1. The Assignment: This assignment is designed to further student understanding of rhetorical devices and author’s style used in authentic settings and to have students look at arguments and draw their own conclusions. Students will read and analyze editorials written by a syndicated columnist and using that text for analysis.

2. EDITORIALS Go to the Opinion section of The Miami Herald and click on Columnist and chose one you like. Go to Opinion section of The New York Times and click on Columnist and chose one you like. Go to Opinion section of The USA Today and click on Columnist and chose one you like.

3. On a sheet of paper write... The persons name The newspaper they are columnist for Why you chose him or her?

4. The Method: Select one syndicated columnist. The following are suggested sources: Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel (local newspapers)The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today (national newspapers)The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Time, or Newsweek (magazines) Your columnist can be any kind (political, humor, sports, etc.), except an advice columnist whose columns are put together in letter and response form. Read many (at least ten) of the columnist’s editorials so you know his or her beat, looking for patterns in rhetorical strategies and style. Make hard copies of three columns and annotate them heavily— including questions, comments, definitions, rhetorical devices, connections, or other.

5. Basic Rhetorical Analysis Questions (Annotation Guide) What is the thesis, what is the overall argument the author presents? What is the writer’s purpose? To inform? To persuade? To criticize? Who is the author’s intended audience? How does the writer organize his or her ideas? Chronologically? Other? Why? How does the writer use diction? (Word choice, arrangement, accuracy, is it formal, informal? Technical versus slang?) Why? * Does the writer use dialogue? Quotations? Why? * What rhetorical devices are used? Why? * Is there evidence of problems with the authors argument? What would the opposition say about his or her argument that would weaken it? * What is the sentence structure (syntax) of text? Are there fragments, run-ons? Is it declarative, imperative, and exclamatory? What effect does this have? * Does the writer use punctuation to create an effect? Italics, underlining, parentheses? Which marks does the writer use, and when? What is the effect? * What is the author's tone and voice? Identify tone and voice. * Personal Connection to the column or topic – Questions – Comments * Style Questions

6. Due: Monday, January 6, 2013