Unit 1: Rhetorical Analysis
Rough Draft Due: Submit Unit 1 (Rhetorical Analysis) to the dropbox labeled “Unit 1 (Rhetorical Analysis) Rough Draft” by Wednesday, March 3rd at 9:35 a.m. (Central Time) (This essay must be completed according to the assignment guidelines outlined in the assignment sheet for the author to receive credit for completing the assignment and to be eligible to participate in the peer review session)
Final Draft Due: Unit 1 (Rhetorical Analysis) due in dropbox marked “Unit 1 (Rhetorical Analysis) Final Draft” by Monday, March 8th at 11:59 p.m. (Central Time)
Purpose: The purpose of a rhetorical analysis is to allow you to gain familiarity with rhetorical strategies that authors use to appeal to their readers so that you can understand these strategies and introduce them into your own writing. In order to do this, you must shift your focus from critiquing an author’s argument to analyzing the way that the author makes the argument. The difference between these two objectives, at first, may seem confusing; however, what is important to keep in mind in performing a rhetorical analysis is that you are examining the way that the author formulates the argument and not the argument itself.
Tasks (How to write this essay):
Skills (Learning Outcomes Achieved): Demonstrate understanding of and ability to read and respond to
the demands of the rhetorical situation (author, audience, and
subject) in both oral and written communication.
Read critically and analyze various types of assigned readings on
the basis of structure, pattern, and meaning in order to produce
original papers that show development of topic through
organization (such as topic sentence, support of the central idea
through details, and rhetorical patterns).
Invent, write, revise, edit, and rewrite formal essays in response
to readings which develop appropriate rhetorical patterns (i.e.,
narration, example, process, comparison/contrast, classification,
cause/effect, definition, argumentation) and other special
function(s) (i.e., literary analysis or research) while
demonstrating writing skills from process to product.
Produce final papers that show growth in principles of good
writing, such as organization (e.g., introduction/body/conclusion
or outlining), development (clarifying transitions between
sentences and paragraphs), unity (connected ideas), and which
demonstrate an understanding of the substance of the topic.
Complete at least one writing assignment that demonstrates a
limited use of MLA documentation form and basic research
ability.
Participate in collaborative work with other students via small
group discussions and presentations, workshop-style classes
devoted to particular issues (such as paragraph structure or voice
and tone), and produce, accept, and use constructively feedback
from writing instructors, other students, and other university
writers/instructors to take control of your own writing.
Create mechanically sound papers relatively free of errors in
grammar and mechanics.
Criteria for success: Please consult with the rubric for this assignment.