Silent Reading
Learning Goals: Students will learn strategies for a timed writing rhetorical analysis. Students will analyze
responses for strength and weaknesses and provide feedback to peers.
Success Criteria:
1. Students read steps to timed writing response
2. Students analyze rubric and rate a peers giving constructive feedback of strengths and weaknesses
3. Students revise and edit their work to raise the score
Performance of Success
1. Students score and feedback to peer
2. Revised and Edited Rhetorical Analysis Paragraph
AP Timed
Writing
Things to remember….
-Timed Writing means timed - you will
only have one period to write your
rhetorical analysis.
-Preparation is key!
Thoroughly consider the author’s
decisions
---Ask yourself how the rhetorical strategies of
appeals and devices help the author achieve his or
her purpose.
---Determine if any of these strategies fail and hurt
the author instead of helping.
---Speculate on why the author may have chosen
those rhetorical strategies for that audience and that
occasion.
---Determine if the choice of strategies may have
differed for a different audience or occasion.
----Remember that in a rhetorical analysis, you do
not need to agree with the argument being presented.
Your task is to analyze how well the author uses the
appeals/devices to present her or his argument.
Paragraph Structures:
Your introduction includes:
• Speaker’s name
• Title of editorial
• Briefly mention the SOAPstone
•
(speaker, occasion, audience,
purpose, subject of text).
• Thesis statement: Discuss the argument
the writer uses in order to move the
audience towards their desired purpose.
Essay Structure
May Vary
How to organize your body paragraphs
•In your topic sentence identify which appeal
the author is using and what they are trying
to persuade the audience of.
•Embed textual evidence to support this. You
should include at least 3 embedded
evidences within the essay.
•Analyze how the chosen device enhances
or impacts the writer’s argument (support).
•Write a concluding sentence that reinforces
why the writer wrote the editorial (context).
Superior
Adequate
Fair
Developing
Thesis/Intro/
Clear and insightful thesis
statement, Introduction includes an
analytical summary.
Mostly clear thesis
statement, Introduction
includes an analytical
summary
Simplistic thesis statement,
Introduction includes an
objective summary
Lacks thesis statement OR
thesis statement is present
but does not address the
purpose of the speech,
introduction not present
Textual
Evidence
strong embedded evidence that
clearly support topic sentence; all
language in the quotation is
analyzed (no superfluous sections)
some good, some weak
evidence; some evidence
may be unnecessary or
unrelated; superfluous
language in quotation
(quotes more words than
are analyzed); Attempt at
embedding is still lacking
in fluidity
insufficient evidence to
support topic sentence OR
evidence chosen to
summarize rather than to
analyze text; unclear or
misleading connection
between evidence and topic
sentence; No attempt at
embedding evidence
no textual evidence or lists
evidence without analysis
Analysis of
Rhetorical
Devices
Show awareness of the rhetorical
triangle and how the speaker
articulates the purpose of the
speech through the use of
rhetorical devices, analysis of
rhetorical devices shows fluidity
and understanding of the function
of devices together to create
meaning
References the rhetorical
triangle and how the
rhetorical devices develop
the overall purpose of the
speech, clear
understanding and
argumentation but less
thoughtful/original, devices
are thoroughly analyzed
but in isolation without
showing connection
between the speaker’s
Limited awareness of the
rhetorical triangle and how
the rhetorical devices
develop the overall purpose
of the speech, superficial
analysis and
comprehension of text,
devices are addressed in
isolation without showing
connection between the
speaker’s choices
Little to no awareness of
the rhetorical triangle and
how the rhetorical devices
develop the overall purpose
of the speech,
paraphrases or
summarizes without
analysis, no devices
present OR devices
identified without analysis
Color Key
Red: Thesis and Topic Sentences
Green: Text Evidence
Blue: Analysis
White: Soapstone/Conclusion
In an analytical paragraph, analyze the rhetorical choices the writer makes to develop her argument in, “An Open Letter to Donald Trump.”
