rhetorical strategies in argumentative essays

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

These OWL resources will help you develop and refine the arguments in your writing.

There are three types of rhetorical appeals, or persuasive strategies, used in arguments to support claims and respond to opposing arguments. A good argument will generally use a combination of all three appeals to make its case.

Logos or the appeal to reason relies on logic or reason. Logos often depends on the use of inductive or deductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning takes a specific representative case or facts and then draws generalizations or conclusions from them. Inductive reasoning must be based on a sufficient amount of reliable evidence. In other words, the facts you draw on must fairly represent the larger situation or population. Example:

In this example the specific case of fair trade agreements with coffee producers is being used as the starting point for the claim. Because these agreements have worked the author concludes that it could work for other farmers as well.

Deductive reasoning begins with a generalization and then applies it to a specific case. The generalization you start with must have been based on a sufficient amount of reliable evidence.Example:

In this example the author starts with a large claim, that genetically modified seeds have been problematic everywhere, and from this draws the more localized or specific conclusion that Mexico will be affected in the same way.

Avoid Logical Fallacies

These are some common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Also, watch out for these slips in other people's arguments.

Slippery slope: This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur A must not be allowed to occur either. Example:

In this example the author is equating banning Hummers with banning all cars, which is not the same thing.

Hasty Generalization: This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts. Example:

In this example the author is basing their evaluation of the entire course on only one class, and on the first day which is notoriously boring and full of housekeeping tasks for most courses. To make a fair and reasonable evaluation the author must attend several classes, and possibly even examine the textbook, talk to the professor, or talk to others who have previously finished the course in order to have sufficient evidence to base a conclusion on.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc: This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.' Example:

In this example the author assumes that if one event chronologically follows another the first event must have caused the second. But the illness could have been caused by the burrito the night before, a flu bug that had been working on the body for days, or a chemical spill across campus. There is no reason, without more evidence, to assume the water caused the person to be sick.

Genetic Fallacy: A conclusion is based on an argument that the origins of a person, idea, institute, or theory determine its character, nature, or worth. Example:

In this example the author is equating the character of a car with the character of the people who built the car.

Begging the Claim: The conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim. Example:

Arguing that coal pollutes the earth and thus should be banned would be logical. But the very conclusion that should be proved, that coal causes enough pollution to warrant banning its use, is already assumed in the claim by referring to it as "filthy and polluting."

Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather than actually proving it. Example:

In this example the conclusion that Bush is a "good communicator" and the evidence used to prove it "he speaks effectively" are basically the same idea. Specific evidence such as using everyday language, breaking down complex problems, or illustrating his points with humorous stories would be needed to prove either half of the sentence.

Either/or: This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices. Example:

In this example where two choices are presented as the only options, yet the author ignores a range of choices in between such as developing cleaner technology, car sharing systems for necessities and emergencies, or better community planning to discourage daily driving.

Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than their opinions or arguments. Example:

In this example the author doesn't even name particular strategies Green Peace has suggested, much less evaluate those strategies on their merits. Instead, the author attacks the characters of the individuals in the group.

Ad populum: This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive (such as patriotism, religion, democracy) or negative (such as terrorism or fascism) concepts rather than the real issue at hand. Example:

In this example the author equates being a "true American," a concept that people want to be associated with, particularly in a time of war, with allowing people to buy any vehicle they want even though there is no inherent connection between the two.

Red Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them. Example:

In this example the author switches the discussion away from the safety of the food and talks instead about an economic issue, the livelihood of those catching fish. While one issue may affect the other, it does not mean we should ignore possible safety issues because of possible economic consequences to a few individuals.

Ethos or the ethical appeal is based on the character, credibility, or reliability of the writer. There are many ways to establish good character and credibility as an author:

Use only credible, reliable sources to build your argument and cite those sources properly.
Respect the reader by stating the opposing position accurately.
Establish common ground with your audience. Most of the time, this can be done by acknowledging values and beliefs shared by those on both sides of the argument.
If appropriate for the assignment, disclose why you are interested in this topic or what personal experiences you have had with the topic.
Organize your argument in a logical, easy to follow manner. You can use the Toulmin method of logic or a simple pattern such as chronological order, most general to most detailed example, earliest to most recent example, etc.
Proofread the argument. Too many careless grammar mistakes cast doubt on your character as a writer.

Pathos , or emotional appeal, appeals to an audience's needs, values, and emotional sensibilities. Pathos can also be understood as an appeal to audience's disposition to a topic, evidence, or argument (especially appropriate to academic discourse).

Argument emphasizes reason, but used properly there is often a place for emotion as well. Emotional appeals can use sources such as interviews and individual stories to paint a more legitimate and moving picture of reality or illuminate the truth. For example, telling the story of a single child who has been abused may make for a more persuasive argument than simply the number of children abused each year because it would give a human face to the numbers. Academic arguments in particular benefit from understanding pathos as appealing to an audience's academic disposition.

Only use an emotional appeal if it truly supports the claim you are making, not as a way to distract from the real issues of debate. An argument should never use emotion to misrepresent the topic or frighten people.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

Knowledge Base
How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.

Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.

Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos

Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.

Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.

Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.

These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.

Text and context

In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.

In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.

The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?

Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.

Claims, supports, and warrants

A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.

A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.

The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.

The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.

For example, look at the following statement:

We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

Academic style
Vague sentences
Style consistency

See an example

rhetorical strategies in argumentative essays

Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:

What is the author’s purpose?
Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
What kinds of evidence are presented?

By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.

The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.

The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.

Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.

Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.

Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.

It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Ad hominem fallacy
Post hoc fallacy
Appeal to authority fallacy
False cause fallacy
Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

Choosing Essay Topic
Write a College Essay
Write a Diversity Essay
College Essay Format & Structure
Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

(AI) Tools

Grammar Checker
Paraphrasing Tool
Text Summarizer
AI Detector
Plagiarism Checker
Citation Generator

The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 14, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/rhetorical-analysis/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, how to write a literary analysis essay | a step-by-step guide, comparing and contrasting in an essay | tips & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

Academic Argument

Rhetorical Strategies: Building Compelling Arguments

Rhetoric pertains to how authors use and manipulate language in order to persuade an audience.

To be rhetorically effective (and thus persuasive), an author must engage the audience in a variety of compelling ways. We can classify these as Logos, Pathos, and Ethos.

Logos: Appeal to Logic

Logic. Reason. Rationality. Logos is brainy and intellectual, cool, calm, collected, objective.

Logically sound writing often includes many examples to support a point – and those examples come from citation of credible data and statistics, reference to sound theories, reference valid research conducted by credible organizations.

Logical appeals rest on rational modes of thinking, such as

Comparison : you compare one thing (with regard to your topic) to another, similar thing to help support your claim. It is important that the comparison is fair and valid – the things being compared must share significant traits of similarity.
Cause/effect thinking : you argue that X has caused Y, or that X is likely to cause Y to help support your claim. Be careful with the latter – it can be difficult to predict that something “will” happen in the future.
Deductive reasoning : you start with a general claim/example and then use it to justify a in a smaller claim
Inductive reasoning : you use several specific examples or cases and use them to make a larger generalization
Exemplification : use of many examples to support a single point

Pathos: Appeal to Emotions

Pathos is deeply human – an author using pathetic appeals wants the audience to feel something: anger or pride or joy or rage or happiness. Pathetic appeals rest on emotion-based modes of communication . To engage the audience on an emotional level, the author may

add expressive descriptions of people, places or events that helps the reader to feel or experience those events
include vivid imagery of people, places or events that helps the reader to feel like he or she is seeing those events
share personal stories that help the reader feel connected to the person being described
use vocabulary or sentence structure that revolves around a particular emotion : sadness, happiness, fear, joy, anger, disgust, horror.
try to include any information that will evoke an emotional response from the audience . This could involve making the audience feel empathy or disgust for the person/group/event being discussed, or perhaps connection to or rejection of the person/group/event being discussed.

Pathos-based strategies are any strategies that get the audience to “open up” to the topic or to the author. Emotions can make us vulnerable, and rhetors can use this vulnerability to get the audience on his or her side.

Ethos: Appeal to Values/Trust

Ethical appeals have two facets.

One the one hand, an ethical appeal taps into the values that the audience holds, for example, patriotism, tradition, justice, equality, dignity for all humankind, self preservation, or other specific social, religious or philosophical values (Christian values, socialism, capitalism, feminism, etc). These values can sometimes feel very close to emotions, but they are felt on a social level rather than only on a personal level. If an author can evoke the values that the audience cares about in his or her argument, then he or she has a chance of persuading that audience because the audience will feel that the author is making an argument that is “right” (in the sense of moral “right”-ness).

This sense of referencing what is “right” in an ethical appeal connects to the moral character of the speaker/author. The author may draw attention to who he or she is as a way to engage the audience (i.e., “Because I support this – and you all you trust me because we share the same values! – you should, too”). If an author can present his or her moral character, one that the audience trusts because they (author and audience) share values, then he or she has a chance of persuading that audience. In this sense, the audience will feel that the author is the right person to make this argument and should therefore be believed.

In building ethical appeals, we see authors

referring either directly or indirectly to the values that matter to the intended audience
using reasoning or logic that relies on these values
using language, phrasing, imagery or other writing style common to people who hold those values – tapping into the discourse community of people with those values
doing anything else that shows the audience that the author understands and shares their values

English 102: Reading, Research, and Writing by Emilie Zickel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to write a rhetorical analysis

What is a rhetorical analysis?

What are the key concepts of a rhetorical analysis, rhetorical situation, claims, supports, and warrants.

Step 1: Plan and prepare
Step 2: Write your introduction
Step 3: Write the body
Step 4: Write your conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions about rhetorical analysis

Argument Analysis

Sometimes, the best way to learn how to write a good argument is to start by analyzing other arguments. When you do this, you get to see what works, what doesn’t, what strategies another author uses, what structures seem to work well and why, and more.

Therefore, even though this section on argument analysis is one of the last lessons in this area, your professor may have you start here before you draft a single word of your own essay.

In the pages that follow, you will learn about analyzing arguments for both content and rhetorical strategies. The content analysis may come a little easier for you, but the rhetorical analysis is extremely important. To become a good writer, we must develop the language of writing and learn how to use that language to talk about the “moves” other writers make.

When we understand the decisions other writers make and why, it helps us make more informed decisions as writers. We can move from being the “accidental” writer, where we might do well but are not sure why, to being a “purposeful” writer, where we have an awareness of the impact our writing has on our audience at all levels.

Thinking About Content

Content analysis of an argument is really just what it seems—looking closely at the content in an argument. When you’re analyzing an argument for content, you’re looking at things like claims, evidence to support those claims, and if that evidence makes sense.

The Toulmin method is a great tool for analyzing the content of an argument. In fact, it was developed as a tool for analyzing the content of an argument. Using the different concepts we learn in the Toulmin model, we are able to examine an argument by thinking about what claim is being made, what evidence is being used to support that claim, the warrants behind that evidence, and more.

When you analyze an argument, there is a good chance your professor will have you review and use the Toulmin information provided in the Excelsior OWL.

However, the lessons you have learned about logical fallacies will also help you analyze the content of an argument. You’ll want to look closely at the logic being presented in the claims and evidence. Does the logic hold up, or do you see logical fallacies? Obviously, if you see fallacies, you should really question the argument.

Thinking Rhetorically

As a part of thinking rhetorically about an argument, your professor may ask you to write a formal or informal rhetorical analysis essay. Rhetorical analysis is about “digging in” and exploring the strategies and writing style of a particular piece. Rhetorical analysis can be tricky because, chances are, you haven’t done a lot of rhetorical analysis in the past.

To add to this trickiness, you can write a rhetorical analysis of any piece of information, not just an essay. You may be asked to write a rhetorical analysis of an ad, an image, or a commercial.

The key is to start now! Rhetorical analysis is going to help you think about strategies other authors have made and how or why these strategies work or don’t work. In turn, your goal is to be more aware of these things in your own writing.

When you analyze a work rhetorically, you are going to explore the following concepts in a piece:

Before you begin to write your research paper, you should think about your audience. Your audience should have an impact on your writing. You should think about audience because, if you want to be effective, you must consider audience needs and expectations. It’s important to remember audience affects both what and how you write.

Most research paper assignments will be written with an academic audience in mind. Writing for an academic audience (your professors and peers) is one of the most difficult writing tasks because college students and faculty make up a very diverse group. It can be difficult for student writers to see outside their own experiences and to think about how other people might react to their messages.

But this kind of rhetorical thinking is necessary to effective writing. Good writers try to see their writing through the eyes of their audience. This, of course, requires a lot of flexibility as a writer, but the rewards for such thinking are great when you have a diverse group of readers interested in and, perhaps, persuaded by your writing.

Rhetorically speaking, purpose is about making decisions as a writer about why you’re writing and what you want your audience to take from your work.

There are three objectives you may have when writing a research paper.

To inform – When you write a research paper to inform, you’re not making an argument, but you do want to stress the importance of your topic. You might think about your purpose as educating your audience on a particular topic.
To persuade – When you write a research paper to persuade, your purpose should be to take a stance on your topic. You’ll want to develop a thesis statement that makes a clear assertion about some aspect of your topic.
To analyze – Although all research papers require some analysis, some research papers make analysis a primary purpose. So, your focus wouldn’t be to inform or persuade, but to analyze your topic. You’ll want to synthesize your research and, ideally, reach new, thoughtful conclusions based on your research.
TIPS! Here are a few tips when it comes to thinking about purpose.

You must be able to move beyond the idea that you’re writing your research paper only because your professor is making you. While that may be true on some level, you must decide on a purpose based on what topic you’re researching and what you want to say about that topic.

You must decide for yourself, within the requirements of your assignment, why you’re engaging in the research process and writing a paper. Only when you do this will your writing be engaging for your audience.

Your assignment or project instructions affect purpose. If your professor gives you a formal writing assignment sheet for your research paper, it’s especially important to read very carefully through your professor’s expectations. If your professor doesn’t provide a formal assignment sheet, be prepared to ask questions about the purpose of the assignment.

Once you have considered your audience and established your purpose, it’s time to think about voice. Your voice in your writing is essentially how you sound to your audience. Voice is an important part of writing a research paper, but many students never stop to think about voice in their writing. It’s important to remember voice is relative to audience and purpose. The voice you decide to use will have a great impact on your audience.

Formal – When using a formal, academic or professional voice, you’ll want to be sure to avoid slang and clichés, like “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” You’ll want to avoid conversational tone and even contractions. So, instead of “can’t,” you would want to use “cannot.” You’ll want to think about your academic or professional audience and think about what kind of impression you want your voice to make on that audience.
Semi-formal – A semi-formal tone is not quite as formal as a formal, academic or professional tone. Although you would certainly want to avoid slang and clichés, you might use contractions, and you might consider a tone that is a little more conversational. Students sometimes make errors in voice, which can have a negative impact on an essay. For example, when writing researched essays for the first time, many students lose their voices entirely to research, and the essay reads more like a list of what other people have said on a particular topic than a real essay. In a research essay, you want to balance your voice with the voices from your sources.

