Introduction toRhetorical Analysis

and Other Basic Concepts

Week 2:

Quiz over Reading 2 Introduce the Following Concepts:

◦Rhetoric◦Rhetorical Analysis◦Audience◦Purpose◦Rhetorical Choices

Visit the Writing Center (UWC)

Goals for Today

Reading Quiz on Separate File◦ Those that will not be taking the quiz will need to

step out of the classroom momentarily

Activity 1 delayed until next class because some students are missing their textbooks

Quiz/Activity 1

Introduction to Rhetorical Analysis

Key Terms and Concepts

The two major assignments in this course are rhetorical analysis essays.

The majority of the assignments you will complete are designed to help you write these essays step by step◦ The first six Brief Assignments help you write

Draft 1.1◦ The last three Brief Assignments and the Peer

Critiques will help you revise Draft 1.1. The revised version of this essay will be your Draft 1.2

How does this fit into the course?

◦Rhetoric: the study of the effective use of language; the ability to use language effectively; “the art of persuasion”

◦Rhetorical Analysis: the analysis of an author’s use of rhetoric in terms of how he or she uses language to achieve a certain purpose for a target audience

What is a Rhetorical Analysis?

While many texts can be of interest to the general public, authors write with specific groups of people in mind

In complex texts, audiences are multi-layered. Usually, there are at least two specific audiences that are being targeted.

Term - “target audience”.

Audience

There are different types of writing, each geared towards a particular purpose

The texts we will work with have persuasive purposes◦ The authors have written these texts to persuade

their target audience to do something as a result of reading the text

Term – “Author’s Purpose” You will be discussing the author’s purpose

as persuading or convincing NOT informing, explaining, showing, etc.

Purpose

Rhetorical choices: a use of language that creates a literary effect (but often without regard for literal significance)

Rhetorical choices are strategies used by an author to approach his language◦ Metaphors, similes, analogy, etc.

A rhetorical analysis centers around how specific rhetorical choices help the author convince the audience to engage in some sort of action.

How does an author persuade his audience?

Common Uses of Rhetoric and Exercises in Rhetorical

Analysis

Activity 2

Who is the audience? Is there more than one group in this audience?

What is the author’s purpose for this audience? What does he want to persuade them to do?

Which strategies does he use to persuade his audience?

Are those strategies effective? Does the author end up persuading the audience?

Points to consider when analyzing rhetoric

Chevrolet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asLiTaweuIM Subaru: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=G9WpDp6DwQU Progressive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM6-

12aprf8 Ted Lasso: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzn6gH27iIk MLK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRIF4_WzU1w

◦ http://www.archives.gov/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf

Examples

We will now head to the Writing Center◦ Attendance will be taken at the UWC

If you have not completed Reading 2 or the Participation Assignment, do so as soon as possible.◦ You will need to visit me during office hours to

make up work. Instructions for Reading 3 and next week’s

participation assignment will be posted in the class blog tonight

In conclusion…