artifact.
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?