It’s also easy to use a voice that is too informal for college writing, especially when you are just becoming familiar with academia and college expectations.

Ultimately, thinking about your writing rhetorically will help you establish a strong, appropriate voice for your writing.

Appealing to ethos is all about using credibility, either your own as a writer or of your sources, in order to be persuasive. Essentially, ethos is about believability. Will your audience find you believable? What can you do to ensure that they do?

You can establish ethos—or credibility—in two basic ways: you can use or build your own credibility on a topic, or you can use credible sources, which, in turn, builds your credibility as a writer.

Credibility is extremely important in building an argument, so, even if you don’t have a lot of built-in credibility or experience with a topic, it’s important for you to work on your credibility by integrating the credibility of others into your argument.

Aristotle argued that ethos was the most powerful of the modes of persuasion, and while you may disagree, you can’t discount its power. After all, think about the way advertisers use ethos to get us to purchase products. Taylor Swift sells us perfume, and Peyton Manning sells us pizza. But, it’s really their fame and name they are selling.

With the power of ethos in mind, here are some strategies you can use to help build your ethos in your arguments.

If you have specific experience or education related to your issues, mention it in some way.

Appealing to pathos is about appealing to your audience’s emotions. Because people can be easily moved by their emotions, pathos is a powerful mode of persuasion. When you think about appealing to pathos, you should consider all of the potential emotions people experience. While we often see or hear arguments that appeal to sympathy or anger, appealing to pathos is not limited to these specific emotions. You can also use emotions such as humor, joy or even frustration, to note a few, in order to convince your audience.

It’s important, however, to be careful when appealing to pathos, as arguments with an overly-strong focus on emotion are not considered as credible in an academic setting. This means you could, and should, use pathos, but you have to do so carefully. An overly-emotional argument can cause you to lose your credibility as a writer.

You have probably seen many arguments based on an appeal to pathos. In fact, a large number of the commercials you see on television or the internet actually focus primarily on pathos. For example, many car commercials tap into our desire to feel special or important. They suggest that, if you drive a nice car, you will automatically be respected.

With the power of pathos in mind, here are some strategies you can use to carefully build pathos in your arguments.

Think about the emotions most related to your topic in order to use those emotions effectively. For example, if you’re calling for change in animal abuse laws, you would want to appeal to your audience’s sense of sympathy, possibly by providing examples of animal cruelty. If your argument is focused on environmental issues related to water conservation, you might provide examples of how water shortages affect metropolitan areas in order to appeal to your audience’s fear of a similar occurrence.
In an effort to appeal to pathos, use examples to illustrate your position. Just be sure the examples you share are credible and can be verified.
In academic arguments, be sure to balance appeals to pathos with appeals to logos (which will be explored on the next page) in order to maintain your ethos or credibility as a writer.
When presenting evidenced based on emotion, maintain an even tone of voice. If you sound too emotional, you might lose your audience’s respect.

Logos is about appealing to your audience’s logical side. You have to think about what makes sense to your audience and use that as you build your argument. As writers, we appeal to logos by presenting a line of reasoning in our arguments that is logical and clear. We use evidence, such as statistics and factual information, when we appeal to logos.

In order to develop strong appeals to logos, we have to avoid faulty logic. Faulty logic can be anything from assuming one event caused another to making blanket statements based on little evidence. Logical fallacies should always be avoided. We will explore logical fallacies in another section.

Appeals to logos are an important part of academic writing, but you will see them in commercials as well. Although they more commonly use pathos and ethos, advertisers will sometimes use logos to sell products. For example, commercials based on saving consumers money, such as car commercials that focus on miles-per-gallon, are appealing to the consumers’ sense of logos.

As you work to build logos in your arguments, here are some strategies to keep in mind.

Both experience and source material can provide you with evidence to appeal to logos. While outside sources will provide you with excellent evidence in an argumentative essay, in some situations, you can share personal experiences and observations. Just make sure they are appropriate to the situation and you present them in a clear and logical manner.
Remember to think about your audience as you appeal to logos. Just because something makes sense in your mind, doesn’t mean it will make the same kind of sense to your audience. You need to try to see things from your audience’s perspective. Having others read your writing, especially those who might disagree with your position, is helpful.
Be sure to maintain clear lines of reasoning throughout your argument. One error in logic can negatively impact your entire position. When you present faulty logic, you lose credibility.
When presenting an argument based on logos, it is important to avoid emotional overtones and maintain an even tone of voice. Remember, it’s not just a matter of the type of evidence you are presenting; how you present this evidence is important as well.

You will be thinking about the decisions an author has made along these lines and thinking about whether these decisions are effective or ineffective.

The following page provides a sample rhetorical analysis with some notes to help you better understand your goals when writing a formal rhetorical analysis.

This content was created by Excelsior Online Writing Lab (OWL) and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-4.0 International License . You are free to use, adapt, and/or share this material as long as you properly attribute. Please keep this information on materials you use, adapt, and/or share for attribution purposes.

Contact Info

Kennesaw Campus 1000 Chastain Road Kennesaw, GA 30144

Marietta Campus 1100 South Marietta Pkwy Marietta, GA 30060

Campus Maps

Phone 470-KSU-INFO (470-578-4636)

kennesaw.edu/info

Media Resources

Resources For

Part II: Rhetorical Strategies for Essays

Last updated
Save as PDF
Page ID 4894

Nine rhetorical strategies are generally recognized: Narration, description, comparison, example, illustration, definition, process, causal analysis and argument. Most writing will use a variety of strategies in a single essay. However, for inexperienced rhetoricians, practicing each separately helps in learning the techniques of organization distinct to the individual strategy. Students then learn to draw from a full palette of techniques to paint your ideas in writing. For example, you can’t tell a good story (narration), without description, you might provide examples when comparing items, and you will present causes and effects as part of logical reasoning in argument.

In this section, the chapters included recognize the seven strategies generally taught as single essays. Description is included with Chapter 9, and example is treated in Chapter 12 as synonymous with illustration.

Thumbnail photo credit: GrinnPidgeon via VisualHunt.com/CC BY-SA

Campus Library Info.
ARC Homepage
Library Resources
Articles & Databases
Books & Ebooks

Baker College Research Guides

Research Guides
General Education

COM 1020: Composition and Critical Thinking II

Understanding Rhetoric and Rhetorical Analysis
COM 1020 Reminders: The Writing Process, Research, etc.
Visual Rhetoric
Visual Analysis Essay
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
Understanding Oral Communications
Narrated PowerPoint
Presentations (Tips and Strategies)
Letter Formatting
Abstract Formatting
Scholarly Articles
Critical Reading
Google Slides

What is "Rhetoric?"

Rhetoric is commonly defined as “the art of persuasion.” Rhetorical tools give us the means to sway our audience and to persuade them to invest in our argument.

Rhetoric is everywhere and can involve any kind of text including speeches, written arguments (such as columns, editorials, essays, etc.) images, movies, documentaries, news reports and more. It is important to understand how these various mediums attempt to persuade audiences by using appeals to rhetoric .

As we discussed in COM 1010, in order to understand how rhetoric is used in any form of communication, we need to understand the rhetorical situation of that communication.

Below, you can see the components that shape the rhetorical situation of a text.

The “rhetorical situation” describes the components of any situation in which you may want to communicate, whether in written or oral form.

To define a “rhetorical situation,” ask yourself this question: “who is talking to whom about what, how, when, where, and why?”

There are five main components:

Purpose: what is the goal/intent of the communication? This answers the "so what?" question.
Writer: who is the writer?
Audience: who is the communication intended for? This answers the "who cares?" question.
Message: content, format, diction/tone, style, etc.
Context/Culture: when was the communication composed? In what environment?

What is a Rhetorical Analysis?

A rhetorical analysis helps you arrive at an understanding of how a particular writer attempts to persuade his or her audience. Learning to identify rhetorical strategies can help you to 1.) Become a more critical reader, and 2.) Become a more persuasive writer by using effective rhetorical strategies in your own writing.

The purpose of a rhetorical analysis essay is to:

explore how rhetoric works
explore how ideas are argued and presented
analyze how the strategy is working to help the writer achieve his or her purpose

Questions to think about while you read a written communication or listen to an oral communication :

What do you think was the author’s purpose in producing this communication?
Who was the intended audience and how do they affect the communication?
What style and tone did the author use? Why?
What rhetorical appeals did the writer use? (ethos, pathos, and logos)
How is the communication organized, and why do you think the author chose this particular organizational pattern? Is there a particular format that is used?
Why do you think the author included or omitted particular information?
What kinds of evidence did the author include to support his/her point of view, and how was that evidence used?

How does the writer use each strategy to develop his or her purpose?

Ethos: Ethical appeals establish the credibility and goodwill of the author or of the sources used to support an argument. Where and how does the author explain his or her related background or establish the credibility of the sources used?

Pathos: Emotional appeals draw on the readers’ emotional response to the subject and on shared beliefs and values. Where does the author use language and/or create images that are emotionally charged?

Logos: Logical appeals use reasoning and evidence to support an argument. Logical appeals draw on facts, statistics, research, financial costs, observations, and experiments to reach conclusions using logical schema. Where and how does the author use evidence? What kinds of evidence are used? What logical schema does the author draw on to interpret the evidence?

Evaluating an Author's Intent

<< Previous: COM 1020 Reminders: The Writing Process, Research, etc.
Next: Visual Rhetoric >>
Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 2:01 PM
URL: https://guides.baker.edu/com1020
Search this Guide Search

9.5 Writing Process: Thinking Critically about Rhetoric

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Develop a rhetorical analysis through multiple drafts.
Identify and analyze rhetorical strategies in a rhetorical analysis.
Demonstrate flexible strategies for generating ideas, drafting, reviewing, collaborating, revising, rewriting, and editing.
Give and act on productive feedback for works in progress.

The ability to think critically about rhetoric is a skill you will use in many of your classes, in your work, and in your life to gain insight from the way a text is written and organized. You will often be asked to explain or to express an opinion about what someone else has communicated and how that person has done so, especially if you take an active interest in politics and government. Like Eliana Evans in the previous section, you will develop similar analyses of written works to help others understand how a writer or speaker may be trying to reach them.

Summary of Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis

The assignment is to write a rhetorical analysis of a piece of persuasive writing. It can be an editorial, a movie or book review, an essay, a chapter in a book, or a letter to the editor. For your rhetorical analysis, you will need to consider the rhetorical situation—subject, author, purpose, context, audience, and culture—and the strategies the author uses in creating the argument. Back up all your claims with evidence from the text. In preparing your analysis, consider these questions:

What is the subject? Be sure to distinguish what the piece is about.
Who is the writer, and what do you know about them? Be sure you know whether the writer is considered objective or has a particular agenda.
Who are the readers? What do you know or what can you find out about them as the particular audience to be addressed at this moment?
What is the purpose or aim of this work? What does the author hope to achieve?
What are the time/space/place considerations and influences of the writer? What can you know about the writer and the full context in which they are writing?
What specific techniques has the writer used to make their points? Are these techniques successful, unsuccessful, or questionable?

For this assignment, read the following opinion piece by Octavio Peterson, printed in his local newspaper. You may choose it as the text you will analyze, continuing the analysis on your own, or you may refer to it as a sample as you work on another text of your choosing. Your instructor may suggest presidential or other political speeches, which make good subjects for rhetorical analysis.

When you have read the piece by Peterson advocating for the need to continue teaching foreign languages in schools, reflect carefully on the impact the letter has had on you. You are not expected to agree or disagree with it. Instead, focus on the rhetoric—the way Peterson uses language to make his point and convince you of the validity of his argument.

Another Lens. Consider presenting your rhetorical analysis in a multimodal format. Use a blogging site or platform such as WordPress or Tumblr to explore the blogging genre, which includes video clips, images, hyperlinks, and other media to further your discussion. Because this genre is less formal than written text, your tone can be conversational. However, you still will be required to provide the same kind of analysis that you would in a traditional essay. The same materials will be at your disposal for making appeals to persuade your readers. Rhetorical analysis in a blog may be a new forum for the exchange of ideas that retains the basics of more formal communication. When you have completed your work, share it with a small group or the rest of the class. See Multimodal and Online Writing: Creative Interaction between Text and Image for more about creating a multimodal composition.

Quick Launch: Start with a Thesis Statement

After you have read this opinion piece, or another of your choice, several times and have a clear understanding of it as a piece of rhetoric, consider whether the writer has succeeded in being persuasive. You might find that in some ways they have and in others they have not. Then, with a clear understanding of your purpose—to analyze how the writer seeks to persuade—you can start framing a thesis statement : a declarative sentence that states the topic, the angle you are taking, and the aspects of the topic the rest of the paper will support.

Complete the following sentence frames as you prepare to start:

The subject of my rhetorical analysis is ________.
My goal is to ________, not necessarily to ________.
The writer’s main point is ________.
I believe the writer has succeeded (or not) because ________.
I believe the writer has succeeded in ________ (name the part or parts) but not in ________ (name the part or parts).
The writer’s strongest (or weakest) point is ________, which they present by ________.

Drafting: Text Evidence and Analysis of Effect

As you begin to draft your rhetorical analysis, remember that you are giving your opinion on the author’s use of language. For example, Peterson has made a decision about the teaching of foreign languages, something readers of the newspaper might have different views on. In other words, there is room for debate and persuasion.

The context of the situation in which Peterson finds himself may well be more complex than he discusses. In the same way, the context of the piece you choose to analyze may also be more complex. For example, perhaps Greendale is facing an economic crisis and must pare its budget for educational spending and public works. It’s also possible that elected officials have made budget cuts for education a part of their platform or that school buildings have been found obsolete for safety measures. On the other hand, maybe a foreign company will come to town only if more Spanish speakers can be found locally. These factors would play a part in a real situation, and rhetoric would reflect that. If applicable, consider such possibilities regarding the subject of your analysis. Here, however, these factors are unknown and thus do not enter into the analysis.

Introduction

One effective way to begin a rhetorical analysis is by using an anecdote, as Eliana Evans has done. For a rhetorical analysis of the opinion piece, a writer might consider an anecdote about a person who was in a situation in which knowing another language was important or not important. If they begin with an anecdote, the next part of the introduction should contain the following information:

Author’s name and position, or other qualification to establish ethos
Title of work and genre
Author’s thesis statement or stance taken (“Peterson argues that . . .”)
Brief introductory explanation of how the author develops and supports the thesis or stance
If relevant, a brief summary of context and culture

Once the context and situation for the analysis are clear, move directly to your thesis statement. In this case, your thesis statement will be your opinion of how successful the author has been in achieving the established goal through the use of rhetorical strategies. Read the sentences in Table 9.1 , and decide which would make the best thesis statement. Explain your reasoning in the right-hand column of this or a similar chart.

