Rhetorical Genre Analysis
Due: SUN, Mar. 1 by 11:59 PM
Assignment Description: For this paper, you will write a rhetorical analysis of one of the essays from a list I will provide. For this analysis, you must decide whether or not the author makes a persuasive argument by identifying and explaining the rhetorical appeals the author makes and how these appeals either support or subvert the conventions of the text’s particular genre.
Consider these questions as you write:
- What is the author’s main claim or argument?[unique_solution]
- Who is the intended audience?
- What is the rhetorical situation: time period, author’s perspective, current event(s)?
- What kind of appeals are made and are they persuasive?
- What is the original genre?
- Does the author adhere to standard genre conventions? If not, how does it affect their argument?
Purpose: The goal for this assignment is to show what you have learned so far about how authors appeal to their intended audiences through various rhetorical strategies (for example, appealing to emotion, credibility, or logic). The other goal is to show what you have learned about how genres are defined and/or redefined depending on the rhetorical choices the author has made.
Guidelines and Requirements: In order to earn full credit, this paper must be written in MLA format, consist of at least 750-1000 words (excluding the Works Cited page), and should include the following:
- an introduction and thesis statement; your thesis should state whether the author has made a persuasive argument along with supporting reasons.
- fully-developed body paragraphs with analysis and evidence of the author’s rhetorical and genre-specific choices (quotations from the text).
- a conclusion.
- a Works Cited page (include the text you analyze, along with any other sources you consult).
Grading: This is the second essay you will write this semester and will count for 20% of your final grade. Review the assignment guidelines and make sure that your essay meets all of them. Your essay should reflect careful and thorough analysis of the text you have chosen.