Malone Writ 1301 UHCL Rhetorical Analysis Fall 20

1. Brian Malone
WRIT 1301, UHCL
Tip Sheet: The Rhetorical Analysis
Please use the following as a reference to focus your reading on the sections of the textbook that
will best help you write your rhetorical analysis:
1. The genre and goal of the rhetorical analysis:
a. From the textbook, IG p. 52:
“…a rhetorical analysis is a genre of writing that explores elements of a text’s
rhetorical context.”
“…the writer uses a rhetorical framework to understand how the context of the
text creates meaning.”
b. To successfully write a rhetorical analysis, you should:
i. Choose an artifact or a news article to analyze.
ii. Answer the questions on IG p. 53 about Rhetorical Context.
iii. Read the description of rhetorical appeals on IG p. 60 and think of how
ethos, pathos, and logos appeals are present in your primary source.
(Page 60 was not assigned with the unit readings, since we will talk about
argument next unit, but you should analyze rhetorical appeals for this
paper).
iv. Find and integrate secondary sources to support your analysis.
c. Prepare your rhetorical analysis by using the RRAWR method in textbook CL pp.
59-62, and if you choose a visual artifact (like a monument, building, painting,
etc.), then p. 63 is excellent, too. Focus especially on the ideas of:
i. Reading “symbols” in the piece
ii. The pyramid of Purpose, Message, (Rhetorical) Appeals, Elements
iii. How to move from summary → analysis
iv. Using templates to develop body paragraphs
2. Helpful resources:
a. IG pp. 57-58: The “Writing Project” section and “tip sheet” are excellent for
thinking about the kinds of questions you might answer in your rhetorical
analysis.
b. The sample rhetorical analysis from textbook IG pp. 55-57, CL pp. 64-69, and the
student samples I will post to BB Learn are great for studying how to link
rhetorical appeals to rhetorical context.
c. The PowerPoints on choosing sources and building paragraphs available or
forthcoming on BB Learn.
d. My office hours! We can schedule an appointment anytime!
e. The Writing Center, as always!