The introductory paragraph or paragraphs should serve to move the reader into the body of the analysis and signal what will follow.

Your next step is to start supporting your thesis statement—that is, how Octavio Peterson, or the writer of your choice, does or does not succeed in persuading readers. To accomplish this purpose, you need to look closely at the rhetorical strategies the writer uses.

First, list the rhetorical strategies you notice while reading the text, and note where they appear. Keep in mind that you do not need to include every strategy the text contains, only those essential ones that emphasize or support the central argument and those that may seem fallacious. You may add other strategies as well. The first example in Table 9.2 has been filled in.

When you have completed your list, consider how to structure your analysis. You will have to decide which of the writer’s statements are most effective. The strongest point would be a good place to begin; conversely, you could begin with the writer’s weakest point if that suits your purposes better. The most obvious organizational structure is one of the following:

Go through the composition paragraph by paragraph and analyze its rhetorical content, focusing on the strategies that support the writer’s thesis statement.
Address key rhetorical strategies individually, and show how the author has used them.

As you read the next few paragraphs, consult Table 9.3 for a visual plan of your rhetorical analysis. Your first body paragraph is the first of the analytical paragraphs. Here, too, you have options for organizing. You might begin by stating the writer’s strongest point. For example, you could emphasize that Peterson appeals to ethos by speaking personally to readers as fellow citizens and providing his credentials to establish credibility as someone trustworthy with their interests at heart.

Following this point, your next one can focus, for instance, on Peterson’s view that cutting foreign language instruction is a danger to the education of Greendale’s children. The points that follow support this argument, and you can track his rhetoric as he does so.

You may then use the second or third body paragraph, connected by a transition, to discuss Peterson’s appeal to logos. One possible transition might read, “To back up his assertion that omitting foreign languages is detrimental to education, Peterson provides examples and statistics.” Locate examples and quotes from the text as needed. You can discuss how, in citing these statistics, Peterson uses logos as a key rhetorical strategy.

In another paragraph, focus on other rhetorical elements, such as parallelism, repetition, and rhetorical questions. Moreover, be sure to indicate whether the writer acknowledges counterclaims and whether they are accepted or ultimately rejected.

The question of other factors at work in Greendale regarding finances, or similar factors in another setting, may be useful to mention here if they exist. As you continue, however, keep returning to your list of rhetorical strategies and explaining them. Even if some appear less important, they should be noted to show that you recognize how the writer is using language. You will likely have a minimum of four body paragraphs, but you may well have six or seven or even more, depending on the work you are analyzing.

In your final body paragraph, you might discuss the argument that Peterson, for example, has made by appealing to readers’ emotions. His calls for solidarity at the end of the letter provide a possible solution to his concern that the foreign language curriculum “might vanish like a puff of smoke.”

Use Table 9.3 to organize your rhetorical analysis. Be sure that each paragraph has a topic sentence and that you use transitions to flow smoothly from one idea to the next.

As you conclude your essay, your own logic in discussing the writer’s argument will make it clear whether you have found their claims convincing. Your opinion, as framed in your conclusion, may restate your thesis statement in different words, or you may choose to reveal your thesis at this point. The real function of the conclusion is to confirm your evaluation and show that you understand the use of the language and the effectiveness of the argument.

In your analysis, note that objections could be raised because Peterson, for example, speaks only for himself. You may speculate about whether the next edition of the newspaper will feature an opposing opinion piece from someone who disagrees. However, it is not necessary to provide answers to questions you raise here. Your conclusion should summarize briefly how the writer has made, or failed to make, a forceful argument that may require further debate.

For more guidance on writing a rhetorical analysis, visit the Illinois Writers Workshop website or watch this tutorial .

Peer Review: Guidelines toward Revision and the “Golden Rule”

Now that you have a working draft, your next step is to engage in peer review, an important part of the writing process. Often, others can identify things you have missed or can ask you to clarify statements that may be clear to you but not to others. For your peer review, follow these steps and make use of Table 9.4 .

Quickly skim through your peer’s rhetorical analysis draft once, and then ask yourself, What is the main point or argument of my peer’s work?
Highlight, underline, or otherwise make note of statements or instances in the paper where you think your peer has made their main point.
Look at the draft again, this time reading it closely.
Ask yourself the following questions, and comment on the peer review sheet as shown.

The Golden Rule

An important part of the peer review process is to keep in mind the familiar wisdom of the “Golden Rule”: treat others as you would have them treat you. This foundational approach to human relations extends to commenting on others’ work. Like your peers, you are in the same situation of needing opinion and guidance. Whatever you have written will seem satisfactory or better to you because you have written it and know what you mean to say.

However, your peers have the advantage of distance from the work you have written and can see it through their own eyes. Likewise, if you approach your peer’s work fairly and free of personal bias, you’re likely to be more constructive in finding parts of their writing that need revision. Most important, though, is to make suggestions tactfully and considerately, in the spirit of helping, not degrading someone’s work. You and your peers may be reluctant to share your work, but if everyone approaches the review process with these ideas in mind, everyone will benefit from the opportunity to provide and act on sincerely offered suggestions.

Revising: Staying Open to Feedback and Working with It

Once the peer review process is complete, your next step is to revise the first draft by incorporating suggestions and making changes on your own. Consider some of these potential issues when incorporating peers’ revisions and rethinking your own work.

Too much summarizing rather than analyzing
Too much informal language or an unintentional mix of casual and formal language
Too few, too many, or inappropriate transitions
Illogical or unclear sequence of information
Insufficient evidence to support main ideas effectively
Too many generalities rather than specific facts, maybe from trying to do too much in too little time

In any case, revising a draft is a necessary step to produce a final work. Rarely will even a professional writer arrive at the best point in a single draft. In other words, it’s seldom a problem if your first draft needs refocusing. However, it may become a problem if you don’t address it. The best way to shape a wandering piece of writing is to return to it, reread it, slow it down, take it apart, and build it back up again. Approach first-draft writing for what it is: a warm-up or rehearsal for a final performance.

Suggestions for Revising

When revising, be sure your thesis statement is clear and fulfills your purpose. Verify that you have abundant supporting evidence and that details are consistently on topic and relevant to your position. Just before arriving at the conclusion, be sure you have prepared a logical ending. The concluding statement should be strong and should not present any new points. Rather, it should grow out of what has already been said and return, in some degree, to the thesis statement. In the example of Octavio Peterson, his purpose was to persuade readers that teaching foreign languages in schools in Greendale should continue; therefore, the conclusion can confirm that Peterson achieved, did not achieve, or partially achieved his aim.

When revising, make sure the larger elements of the piece are as you want them to be before you revise individual sentences and make smaller changes. If you make small changes first, they might not fit well with the big picture later on.

One approach to big-picture revising is to check the organization as you move from paragraph to paragraph. You can list each paragraph and check that its content relates to the purpose and thesis statement. Each paragraph should have one main point and be self-contained in showing how the rhetorical devices used in the text strengthen (or fail to strengthen) the argument and the writer’s ability to persuade. Be sure your paragraphs flow logically from one to the other without distracting gaps or inconsistencies.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/writing-guide/pages/1-unit-introduction

Authors: Michelle Bachelor Robinson, Maria Jerskey, featuring Toby Fulwiler
Publisher/website: OpenStax
Book title: Writing Guide with Handbook
Publication date: Dec 21, 2021
Location: Houston, Texas
Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/writing-guide/pages/1-unit-introduction
Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/writing-guide/pages/9-5-writing-process-thinking-critically-about-rhetoric

© Dec 19, 2023 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.

Conspiracy Theory PWR 1 Fall Quarter 2008 Jonah G. Willihnganz Stanford University

The Rhetorical Analysis Audience: Freshman Class of Stanford University 5 pages, double-spaced Due on Coursework Friday, October 10 by 12 noon (in Materials folder)

What a rhetorical analysis is:

A rhetorical analysis is an examination of how a text persuades us of its point of view. It focuses on identifying and investigating the way a text communicates, what strategies it employs to connect to an audience, frame an issue, establish its stakes, make a particular claim, support it, and persuade the audience to accept the claim. It is not, as we have noted, an analysis of what a text says but of what strategies it uses to communicate effectively. You must, of course, begin your analysis with what the text says—its argument—but the work of the essay is to show how the text persuades us of its position. You might think of the piece you choose to analyze as a particular kind of engine whose machinations produce particular results. An analysis of the engine examines all the parts, how they work in isolation, together, etc. to see how the engine does what it does, or makes what it makes.

Your task is to produce a rhetorical analysis of one of the pieces (or pair of pieces) listed below. Your goal is to show how the essay, debate, or story's structure, rhetorical appeals, and strategies attempt to persuade us of its/their point of view. In your essay you should have a clear thesis of your own about the piece (or pair of pieces) you are analyzing and supply strong textual evidence to support your thesis. I would suggest that before you begin you read the guidelines below and the Evaluation Rubric that we will use to assess essays in this course (in the Course Materials section of the web site). There you will find the six principle criteria for a successful essay.

Maclolm X, " The Ballot or the Bullet "
Martin Amis, " The Last Days of Muhhamad Atta "
Joseph McCarthy, " Repsonse to Edward R. Murrow" on See It Now

The Form of the Essay:

As we will discuss, there is no set form , no five-paragraph standard, for writing essays such as these. But since your goal is to convince your audience of an argument, you need to use the best strategies to do so. Persuasive writing, we have seen, gains the attention and establishes a connection with its audience, provides a context for the argument it will pursue, and pursues that argument (often declared near the beginning of the essay, but not always) by building the strongest case possible. So in your first paragraph or two you will probably want to capture the attention of your audience, provide the context of the analysis you are making, and provide either your claim or your purpose (with the actual claim to come later). The form of your essay will flow from the thesis you invent, so constructing a strong one is crucial. Make sure that your thesis obeys the prescriptions we have discussed in class. Your thesis needs to be an argument , concrete and specific (vs. abstract and vague), and of appropriate scope (defensible within the constraints of the essay). An argument, as we have said, is something with which someone might conceivably disagree. Your goal here, as we have said, is to show us how a text works, what strategy or strategies it uses. Therefore a general statement such as "This story has very powerful rhetorical strategies " does not qualify as an argument, but "This essay's consistent use of war analogies encourages the audience to emotionally identify with its position" does.

Be sure to give your essay a good title, one that signals the slant and/or value of your analysis. In this essay, the only citations you need to provide are the page numbers of directly quoted passages of the text you are analyzing.

Some suggestions about the process of writing this essay:

Successful essays are approached in stages. Writing, we have said, is a process of thinking, and so to produce a piece capable of persuading others we almost always need to write in stages. The first stage is pouring out our first impressions, our "first take" on a text or subject. This draft, notes or outline—whatever form it takes—is usually some record or story of our thoughts. It is important to recognize that this then needs to be transformed in a second stage into something that is much more like a "performance"—something carefully calculated to persuade a particular audience of the position we have developed. Make sure you submit for scrutiny this second stage .

We have done a bit of this kind of analysis in class, so the activity of thinking about the texts should feel familiar. When we write essays that try to perform a clear but sophisticated analysis, it is sometimes helpful to approach the task in discrete steps. When producing a rhetorical analysis, you might try the following. Take notes at each stage of these stages and write out full sentences as often as possible so that you begin to make your formulations early-on.

Firs t, describe for yourself as fully as possible what you take to be the general meaning/message of the piece . Do the same for more specific, particular effects. Then begin your examination the piece's strategies by looking at whether/how the work signals in any way its audience, purpose, and context. Begin with what the works do for you—that is, start with your experience. This isn't a license to say anything you like, or, for example, to speak simply about what the works remind you of, since you will have to account for the effects you describe and how they are produced.

Second , identify the most prominent strategies the work uses to produce the meaning/effect you have described. Use terms and concepts we have discussed in class—the Aristotelian forms of appeal, metaphor, metonymy, analogy, common ground, etc—and any others that seem useful. Look in particular for any patterns that are developed by the work. Finally, decide what seem to be the most important elements of the work for you—that is, identify what is for you to be the most striking, meaningful effect(s) of the work and methods used to achieve it/them. This will help you hone in on a thesis.

Third, craft a few sentences that explain why, in your view, the piece works the way it does. Try to craft these sentences so that they set up, first, a description of what the meaning/effect of the piece is, and, second, what strategies, elements, etc. help produce that meaning/effect. Then isolate the textual evidence you will use—probably only a portion of what you have noted.

Fourth, write the draft. Make sure you give us your thesis or an indication of your thesis early. (You can give us the whole argument right up front, pose a question you'll explore, whose answer will be your thesis, or give us a general version of your thesis that you'll refine for us by the end of your essay.) However, since you are writing not for a teacher but to interest and then convince your classmates about something, abandon the traditional, academic 5-paragraph form (thesis, 3 or so points of evidence, recapitulation of thesis). In its place, try to write a narrative of your analysis—you might use phrase such as "when I/one first encounters. . ." "what is striking about. . ." "I/one realizes, begins to recognize. . ." Take us on the journey of your own discovery, a discovery that is expressed as a claim about the works under consideration.

