Project # 2: Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies Assignment
Humanities
PROJECT #2: ANALYZING RHETORICAL STRATEGIES IN TWO TEXTS
For your previous essay, you walked through Shulevtiz’s argument and analyzed her claims and evidence. For this paper, you will still analyze; however, you will focus your analysis on the rhetorical strategies that two writers use to progress their arguments. After reading “Dear Class of 2020,” “Don’t Blame Students for Being Hypersensitive,” “Students Deserve Safe Spaces,” “I’m Northwestern’s President,” and “College Campuses Should Not Be Safe Spaces,” your job is to choose two texts and analyze how they appeal to ethos, pathos, logos, and/or kairos to advance their arguments. You can think of this essay as a compare/contrast.
ASSIGNMENT:
You will need to account for the following elements (though they do not need to be approached in this particular order. Additionally, your essay should not read as though you are simply answering these questions.
Identify
o Who are they? What is their credibility?
both authors & their texts
▪ What do we know about their texts? both authors’ overall argument
Identify
o What is the argument?
▪ How do you know? Is it stated directly? Implicitly? the audience for each text
Identify
o How do you know?
▪ Whatdetailsfromthetextpointtothetypeofaudiencetheauthorhasinmind? o How does the audience influence how the text is written and perceived?
Analyze & Evaluate the rhetorical strategies each author uses to advance their claims & overall argument o What types of evidence does each author use? Logic, emotional, credible, timely?
▪ Whydoestherhetoricalstrategyadvance/hindertheiroverallargument?
• How?
- 4-5 pages
- MLA Format
- MLA Works Cited Page EVALUATION CRITERIA: → Comprehension
o Effectively addresses all aspects of the prompt
o Fully grasps both articles and showcases knowledge cogently
→ Development
o Details/analyzes chosen texts thoroughly and thoughtfully
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
Due: March 19th by midnight on Blackboard
o Writer thoroughly address elements of the argument, including author, context, audience, purpose, claims, and evidence.
o Analysis of rhetorical strategies is thorough → Organization
o Essay flows logically from introduction → body → conclusion
o Sentence level organization is strong → Expression/Mechanics/Grammar
SLOS:
- → Develop an effective process of reading for comprehension
- → Develop an effective writing process—including prewriting, drafting, revision, and self-evaluation
- → Analyze the elements of academic texts—particularly argument, genre, audience, context, purpose, and strategies
- → Articulate in writing key rhetorical concepts.
