ENG  2100  •  Blankenship  •  Fall  2014  

 

 FERGUSON,  MO  -­‐  AUGUST  11:  Photo  by  Scott  Olson/Getty  Images    (Source:  New  York  Magazine,  August  20,  2014)  

 Project  #2:    Rhetorical  Analysis                            The  ability  to  observe  in  any  given  case  the  available  means  of  persuasion.  This  is  how  one  of  the  most  famous  students  of  rhetoric  defined  the  term  (Aristotle,  On  Rhetoric,  325  BCE).  The  ability  to  discern  what  the  argument  is  behind  something  you  read,  watch,  or  listen  to,  and  the  ability  in  turn  to  compose  something  that  does  what  you  want  it  to  do—these  are  dual  purposes  of  studying  rhetoric,  and  key  aspects  of  being  a  good  writer,  critical  thinker,  and  skilled  communicator.      To  practice  your  ability  to  analyze  the  arguments  coming  from  a  variety  of  perspectives  on  the  same  topic,  I’ll  ask  you  in  this  second  major  project  to  choose  2  online  news  articles  (written  within  3  months  of  one  another)  about  the  topic  you’ve  chosen  to  pursue  and  write  an  1,800-­‐2,100  word  rhetorical  analysis  (5-­‐6  double-­‐spaced  pages).  Your  task  is  to  analyze  who  produces  what  information,  how  they  expect  that  information  to  influence  the  audience,  and  why  they  make  the  rhetorical  choices  they  do.  You  will  also  compose  a  writer’s  letter  to  reflect  on  your  own  rhetorical  choices.              Why  do  this  assignment?  What  you  will  practice  and  learn:    This  assignment  connects  to  the  larger  goals  for  this  course.  In  particular,  we  will  be  exploring  and  strategically  using  the  principles  of  rhetoric  and  composition  both  for  your  own  writing  and  for  the  texts  you  analyze:  You  will  use  invention  tactics,  in  this  case  research  on  the  context  of  the  topic  in  the  articles  and  the  specific  language  and  

"Let rhetoric [be defined as] an ability, in each [particular] case, to see the available means of persuasion. This is the function of no other art; for each of the others is instructive and persuasive about its own subject." (Aristotle, On Rhetoric , late 4th century B.C.; translated by George A. Kennedy, 1991)

"...Rhetoric is a mode of altering reality, not by the direct application of energy to objects, but by the creation of discourse which changes reality through the mediation of thought and action." (Lloyd Bitzer)

"[Rhetoric is] that discipline which studies all of the ways in which men [sic] may influence each other's thinking and behavior through the strategic use of symbols.” (Douglas Ehninger)

“Rhetoric is an acquired competency, a manner of thinking that invents possibilities for persuasion, conviction, action, and judgments." (Thomas B. Farrell, The Norms of Rhetorical Culture, 1993) "Rhetoric is a rational study and artful practice of human symbol use (especially if not exclusively with words) when and where those symbols target identifiable communities of interest to create, enhance, undermine, or otherwise influence human belief, attitude, emotion, judgment, behavior." (Michael E. Eidenmuller, Voice of America Interview, 2011, and modified for print)

 

ENG  2100  •  Blankenship  •  Fall  2014  

 

rhetorical  strategies  used  in  the  articles,  to  develop  your  own  arguments  about  the  significance  of  the  rhetoric  in  the  texts.                You’ll  identify  ways  texts  and  writers  attempt  to  persuade  readers  and  audiences.  You’ll  identify  the  intended  audience  for  the  texts  you’re  analyzing  and  why  this  is  important.  You’ll  analyze  the  specific  rhetorical  appeals  and  strategies  the  author/text  uses  and  why  the  author/news  source  might  address  its  intended  audience  in  this  particular  way.  You’ll  identify  stylistic  devices  such  as  word  choice  and  aesthetic  elements  such  as  fonts,  graphics,  page  design,  and  focal  point  to  help  make  your  argument  about  the  significance  of  the  rhetoric  of  the  piece.  Through  a  scaffolded  drafting  process,  you  will  work  to  develop  your  claim  about  how  and  why  an  author  addresses  an  intended  audience  in  specific  ways—including  relevant  cultural  contexts—and  the  significance  or  consequences  of  the  rhetorical  choices  made  in  the  texts  you’re  analyzing.                        Process:              You  will  choose  two  articles  from  two  very  different  online  sources  that  concern  themselves  with  the  same  current  event,  or  with  a  scientific,  social,  technological,  economic,  religious,  or  political  issue.  Ideally  you’ll  continue  with  this  broad  topic  (though  perhaps  from  a  different  angle  and  more  focused)  in  your  next  and  final  major  assignment,  a  research-­‐based  project  in  which  you’ll  ask  a  question  (about  which  reasonable  people  could  disagree—not  an  “informational  question”  that’s  fairly  easily  answered)  about  the  topic  you’ve  chosen  and  try  to  answer  it.      I’ll  ask  that  you  generate  ideas  for  topics  and  possible  sources,  that  you  write  a  formal  proposal  for  your  project,  and  that  you  meet  with  me  before  you  start  writing.  (See  the  final  page  of  this  assignment  description  for  topic  ideas.)              Once  you’ve  settled  on  a  topic  and  the  two  articles  you’ll  analyze  and  I’ve  approved  the  direction  you’re  headed,  I  suggest  printing  the  articles  you’re  analyzing  so  you  can  make  annotated  notes  on  them  and  so  you  can  use  the  printed  copies  for  class  activities  and  discussions.  You’ll  analyze  your  chosen  texts  using  the  strategies  in  our  readings  and  that  we’ve  discussed  in  class.              GRADING  CRITERIA:  In  this  analysis  project  you  should                            

