BA5 Rhetorical Analysis What is Rhetoric How you say what you say The tools a writer uses to convince hisher audience A rhetorical analysis seeks to discuss the effectiveness of these tools on a particular audience ID: 589445
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Tips For Success
BA5: Rhetorical AnalysisSlide2
What is Rhetoric?
How
you say what you say.
The tools a writer uses to convince his/her audience.
A rhetorical analysis seeks to discuss the effectiveness of these tools on a particular audience.Slide3
Ethos, Logos, Pathos
Ethos
Ethos: the persuasive power of the writer’s credibility or character
Credentials, pedigree, record, trustworthiness, experience
Tone: professional, sarcastic, mean-spirited, looking down, generous, neutral, etc.
Logos
Logos: the persuasive power of the author’s reasoning, evidence, and logic
Numbers, statistics, examples, historical evidence, explanations
Pathos
Pathos: the persuasive power of the author’s appeal to interests, emotion, and imagination
Emotional language, pleas, personal examples
Using fear
Using references to the past, nostalgia
Using emotionally loaded words and phrase: liberty, peace, freedom Slide4
Linguistic Tools
Diction: Word Choice
Big words vs. small words; using a specific lexicon or lingo, or is the language plain and easy to understand by everyone (This might tell you something about audience.).
Repetition
Alliteration: repetition of beginning sounds
Anaphora: repetition of beginning phrases
Assonance: repetition of vowel sounds
Consonance: repetition of consonant sounds
Parallelism: arrangement of structures that are similar in form
Figurative Language
Metaphor: ______ is _______
Simile: _______ is like ______
Personification: Human characteristics to inanimate objects
Paradox: statement that seems contradictory but turns out to be true
Why do writers use these linguistic tools to convince you? Why are they effective?Slide5
BA5: How to Begin
Determine the text’s claims.
What is the writer trying to get you to believe?
About what does the writer want your agreement?
Narrow Your Topic: Which rhetorical strategies is the writer using?
Do not
point out every single rhetorical device the writer uses.
Instead, point out
two or three
strategies that seem particularly effective or ineffective. For example:
Clarity, including clear reasoning and direct language
Emotion, including fear, nostalgia, and emotionally loaded words
Literary devices such as metaphor and simile
Logical support, including historical evidence and statistics
Written structure, including diction, parallelism, and repetitionSlide6
Introduction
Your introduction should give a one or two sentence summary of your article.
Include the writer’s name and the title.
You might give the context for which the article was written.
For some occasion? In response to some event?
You might also talk about the reactions of readers to the article. (you = readers)
Surprised by use of language? Surprised by tone? Offended? Find it humorous? Slide7
Thesis
Your thesis will list 1) the rhetorical tools you’ll discuss, as well as 2) the writer’s purpose and 3) the effectiveness of those tools in achieving that purpose. (You can be complimentary, critical, or both.)
The writer uses
clear reasoning
and
direct language
to convince readers that it is important to wash their hands before eating dinner. This combination creates an effective argument due to its simplicity and clarity.
Although the writer uses
clear reasoning
and
direct language
to attempt to convince readers to wash their hands before eating dinner, the writer’s sarcastic
tone
may cause readers to disregard his advice.
While the writer attempts to convince readers of the importance of washing their hands before dinner, his lack of
logical support, including statistics
and pertinent historical examples
, leaves his argument thin. It is unlikely readers will heed his advice. Slide8
The Body of your Essay
Should discuss each of the rhetorical tools you’ve chosen.
Point them out by quoting.
Then tell WHY they are effective. Why did the writer use this tool and not some other?
Moreover, you’ll need to discuss the writer’s assumptions about the topic or the audience.
Who does the writer believe his audience to be?
Is he/she leaving anyone out?
Can his/her tone be misread? Offensive to the audience?Slide9
Remember . . .
Read the assignment description and specific questions for your article in Raider Writer.
Use in-text citations.
Give a Works Cited.
Refer to writers by their last names.
Avoid excessive summary.
Write in present tense.
Use transitional phrases in between your sentences and to reduce choppiness and increase flow and readability.Slide10
For Next Monday
Begin thinking about your 2.1. What issue would like to argue for or against?
Choose some aspect of your Literature Review?
Start over with a completely new topic?