The Rhetorical Analysis Overview and Requirements

The Rhetorical Analysis Overview and Requirements

1. Format:  MLA-style Documentation
2. One inch margins all around
3. 12-point standard font (Times New Roman, for example)
4. Double spaced throughout
5. Name, Professor’s name, Class, and Date in upper left (see page 521)
6. Last name and page number entered as a header on each page in upper right (see page 521 and How-to Help button if you don’t know how to insert it)
7. Informative title (see title on sample on page 145)

7. Informative Section titles in bold (see pages 145-147)
8. MLA-style in-text citations and works cited page
9. Academic language, tone, and style.
10. Standard English with correct punctuation.
11. 1250-1700 words (5-7 pages double spaced, works cited page not included in the count, no extra spaces between subheadings and sections)

1. Topic Selection Option 1:  Pick ONE Political Speech from the List Provided
   1. Pick one of the following three speeches to analyze:
      1. “Women’s Right to Suffrage” by Susan B. Anthony www.nationalcenter.org/AnthonySuffrage.html
      2. “Their Finest Hour” by Winston Churchill www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1940churchill-finest.html

• “We Are Bound Up Together” by Frances Ellen Watkins  http://www.blackpast.org/1866-frances-ellen-watkins-harper-we-are-all-bound-together-0

2. Analyze the speech’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos, along with its overall message. What is the main persuasive point of the speech beyond the obvious request or statement made?  Be sure to consider specific word choices, repetition, sentence structure, and point of view used, in addition to the imagery and allusions used in the speech.
3. For historical background information, use the following sources ONLY.  Remember, the idea is NOT to research what others say the speech contains.  Rather, the focus is to analyze the speech yourself, using background information to help you better understand the situation and the person.

1. For Susan B. Anthony Speech: http://susanbanthonyhouse.org/her-story/biography.php
2. For Winston Churchill Speech:  http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/churchill-hour.htm

• For the Frances Watkins Speech:  http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/watkinsFrances.php

1. Topic Selection Option 2:  Pick a Political Commercial
2. Pick a political commercial from those listed on http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/
3. Pick a commercial whose images, words, lighting, music, symbols, allusions, etc. use ethos, pathos, and logos and can be analyzed to reveal the major argument the candidate was making to win votes.  (Please pick an ad that was BEFORE 2000.)  The major argument must get beyond the obvious “vote for this candidate” statement.
4. If you want to get feedback about your selection, post to the Major Paper 1 Help Board on the Discussion Board.
5. After you’ve selected your commercial, use  ONLY the historical information on http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/ to gather your background research on it.  Remember, you are NOT to research what others have to say about this ad.  Rather, YOU are to analyze this ad, using historical information to help you understand and explain the importance of ideas contained in the ad as YOU see and understand them in that context.

1. Organizational Pattern
2. See page 144 for two possible options.  Pick either pattern.

1. Content
2. A clearly defined thesis statement.  The thesis statement must make clear both the main conclusion the analysis reaches and some indication that this analytic conclusion is reached through the examination of the meme’s or the commercial’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos.
3. A brief overview of the historical context of the person and speech or political ad.  Use ONLY the sources listed above in the Topic Selection portion of this handout.  Do NOT do additional research for this project.
4. Summary and analysis of the use of logos, pathos, and ethos in the speech or ad—a discussion of all must be present. (In other words, you can’t claim that a speech or ad does not contain one of the elements.)
5. Clear definitions of the terms logos, pathos, and ethos in your own words as you will apply them in the essay (placement depends upon organization pattern picked).
6. Summary and analysis of all elements present in the speech or ad: text, graphics, colors, lighting, character(s), font type, diction, sentence structure, repetition, allusions, imagery, etc.
7. An introduction that draws the reader in with a broad, engaging opening and and narrows to a clear, specific thesis statement.
8. A conclusion that moves beyond just re-statement to consider the larger issues at play.  What do we learn about our society? Ourselves? Our government?  From studying and analyzing these elements from our past?

A Word About Scoring

Students often mistakenly believe that if they meet all of the requirements that they should receive a score of 5 for their paper.  However, that is not the case.  Below is a brief explanation of how the scoring system works for this assignment.  Also, please remember that you are REQUIRED to submit a tutor report (either from the online tutoring service Smarthinking from one of Tri-C’s Writing Commons) with your final draft.  Without this report, the paper is NOT considered complete!  Just remember to submit your rough draft to a tutor when you submit it to our Discussion Board, and you’ll have the report in time to use its advice and to attach to the final draft!

1 =       Paper does not meet basic requirements.  The instructor has returned the paper        with minimal comments because it is not an acceptable paper due to extreme          errors in formatting or grammar or content or a combination of such errors.

2 =       Paper meets a couple of requirements.  The writing, however, contains too many      major errors and/or the content lacks any depth.  Only obvious statements may         be present; it struggles to move from summary to analysis.  The thesis statement is vague or more summary than analysis based.

3 =       Paper meets all the requirements.  The content gets beyond obvious, surface-            level observations.  The paper may struggle a bit with transitions, style, and      voice. There is some support for the analysis, but it may be lacking in some      places.  MLA-style documentation is present but there are some errors with          framing quotations and/or placing and punctuating in-text citations.

4 =       The paper meets all the requirements of a 3 paper.  Unlike the 3 paper, though,           it also shows evidence of deliberate word choices.  Transitions are more            sophisticated .  There is a consistent style and voice.  All ideas have clear support.  The level of analysis is thorough, and any errors with MLA-style     documentation are minor punctuation errors that do not distract from the    writing.

5 =       The paper meets all the requirements of a 4 paper.  Unlike the 4 paper, though,        it shows more variety in sentence structures, transitions, and word choices.          It makes surprising and unexpected discoveries and explains and supports them        fully.  Support connects ideas from each section in a fluid whole, and the   conclusion ends on an out-looking idea that is not too far removed or cliché.        MLA-style documentation is used smoothly and correctly.