For Engl 250 students.

1. Constructing a
Thesis for a
Rhetorical Analysis
Module 4
Adapted from a lecture by Elias Simpson

2. In this slideshow, we’re adding on to the previous lesson on
constructing a thesis from Module 3.
Let’s review…

3. Review of the Summary Thesis
A thesis for a summary indicates:
ü The author’s name
ü The title of essay being summarized
ü And the author’s thesis.

4. Summary Thesis Example
In Caitlin Holmes’ article, “Why Everyone Should Take an
English Class in College,” she argues that ongoing
writing practice is beneficial academically and
professionally.

5. Rhetorical Strategies can include…
ü Rhetorical appeals
ü Overall organization and patterns of reasoning
ü Rhetorical devices (metaphor, simile, analogy, repetition,
etc.)
ü Methods (narration, description, definition, etc.)
ü Tone, Style, and Language Use
ü Many other related strategies

6. Let’s put this into a fill-in-the-blank formula…
Version 1:
Author uses strategies to purpose in title.
Version 2:
In text, author achieves purpose through strategies.

7. Now let’s add on to our example…
In Caitlin Holmes’ article, “Why Everyone Should Take an
English Class in College,” she provides examples of what
college students can expect to learn and contrasts
these examples with AP English curriculum to argue that
ongoing writing practice is beneficial academically and
professionally.

8. Notice what we added in bold…
In Caitlin Holmes’ article, “Why Everyone Should Take an
English Class in College,” she provides examples of what
college students can expect to learn and contrasts these
examples with AP English curriculum to argue that
ongoing writing practice is beneficial academically and
professionally.
Original Summary Thesis + Purpose + Audience + Strategies

9. Now let’s apply the alternate formula…
Caitlin Holmes provides examples of what college
students can expect to learn and contrasts these
examples with AP English curriculum to argue that
ongoing writing practice is beneficial academically and
professionally in her article “Why Everyone Should Take
an English Class in College”.
Author Strategy Audience
Strategy
Purpose
Title

10. This slideshow will help you create a thesis for your own
Rhetorical Analysis, but stay tuned.
We’ll continue to add to this discussion as we start to look
at future assignments!