WRITING PROJECT #2: RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

Rhetorical analysis is an important skill to master, certainly within the framework of academic writing, but most particularly in order to allow us to adequately critique and navigate our way through the arguments and pivotal questions that we face in the world today. We have been and will continue to learn about the basics of rhetorical analysis.

STEP ONE: Read the Writing Prompt Choose any of the essays we have read in class throughout the past few weeks and analyze the rhetorical choices the author made in order to persuade their intended readers. You will primarily be examining how this argument is specifically targeting the author's chosen audience and how effective it is at doing so.

The essay: Gloria Anzalda This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, "Speaking in Tongues: A Letter to Third World Women Writers"

You should examine:

1. The intended audience Who is the author attempting to persuade? How do their choices of intended reader influence how they present and structure their argument? 1. Please note that you can choose to focus on how a subsection of the audience experiences the text. 2. Example: Let's say that you think your argument is aimed at well-educated, liberal Americans, but you're interested in thinking about how, say, a liberal American who is Black or Brown (i.e., a specific subgroup of the readership) might experience the text, you are free to do so. Just clarify that you know the readership is broader than that, but you would like to focus on one specific group within that readership. 2. The author's purpose. What do they seek to accomplish through this essay? 3. Types of Statements: Does the author qualify as an expert? Do they present expert opinions to back themselves up? Do they rely upon personal opinions? Judgments? 4. The main claim of the essay. What is its thesis statement? 5. Key subclaims. What are the supporting claims made in order to prove that the main claim is correct? How do they connect to the main claim? How do they build off of each other? 6. Counterclaims. How is the author anticipating and addressing potential rebuttals? 7. Rhetorical appeals. (ethos, pathos, logos). 1. Ethos: Is the argument credible? What is it about their tone, presentation of evidence, and chosen sources that makes them appear credible? 2. Pathos: How is the argument targeting the emotions of its readers? What emotions is it attempting to elicit, and how is it doing so? 3. Logos: What kinds of evidence is it using? Does it rely on fact, expert opinion, personal opinion, or judgments? Is the underlying logic of the argument sound? 8. Rhetorical strategies. What strategies does the writer use to persuade readers? 9. Logical fallacies. Does the writer's logic fail them at any point in time?

Please note that this prompt isn't asking you to summarize the content of this text or give your opinion on the issue it is talking about. You're being asked to analyze how the author you chose built their argumentyou're looking at structure, not content (except where it connects to structure). Your argument should focus on HOW your author is making their argument, in other words, not WHAT they are arguing.

So, please do NOT agree or disagree with what is being argued or simply summarize itthis is an analytical paper.

GRADING CONTRACT

• Must submit every assignment throughout the writing process--from brainstorming, outlining, first draft, peer reviews, final draft, etc--
• Your essay should be no less than 4 and no more than 5 pages long.
• You should have an arguable thesis statement (main claim) at the end of the introduction, one subclaim per paragraph, and evidence in each paragraph to support your argument.
• Your essay should be organized and include an introduction, conclusion, and body paragraphs that must include a subclaim and sufficient evidence to verify your subclaim.
• Use MLA format, cite all sources correctly and include a Works Cited page at the end of the essay. Refer to the Online Writing Lab at Purdue University for more information on proper MLA formatting.
• Each paragraph should cite direct evidence (i.e., quotes) from the readings assigned in class.
• Do not use outside sources for this assignment! It's a rhetorical analysis of two essays-there's no reason to bring in outside sources.

STEP TWO

For this activity, please look at Keys for Writers, Chapter 2, and read the section titled "Getting Started." Download Keys for Writers, Chapter 2, and read the section titled "Getting Started."This section presents you with three key options--freewriting, brainstorming, and idea mapping--for generating potential paper topics. I'd like you to choose whichever method you think would work best for you and submit a copy of your pre-writing here.

you can type out your rewriting.

Questions to Consider 1. What essay did I find most interesting? List the essays you found memorable or interesting. 2. Choose the essay you are most drawn to, and begin listing what you remember about it. What was the most memorable part of the essay for you? Why did you find it memorable? 3. Take a look at the essay itself. What passages stand out to you? How do they make you feel? What draws your attention? 4. Look at section 4a in Download section 4a inKeys for Writers Download Keys for Writers(titled "Using Critical Thinking to Read and Write Arguments") and answer the questions listed there with regards to your essay. 5. What is their purpose? Why are they writing this essay? What do they hope to accomplish? 6. Who do you think the intended audience is? Are they liberal? Conservative? Moderates? Why do you think so (i.e., what hints are there in terms of the values the essay is mobilizing)? Are they a global audience? American? Academic, or the general public? 7. Can you identify the main claim, subclaims, counterclaims, and/or the overarching structure of the paper? How is it organized? Are there any subclaims/counterclaims you would especially like to discuss? How do these subclaims/main claims/counterclaims specifically target the author's chosen audience? 8. What rhetorical appeals do you see the author using? Are they using any in ways that are interesting? How do they appeal emotionally to their intended readers and the things those readers they value? How do they establish their credibility in ways that their readers would find effective? What is the underlying logic and/or evidence they provide to support their argument, and how/why were these examples chosen in order to appeal specifically to their intended readers? 9. What rhetorical strategies do you see the author using? Are there any that you find especially interesting? How do they appeal to or seek to persuade the author's intended readers? What values are they appealing to that those readers share?

Remember that you don't need to discuss EVERY subclaim, counterclaim, rhetorical strategy and appeal--just the ones that you think are doing something interesting in terms of how they are targeting a specific group of readers.

This activity is primarily to help you settle a general topic, though you shouldn't feel obligated to stick to it if you think of an idea you find more interesting.