Writing Rhetorically: Framing First Year Writing

(3 reviews)

Kirk Fontenot

Shelley Rodrigue

Wanda M. Waller

Publisher: LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Lynn Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor, City Colleges of Chicago on 6/8/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

As a text addressing rhetoric and the devices intrinsic to this, the authors' task, I would assume, would be, firstly, to explain and define the term, introduce the term as deriving from the Greek, and follow with how rhetorical strategies have been employed by writers and orators alike. This should be included in the introduction, which may offer a graphic or visual to make it clear and interesting to students. A recent example that might be included would be one of Obama's speeches, as he was regarded as an orator, rhetorician, akin to JFK and MLK. All three men made use of striking rhetorical devices as the art of persuasion. Next, would be to examples of writing stratgies, including the hueristics used for generating ideas to write about; these strategies, otherwise known as brainstorming or pre-writing techniques are a critical piece of a beginning composition class and must be addressed for students to understand the nature of a writing class and how thinking and writing progress. For this, the text could include the step ladder of Bloom's Taxonomy, which has not changed, no matter how dated. The concept of outlining is absent, except for reverse outlining, as are the methods of intoduction; although the authors discuss what not to do in the introduction, but that does not present methodology. I do appreciate the inclusion of the Toulmin method and need for evidence in the section on argument. Perhaps more time should be devoted to the idea of a thesis, since this is always a difficult concept and needs a chapter on its own. As for revision, editing, and proofreading, some examples of students' drafts and their revisions would help more than the explanation, since that is how the majority of people learn. The rhetorical modes seem acceptable, and attaching the rubric is helpful, although perhaps, a chart might be more visually appealing, and a better percentage than 10% of the grade on the rubric for grammar, since grammatical errors must weigh into the grade, so that students may continue to improve in this category. Perhaps suggest that they have an account with Grammarly, so that they may work on their weaknesses. I have had success with this. I like the idea of including the SLOs and the goals for each assigned paper, since that adds a focus. Regarding the presentation and explanation of each mode, each seems to include some great examples of professional essays that meet the criteria, as well as student essays, which are instructive, and, lastly, offer a chance for the writer to take a turn writing in this mode. Providing videos for exercises in grammar is beneficial and interesting; however, it seems that the quizzes page is not working, and while a composition class does not explicitly teach grammar, from recent pedagogy, this is shifting, so some worksheets would be helpful. The glossary needs to include a variety of terms, some more complex than what has been included here. Overall, the text addresses key concepts for this class; yet, some embellishment would not hurt.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text seems overall to be accurate and unbiased, and I did not notice a need for revision; but, as suggested, some additions may be helpful for a diverse group of learners.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

While the content has not changed over the years and is a constant in a writing class, we have increasingly become a visual society, with image playing a critical role; albeit in everyday life or in the interpretation of a text, so my suggestion would be to add some graphics as supplementary materials to hopefully engage a wider and more diverse population. Some photos, art work, graphic organizers may help students visualize their purposes and goals. The rhetorical triangle, for one, comes to mind, as an example.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clear and seems to provide adequate context; however, the phrases in boxes chosen to accompany each mode could be explained and given more emphasis so that students know that these phrases are important and must be used as part of the strategy. Also , the rubric for discussion is a chart, so why not include something on that order for the papers. It imay be easier to see and to understand the requirements of. Again, breaking up the text here and there would help students digest the necessary prose.

Consistency rating: 4

The text is consistent in its approach to rhetorical modes, perhaps too much so, and some deviation might pique the students' interest level, rather than the predicatability of the chapters; in other words, some balance between consistency and unpredictability, which is difficult to achieve, but not impossible. The terminology is sufficiently explained but could offer some elaboration to keep the interest level high and to mitigate lack of engagement.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is easily divisible, and this succeeds with teaching the content and helps students stay focused on specific goals and tasks. While it could be reorganized, I would not recommend this as the progression is logical and sound as is. To succeed in writing, logic(logos) is paramount.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

As stated above, the text is logically organized, as is, with the exceptions and suggested inclusions mentioned in the section on Comprehensiveness.

Interface rating: 3

Once again, charts, maps, graphs, and visuals are lacking in the interface. Inclusion would make the text much more accessible to learners, so that might need revision. As it is, the text is navigable but could be supplemented, at least the on-line version.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not notice many grammatical errors, although the spelling of "judgment" under the Evaluation section should be corrected; yet, diction and syntax are another matter, and may leave room for improvement, but that is a stylistic choice. Spelling errors such as the one mentioned confuse students as they write, since most do not question the accuracy of a classroom textbook, so good to note.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The writers, while not particularly addressing diversity, are from diverse backgounds and that is understood through their essays. The text has a good selection of excellent authors, with various cultural backgrounds and experiences, so the essays should be engaging for students to read, discuss, analyze, and evaluate. Learning hinges on several things, one being different and opposing viewpoints, which students definitely possess and want to see in others as validation; hence, a good mix of writers and styles remains important. The classroom, or learning environment, is a dynamic one, with many different voices.

I enjoyed reviewing this book and understanding the authors' perspectives on the teaching of writing, and while no two people are alike, so much of the content we teach is; and while our approaches may vary, we all are tasked with the ultimate goal of creating life-long learners, as is apparent from this text. Thank you for the opportunity extended.

Reviewed by Tracy Lassiter, Associate Professor, University of New Mexico on 5/14/23

It's almost entirely comprehensive. My minor concern is, there is a glossary, but I wish it included terms like "predicate" or "independent clause" -- a few of the more sophisticated but common grammar terms, not just the composition terms. A larger concern is the link to the Interactive Grammar Quiz no longer works - I got a 404 error with it. And since apparently it was a hyperlink to another book or course, it may be that the original site is gone or revised.

One other point of mention: the videos and some of the other content seems not only specific to the students within the Louisiana system, but to individual classes. For example, one says, "Since you missed class today, I wanted to provide you with an explanation..." and then refers to an activity the class participated in during an earlier week. So, it's not as open for general use/adoption as one might expect.

The accuracy is good - examples include cultural pieces from South Africa, for example. It's global in this kind of way and accurate in terms of organizing the whole book according to the rhetorical modes. While some scholars might say we've moved to genre-based and not modes-based approaches to teaching writing (e.g., blog posts vs. essays, emails vs. reports, etc.), the modes are still quite in use and commonly taught -- and commonly assigned as topics in all disciplines (ie, compare these two countries' GDPs, explain how a solar plate works, etc.) so the organization structure and assignment nature still is relevant.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Yes - as above. One sample paper, for example compares two nations' capitals - familiar locations and timeless enough that it won't need to be updated with frequency or else appear to be obsolete. Even specifics like "Compare Beyonce to Madonna" is OK because they are each superstars and renowned enough to make sense to younger generations of students.

Clarity rating: 5

Very easy to understand. The explanations are thorough but not too long. They get to the point with an easy readability. I didn't find any places that would be confusing. Even, for example, the evaluation or compare/contrast modules were written clearly. Often with c/c textbooks, authors will say "Use a point-by-point or subject-by-subject arrangement." While this doesn't sound confusing on the surface, students can confuse those structures. These authors distinguish between the two by defining them when they first introduce these options.

Consistency rating: 5

While there's a consistency and cohesion throughout the text, the consistency is really evident in the way the chapters per each rhetorical pattern is organized - with an explanation, with samples, even with things like the appropriate kinds of signal or transition words commonly used when writing in that mode. The authors provide a list of features or expectations, (e.g., reminding students to avoid switching verb tenses, to say in first or third person point of view, etc.). The rubric for the discussion posts are clear and are used for each discussion correlating to the four major writing assignments. The authors even provide sample bulleted lists topics for each assignment. Where different module writers embedded a video as part of the lecture, it seemed organic and not inconsistent compared to the others. It's great how that sense of consistency occurs even though three different authors wrote the separate modules and "anonymous" wrote the grammar/review materials.

I definitely appreciated the arrangement/modularity. The book takes its time in explaining the steps of the writing process in individual modules (1-4), then it takes each of the rhetorical patterns in term, then last it provides grammar/mechanics review, a glossary and other back material. I found it very easy to navigate and find what I wanted.

I just sort of touched on the organization with the modularity. They explain the writing process before any writing begins, they have the modules with the rhetorical patterns which is where the writing would occur, and then finally they have the finer points (revising/editing aspects) at the end by way of the grammar/mechanic, glossary and review. The book is organized according to the writing process, beginning to end.

Interface rating: 5

No interface issues, just that broken interactive quiz link mentioned earlier. The authors didn't really include any images but did embed some videos, e.g., related to thesis sentences or one about homelessness as part of the "cause/effect" module. The videos played even if their content was individual-class-that-day specific and not created for general OER use.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Well, since it's written by English instructors, the writing and grammar is fine, and the vocabulary level is very accessible.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I think there could be a bit more multiculturally. There was the essay about South Africa and a text by Amy Tan. I noted the inclusion of the homelessness video as a good example of economic variety and the idea of insider/outcast. But they might want to include a set of supplemental readings that don't have to do with Louisiana and its food, or other standard US readings (even Amy Tan is mainstream). Even if they were to stay within Louisiana, they don't offer anything related to its indigenous or Creole populations. Rather than clutter each module with additional readings that add length and could overwhelm the student, a complementary selection of readings correlated to the various rhetorical modes would provide the students with extra examples and the faculty with an array of readings to assign.

I'd actually consider using it for my developmental English class even though the authors state it's geared for Comp I. The way they introduce process, grammar fundamentals, and the modes is exactly how I structure my course. The only issue I would have with holistically using this book is that the theme I take of murals and public art of course don't appear here. I'd have to supplement this book with readings and assignments (reading comprehension, vocab building, note-taking/annotation) with my own materials. Still, this book, its rubrics, "things to include in your paper" aspects, and more make it extremely useful. I wouldn't find it cumbersome at all to supplement or complement it with materials to support our SLOs.

Reviewed by Deyeso Sharon, Adjunct Professor, Bunker Hill Community College on 4/11/23

Dear Colleagues, I am glad to be part of the Reading and Commentary as these recent years showed me "tired" Readings, lessons, and Plans. I did add readings, various exercises, current informational readings. The process of reading, observing... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Dear Colleagues,

I am glad to be part of the Reading and Commentary as these recent years showed me "tired" Readings, lessons, and Plans. I did add readings, various exercises, current informational readings. The process of reading, observing outside items, and writing/response is expected in this generation for not only academia but the professions and vocation worlds.

Viewing the AIM of the text brought me to comment on the following:

* The edition seems to be presented in an orderly, traditional subject-chapter way This textbook spells out the essay writing in min-genres, as I might say, from define, what is? to position writing. I assume personal, instructor add's can and enhance this text. The text is explanatory and logical in style. An instructor may add the further functions of our Subject as WRITING is everywhere. My samples, for ex, include TV AD's, medical/RX brochures and lyrics. Mention as this should preface any text It lends mostly academia slant in a direct, purposeful way on browse examining - plus for a College The book gives nice hands-on, eyes-on samples for first year students NIce to know that my first weeks" lessons focus on same as beginning lessons in the book It proceeds, then, in a nearly elevated way to show Readings and Exercises that could build the hierarchy of forms

* Listing of the Chapters seems to be in a traditional, logical system **Breakdown as follows - Whether answering a response in a Chemistry class or a brief Writing topic, DEFINE is vital Use of "is" and metaphors, ex, similes are apparent with other styles added **Identify and knowledge of a subject - p 50 - notetaking is included, plus for reports **The Intro to Body of Writing, explained as Body of Essay Parts...I am not fond of this, but rather Main Sentence, Maj Details - as the book writes on Support words - seems always to fit a position/argument style, not narrative, etc. **Book mentions Outlining, notes - these are skills, too; do not overplay as many duplicate **Cause/Effect - a tricky style for even fine writers -- uses across vocations, academia ....Step process s/b in this CH ...some of the readings lean from typical, personal samples, but become dense, social ** Compare/Contrast - A very tricky one for beg writers -juggling back-forth is not my RX - but rather a system of features, then the common, then the contrasts..with transition words.

As a view comment, text is finely written with mostly clear directions and varied samples. I might heitate, as mentioned, the use for ALL 111 level classes as the languages in most spots is elevated..This can stimulate and be part of the plan with vocabulary and more samples or can hinder. But, new to us with that refresh note!

Yours truly,

Sharon Deyeso, B.A., MEd., Post Graduate Studies

Although I could not read each page, the book seems accurately printed.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Although a few selections were on current issues...most could be applied in time change.

The book explains in a traditional manner, but some language is elevated. Very little jargon.

The book uses a traditional, logical method of setup and retains through the Chapters. Explanations are bit elaborate, but examples are fine.

Modularity rating: 4

Yes, and an instructor can add personal readings to supplement the text.

A fine point of the text...the building blocks of writing from a reluctant one to an intermediate writer can follow this blocks.

ALL diagrams or examples (charts) are clear.

No grammar problems.

All readings were appropriate, most were interesting options. I watched for overly sensitive.

The book is refreshing as most of us have older editions of popular books with additions....very little change. I would enhance the texts with additions and noticed a few selections for full essays were broad. Some language is elevated but could be a good vocabulary lookup! ha (Some instructors may sway from it as explanations re needed, then, and not for home reading with elevated language for ALL 111) Thank you for your attention, Sharon Deyeso

About This Book
Introduction
Adaptation Statement
Course Contents and Syllabus
Major Writing Assignments, Student Worksheets, and Rubrics
Chapter 1: Invention
Chapter 2: Arrangement
Chapter 3: Drafting and Revising
Chapter 4: Editing and Proofreading
Chapter 5: Narrative
Chapter 6: Description
Chapter 7: Definition
Chapter 8: Illustration/Example
Chapter 9: Compare/Contrast
Chapter 10: Evaluation
Chapter 11: Cause and Effect
Chapter 12: Argument
Chapter 13: Grammar and Mechanics Mini-lessons
Appendix A: Checklist for Accessibility

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This course equips students with a strong understanding of how to use rhetorical modes that underpin much academic writing. The textbook covers modes related to creative writing, such as narration and illustration, while also covering analytically-focused modes such as comparison and cause and effect. Detailed assignment sheets are supplemented by helpful student worksheets for each major paper assignment. The book's final chapter includes grammar and style exercises.

This textbook has been heavily adapted from material taken from English Composition I: Rhetorical Methods-Based , an OER developed and authored by Lumen Learning. Each chapter’s author has edited and created new content using Lumen Learning’s text as its primary source material, except where otherwise indicated. Where applicable, other source materials have been noted at the chapter level.

This textbook was created as part of the Interactive OER for Dual Enrollment project, facilitated by LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network and funded by a $2 million Open Textbooks Pilot Program grant from the Department of Education. This project supports the extension of access to high-quality post-secondary opportunities to high school students across Louisiana and beyond. This project features a collaboration between educational systems in Louisiana, the library community, Pressbooks technology partner, and workforce representatives. It will enable and enhance the delivery of open educational resources (OER) and interactive quiz and assessment elements for priority dual enrollment courses in Louisiana and nationally. Developed OER course materials will be released under a license that permits their free use, reuse, modification and sharing with others. The target audience for this project and this textbook are dual enrollment students. Dual enrollment is the opportunity for a student to be enrolled in high school and college at the same time. A dual enrollment student receives credit on both their high school and college transcripts for the same course

About the Contributors

Contribute to this page.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

17 Rhetorical Modes for Paragraphs & Essays

Questions to Ponder

Before you read this chapter, discuss with partners:

What are rhetorical modes (also called “patterns of organization” and “methods of development”)? Can you list some examples?
Why are rhetorical modes important in writing? Jot down your ideas.

Now read the graphic below. Can you add to the list of rhetorical modes that you created with your partners?

Flow Chart. Central idea: Choosing Paragraph Patterns. Radiating from top right: Narration - introduction, to tell a story that makes a point, to give background on people or event, to show sequence of events. Process - to show steps of action, to explain how to do something. Example/Illustration - to clarify a point or concept, to give a picture or specific instance, to make the abstract real. Analogy - to compare scenarios, to compare to a settled outcome, to compare one event to another very different one. Definition - to clarify meaning, to set foundation of argument, to give background. Comparison/contrast - to draw distinction between items, to find common ground. Description - to give details, to create a picture. Cause/effect - to lead from one item to another, to argue logic of evidence of action. Classification/Division - to put items in categories, to clarify comparison of items in a category, to divide items by characteristics.

