For this project, you’ll analyze a short, contemporary text or texts of your choosing. For example, you could analyze a recent political speech, an advertisement, a documentary, a press conference, an op-ed, etc… In doing so, you’ll use rhetorical theories/concepts pertaining to either genre (eg. monomyth, apologia) or Burke (eg. scapegoating, the pentad). The text(s) you choose should be different from what you analyzed for Project #1. One of the challenges of this paper, as with the previous project, is pairing text(s) worth analyzing with a theoretical/conceptual angle that enables you to develop a rich and insightful analysis of it/them.

This assignment also asks you to incorporate research in support of your arguments; you should cite at least 3 scholarly sources as you discuss/develop your argument (at least 2 of which you track down yourself). Many of the academic articles we’ve looked at in this course could serve as (longer) models of this sort of analysis.

[Note: The text(s) you are analyzing do not count toward the 3 scholarly sources, though you should cite it/them as well]

Your paper should do the following:

– Include an introduction in which you give a brief overview of the paper

– Clearly assert your thesis

– Use a coherent organizational structure

– Explain the theory/theories you are using to analyze the chosen text.

– Include a full account of how the text works persuasively in terms of the theory/theories you have identified

– Be specific: make sure you point to particular features of your chosen text

– Point toward the implications of your analysis

– End with a conclusion

– Be carefully formatted and proofread

– Incorporate research regarding your theoretical framework (at least 3 sources, at least one of which you find yourself)

– Cite any sources (including course readings) using MLA or APA format