Rhetorical Analysis

20% of final grade (part of final portfolio)

Draft Due: 9 October by 11:9 p!
"hoose a #rhetorical ob$ect% and &rite a 1200'&ord analysis of it( )our audience is an
intelligent person &ho *no&s nothing of your ob$ect(
+,hat is a #rhetorical ob$ect%-
.ractically anything/ but for those &ho need a definition: an ob$ect deliberately
created to !a*e an argu!ent(
A painting/ photograph/ print/ or other &or* of 0isual co!position
A dance/ song/ dra!a/ or other piece of perfor!ing co!position
A poe!/ essay/ boo*/ or other piece of literary co!position
A fil!/ co!!ercial/ tele0ision sho&/ or other piece of 0isual co!position
A building/ sculpture/ fiber/ or other piece of plastic co!position
A &ebsite/ &ebpage/ or other piece of digital co!position
+,hat constitutes analysis-
1ased on a description that re'presents the ob$ect to a reader/ analysis has se0eral
co!ponents:
1() su!!ari2e the creator3s purpose (both the for! and content)
2() detail ho& the creator3s choices ad0anced that purpose (both the for! and
content)
4() e0aluate the effecti0eness of these choices
5ote: analysis is 5O6 &hether you agree &ith the point of 0ie& or argu!ent(
7rading (on the traditional 100 point scale) e!erges fro! a co!posite of the follo&ing
fi0e categories (each &orth 20 points):
Description
Did you ade8uately describe the ob$ect so that the reader can picture/ hear/
sense it- 9s your description an appropriate length-
:u!!ary
;a0e you su!!ari2ed the creator3s purpose or argu!ent in a clear and
concise !anner- Do readers understand ho& you discerned the purpose or
argu!ent- Do you ade8uately separate the issues of for! and content-
Analysis
;a0e you listed and e0aluated the effecti0eness of the creator3s !ethods to
achie0e his<her<their purpose or argu!ent- Do you bac* up your
analytical obser0ations &ith e0idence- ;a0e you distinguished bet&een
for! and content-
=lo& and Organi2ation
;a0e you enticed the reader and *ept the reader3s attention- "an the
reader follo& your o&n argu!ent and logic throughout the essay-
"larity and Appropriateness
9s your 0oice discernable fro! the creator3s- ;a0e you i!agined your
audience appropriately-