Rhetorical Modes

Rhetorical modes are also called patterns of organization or methods of development ; they are the ways that authors and speakers organize their ideas to communicate effectively. The rhetorical modes that are covered here are best used as ways to look at what’s already happening in your draft and to consider how you might emphasize or expand on any existing patterns. You might already be familiar with some of these patterns because instructors will sometimes assign them as the purpose for writing an essay. For example, you might have been asked to write a cause and effect essay or a comparison and contrast essay.

Patterns of organization or methods of developing content usually happen naturally as a consequence of the way the writer engages with and organizes information while writing. That is to say, most writers don’t sit down and say, “I think I’ll write a cause and effect essay today.” Instead, a writer might be more likely to be interested in a topic, say, the state of drinking water in the local community, and as the writer begins to explore the topic, certain cause and effect relationships between environmental pollutants and the community water supply may begin to emerge . And in fact, many times, one essay may incorporate two or more rhetorical modes, as the author makes an argument for their point of view.

Activity A ~ Brainstorming Rhetorical Modes

Pause here to brainstorm ideas with your partner. Using the chart above (“ Choosing Paragraph Patterns “), discuss some of the topics below. Which mode(s) might you use in an essay about these topics? Would you need to explore more than one rhetorical mode for each topic?

Gender roles
Race in America
The value of art in society
Travel as part of a well-rounded education
Drugs and alcohol
Advice to new parents
Advice to teachers
The value of making mistakes
How you’d spend a million dollars
What a tough day at work taught you about yourself or others
My family history
Your idea: ___________

Keep reading to consider some of the ways that these strategies can help you as you revise a draft.

Cause/Effect

Do you see a potential cause-and-effect relationship developing in your draft? The cause/effect pattern may be used to identify one or more causes followed by one or more effects or results. Or you may reverse this sequence and describe effects first and then the cause or causes. For example, the causes of water pollution might be followed by its effects on both humans and animals. Use the signal words cause , effect , and result , to cue the reader about your about the relationships that you’re establishing.

Here’s an example article from T he New York Times , “ Rough Times Take Bloom Off a New Year’s Rite, the Rose Parade ,” that explores the cause and effect relationship (from 2011) between Pasadena’s budgetary challenges and the ability of their Rose Parade floats to deck themselves out in full bloom.

Problem/Solution

At some point does your essay explore a problem or suggest a solution? The problem/solution pattern is commonly used in identifying something that’s wrong and in contemplating what might be done to remedy the situation. For example, the problem of water pollution could be described, followed by ideas of new ways to solve the problem. There are probably more ways to organize a problem/solution approach, but here are three possibilities:

Describe the problem, followed by the solution
Propose the solution first and then describe the problems that motivated it
Explain a problem, followed by several solutions, and select one solution as the best

Emphasize the words problem and solution to signal these sections of your paper for your reader.

Here’s an example article from T he New York Times , “ Monks Embrace Web to Reach Recruits ,” that highlights an unexpected approach by a group of Benedictine monks in Rhode Island; they’ve turned to social media to grow their dwindling membership.

Compare/Contrast

Are you trying to define something? Do you need your readers to understand what something is and what it is not? The compare-and-contrast method of development is particularly useful in extending a definition, or anywhere you need to show how a subject is like or unlike another subject. For example, the statement is often made that drug abuse is a medical problem instead of a criminal justice issue. An author might attempt to prove this point by comparing drug addiction to AIDS, cancer, or heart disease to redefine the term “addiction” as a medical problem. A statement in opposition to this idea could just as easily establish contrast by explaining all the ways that addiction is different from what we traditionally understand as an illness. In seeking to establish comparison or contrast in your writing, some words or terms that might be useful are by contrast , in comparison , while , some , and others .

Here’s an example article from T he New York Times “ Who Wants to Shop in a Big Box Store, Anyway? ” The author explores some interesting differences between the average American and average Indian consumer to contemplate the potential success of big box stores in India and also to contemplate why these giant big box corporations, like Walmart or Target, might have to rethink their business model.

yellow umbrella on surface of water at daytime

These three methods of development—cause/effect, problem/solution, and compare/contrast—are just a few ways to organize and develop ideas and content in your essays. It’s important to note that they should not be a starting point for writers who want to write something authentic, to discuss something that they care deeply about. Instead, they can be a great way to help you look for what’s already happening with your topic or in a draft, to help you to write more, or to help you reorganize some parts of an essay that seem to lack connection or feel disjointed.

Sometimes writers incorporate a variety of modes in any one essay. For example, under the umbrella of an argument essay, and author might choose to write paragraphs showing cause and effect, description, and narrative. The rhetorical mode writers choose depends on the purpose for writing. Rhetorical modes are a set of tools that will give you greater flexibility and effectiveness in communicating with your audience and expressing ideas.

In addition to cause/effect , problem/solution , and compare/contrast , there are many other types of rhetorical modes:

Classification and division , often used in science, takes large ideas and divides them into manageable chunks of information, classifying and organizing them into types and parts.
Definition clarifies the meaning of terms and concepts, providing context and description for deeper understanding of those ideas.
Description provides detailed information using adjectives that appeal to the five senses (what people see, hear, smell, taste, and touch) as well as other vivid details that help readers visualize or understand an item or concept.
Evaluation analyzes and judges the value and merit of an essay, a concept, or topic.
Illustration provides examples and evidence in detail to support, explain, and analyze a main point or idea.
Narrative uses fictional or nonfictional stories in a chronological sequence of events, often including detailed descriptions and appeals to the senses and emotions of readers while storytelling to reveal a theme or moment.
Persuasion (i.e., argumentation) logically attempts to convince readers to agree with an opinion or take an action; the argument also acknowledges opposing viewpoints and accommodates and/or refutes them with diplomatic and respectful language, as well as provides precise and accurate evidence and other expert supporting details.
Process analysis describes and explains, step by step, chronologically, in detail, and with precision and accuracy, how to do something or how something works.

Assignment prompts for college essays may require a specific rhetorical mode, or you may be able to choose the best mode(s) to express your ideas clearly. Either way, be sure to ask your instructor if you are not sure which rhetorical mode(s) to use.

Key Takeaways

Why are rhetorical modes important?

As readers, understanding an author’s rhetorical mode helps us to understand the text, and to read and think critically.
Knowing the rhetorical mode helps us to identify the author’s main ideas, which helps us to summarize the author’s work.
As writers, we use rhetorical modes to make our writing clearer; they help us signal our topic and direction to our readers.
Rhetorical modes also help us to develop support and keep our readers interested.

Activity B ~ Identifying Rhetorical Modes

Read a printed or online essay or article. A letter to the editor or an editorial from a newspaper would be perfect. Then, with a partner, identify the modes of writing found in the article. (Use the lists above to help.) Analyze the different choices the writer has made about language and organization to express a point of view. Notice how the author may combine rhetorical modes (for example, a problem-solution article that uses cause-and-effect organization in some paragraphs, or a definition pattern that uses narrative or compare and contrast paragraphs to develop similarities or differences).
Select, read, and annotate a sample student essay in a specific style as provided in “ Readings: Examples of Essays ” from Saylor Academy . Note in the margins or on another sheet of paper what rhetorical mode each paragraph uses, how those modes and paragraphs support the overall rhetorical mode of the essay, and whether each paragraph does so successfully or not. Discuss in small groups and summarize your findings to report to the rest of the class.

If you want to learn more about three common rhetorical modes, read what the New York Times has to say in their learning blog article, “ Compare-Contrast, Cause-Effect, Problem Solution: Common ‘Text Types’ in The Times .”

Note: links open in new tabs.

This chapter was modified from the following Open Educational Resources:

“Patterns of Organization and Methods of Development ” from The Word on College Reading and Writing by Carol Burnell, Jaime Wood, Monique Babin, Susan Pesznecker, and Nicole Rosevear, which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

“ Introduction ” from English Composition by Karyl Garland, Ann Inoshita, Jeanne K. Tsutsui Keuma, Kate Sims, and Tasha Williams, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

“ Chapter 10: The Rhetorical Modes ” and “ Chapter 15: Readings: Examples of Essays ,” from Writing for Success from Saylor Academy, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0.

to think about

to write quickly

to come out, to be revealed

to decorate themselves

to fix; to make right

getting smaller

ENGLISH 087: Academic Advanced Writing Copyright © 2020 by Nancy Hutchison is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Translators
Graphic Designers
Editing Services
Academic Editing Services
Admissions Editing Services
Admissions Essay Editing Services
AI Content Editing Services
APA Style Editing Services
Application Essay Editing Services
Book Editing Services
Business Editing Services
Capstone Paper Editing Services
Children's Book Editing Services
College Application Editing Services
College Essay Editing Services
Copy Editing Services
Developmental Editing Services
Dissertation Editing Services
eBook Editing Services
English Editing Services
Horror Story Editing Services
Legal Editing Services
Line Editing Services
Manuscript Editing Services
MLA Style Editing Services
Novel Editing Services
Paper Editing Services
Personal Statement Editing Services
Research Paper Editing Services
Résumé Editing Services
Scientific Editing Services
Short Story Editing Services
Statement of Purpose Editing Services
Substantive Editing Services
Thesis Editing Services

Proofreading

Proofreading Services
Admissions Essay Proofreading Services
Children's Book Proofreading Services
Legal Proofreading Services
Novel Proofreading Services
Personal Statement Proofreading Services
Research Proposal Proofreading Services
Statement of Purpose Proofreading Services

Translation

Translation Services

Graphic Design

Graphic Design Services
Dungeons & Dragons Design Services
Sticker Design Services
Writing Services

Please enter the email address you used for your account. Your sign in information will be sent to your email address after it has been verified.

How To Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of academic writing where the author looks at a topic in great detail and articulates their perspective on the matter using effective and persuasive methods. The essence of this type of essay is to evaluate a text, often a speech or a written article, based on the strategies used by the original author to persuade their audience.

Understanding and writing a rhetorical analysis essay is an important skill, particularly for students in humanities and social science fields. It not only sharpens one's analytical skills but also enhances the ability to dissect intricate arguments and expose the underlying intent.

In this post, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of crafting an effective rhetorical analysis essay. We'll start with the basics of rhetoric, followed by the pre-writing stages and the development of a thesis statement. Next, we'll dive into how to structure your essay and guide you on how to write compelling introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions. Lastly, we will touch upon the critical stages of revising and editing your essay.

Overview of ethos, pathos, and logos

Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are integral elements of persuasive communication, first outlined by the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle .

Ethos: This refers to the credibility or ethical appeal of the speaker or writer. When utilizing ethos, the author establishes their authority and credibility on the topic, which in turn, instills trust in the audience.
Pathos: This is the emotional appeal that targets the audience's feelings and values. By using pathos, the author can provoke an emotional response in the audience, thereby making the argument more relatable and impactful.
Logos: This involves the logical appeal, where arguments are constructed using solid evidence and sound reasoning. Through logos, the author can present a clear and rational argument that speaks to the audience's intellect.

In a nutshell, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos are vital tools in the rhetoric toolbox. An understanding of these elements not only aids in crafting a persuasive argument but also equips one with the skills to critically analyze and interpret the work of others.

Explanation of the rhetorical situation

The rhetorical situation is a fundamental concept in rhetoric, which encompasses the context in which communication occurs. It's made up of four key components: author, audience, purpose, and context.

Author: The author is the person who creates the message. In a rhetorical analysis, understanding the author involves recognizing their background, their perspective, and their credibility, as these can influence the arguments they make and the strategies they employ.
Audience: The audience refers to the receivers of the message. They could be readers of a text, listeners of a speech, or viewers of a media piece. The audience's characteristics, such as their beliefs, values, and experiences, can affect how they interpret the message. Therefore, authors often tailor their rhetorical strategies to appeal to their specific audience.
Purpose: The purpose is the goal or intent behind the message. It could be to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire. Identifying the purpose can help you understand why certain rhetorical strategies were chosen over others.
Context: The context includes the circumstances, time, and place in which the communication occurs. It could be a historical event, a social issue, or a cultural trend. The context can influence both the author's creation of the message and the audience's interpretation of it.

Understanding the rhetorical situation is essential in a rhetorical analysis essay because it provides the framework within which the communication takes place. By analyzing the author, audience, purpose, and context, you can gain deeper insights into the rhetorical strategies used in the text and their effectiveness.

Significance of these elements in a rhetorical analysis essay

Understanding Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and the rhetorical situation is foundational to writing an effective rhetorical analysis essay. Each of these elements plays a significant role in not only shaping the author's message but also in how that message is received by the audience.

Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Identifying the use of these persuasive strategies gives you a clear insight into the author's approach to persuading their audience. Whether they're appealing to the audience's sense of trust (ethos), emotion (pathos), or logic (logos), understanding these tactics equips you with the ability to dissect the author's argument and evaluate its effectiveness.
Rhetorical Situation: Recognizing the author, audience, purpose, and context is key to understanding the broader framework within which the argument is made. Knowing the author's background and viewpoint can reveal biases or strengths in the argument. Understanding the audience can highlight why certain appeals were used and how they might be received. Identifying the purpose can clarify the author's main goal and message. Finally, acknowledging the context can illuminate external factors that might influence both the creation and reception of the argument.

In a rhetorical analysis essay, these elements serve as the bedrock of your evaluation. They help you discern not just what the author's argument is, but also how and why it is presented in a certain way, and how effectively it reaches its intended audience. Consequently, this understanding enhances your capacity to critique and analyze persuasive communication in various forms.

Pre-writing steps

Before you start writing your rhetorical analysis essay, it's important to thoroughly understand the text you are analyzing. This stage, often known as the pre-writing stage, involves careful reading, understanding the rhetorical situation, and identifying the use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in the text.

Carefully reading and understanding the text

The first step is to read the text carefully, making sure you understand the overall argument that the author is making. It may be helpful to read the text multiple times to ensure that you grasp the nuances and subtleties. Take note of the author's main points, their supporting arguments, and the evidence they use. Pay attention to the language, tone, and style of writing as well.

Identifying the rhetorical situation in the text

Next, identify the rhetorical situation of the text - the author, audience, purpose, and context. Understanding who the author is and their perspective can shed light on the stance they take. Consider who the intended audience is and how this might influence the author's argument. Identify the purpose or goal of the text, and consider the context within which the text was created. Each of these factors could influence the rhetorical strategies used by the author.

Taking notes of effective use of ethos, pathos, and logos

Lastly, identify the use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in the text. Take note of instances where the author establishes their credibility (ethos), appeals to the audience's emotions (pathos), or uses logical arguments and evidence (logos). These notes will serve as the basis for your analysis of how the author constructs their argument and persuades their audience.

These pre-writing steps lay the groundwork for a well-structured, thorough, and effective rhetorical analysis essay. Remember, the key to a successful rhetorical analysis is not just in writing well, but in understanding the text deeply and completely.

