Rhetorical Analysis Essay
For this assignment, you will develop a two-page Rhetorical Analysis of a published article that explores its rhetorical situation. Remember that the rhetorical situation of an article has to do with its purpose, intended audience, and context. In your analysis, you’ll discuss these and other elements. The first step is to find an article that interests you. It is important to choose an article that makes a substantial argument for you to analyze. My suggestion is to visit the websites of journals that specialize in longer persuasive essays such as Slate (Links to an external site.), The American Scholar (Links to an external site.), The Atlantic (Links to an external site.), or The New Yorker (Links to an external site.).
Carefully read the article and assess the author’s overall argument and main points. See the requirements and steps below.
Essay Requirements
2 pages (5 paragraph essay)
MLA formatted
1 source
Include Works Cited page (cite the article you chose)
How to Format a Works Cited page (Links to an external site.)
How to Cite an Online Article (Links to an external site.)
Sample Rhetorical Analysis Essay
Sample Rhetorical Analysis Essay.docx
Structure
The Rhetorical Analysis should have three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Introduction: In the introduction, introduce the article you will be analyzing. Give the name of the article and the author. Also, state where the article was published. Write a three-point thesis statement that clearly states the three points of your analysis (at the end of your Introduction). Your three points should spell out the purpose, intended audience, and context of the article.
Sample Thesis: Jerry Useem’s article, “Power Causes Brain Damage,” argues that unchecked power can damage one’s brain (purpose), harm workers (audience), and create a toxic culture at major American corporations (context). Please see the Sample Thesis Statements at the bottom of this page.
Important: You need at least 3 quotes to support your points in this essay (one in each body paragraph). Quotes should never exceed two (2) typed lines. In addition, make sure that each paragraph is at least 6-7 typed lines.
Body: Divide the main body of the analysis into three paragraphs. Each paragraph should be devoted to the different rhetorical dynamics used in the article. In addition, cite examples from the article as evidence for your analysis in each body paragraph.
Explore the author’s overall purpose or argument in the article. Include at least one quote from the article that is no more than 2 typed lines. (Paragraph 1)
Examine the situational/historical context of the argument. Include at least one quote from the article that is no more than 2 typed lines. (Paragraph 2)
Analyze the intended audience and the author’s tone and methods of persuasion. Include at least one quote from the article that is no more than 2 typed lines. (Paragraph 3)
Conclusion: Write a one-paragraph conclusion that contains a “thesis restatement” and summarizes the central points of your analysis and why they are significant.
