Eng. 112-FJT-05, 22 and 23 / Thomas Riddle, Instructor / Spring, 2016

First Formal Essay—Rhetorical Analysis (20% of Course Grade)

• Today’s Date: Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016
• Essay Due Date: Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 (due when collected in class)
• Length: 1200-1500 words; four to five pages (at least four full pages, for credit)

Assignment Description:

In response to one of several persuasive essays which I will provide, I ask that you…

1. Perform a rhetorical analysis, a critique of an argument identifying the stylistic and rhetorical tactics it employs to make its case, ultimately arguing its success or failure as an argument; aim for detail and specificity, but key concerns include audience, purpose, appeals and style.

2. In your rhetorical analysis, make sure to do the following things:

• Identify the issue argued and the specific claim made in regard to that issue (along with the nature of the claim—fact, definition, value, policy, etc.)

• Identify any and all unique rhetorical qualities of the essay/argument analyzed—how the writer attempts to establish credibility (ethos) with his or her audience, the nature and quality of the claim issued, the supports offered for that claim and the various appeals used in those supports, the kinds of evidence used, the attention paid to opposing views (or counter-arguments), aspects of style (tone, diction, imagery, figures of speech, etc.), patterns of structure within the essay, etc.

• Evaluate the persuasiveness of the various rhetorical ploys you identify within the essay, as well as the persuasive success of the essay as a whole—i.e., how well are individual persuasive elements handled, and is the essay, as a whole, effectively persuasive? You’ll want to address the essay’s reasoning, its logic, as well—especially as to its avoidance (or not!) of logical fallacies (which we will soon discuss in detail).

• Explain and/or justify your ultimate judgment of the essay’s specific efforts at persuasion and its overall persuasive success —indicate, in detail, why you find particular persuasive elements within the essay, as well as the essay itself, to be persuasive, or not.

Notice:

If you have questions or concerns during the composition process, please consult me as necessary, and please do so sooner rather than later. Bear in mind the relevant course policies regarding late papers and extensions, please: If an extension is needed, contact me no later than 48 hours prior to the due date, and if a paper is late without an allowance from me, it earns a grade of zero.
Please also note that part of an education involves learning to follow complex instructions with specificity and precision, as well as being held to high standards. A paper that is poorly designed as a document or is submitted inappropriately (for example, in handwriting, or on a computer disk or flash drive) will not be accepted as a completion or fulfillment of the assignment and may not be accepted for credit, or may be met with the demand for a proper version of the essay immediately to avoid a failing grade. Likewise, a paper that fails to meet length requirements, lacks significant elements of the assignment or is otherwise inappropriate for college-level work will be downgraded significantly and may receive a failing grade.

Evaluative Criteria:
In evaluating your rhetorical analyses, I will look for the following qualities:
 Conformity to the specific instructions of the assignment
 Thoroughness with which the assignment is engaged
 Quality of insights and observations
 Quality and consistency of reasoning
 Appropriate development of and elaboration on your ideas
 Appropriate management of tone and diction
 Skill in the use of the rhetorical terminology learned thus far in our course
 Appropriateness and consistency of structure
 An introduction that provides a brief overview of the essay/argument analyzed and concludes in a major claim that is focused, clear, arguable and logical
 Adequate and appropriate support for your major claim
 Due consideration of potential counter-arguments; adequate defense of your own arguments
 A conclusion that summarizes your remarks and suggests any insights into rhetoric, the art of persuasion, gained by engaging this assignment (synthesis)
 Effectiveness with which source material is incorporated, in terms of summary, paraphrase and the handling of quotations
 Appropriate handling of in-text (or parenthetical) citations
 A list of works cited executed in accordance with MLA principles of source documentation (your primary source will be the essay analyzed, and if you incorporate other sources, that is fine—although not necessary)
 Adherence to MLA standards of document design
 Overall consistency of focus and skill in the use of transitional phrases
 Command of the mechanical and grammatical aspects of essay writing—punctuation, spelling, capitalization, sentence structure, accuracy of word use, etc.