Constructing your thesis statement

One of the crucial elements of a rhetorical analysis essay, or any academic essay for that matter, is the thesis statement . It guides your analysis and gives your reader a clear understanding of your perspective.

Importance of a strong, clear thesis statement

A well-crafted thesis statement is pivotal to a successful essay. It sets the tone for your entire analysis and provides your reader with insight into what they can expect from your essay. A clear and strong thesis statement illustrates your main argument and the points that support it. It enables the reader to understand your stance and how you intend to support it using your analysis of the text.

Tips for crafting a robust thesis statement for a rhetorical analysis essay

Creating a sound thesis statement requires precision and clarity. Here are some tips to guide you:

Make it clear and concise: Your thesis statement should be straightforward and to the point. It should effectively summarize your main argument in one to two sentences.
Mention the author, text, and rhetorical strategies: Your thesis statement should mention the text you're analyzing, the author, and the key rhetorical strategies that you will be discussing.
State your claim: Your thesis should clearly state your claim or main argument about the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies used by the author.
Avoid stating facts: Your thesis statement should be an argument, not a simple statement of fact. It should be something that could be debated and argued for or against.

Here's an example: "In her persuasive essay, Jane Doe effectively uses ethos, pathos, and logos to argue against climate change denial, although her appeal to emotion occasionally borders on fear-mongering."

Remember, a robust thesis statement paves the way for a compelling rhetorical analysis essay. It's your roadmap, guiding your analysis and helping your reader understand your argument.

Organizing your essay

After you have a clear understanding of the text and a robust thesis statement, the next step is to organize your essay. A well-structured essay can enhance your argument and make it easier for your reader to follow your analysis.

Overview of rhetorical analysis essay structure

A typical rhetorical analysis essay consists of three main sections: an introduction, the body, and a conclusion.

Introduction: The introduction is where you'll present the text you're analyzing, its author, and your thesis statement. It should engage your reader and provide them with a clear understanding of your main argument.
Body: The body of your essay is where you'll present your detailed analysis of the text. Each paragraph should focus on a particular aspect or rhetorical strategy used by the author. Remember to provide evidence from the text to support your analysis.
Conclusion: In the conclusion , you'll summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a new light, considering the arguments and evidence presented in your essay's body. It should leave your reader with a clear understanding of your analysis and its implications.

Tips for creating a detailed essay outline

Creating an outline before you start writing can help you structure your thoughts and make your writing process smoother. Here are some tips for creating an effective outline:

Start with your thesis statement: Write your thesis statement at the top of your outline. It will guide your analysis and help you stay focused on your argument.
Organize your points: List the main points or arguments that you will make in your analysis. These could be the different rhetorical strategies used by the author.
Provide supporting details: For each main point, list the specific details, examples, or quotes from the text that you will use to support your argument.
Follow a logical order: Organize your main points in a logical order, whether it's the order in which the strategies appear in the text or in order of their effectiveness or importance.

Remember, an outline is a tool to help you structure your essay. It's not set in stone and can be adjusted as you delve deeper into your analysis. However, having a solid outline to start with can make your writing process much easier and more efficient.

Writing the introduction

The introduction is the first section of your essay that the reader will encounter, so it's crucial to make it engaging and informative. It sets the stage for your analysis and introduces your thesis statement.

Briefly introducing the text, author, and rhetorical situation

Start your introduction by briefly introducing the text you're analyzing and its author. Provide some context about the author, such as their background, reputation, or other relevant information that might influence their perspective or credibility (ethos).

Next, describe the rhetorical situation of the text. This includes the purpose of the text (what the author is trying to achieve), the audience (who the author is addressing), and the context (the circumstances surrounding the text's creation and reception).

Here's an example: "In his acclaimed speech 'I Have a Dream,' delivered at the height of the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a nation divided by racial injustice, aiming to persuade his audience of the need for equality and freedom for all."

Presenting the thesis statement

After introducing the text, author, and rhetorical situation, you should present your thesis statement. Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely state your main argument or claim about the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies used by the author.

For example: "Through his powerful use of pathos, combined with an appeal to ethos and logos, King paints a compelling picture of a future where racial harmony is possible, making 'I Have a Dream' a timeless rallying call for justice and equality."

Remember, your introduction should hook your reader's attention and provide them with a clear sense of what they can expect from your essay. Ensure it is engaging, informative, and leads smoothly into your body paragraphs.

Writing the body paragraphs

The body of your essay is where you'll present your detailed analysis of the text. Each paragraph should focus on a specific point or rhetorical strategy, providing examples and explaining the impact on the audience.

Analyzing the use of rhetorical strategies in the text

Start each paragraph by identifying a specific rhetorical strategy that the author uses, such as ethos, pathos, or logos. Describe how the author uses this strategy in the text. This might involve analyzing the author's language, style, tone, use of evidence, emotional appeals, logical structure, and more.

Providing examples from the text

Next, provide specific examples from the text to illustrate your points. This might involve quoting a passage from the text, summarizing a particular section, or referring to specific details. These examples serve as evidence to support your analysis and give your reader a clear understanding of the text and its rhetorical strategies.

Explaining the impact of the rhetorical strategies on the audience

Lastly, explain the impact of these strategies on the audience. Consider how the author's use of ethos, pathos, and logos might influence the audience's perceptions, emotions, or beliefs. Assess the effectiveness of these strategies: Did they help the author achieve their purpose? Why or why not?

For instance, if analyzing a speech, you might write: "The speaker's personal anecdotes and passionate delivery (pathos) resonate with the audience's shared experiences and emotions, making his argument for environmental conservation more compelling."

Remember, each body paragraph should be focused and coherent, with a clear main idea that supports your thesis statement. Use transitions between paragraphs to help your essay flow smoothly from one point to the next.

Writing the conclusion

The conclusion of your essay is your last chance to leave a lasting impression on your reader. It should summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and offer a final thought or reflection on your analysis.

Summarizing the main points

Start your conclusion by summarizing the main points of your analysis. This doesn't mean simply listing your points again, but rather synthesizing them to show how they come together to support your thesis.

For instance, you might write: "Through careful use of ethos, pathos, and logos, the author crafts a compelling argument that resonates deeply with the audience."

Restating the thesis statement

Next, restate your thesis statement in a new light, given the evidence and arguments you've presented in your essay. Don't simply repeat your thesis verbatim; instead, rephrase it in a way that reflects the insights gained from your analysis.

For example: "As evidenced, the author's effective use of rhetorical strategies not only strengthens their argument but also deeply engages and moves the audience."

Offering a final thought or reflection on the analysis

Finally, offer a final thought or reflection on your analysis. This could be a comment on the significance of your findings, a question for further thought, or a connection to a broader context or current issue.

For instance: "The author's skillful rhetoric not only serves their argument but also highlights the power of well-crafted persuasion in sparking change – a reminder of the significant role language plays in our daily lives and societal dialogues."

Your conclusion should bring closure to your essay while still leaving your reader with something to think about. It's your final opportunity to make a strong impression, so make sure it's clear, concise, and compelling.

Revising and editing your essay

Once you've completed the initial draft of your essay, it's time to revise and edit. This process is critical for enhancing the clarity and coherence of your essay, strengthening your argument, and ensuring your work is free from errors and plagiarism.

Importance of revising for clarity, coherence, and argument strength

Revising involves reviewing your essay as a whole and making changes to improve its clarity, coherence, and the strength of your argument. This might involve rephrasing sentences, reorganizing paragraphs, or even rewriting sections of your essay.

As you revise, ask yourself: Does my essay clearly and effectively answer the essay prompt? Does my argument flow logically from one point to the next? Is my thesis statement well-supported by my analysis and evidence?

Tips for effective self-editing

After revising, it's time to edit, which involves checking your essay for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors.

Here are some tips for effective editing:

Take a break: Allow some time to pass after writing your essay before you start editing. This can help you view your work with fresh eyes and spot errors more easily.
Read aloud: Reading your essay out loud can help you catch awkward phrasing and punctuation errors.
Use a spellchecker: While not foolproof , spellcheckers can help catch some spelling and grammar errors.

Reminder to check for plagiarism and properly cite sources

Ensure your work is original and properly cited. Plagiarism is a serious academic offense , so always give credit to the authors and sources that informed your analysis. Use the citation style recommended by your instructor (e.g., MLA , APA , Chicago ), and consider using citation management software to make this process easier.

Considering professional editing services

Finally, if you're aiming for the best possible outcome or if you're unsure about your revising and editing skills, consider hiring a professional editor . An editor can provide a fresh perspective and expert feedback to improve your essay's clarity, coherence, and overall quality. They can also help you catch any remaining errors and ensure your work adheres to the required formatting and citation style.

Remember, a great essay isn't written in a single draft. Revising and editing are essential parts of the writing process that will help you create a polished, compelling rhetorical analysis essay.

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay is a rewarding and insightful process that involves careful reading, detailed analysis, and thoughtful writing. This guide has walked you through each step of the process, from understanding the basics of rhetoric to crafting your thesis statement, organizing your essay, and revising and editing your work.

Remember, the goal of your essay is to dissect the author's use of rhetorical strategies and evaluate their effectiveness. With a solid understanding of ethos, pathos, and logos, a clear and concise thesis statement, a detailed essay outline, and a commitment to revision and editing, you're well on your way to crafting a standout rhetorical analysis essay.

Header image by Zamuruev .

415 Research Question Examples Across 15 Disciplines

Writing Your Thesis Proposal Like a Pro

Academic Writing Advice
All Blog Posts
Writing Advice
Admissions Writing Advice
Book Writing Advice
Short Story Advice
Employment Writing Advice
Business Writing Advice
Web Content Advice
Article Writing Advice
Magazine Writing Advice
Grammar Advice
Dialect Advice
Editing Advice
Freelance Advice
Legal Writing Advice
Poetry Advice
Graphic Design Advice
Logo Design Advice
Translation Advice
Blog Reviews
Short Story Award Winners
Scholarship Winners

Make your essay outstanding with expert editing

Tom Werner / Getty Images

By Colin Baker Leaders Staff

Colin Baker

Leadership and Business Writer

Colin Baker is a business writer for Leaders Media. He has a background in as a television journalism, working as...

Learn about our editorial policy

Updated Apr 19, 2022

8 Rhetorical Strategies to Persuade Your Audience

What are rhetorical strategies, common rhetorical choices, avoid logical fallacies, the power of persuasion is yours.

If you’ve ever had a conversation with someone who thinks the opposite of you, then you know how challenging it is to persuade them. Even when addressing a receptive audience, having people join your side takes skill and precision. Persuasion is far from an exact science, but influential leaders know how to weave different rhetorical strategies together to create a compelling argument. Their rhetorical choices form the backbone of their persuasion technique, which you can emulate to perfect your own skills. Whether preparing a new speech or writing an article, you can use these strategies to move people closer to your point of view.

In this article, find out what rhetorical strategies are and some of the most common ones you can utilize right away.

Rhetorical strategies (AKA persuasive rhetorical devices or persuasive strategies) consist of the word choice you use to persuade, initiate a response, or show meaning. While some may associate these strategies with formal situations, many people use them in casual conversation without realizing it. Any time you seek to persuade someone, you will likely use a rhetorical strategy of some type. Keep this in mind as you look at the following list.

1. Similes and Metaphors

One common rhetorical strategy is to use similes and metaphors throughout your attempt to persuade. Both of these rhetorical resources aim to compare two different items and indicate how they are alike. This makes the comparison much clearer and imparts added meaning to what you’re trying to say. People use similes and metaphors all the time, even in everyday conversation. The main difference between the two is that similes use the words “like” or “as” within the comparison, while metaphors simply say the two things are equal.

Examples of Similes

You’re as straight as an arrow.
The two brothers are like peas in a pod.
The teacher has been busy as a bee.
The pain felt like a knife stabbing him in the side.
Her hands were as cold as ice.

Examples of Metaphors

They considered him the black sheep of the family.
America is a melting pot of different cultures.
All the world’s a stage.
She went to the conference with an army of students.

2. Euphemisms

Sometimes when making a persuasive argument, you need to reference something unpleasant or even disturbing. Doing so may cause your intended audience to feel uncomfortable or leave them with lingering questions about what you mean. They may decide to tune you out when this happens instead of listening to what makes them uneasy. To avoid this problem, you can choose to use a euphemism instead. This rhetorical device replaces the unpleasant word or phrase with something more acceptable and easier to hear (or read if you’re writing an argument). Euphemisms can sometimes go too far, especially if misused, but speakers and writers tend to use them to sidestep a topic to focus on their core message.

Examples of Euphemisms

“Collateral damage” instead of “civilian deaths.”
“Mature” instead of “old.”
“Passed away” instead of “died.”
“Between jobs” instead of “unemployed.”
“Comfort food” instead of “junk food.”

3. Chiasmus

You want your persuasive argument to stick with people long past the point when you stop talking or writing. One of the best ways to do that is by using chiasmus . This rhetorical strategy can elicit an emotional response by simply changing the order of words to mirror each other. When you do this, you can generate catchy phrases. One of the most often cited resources of rhetoric comes from the inaugural address of John F. Kennedy, who told the people of the United States, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Notice how the sentence has two parts to it, with the second half mirroring the first half. It’s the sort of phrase that remains with you long after you first hear it.

Examples of Chiasmus

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight that counts, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” —Dwight D. Eisenhower
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” —Knute Rockne
“You must eat to live, not live to eat.” —Socrates

4. Cause and Effect

Another key component in making or writing a persuasive argument is to show the relationship between cause and effect. The point you want to make will help you determine what receives the most focus. For example, if you’re going to discuss why employees suffer from work burnout (the effect), you’ll want to look at the causes. When you look at causes, that shows an interest in what will happen. On the flip side, looking at effects looks at what could happen in the future. Analysis of cause and effect is a useful way to craft a historical narrative, such as what policies led to a business like Apple succeeding. It’s also an effective way to provide solutions as you show the relationship between causes and what can change to prevent undesirable effects.

Logos is the use of logic or reason to argue a point. The two types of rhetorical appeals used in this way include deductive and inductive reasoning. Logos rhetoric with inductive reasoning looks at specific facts and historical resources, then uses them to create a larger generalization. Here’s an example of inductive reasoning: the practice of prioritizing tasks helped this worker become more productive, so all workers would benefit from prioritizing their tasks. Logos rhetoric with deductive reasoning, on the other hand, starts with the generalization before using it for specific instances. So an argument using deductive reasoning would look like this: reducing the number of meetings has helped companies the world over, so it could improve one specific company. With this rhetorical device, you’re appealing to people’s logical thinking to convince them you’re right.

