ENG 113: COMPOSITION I ARGUMENT (RHETORICAL) ANALYSIS PAPER ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

ARGUMENT (RHETORICAL) ANALYSIS PAPER ASSIGNMENT Rhetorical Analysis Select One of the following Commencement (Graduation) speeches: Mike Tomlin (Football Coach), Saint Vincent College, 2008 Link to video: Link to text: mike-tomlin.php mike-tomlin.php Amy Poehler (Actress), Harvard University, 2011 Link to video: Link to text: Neil Gaiman (Author), University of the Arts, 2012 Link to video: Link to text: Victor Hwang (Entrepreneur), Austin Community College, Fall 2014 Link to video: Link to text:

REQUIREMENTS Summarize the Commencement (Graduation) Speech (no more than 300 words) Rhetorical Situation The writer The writer’s purpose The writer’s audience The topic The context (if applicable) Main Idea/Thesis and Key Points Identify and evaluate the Rhetorical Strategies employed by the writer One Paragraph each for Ethos, Pathos, Logos Minimum of one other rhetorical strategy (One Paragraph Each) Each paragraph should identify how the rhetorical strategy is used and how effective it is in fulfilling the writer’s purpose Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the strategies in communicating the author’s purpose to the audience

REQUIREMENTS CONTINUED Use specific quotations from the text to support your analysis Include a Works Cited page and MLA style in-text citations Minimum Length: 5-7 Pages (Approximately Words) Worth 100 Points

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Select one of the Commencement (Graduation) speeches Summarize the speech – (be sure to identify the author’s main idea/thesis) Identify the Rhetorical Situation (especially the writer’s purpose) Explain how the writer meets or “plays with” the expectations for a good Commencement (Graduation) speech Examine the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies used in the article Ethos, Pathos, Logos (one paragraph each) Other strategies (Minimum of one additional rhetorical strategy – one paragraph each)) Evaluate the overall effectiveness of how the strategies work together to achieve the writer’s purpose Use specific quotations and examples from the article to support your analysis The paper should be directed at a general, academic audience Do no use “I” or “You” in the paper Include a Works Cited Page and in-text citations in proper MLA format

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Your rhetorical analysis should: 1. Include a summary of the content of the Commencement (Graduation) speech of no more than 300 words Make sure to identify the rhetorical situation including the author’s purpose and thesis, the intended audience, and the effectiveness of the text in conveying the author’s purpose to the audience (what evidence is used, organization, etc) 2. Analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to support his or her argument Identify how the author incorporates the means of persuasion ethos, pathos, and logos in his or her writing Identify any other feature of the writing that the author uses to persuade the reader to accept the author’s ideas (minimum of one additional rhetorical strategy) Spend no less than one paragraph describing and analyzing each strategy. Be sure to incorporate specific examples from the text to support your analysis in the form of properly cited quotations Evaluate the effectiveness of each strategy 3. Discuss the author’s success in fulfilling his or her purpose for the intended audience

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS This is not simply a book report. You do more than just summarize the Commencement (Graduation) speech In a rhetorical analysis, you should Identify the rhetorical techniques the author employed Explain how these techniques seemingly support or undermine the author’s apparent purpose(s)in order to build his or her argument An effective rhetorical analysis includes specific quotations and examples from the text which support your analysis

PREPARING TO WRITE RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Read the text critically Preview Read Reread Annotate each paragraph with notes about the function of the paragraph and the strategies used by the author Establish a plan for how you will write your rhetorical analysis

CONDUCTING A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Read through the article Review each paragraph Determine what function or functions each paragraph has in the essay How does it contribute to the essay as a whole Use specific examples from the text to support the conclusion that you make about how the article communicates its purpose

STEPS IN WRITING A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Draft Your Analysis Begin by building your thesis – the main point that you want to make about the rhetorical situation in your text Gather evidence to support your thesis and decide all of the points that you will make in developing your thesis Carefully reexamine the text to discover a different or better point you may want to make Allow yourself time to draft and revise so that you can change the direction of your analysis if new ideas come to you Make sure that you build your argument in your draft: Strong introduction that includes a clear thesis Body paragraphs that provide specific evidence (especially quotations) to

BUILDING YOUR ARGUMENT Make sure that you build your argument in your draft: Strong introduction that captures the reader’s attention and includes a clear thesis Body paragraphs that provide specific evidence (especially quotations) to support your analysis A conclusion that wraps up the essay effectively Be sure to proofread to assure that the essay flows well and edit to eliminate spelling, grammar, and other errors.