● Identify  the  contextual  rhetorical  elements  of  the  2  pieces  and  the  significance  of  each:  the  kairos  of  the  argument  being  made,  the  exigence  for  the  piece,  the  intended  audience  and  the  constraints  the  writer  may  face  in  persuading  that  audience  

● Identify  specific  textual  rhetorical  elements  and  their  significance  in  light  of  the  purpose  for  the  piece  (which  you  should  identify  as  well):  the  main  argument  being  made,  specific  word  choice  in  the  title  and  body  of  the  piece,  Aristotelian  appeals  such  as  ethos,  pathos,  and  logos,  and  aesthetic  and  stylistic  elements  such  as  font  choice/size,  videos,  graphics,  or  photos  and  their  significance  in  forming  arguments.  

● Analyze  the  rhetorical  differences  in  the  two  texts  and  develop  an  idea  about  why  those  rhetorical  differences  and  approaches  might  matter.  This  should  form  your  thesis/main  claim.  

● Consider  your  audience  for  this  piece  as  people  who  might  form  the  audience  for  each  text;  in  other  words,  your  task  is  to  put  these  sources  (and  maybe  even  these  audiences)  

ENG  2100  •  Blankenship  •  Fall  2014  

 

in  conversation  with  one  another.  In  order  to  even  begin  to  do  this  you  first  must  fairly  summarize  the  argument  and  purpose  of  each  text/source.    

● Carefully  edit  and  proofread  your  final  draft  so  that  there  are  no  mistakes.  ● Write  a  cover  letter  for  your  first  draft  explaining  where  you’re  at  in  the  process  of  

writing  this  analysis  and  specific  questions  you  have  for  your  reviewers  (using  the  grading  rubric  as  a  guide  if  you’d  like);  for  your  final  writer’s  letter  add  to  your  first  draft  and  include  what  you  learned  from  this  process,  what  you’re  proud  of  in  your  writing,  and  what  you  changed  after  getting  feedback.        

Note  that  you  should  NOT  argue  specifically  for  one  side  or  the  other;  in  fact,  if  possible,  you  should  aim  at  writing  your  final  version  to  keep  your  reader  from  knowing  which  “side”  of  the  issue  you  personally  agree  with  or  support.  The  goal  for  this  assignment  is  to  analyze  the  way  these  stories  cover  the  topic,  not  to  discuss  the  topic  itself  necessarily.  You  will  delve  into  the  topic  itself  in  greater  detail  in  your  last  project.                          Due  dates:      Formal  proposal:           Th,  Oct  2  Annotated  bibliography  of  possible  sources:     Tues,  Oct  7  Zero  draft:             Th,  Oct  14  First  draft  with  writer’s  letter:       Th,  Oct  16  Final,  revised  draft  with  writer’s  letter:       Th,  Oct  23      

ENG  2100  •  Blankenship  •  Fall  2014  

 

Possible  topics  to  explore:    Gender  equality  issues:    

Gender  pay  gap    Violence  against  women  (by  sports  figures,  around  the  world,  etc)  Reproductive  issues  Campus  rape  culture  

 Ethical  issues  in  the  field  you  want  to  enter      Student  loans  and  long-­‐term  income  effects    Occupy  Wall  Street  and  Income  Inequality  in  the  US    Minimum  wage      Climate  change    Art  as  a  political  statement    Globalization  and  its  effects  on  your  future      Stop  and  frisk  in  NY    Yes  Means  Yes—campus  sexual  assault    Immigration  issues  in  the  US    International  issues:     ISIS       Israel/Palestinian  conflict     Education  of  females/women’s  rights