You can also use ethos to convince people of your opinion. This rhetorical device involves appealing to others’ sense of ethical values by showing your credibility, reliability, and good character. This isn’t always a simple feat to pull off, especially when people have little familiarity with you. However, establishing that you’re trustworthy helps sway people to your side.

How to gain the audience’s trust:

Portray opposing viewpoints of the other writer or speaker accurately.
Organize the argument so it’s easy for people to follow.
Use reliable third-party sources.
Ensure all information you use is accurate.
Indicate why the subject interests you.
Meet the audience on common ground by indicating shared beliefs and moral values.
Check your argument for any spelling or grammatical mistakes if you’re writing it.

The pathos rhetorical device involves appealing to others’ emotions through language. Utilizing pathos can be tricky to do well. After all, the goal should be to persuade people based on facts, logic, and reasoning. However, pathos can add to an argument, presenting a real human element that avoids sticking to numbers and statistics like a robot. For example, a story about a woman who sacrificed time and money to get her business off the ground will likely resonate with an audience more than citing the number of people who start a business every year. The statistic is still valid, but it may not capture the actual cost. Take care not to misuse pathos as well. Don’t turn your argument into a sensational piece. You should also make sure pathos pertains to the subject, as some people will use pathos to distract from the issue at the heart of the debate.

8. Narration

Narration, which is essentially storytelling, is another strategy you can use to connect with your audience. People identify with stories more than they do statistics, even in academic writing. The best storytellers seamlessly incorporate their evidence and arguments into the stories they share. That doesn’t mean an entire speech or article should consist of one or multiple stories, but they can back up the central point of your argument. The right story at the right time can serve as the exclamation point of your persuasive piece, whether it’s real or a rhetorical situation. It’s a powerful strategy that helpfully places issues in perspective.

One way to hurt your argument is by using a logical fallacy. A logical fallacy is a false, illogical statement said with the intent of persuading an audience. Using this type of rhetorical device ultimately weakens your chances of successfully influencing someone. As such, you should avoid them as much as possible. The following are just several logical fallacies you should take care to reject.

Straw Man: A straw man argument misrepresents an opponent’s argument, often through oversimplification or distortion.
Ad Hominem: This involves attacking the person who makes the argument rather than the argument.
Appeal to Majority: Also known as the bandwagon fallacy, an appeal to majority indicates that your position is correct because more people agree with you.
False Dilemma: This fallacy places two—and only two—choices for people to consider when more options are out there.
Appeal to Nature: The appeal to nature fallacy indicates that because something is natural, it automatically makes it better.
Circular Argument: When someone engages in a circular argument, they repeat what they already assumed before because they believe it is proof enough.

The above rhetorical strategies can help you start writing or practicing a verbal argument that persuades people to come to your side of the fence. In business, the power to influence others through assertive communication is essential once you know what course you want to take. No matter the debate, also show respect and courtesy and don’t let arguments become personal. For example, you might want to ask the other person genuine questions about their position. Through a healthy and polite discourse, you’ll eventually reach an agreement that both sides can appreciate.

Want to work on more new skills that can help in your professional and personal life? The following articles can help:

The Top 5 Communication Skills Every Leader Needs

Top Leadership Skills Those in a Leadership Role Need

Why is Empathy Important as a Business Leader?

Search Leaders.com

Get in touch with us

Are you sure you want to logout?

Study abroad.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay

AP language exams are held for numerous subjects. Students have to choose a specific subject and get higher scores. The higher the score, the higher the chance of pursuing the best 700 colleges or universities overall in the world, including the United States and Canada.

When it comes to AP English language, it involves a section called rhetorical analysis essay. This is a part of three free-response essays that have to be answered within 2 hours and 15 minutes from the overall 3 hours 15 minutes exam.

If you are taking the AP Lang exam this year, guidance on how to answer this part will be useful. This article is specially curated to help you score the best. Read on to learn more about the AP language rhetorical analysis essay and get an idea of how to prepare for the associated exam successfully.

What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay ?

AP elaborated that the Advanced Placement is the exam conducted by the College Board in the United States of America. The exam is generally offered at the high school level and helps students to pursue higher education at the university level. The exam holds two sections: MCQs and Rhetorical Essay. MCQ sections are for 1 hour, and the rest of the time is for the essay section. The free-response essay holds three essays: rhetorical analysis essay, synthesis essay, and argumentative essay.

The rhetorical analysis essay in the AP Lang exam involves students having to discuss how the authors’ contribution to the passage gives a theme or meaning.
A synthesis essay involves students creating arguments on the passage or piece of information delivered to them.
An argumentative essay requires students to pick a side ‘for or against ‘ for an argument or debate.

Since we are here to discuss rhetorical analysis essays in AP language, you must know the essay is added to test students’ ability to analyze and interpret the deeper meaning in the provided passage. Through rhetorical essays, the examiner examines how students connect with the author’s style of writing and syntax within 40 minutes. Some students may face challenges while dealing with this essay because it requires a better understanding of rhetorical strategies and the method to apply them.

Tips to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay AP Lang ?

Since a rhetorical essay is quite tricky in comparison to other essays, it requires certain tips for a better approach to answering. Let us explore the method of writing a rhetorical essay for the AP Lang exam that helps you score well.

Outline Essay Prior to Writing

Not only good content but providing a readable structure is an important part of the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang . First, you must read the passage thoroughly and develop a brief outline or key points before writing the essay. This helps you write with respect to the chronology of the given passage and maintain the flow of writing.

Understand Rhetorical Strategies

You aren’t alone in thinking about where to start writing a rhetorical essay. Many students face the same and are required to learn and implement rhetorical strategies. First, understand what rhetoric actually means. It refers to language sensibly chosen and structured for an impressive effect on the audience. This involves persuasive appeal, logical fallacies, and syntax such as anaphora, anthesis, parallelism, and so on. There is a vast range of elements that you can assess in the provided essay and develop a strong grasp with consistent practice.

Make your Essay Well-Structured

Sometimes, students understand the rhetorical strategies but still get confused about where to initiate. It is recommended to start with an introduction that delivers the purpose of your writing. In the last introductory line, you must talk about the rhetorical strategies you will discuss in the piece. However, there are so many styles, syntax, and tones. You must be specific while listing them and then move to develop a body paragraph.

Now, you have to collect all the rhetorical strategies you mentioned in the introduction to discuss your point of view chronologically. Be specific while discussing strategy, as only the crucial ones among them must be discussed. Never forget to cite the line from the original passage. Your write-up must maintain the flow and should include relativity among the paragraphs. End the rhetorical essay by summarising key points.

Never Forget to Explain your Examples

Do not just state the examples or deliver statements like ‘this is an example of pathos or logos.’ It is advisable to explain the example you have listed in context to the rhetorical elements you have mentioned and how it aids the author in their viewpoint. Stay detailed yet precise while writing the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang .

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric

Did you know that the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang is graded into three rubric categories? Students must pay heed to the categories, as the examiner seeks specific things in each of them. Also, learn about some dos and don’ts to score well.

When it comes to grading the thesis of the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang , there is nothing nebulous. Either you get one point, or you lose one. Thesis points help you get close to higher scores, and thus, you must be mindful of the following points.

Developing an argument states that your interpretation leads to a risk of disagreement. Thus, your thesis statements must be in context with the author’s rhetorical choice.
If you create a phrase in your mind initiating with ‘I think that..’, your phrase should not go in a negative argumentative direction.
Never provide a thesis with summaries but not an argument.
Try not to provide the thesis with repeated prompts.

Evidence is provided to prove the argumentative context in the thesis. This rubric category is graded from 0 to 4 points. To score higher, you must follow the points below.

You must aim to provide multiple types of evidence in your argumentative thesis.
Each statement you provide must be backed up with evidence in context to the text or arguments about the author’s theoretical choices.
Add more and more evidence, which must be specific.
Examine whether your evidence is linked with your overarching argument.
Deliver your interpretation and never rely on just quotes or phrases.
Steer clear of generalization for text or author
Avoid quotes that speak for themselves. You must elaborate on the evidence you provided.
Sophistication

According to The College Board, this category holds 0 to 1 points. The higher grading in rhetorical analysis essays indicates the delivery of the sophistication of thoughts or a complex understanding of rhetorical elements. In this, you have to mainly focus on the number of semicolons you use and not the fancy terms. Here is what you need to follow:

Focus on delivering the right connection between the thesis and your evidence.
Create a brief framework and then proceed with writing the essay in the right flow to stay precise and clear in your piece.
Do not include arguments that you won’t be able to provide evidence for.
Ignore complex or fancy words or phrases that are hard to follow.

Ways to Improve Your Rhetorical Analysis Essay AP Lang

Now that you know what a rhetorical analysis essay is and how it is developed, you must be thinking about how tricky it is to understand the passage. Many find themselves in a completely blank position when it comes to where to begin during the exam. They find the rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang quite challenging to deal with and understand the author’s perspective and viewpoint. Practicing rhetorical strategies does not help if you do not have the right approach, which only comes from the field experts and their guidance. Turito offers a platform where you get mentors to teach you all the concepts and approaches you apply in writing effective rhetorical essays in less time. Their course helps you get higher scores, which you can use to get college admission to your favorite college and country. Hey, you ambitious one, what are you waiting for? Contact us now and give your dreams a flight!

Frequently Asked Questions

What courses do turito offer.

Turito offers several courses to help you prepare. Here are some of them for your reference. 1. Foundation Course 2. IIT JEE 3. NEET 4. Study Abroad 5. Universal Program 6. PSAT 7. AP 8. IELTS

Can I ask queries on Turito?

Yes absolutely! Turito offers a platform where you can ask your concerns and queries. You will get answers from the field expert that can let your worries fade away.

Is Turito genuine?

Turito is students’ most trusted learning platform, among others. Turito believes in transparency and thus provides genuine feedback from students and parents on the official website. At Turito, we offer guaranteed success for hardworking students. Thus, there isn’t any negative feedback to hide. If you have any queries, you can write to us at [email protected]. Our experts will connect and assist you in no time.

Relevant Articles

Steps to Draft AP Lang Synthesis Essay

The synthesis essay AP lang is part of the AP …

Steps to Draft AP Lang Synthesis Essay Read More »

Strategies for Success: A Complete Overview of the AP Calculus AB Exam

The AP Calculus AB Exam serves as an important element …

Strategies for Success: A Complete Overview of the AP Calculus AB Exam Read More »

Preparing for Success: A Guide to the Features of Digital AP Exams

Digital Advanced Placement (AP) exams bring about a huge change …

Preparing for Success: A Guide to the Features of Digital AP Exams Read More »

With Turito Study Abroad

Get an Expert Advice from Turito

With Turito CAP.

With Turito Coding.

With Turito RoboNinja

1-on-1 tutoring for the undivided attention

Share full article

Supported by

Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest

We invite students to write public-facing letters to people or groups about issues that matter to them. Contest dates: March 13 to May 1.

By The Learning Network

What’s bothering you? Who could do something about it? What could you say to them that would persuade them to care, or to make change?

And … what if we all read your letter? How could you make us care too?

These are some of the questions we’re asking you to ponder for our new Open Letter Contest. An open letter is a published letter of protest or appeal usually addressed to an individual, group or institution but intended for the general public. Think of the many “Dear Taylor Swift” open letters you can find online and on social media: Sure, they’re addressed to Ms. Swift, but they’re really a way for the writer to share opinions and feelings on feminism, or ticket sales, or the music industry, or … the list goes on.

As you might already know if you’ve read Martin Luther King’s famous Letter From Birmingham Jail , an open letter is a literary device. Though it seems on the surface to be intended for just one individual or group, and therefore usually reads like a personal letter (and can make readers feel they are somehow “listening in” on private thoughts), it is really a persuasive essay addressed to the public. This recent letter signed by over 1,000 tech leaders about the dangers of A.I. , this funny 2020 letter addressed to Harry and Meghan , and this video letter from young Asian Americans to their families about Black Lives Matter are all examples of the tradition.

Now we’re inviting you to try it yourself. Write your own open letter, to anyone you like on any issue you care about, as long as it is also appropriate and meaningful for a general Times audience.

Whom should you write to? What should you say? How do open letters work?

The rules and FAQ below, along with our Student Opinion forum and related how-to guide , can walk you through ways to get started.

This is a new contest and we expect questions. Please ask any you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board.

Here’s what you need to know:

The challenge, a few rules, resources for students and teachers, frequently asked questions, submission form.

Write an open letter to a specific audience that calls attention to an issue or problem and prompts reflection or action on it.

Whether you choose to write to your parents, teachers, school board members or mayor; a member of Congress; the head of a corporation; an artist or entertainer; or a metonym like “Silicon Valley” or “The Kremlin,” ask yourself, What do I care about? Who can make changes, big or small, local or global, to address my issue or problem? What specifically do I want my audience to understand or do? And how can I write this as an “open letter,” compelling not just to me and the recipient, but to the general audience who will be reading my words?

The Times has published numerous open letters over the years, to both famous and ordinary people. You can find a long list of free examples in our related guide .

This contest invites students to express themselves and imagine that their words can lead to real change.

Your open letter MUST:

Focus on an issue you care about and with which you have some experience. You can write about almost anything you like, whether it’s a serious issue like bullying , or something more lighthearted like why bugs deserve respect , but we have found over the years that the most interesting student writing grows out of personal experience. Our related Student Opinion forum and how-to guide can help you come up with ideas.

Address a specific audience relevant to the issue. Choose an individual, group, organization or institution who is in a position to make change or promote understanding about your topic.

Call for action, whether the change you seek is something tangible , like asking Congress to enact a law or demanding a company stop a harmful practice, or something more abstract, like inviting your audience to reflect on something they may have never considered.

Be suitable and compelling for a wide general audience . An open letter simultaneously addresses an explicit recipient — whether Joe Biden or your gym teacher — as well as us, the general public, your implicit audience. Though your letter might seem to be meant just for one person, it is really trying to persuade all readers. Make sure you write it in such a way that it is relevant, understandable, appropriate and meaningful for anyone who might come across it in The New York Times. (Again, our related guide can help.)

Be written as a letter, in a voice and tone that is appropriate for both your audience and purpose. Are you simply taking an argumentative essay you’ve written for school already and slapping a “Dear X” on top of it and a “Sincerely, Y” on the bottom? No. A letter — even an open letter — is different from a formal essay, and your writing should reflect that. Can you be informal? Funny? If that makes sense for your purpose and audience, then yes, please.

Our related guide, and the many examples we link to, can help you think about this, but we hope the format of a letter will let you loosen up a bit and express yourself in your natural voice. (For example, you’ll be writing as “I” or “we,” and addressing your letter’s recipient as “you.”)

Also attempt to persuade a general audience. Though it is written in the form of a letter, it is an opinion piece, and you are trying to make a case and support it with evidence, as you would any argument. Remember that you are trying to change hearts and minds, so you’ll be drawing on the same rhetorical strategies as you might have for our long-running editorial contest . (Again, more on this in the related guide .)

