Well, here it is, the 1st paper, the Rhetorical Analysis.
This paper tends to give students some trouble. Although it may be a new type of paper you’ve never written before, it’s not that difficult of a concept.
Essentially, with a Rhetorical Analysis, you are taking a piece of rhetoric (one of the essays listed below), and you are making a judgement on the piece (is it successful in what it sets out to prove?), and backing that argument with evidence (how is it successful or not successful?)
which are rhetorical devices (ethos, pathos, logos, fallacy, diction, etc. ).
View the PowerPoints for The Rhetorical paper (I’ve split them in two to make them more digestible, instead of one long one; view them in the order posted).
Read the assigned essays below, and decide which you will write on, can ONLY use one of the essays below.
Read the materials posted in the module . Pay CLOSE attention to the Paper assignment sheet.
Once you’ve decided what to write on, you will create and submit an outline of the paper so I can make sure you are heading in the right direction.
Write a clear, thoughtful, and well-drafted essay evaluating the effectiveness of the piece
you have chosen, either by examining rhetorical devices used by the writer of the essay or
through exploring the parts of the Rhetorical Triangle. Discuss at least four different types of
rhetorical devices you learned about from the lecture notes and sample essays. The rhetorical
devices MUST be different, fallacies are one type of rhetorical device, ethos, pathos, logos, are
another. As we discussed on the outline, you can only use 1 fallacy, and ethos, pathos, or
logos once. Support your assertions with specific examples from the text and remember, you are
not just identifying the author’s use of rhetorical devices, but explain HOW those devices effect
the essay (IE making it either an effective argument, or ineffective)
3. You will also need to include a counterargument that is part or parts of the essay that you
feel hinder or helps its effectiveness depending on the argument you chose to make initially. Be
sure you include the turn against, turn back, and counter evidence as part of the counter
argument.
4. Your essay should be comprised of an introduction, four body paragraphs that support
your thesis, a counter argument paragraph, and a conclusion. So, you are required to have a
minimum of 7 paragraphs. Make sure you use transitions between paragraphs. Your thesis is
your judgment of the overall effectiveness of the essay as a whole. Review materials covered
from class.
5. Your paper should be between 1000-1500 words. If you fall below word count, even by
one word, the highest grade you can make on this paper will be a D.
Be sure you do not attack the argument itself, remember that a piece of writing
can still be effective even if you do not agree with it! A rhetorical analysis has
nothing to do with whether you like/dislike the writer or agree/disagree with him
or her. If you have strong feelings about any of the topics or writers, you might
consider choosing a different essay for your assignment.
Remember that you are NOT arguing in favor or against the topics of these
essays. For example, you are NOT writing in favor of or against the author’s
argument, you are arguing whether the writer’s argument is effective.
Do NOT refer to the writer by his or her first name. Use an identifier and first and
last name on first reference (author Laurence Carr); use last name or identifier
(the author, Carr) on second and subsequent reference.
Use present tense when mentioning the writer’s writing
Do NOT use 2nd person (you) in formal essays
Even though the essay is YOUR argument, you do not use 1st person. This
weakens the argument. For example, “I think X is effective” is much weaker than
the statement “X is effective”.
6. You must use at least FOUR direct quotations, but not more than seven, with proper
parenthetical citations from the essay you are writing about. Return to the MLA section in the
textbook if you do not remember how to do this.
Remember that a quotation must never stand alone; it must always be part of your own
sentence. Also remember that you must interpret or explain the quotation/example or show how
it helps to prove the point you are trying to make.
Make sure you use parenthetical citations after quotes, and include a works cited page at
the end of the essay with sources cited properly.
You will only use the selected essay as a source in the paper. You must NOT use any
additional outside sources for this assignment. If you use additional outside sources for this
assignment, you will receive a ZERO