Sample Essay
In the case of the editorial, “An Open Letter to Donald Trump”, Amara Majeed relies on her credibility
as a highly successful Muslim American , published in various outlets, to prove how many Muslims consider
themselves to be Americans despite the harsh categorizations and assumptions placed on her group by those
who are not Muslim. Majeed reaches out to Trump supporters and directs her argument to Trump himself in an
attempt to spread enlightenment that his negative views of all Muslims has dangerous consequences.
Amara Majeed develops an impassioned tone, through her anecdotes, to expose individuals who are
not familiar with Muslims. Majeed focused specifically on life threatening experiences that she endured on her
college campus. She reveals how even with simple acts of faith, like wearing her religious scarf in the open,
made her feel exposed and anxious. “Through the streetlight, I saw a large shadow quickly approaching behind
me. I could feel my heartbeat quicken, and I increased the length of my strides. My dorm room was still about a
block away, so I reached back for the hood of my jacket and put it on. My Islamic headscarf was a very visible
indicator of my faith, and I didn't feel entirely comfortable with it exposed now that Muslim hate-speech has
become an accepted part of the national dialogue.” Majeed is expecting readers to understand that despite the
assumptions that have been associated with her religion, she still experiences the human emotion of fear as a
result of negative stereotypes. It was imperative for readers to understand that her scarf which she was proud to
wear was now compromised due to the consistent negative light that is shone as a result of individuals such as
Mr. Trump. In response she doesn’t feel secure in a familiar environment especially at night. With the use of this
anecdote it is clear she hopes readers reflect on moments of fear they experienced at one point in their life, but
unlike her, probably did not fear for their safety.
Later on she relies on an allusion to Jews, African Americans, and Japanese individuals
forced to live in camps to remind Trump and the audience that in many instances our nation has made
the mistake of not supporting those in need or making those perceived to be different tortured,
punished, or imprisoned. “Mr. Trump, your hateful comments represent regressions into history — a
history in which it was acceptable to discriminate against and ruthlessly murder African Americans
based on their race, a history in which it was considered correct, to put Japanese Americans in
internment camps based on their heritage, a history in which it was considered necessary to murder
Jews on the basis of their religion.” Majeed’s reference to historical times of darkness reminds the
audience that society in America has not always been so understanding minorities which has led to
regret and great suffering for members of those respective groups. Trump has made radical
comments about Muslims overall. Majeed stresses that his speeches do not reflect the individuals in
America who are Muslim American with a sole purpose of conquering the American Dream.
Majeed relies on anecdotes and allusions to give the reader a connection that they might
not otherwise have to Muslim Americans who feel persecuted and are doing their best to be
successful. Her anecdotes and allusions provide a first hand account of the emotional damage that
Trump’s campaign is having on individuals who are Muslim, yet are trying to counter his by working
hard, practicing their faith, and proving that they too are American.
Steps to Success: Homework
1. Identify and annotate rhetorical devices and appeals the author uses to make their argument
persuasive.
Annotations: What is the author revealing through these devices and why? How do they support the
argument or make it more persuasive.
-Diction - red
-Anecdote - orange
-Allusion - yellow
- Syntax - green
-Antithesis - blue
-Ethos -Purple
-Pathos - Pink
-Logos - Brown
2. Identify SOAPstone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Tone)
3. Identify the author’s argument - what evidence that you identified in the editorial best supports their
argument and make it the most persuasive? Put a *
Peer Revising and Editing
•
Read your partners introduction – does it summarize the speaker, occasion, audience, and
argument? Does their thesis statement explain the speaker’s argument and which devices or
appeals they relied on? It does not have to identify the appeals – but it must explain the speaker’s
argument.
If yes: Highlight their thesis statement in green. If no: Highlight their thesis statement in yellow. At the
bottom of their writing explain to them why it was unclear or what is missing.
•
•
Highlight their topic sentence in purple. Does it explain what the paragraph will discuss and
reference the rhetorical appeals or devices? If yes: leave purple. If no: Highlight in yellow. At the
bottom of their writing explain to them what was unclear or missing.
Highlight their evidence in green. Read their analysis does the analysis explain why the author used
those specific devices, how they supported the argument? Why they were successful? If not, at the
bottom leave them feedback explaining how they can strengthen the connection.
Using the rubric above: score their paragraph and explain to them why in 2-3 sentences.