Make your case in 460 words or fewer. Your title and sources are not part of the word count.

Inform with evidence from at least two sources, including one from The Times and one from outside The Times. We hope this contest encourages you to deepen your understanding of your topic by using multiple sources, ideally ones that offer a range of perspectives. Just make sure those sources are trustworthy .

Because this is a letter, not a formal essay, we are not asking you to provide in-text citations, but we will be asking you to list the sources you used — as many as you like — in a separate field that does not contribute to your word count. Keep in mind, however, that if you include evidence from those sources, our readers (and judges) should always be able to tell where it came from. Be careful to put quotations around any direct quotes you use, and cite the source of anything you paraphrase.

In addition to the guidelines above, here are a few more details:

You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle school or high school to participate , and all students must have parent or guardian permission to enter. Please see the F.A.Q. section for additional eligibility details.

The writing you submit should be fundamentally your own — it should not be plagiarized, created by someone else or generated by artificial intelligence.

Your open letter should be original for this contest. That means it should not already have been published at the time of submission, whether in a school newspaper, for another contest or anywhere else.

Keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

You may work alone or in groups , but students should submit only one entry each.

You must also submit a short, informal “artist’s statement” as part of your submission, that describes your writing and research process. These statements, which will not be used to choose finalists, help us to design and refine our contests. See the F.A.Q. to learn more.

All entries must be submitted by May 1, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time using the electronic form at the bottom of this page.

Use these resources to help you write your open letter:

Our step-by-step guide : To be used by students or teachers, this guide walks you through the process of writing an open letter.

A list of free examples of open letters published both in and outside The New York Times, which you can find in our step-by-step guide .

A writing prompt: To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter? This prompt offers students a “rehearsal space” for thinking about to whom they’d like to write, the reason they’re writing and why they think that issue is important — not only for the recipient but also for a wider audience.

Argumentative writing prompts: We publish new argumentative writing prompts for students each week in our Student Opinion and Picture Prompt columns. You can find them all, as they publish, here , or many of them, organized by topic, in our new collection of over 300 prompts .

Argumentative writing unit: This unit includes writing prompts, lesson plans, webinars and mentor texts. While it was originally written to support our Student Editorial Contest , the resources can help students make compelling arguments, cite reliable evidence and use rhetorical strategies for their open letters as well.

Our contest rubric : This is the rubric judges will use as they read submissions to this contest.

Below are answers to your questions about writing, judging, the rules and teaching with this contest. Please read these thoroughly and, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, post your query in the comments or write to us at [email protected].

Questions About Writing

How is this contest different from your long-running Editorial Contest? Can we still use those materials?

For a decade we ran an editorial contest , and the students who participated wrote passionately about all kinds of things — A.I. , fast fashion , race , trans rights , college admissions , parental incarceration , fan fiction , snow days , memes , being messy and so much more . You can still write about the issues and ideas that fire you up — it’s just that this time around you’ll be framing your work as a letter to a person who has the power to make change on or bring understanding to that issue.

Our related guide has more about the differences between a traditional opinion essay and an open letter, but the many materials we developed for that earlier contest are also woven into the guide, as concepts like ethos, logos and pathos are still very much relevant to this challenge.

I have no idea what to write about. Where should I start?

Our Student Opinion forum can help via its many questions that encourage you to brainstorm both the audience you might write to and the topics you’d like to address.

Can I actually send my open letter?

You can! Just wait until after you have submitted your work to us to do so. (As always for our contests, you retain the copyright to the piece you submit, and can do whatever you like with it.)

Questions About Judging

How will my open letter be judged?

Your work will be read by New York Times journalists, as well as by Learning Network staff members and educators from around the United States. We will use this rubric to judge entries.

What’s the “prize”?

Having your work published on The Learning Network and being eligible to have your work published in the print New York Times.

When will the winners be announced?

About 8-10 weeks after the contest has closed.

My piece wasn’t selected as a winner. Can you tell me why?

We typically receive thousands of entries for our contests, so unfortunately, our team does not have the capacity to provide individual feedback on each student’s work.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

This contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school around the world. College students cannot submit an entry. However, high school students (including high school postgraduate students) who are taking one or more college classes can participate. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province can also participate. In addition, students age 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate.

The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter this contest. Nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.

Can I have someone else check my work?

We understand that students will often revise their work based on feedback from teachers and peers. That is allowed for this contest. However, be sure that the final submission reflects the ideas, voice and writing ability of the student, not someone else.

Do I need a Works Cited page?

Yes. We provide you with a separate field to list the sources you used to inform or write your open letter. You’re allowed to format your list however you want; we will not judge your entry based on formatting in this section. Internal citations in your letter are not necessary.

Why are you asking for an Artist’s Statement about our process? What will you do with it?

All of us who work on The Learning Network are former teachers. One of the many things we miss, now that we work in a newsroom rather than a classroom, is being able to see how students are reacting to our “assignments” in real time — and to offer help, or tweaks, to make those assignments better. We’re asking you to reflect on what you did and why, and what was hard or easy about it, in large part so that we can improve our contests and the curriculum we create to support them. This is especially important for new contests, like this one.

Another reason? We have heard from many teachers that writing these statements is immensely helpful to students. Stepping back from a piece and trying to put into words what you wanted to express, and why and how you made artistic choices to do that, can help you see your piece anew and figure out how to make it stronger. For our staff, they offer important context that help us understand individual students and submissions, and learn more about the conditions under which students around the world create.

Whom can I contact if I have questions about this contest or am having issues submitting my entry?

Leave a comment on this post or write to us at [email protected].

QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING WITH THIS CONTEST

Do my students need a New York Times subscription to access these resources?

No. All of the resources on The Learning Network are free.

If your students don’t have a subscription to The New York Times, they can also get access to Times pieces through The Learning Network . All the activities for students on our site, including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for articles using the search tool on our home page.

How do my students prove to me that they entered this contest?

After they press “Submit” on the form below, they will see a “Thank you for your submission.” line appear. They can take a screenshot of this message. Please note: Our system does not currently send confirmation emails.

Please read the following carefully before you submit:

Students who are 13 and older in the United States or the United Kingdom, or 16 and older elsewhere in the world, can submit their own entries. Those who are 13 to 15 and live outside the United States or the United Kingdom must have an adult submit on their behalf.

All students who are under 18 must provide a parent or guardian’s permission to enter.

You will not receive email confirmation of your submission. After you submit, you will see the message “Thank you for your submission.” That means we received your entry. If you need proof of entry for your teacher, please screenshot that message.

If you have questions about your submission, please write to us at [email protected] and provide the email address you used for submission.

IMAGES

Learn How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay on Trust My Paper
How To Write a Compelling Argumentative Essay: Expert Tips & Guide
014 Argumentative Essay Structure Format Persuasive Topics Argument
What Two Rhetorical Strategies Does He Most Clearly Use Here
The Use of Rhetorical Strategies in Argumentative Essays
How to Write an Argumentative Essay in 5 Steps

VIDEO

Rhetorical Strategies AD
How to Write a Compelling Argumentative Essay?
Essay: Your Rhetorical Self
How Can I Effectively Annotate and Plan a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?
Rhetorical Knowledge Message
What is Rhetorical question|English literature|literary and rhetorical devices|in Urdu and Hindi

COMMENTS

Rhetorical Strategies
There are three types of rhetorical appeals, or persuasive strategies, used in arguments to support claims and respond to opposing arguments. A good argument will generally use a combination of all three appeals to make its case. Logos. Logos or the appeal to reason relies on logic or reason. Logos often depends on the use of inductive or ...
How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis
Revised on July 23, 2023. A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience. A rhetorical analysis is structured similarly to other essays: an introduction presenting ...
6.4 Rhetorical Appeals: Logos, Pathos, and Ethos Defined
5.3 Make Connections When Synthesizing in Your Writing; 5.4 Informative vs. Argumentative Synthesis; 5.5 Synthesis and Literature Reviews; Chapter 6: Thinking and Analyzing Rhetorically. ... Pathos-based rhetorical strategies are any strategies that get the audience to "open up" to the topic, the argument, or to the author. ...
Rhetorical Strategies: Building Compelling Arguments
Rhetoric pertains to how authors use and manipulate language in order to persuade an audience. To be rhetorically effective (and thus persuasive), an author must engage the audience in a variety of compelling ways. We can classify these as Logos, Pathos, and Ethos.
Rhetorical Analysis
The body of your essay discusses and evaluates the rhetorical strategies (elements of the rhetorical situation and rhetorical appeals - see above) that make the argument effective or not. Be certain to provide specific examples from the text for each strategy you discuss and focus on those strategies that are most important to the text you ...
9.3 Glance at Genre: Rhetorical Strategies
The strategies and other devices of rhetorical writing that are open to analysis are present in many types of communication, including multimodal examples such as advertisements that combine visuals with carefully crafted texts, dialogue, and voice-over. Figure 9.3 M&Ms (credit: "Plain M&Ms Pile" by Evan-Amos/Wikimedia Commons, Public ...
The Writing Center
Rhetoric is the study of how writers use language to influence an audience. When we do a rhetorical analysis, we analyze how the writer communicates an argument (instead of what the writer argues). We ask ourselves questions such as, "What strategies is the writer using to influence the reader?" "Why is the writer using those strategies ...
How to write a rhetorical analysis [4 steps]
Step 1: Plan and prepare. With a rhetorical analysis, you don't choose concepts in advance and apply them to a specific text or piece of content. Rather, you'll have to analyze the text to identify the separate components and plan and prepare your analysis accordingly. Here, it might be helpful to use the SOAPSTone technique to identify the ...
5.6: Rhetorical Analysis
The PROCESS of completing a rhetorical analysis requires the use of different rhetorical strategies. These strategies are: critical reading, strategies for effective communication, persuasive appeals, argumentation, and avoidance of logical fallacies. These specific strategies are discussed in depth throughout the remainder of this page.
Argument Analysis
Argument Analysis. Sometimes, the best way to learn how to write a good argument is to start by analyzing other arguments. When you do this, you get to see what works, what doesn't, what strategies another author uses, what structures seem to work well and why, and more. Therefore, even though this section on argument analysis is one of the ...
Part II: Rhetorical Strategies for Essays
Part II: Rhetorical Strategies for Essays. Page ID. 4894. Nine rhetorical strategies are generally recognized: Narration, description, comparison, example, illustration, definition, process, causal analysis and argument. Most writing will use a variety of strategies in a single essay. However, for inexperienced rhetoricians, practicing each ...
PDF Lesson Plan: Identifying Rhetorical Strategies in Argument
rhetorical strategies in producing clear writing, and suggest to her ways that she can improve her argument. Introduction to Lesson [5 minutes]: Throughout the first two weeks of this course, you have been given many different handouts on rhetoric, rhetorical analysis, appeals, and strategies. You have taken a diagnostic in-class essay
10 Ways to Teach Argument-Writing With The New York Times
4. Identify claims and evidence. Related Article Tim Lahan. The Common Core Standards put argument front and center in American education, and even young readers are now expected to be able to ...
Understanding Rhetoric and Rhetorical Analysis
Learning to identify rhetorical strategies can help you to 1.) Become a more critical reader, and 2.) Become a more persuasive writer by using effective rhetorical strategies in your own writing. What is a Rhetorical Analysis? The purpose of a rhetorical analysis essay is to: explore how rhetoric works; explore how ideas are argued and presented
9.5 Writing Process: Thinking Critically about Rhetoric
The assignment is to write a rhetorical analysis of a piece of persuasive writing. It can be an editorial, a movie or book review, an essay, a chapter in a book, or a letter to the editor. For your rhetorical analysis, you will need to consider the rhetorical situation—subject, author, purpose, context, audience, and culture—and the ...
Rhetorical Analysis
A rhetorical analysis essay breaks a work of non-fiction, such as an essay, speech, cartoon, advertisement or performance, into parts and explains how the parts work together to persuade, entertain, or inform an audience. ... Rhetorical appeals: Persuasive strategies authors use to support their claims or respond to arguments. The four ...
Rhetorical Analysis
5 pages, double-spaced. Due on Coursework Friday, October 10 by 12 noon (in Materials folder) What a rhetorical analysis is: A rhetorical analysis is an examination of how a text persuades us of its point of view. It focuses on identifying and investigating the way a text communicates, what strategies it employs to connect to an audience, frame ...
Writing Rhetorically: Framing First Year Writing
This course equips students with a strong understanding of how to use rhetorical modes that underpin much academic writing. The textbook covers modes related to creative writing, such as narration and illustration, while also covering analytically-focused modes such as comparison and cause and effect. Detailed assignment sheets are supplemented by helpful student worksheets for each major ...
17 Rhetorical Modes for Paragraphs & Essays
Sometimes writers incorporate a variety of modes in any one essay. For example, under the umbrella of an argument essay, and author might choose to write paragraphs showing cause and effect, description, and narrative. The rhetorical mode writers choose depends on the purpose for writing. Rhetorical modes are a set of tools that will give you ...
10 Commonly Used Rhetorical Strategies (With Examples)
5. Antanagoge. An antanagoge uses a negative and positive statement in one. You can use this rhetorical device to present a problem and a subsequent solution. When used appropriately, this strategy can allow for a well-developed and persuasive approach to communication, whether in writing or everyday conversation.
The Norton Reader Toolbar
Rhetorical Strategies. As you plan your essay, you will want to think about the rhetorical strategies by which you will present your ideas and evidence to readers.These strategies, sometimes called rhetorical modes or techniques, help a writer organize evidence, connect facts into a sequence, and provide clusters of information necessary for conveying a purpose or an argument.
How To Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay
A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of academic writing where the author looks at a topic in great detail and articulates their perspective on the matter using effective and persuasive methods. The essence of this type of essay is to evaluate a text, often a speech or a written article, based on the strategies used by the original author to persuade their audience. Understanding and writing ...
8 Rhetorical Strategies to Persuade Your Audience
Don't turn your argument into a sensational piece. You should also make sure pathos pertains to the subject, as some people will use pathos to distract from the issue at the heart of the debate. 8. Narration. Narration, which is essentially storytelling, is another strategy you can use to connect with your audience.
AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Tips & Rubric
The rhetorical analysis essay in the AP Lang exam involves students having to discuss how the authors' contribution to the passage gives a theme or meaning. A synthesis essay involves students creating arguments on the passage or piece of information delivered to them. An argumentative essay requires students to pick a side 'for or against ...
Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest
Argumentative writing prompts: ... the resources can help students make compelling arguments, cite reliable evidence and use rhetorical strategies for their open letters as well. ...
LSAC Announces Changes to LSAT Writing Beginning This Summer
The Law School Admission Council on Monday announced a new approach to the writing portion of the Law School Admission Test, making the section longer and argument-based. The new approach, which ...