example of a good rhetorical analysis essay

Edit Article Four Parts:Gathering InformationWriting the IntroductionWriting the BodyWriting the Conclusion A rhetorical analysis can be written about other texts, television shows, films, collections of artwork, or a variety of other communicative mediums that attempt to make a statement to an intended audience. In order to write a rhetorical analysis, you need to be able to determine how the creator of the original work attempts to make his or her argument. You can also include information about whether or not that argument is successful. To learn more about the right way to write a rhetorical analysis, continue reading. Part 1 of 4: Gathering Information Identify the SOAPSTone. The SOAPSTone of a text include its Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject and Tone. The speaker refers to the first and last name of the writer. If the writer has any credentials that lend to his or her authority on the matter at hand, you should also briefly consider those. Note that if the narrator is different from the writer, though, it could also refer to the narrator. The occasion mostly refers to the type of text and the context under which the text was written. For instance, there is a big difference between an essay written for a scholarly conference and a letter written to an associate in the field. The audience is who the text was written for. This is related to the occasion, since the occasion can include details about the audience. In the example above, the audience would be a conference of scholars versus an associate in the field. The purpose refers to what the writer wants to accomplish in the text. It usually includes selling a product or point of view. The subject is simply the topic the writer discusses in the text. Examine the appeals. Appeals are the first classification of rhetorical strategy and involve the ethos, logos, and pathos.[1] Ethos, or ethical.
Seeing rhetorical analysis in action is one of the best ways to understand it. Read the following sample rhetorical analysis of an article. If you like, you can read the original article the student analyzes by clicking here. Then, click the image below to see the sample paper in a PDF format. In the sample, scroll over the purple dialog boxes to learn about the strategies and techniques the author used in this rhetorical analysis essay. If your browser won't open the file in the window, you can download the PDF by clicking the download button.
Putting Together A Rhetorical Analysis Below is a possible outline for a rhetorical analysis. Keep in mind that this kind of analysis can take many forms, and of course should be taylored according to specific situations and uses. I. Introduction ® Introduce your topic or subject of analysis. ® Make evident your purpose. ® Engage your reader. ®Remember this is primarily an objective analysis. II. Summary of the RHETORICAL SITUATION oWhat is the issue? (It may help to state it as a yes-no question, even if the answer is not ultimately yes or no.) o   What's the context? o      Who is making the argument? What are their credentials? Do they make contact information available? Do any biases seem evident? o Who seems to be their targeted audience? o What is their MAIN point or thesis? o What KIND of argument is being presented, based on info in CTW: is their argument one of policy? evaluation? substantiation? This question is linked to another one: what is their purpose? o How is the argument structured? oWhat are the argument's enabling assumptions? III. Summary of the Argument's APPEALS · How would you describe the writer's character? What sort of PERSON is projected? · What are his/her CREDENTIALS? · Does this person show GOOD WILL, RESPECT FOR OPPOSING VIEWS, HUMILITY, LIKEABILITY? · What is the author's toward his or her material? What is his or her tone of voice? How would you describe this person’s style and approach? What is their way of thinking? B. LOGOS Describe in detail the work's logos: the argument’s logical reasoning and evidence: · What claims are being made in support of the thesis? · How are those claims being supported? What KINDS of evidence are presented? Recall our class discussion about kinds of evidence: empirical data (facts, statistics, studies); general principles; personal experience; primary sources (interviews, letters, diaries, memos, field.
Summary: This resource covers how to write a rhetorical analysis essay of primarily visual texts with a focus on demonstrating the author’s understanding of the rhetorical situation and design principles. Contributors:Mark Pepper, Allen Brizee, Elizabeth AngeliLast Edited: 2015-08-30 05:01:04 There is no one perfect way to organize a rhetorical analysis essay. In fact, writers should always be a bit leery of plug-in formulas that offer a perfect essay format. Remember, organization itself is not the enemy, only organization without considering the specific demands of your particular writing task. That said, here are some general tips for plotting out the overall form of your essay. Introduction Like any rhetorical analysis essay, an essay analyzing a visual document should quickly set the stage for what you’re doing. Try to cover the following concerns in the initial paragraphs: Make sure to let the reader know you’re performing a rhetorical analysis. Otherwise, they may expect you to take positions or make an evaluative argument that may not be coming. Clearly state what the document under consideration is and possibly give some pertinent background information about its history or development. The intro can be a good place for a quick, narrative summary of the document. The key word here is “quick, for you may be dealing with something large (for example, an entire episode of a cartoon like the Simpsons). Save more in-depth descriptions for your body paragraph analysis. If you’re dealing with a smaller document (like a photograph or an advertisement), and copyright allows, the introduction or first page is a good place to integrate it into your page. Give a basic run down of the rhetorical situation surrounding the document: the author, the audience, the purpose, the context, etc. Thesis Statements and Focus Many authors struggle with thesis statements or.
Printer friendly page Rhetoric is the study of how writers and speakers use words to influence an audience. A rhetorical analysis is an essay that breaks a work of non-fiction into parts and then explains how the parts work together to create a certain effect—whether to persuade, entertain or inform.  You can also conduct a rhetorical analysis of a primarily visual argument such as a cartoon or advertisement, or an oral performance such as a speech.  In this handout we will use the word rhetorician to refer to the author of a speech or document or to the creator of an advertisement, cartoon, or other visual work. A rhetorical analysis should explore the rhetorician’s goals, the techniques (or tools) used, examples of those techniques, and the effectiveness of those techniques. When writing a rhetorical analysis, you are NOT saying whether or not you agree with the argument. Instead, you’re discussing how the rhetorician makes that argument and whether or not the approach used is successful. Artistic and Inartistic Proofs An artistic proof is created by the rhetorician and encompasses the appeals, canons, and most of the techniques given below.  An inartistic proof is a proof that exists outside the rhetorician such as surveys, polls, testimonies, statistics, facts, and data. Either type of proof can help make a case. Appeals An appeal is an attempt to earn audience approval or agreement by playing to natural human tendencies or common experience.  There are three kinds of appeals: the pathetic, the ethical, and the logical. The pathetic appeal invokes the audience’s emotion to gain acceptance and approval for the ideas expressed. (Note that in this context, the word “pathetic” has none of the negative connotations associated with it in other contexts but refers only to the ability to stir emotions.) In a pathetic appeal, rhetoricians tap a reader’s sympathy and.