8/3/2019 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Situation)

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Rhetorical Analysis EssayLA101H – Ben Henderson

Preface: The purpose of this assignment is to apply principles and conceptslearned thus far in the course by analyzing the rhetorical situation of a particular

rhetorical artifact.

Assignment (about 4 pages, double-spaced): Identify a rhetorical artifact (or aclosely aligned set of artifacts) that is interesting or complex. This could besomething like a speech, essay, or website. Or you could go with something a bitless traditional: a building, art installation, memorial, fashion trend—all of these stillare rhetorical artifacts. Bottom line, if it’s making an argument, then you can use it.(To keep things from overlapping with the Rhetorical Analysis Speech, though,please don’t select an advertisement.)

Write an analysis that will help your readers understand how the given example of rhetoric is situated in and adapted to its rhetorical context/situation. If the artifact

functions in more than one rhetorical situation, you may address one of them or allof them. Your thesis should make a claim about how rhetoric is functioning.

As you develop your essay, consider ways in which the topics we’ve discussed inclass might inform your analysis. For instance, issues of audience, constraints,ideology, commonplaces, exigence, and kairos all bridge the gap between artifact(text) and situation (context). You’ll want to provide a brief description of yourartifact’s salient rhetorical features, either up front or along the way as you developyour analysis. But this textual description should be in the service of yourcontextual analysis. Also, you should consider whether outside research will enrichyour understanding of the context you’ll be discussing.

At the end of your analysis, readers should have a richer understanding of therhetorical dimensions of both the artifact and its rhetorical context, and, especially,the connections between them. Put another way, the analysis should provide aclearer picture of how this specific rhetorical artifact communicates, and/or howrhetoric operates generally in this type of situation.

 Objectives and Criteria for Success

• Be interesting. Go beyond the obvious.

• Make a strong claim (thesis) about the contextual dimensions of a givenrhetorical artifact.

• Demonstrate a strong capacity for rhetorical analysis.

• Write in a lively, memorable style.

• Expand/challenge/transform the audience’s understanding of the rhetoricalsituation.

Suggestions for Strong Analysis

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• Use good analytical verbs and sentences.

• Go for depth rather than breadth. You don’t need to say everything that isgoing on rhetorically in the situation.

• Be specific. Support your claims with evidence, which could include outsideresearch or unique features of the artifact or rhetorical situation. Cite yoursources. (But remember that this is an analysis, not a research paper.)

• Have a strong, definite conclusion that reviews your claim and findings.

Grading Standards

• Strong analysis

• Depth of insight into rhetorical functioning

• Argument and evidence strength

• Writing mechanics