Major Essay #2

English 1010 |  Progression Two |  Rhetorical Analysis Assignment Guidelines
Your assignment is to critically examine an argument of your choice. This argument can be verbal, visual, aural or combination of the three. Write a rhetorical analysis that discusses how the argument works and evaluates its effectiveness. Consider some of the following questions when constructing your analysis, but please do not use these questions as an outline for your essay. These questions should help you generate ideas. It is possible that only a few of them will be applicable to your topic.
1.     What point/claim was the argument making?
2.     How did the argument appeal to ethos, pathos, and/or logos?
3.     What is the context (personal, historical, social, and cultural)of the argument?
4.     What basic elements does the argument incorporate?
5.     What reasons and evidence supports the argument’s claims?
6.     What types of evidence are used (examples, analogies, facts, statistics, testimony)?
7.     How can you analyze this evidence?
8.     Are there any fallacies in the argument?
9.     If you are using a counter-argument to contrast the evidence this author uses, consider which makes a more convincing argument and why.
10.  Consider the best way to organize your essay: this assignment calls for description (of the argument), analysis and evaluation (analyze its effectiveness).
A successful rhetorical analysis will fulfill a number of goals:
  • Explain the structure of the argument (using the terms of rhetoric).
  • Analyze how the argument functions; this could include any fallacies within it.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the argument based on your analysis.
  • Immediately capture the interest of the audience with a catchy “lead.”
  • Use storytelling and/or descriptive language to create a vivid picture of a scene from your argument that is interesting to read.
  • Consider the entire class as your audience.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of organizational strategies.
  • Be around 1000 words and follow the document formatting rules outlined in the course syllabus.*
If you have additional questions about these requirements, please let me know.  I am here to help you succeed, so please use me as a resource.
* If you wish to include an image, they must be used in a way that explains the point you are making in the text.


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