A POLISHED DRAFT! Remember, the draft that you hand in should not be a rough draft. Instead, you should hand in a polished draft! Make sure that your draft: Fulfills all of the requirements of the assignment Includes a strong introduction, a clear thesis, well-developed body paragraphs, and a creative conclusion The essay should flow well, include specific quotations, and include a compelling analysis of the text Is free of spelling, grammar, and other errors This assignment is worth 100 points. You will be graded on how well the polished drafts fulfills the requirements of the assignment.

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS A good rhetorical analysis includes sufficient details from the text (quote it, describe it) to support your analysis A fine line exists between enough detail and too much You must draft, revise, and edit to ensure that you are not flooding your audience with too much information that is not relevant to your thesis A good rhetorical analysis is, in itself, rhetorical You are trying to convince your reader that your analysis has merit Provide information that your reader needs to understand the text better and to grasp your interpretation of how the text “works”

ORGANIZATION OF THE RHETORICAL ANALYSIS Introduction that grabs the reader’s attention and provides the framework for your argument Include a thesis statement that expresses your stand on the overall effectiveness of the author’s strategies Body Paragraph 1: Summary of the Article No more than 300 words Note the author’s main ideas and key supporting points Define the Rhetorical Situation (Writer, Purpose, Audience, Topic, Context) Body Paragraph 2: Ethos Identify how the author establishes authority in the essay (3 examples) Evaluate the effectiveness of this use Body Paragraph 3: Logos Identify how the author uses logic in the essay (3 examples) Evaluate the effectiveness of this use Body Paragraph 4: Pathos Identify how the author uses logic in the essay (3 examples) Evaluate the effectiveness of this use

ORGANIZATION OF THE RHETORICAL ANALYSIS CONT. Body Paragraph 5: Minimum of One Additional Rhetorical Strategy (if you include more than one, you should write one paragraph per strategy) Identify the Rhetorical Strategy and explain how the author uses it (3 examples) Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy Body Paragraph 6: Evaluation of Overall Effectiveness Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the combined strategies in conveying the author’s purpose to the audience Was it successful? Why or why not? Conclusion Wrap up the essay effectively with a strong conclusion that highlights the key points of your rhetorical analysis

SUPPORTING YOUR ANALYSIS Be sure to support each point in your analysis with specific quotations from the text Direct quotations, paraphrases, and summaries should be cited in proper MLA in-text format Include a Works Cited page at the end of the essay in proper MLA documentation style

AVOID PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is intentional or unintentional use of another person’s words or ideas without proper documentation Note: “Self-Plagiarism” is also plagiarism. Self-plagiarism is when you submit work done for another class without permission for credit in a different class. (If you took this class before, you may not submit the same paper again in any form. You must write an entirely new paper. You cannot earn credit twice for the same work.) Avoid plagiarism by properly citing the source for all quotes, paraphrases, and summaries Use MLA Style in-text citations with a Works Cited Page at the end of the paper (See Chapter 10 in Practical Argument) Purdue OWL MLA Formatting Style Guide:

HANDING IN THE PAPER Be sure to submit the paper on time to avoid late penalties! The draft should be polished, not rough! On the day the paper is due, bring one hard copy to class for peer review If you do not bring a printed copy to class, the paper will be considered late! In addition to the printed copy, you must upload an electronic copy of the paper to the Turnitin drop box on Moodle. I will not grade the paper until the electronic copy is received

REMINDER Hand your work in on time to avoid late penalties! Late Policy Worksheets must be handed in on the due date. They will not be accepted late for credit. Essays and other writing assignments handed in late will be penalized depending on length of time since the due date: up to one week late will be penalized 10%, up to two weeks late will be penalized 20%, three weeks late or more will be penalized 30%.

NEXT STEPS Choose the Commencement (Graduation) speech that you want to analyze Engage in a critical reading of the text Preview Read (be sure to annotate!) Reread Complete the Rhetorical Analysis Topic Worksheet Draft your analysis Be sure to revise and proofread/edit so that you hand in your best polished draft! Hand in Peer Review My comments Keep everything! One on one conferences (at the end of the semester) Portfolio (due at the end of the semester) Reflective paragraph explaining the revisions you made Final version including major revisions based on peer review and my comments Fixing spelling, grammar, or other errors and including in-text citations is mandatory and does not count as major revisions. If in-text citations are missing, you will receive a zero for the revised essay! Rough draft with peer review and comment sheet attached