Essay 1: Rhetorical Analysis & Response Instructions for Essay 1:  Rhetorical Analysis / Reader Response You have already written two brief rhetorical analyses in this unit.  For your major essay, you will write another rhetorical analysis, this time combined with a response or rebuttal. Format :  MLA paper format and documentation. Sources :  at least one source (the essay you are analyzing).  Use of additional sources is encouraged but not required. Length: Three pages,  approx 800 – 1000 words Due Date: Refer to the assignment calendar for this course. First,  read/view the texts that I have provided for you in the folder “Texts for Essay #1” located just below these instructions.  Choose one of these texts to be the subject of your analysis and response. You will notice that there are a variety of texts to choose from, including videos and hybrid written/spoken multimedia texts. Approach your rhetorical analysis much like you have with the previous assignments in this unit.  Identify elements such as audience, purpose and context as a means of understanding how the text communicates its main idea (also known as a thesis ).  Also identify and provide examples of the types of appeals used by the author, pathos, logos, ethos, etc. The new element for this assignment is that you will be responding to the main idea or thesis of the text that you are analyzing.  In other words, once you have established what the text’s thesis is and how it communicates that thesis, you will then need to add your own voice, ideas and opinions to the mix.  Think of it as joining a conversation.  Do you think the author of the original text is mistaken?  Has he/she failed to consider some important point?  Or do you agree with the author?  Perhaps you can provide additional reasons, examples and evidence to support the thesis.  Sometimes you can both agree and disagree with the author, but if you do so, be sure to clearly identify which portions you agree with and which you disagree with.  An outline of your essay might look like this: Introduction             Identify the text, the author and the subject matter. Make sure your reader knows what you will be talking about in your analysis. Rhetorical analysis             Analyze the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose, context, visual or spatial elements, auditory elements, etc.)   Explain how these elements, along with the author's use of logos, pathos, and ethos are used to persuade or convince the audience and evaluate the effectiveness of these elements.  This section might be several paragraphs long. Response             Respond to the author’s thesis by agreeing/disagreeing.  Add your own ideas opinions and examples. Conclusion             Wrap up the essay by restating your conclusions and position on the topic.  There are three individual due dates associated with this essay.  Look at the assignment calendar and you will see them listed as:   Essay 1 - Post Worki.

1. Essay 1: Rhetorical Analysis & Response
Instructions for Essay 1: Rhetorical Analysis / Reader
Response
You have already written two brief rhetorical analyses in this
unit. For your major essay, you will write another rhetorical
analysis, this time combined with a response or rebuttal.
Format
: MLA paper format and documentation.
Sources
: at least one source (the essay you are analyzing). Use of
additional sources is encouraged but not required.
Length:
Three pages, approx 800 – 1000 words
Due Date:
Refer to the assignment calendar for this course.
First, read/view the texts that I have provided for you in the
folder “Texts for Essay #1” located just below these
instructions. Choose one of these texts to be the subject of your
analysis and response. You will notice that there are a variety of
texts to choose from, including videos and hybrid
written/spoken multimedia texts.

2. Approach your rhetorical analysis much like you have with the
previous assignments in this unit. Identify elements such as
audience, purpose and context as a means of understanding how
the text communicates its main idea (also known as a
thesis
). Also identify and provide examples of the types of appeals
used by the author, pathos, logos, ethos, etc.
The new element for this assignment is that you will be
responding
to the main idea or thesis of the text that you are analyzing. In
other words, once you have established what the text’s thesis is
and how it communicates that thesis, you will then need to add
your own voice, ideas and opinions to the mix. Think of it as
joining a conversation. Do you think the author of the original
text is mistaken? Has he/she failed to consider some important
point? Or do you agree with the author? Perhaps you can
provide additional reasons, examples and evidence to support
the thesis. Sometimes you can both agree and disagree with the
author, but if you do so, be sure to clearly identify which
portions you agree with and which you disagree with.
An outline of your essay might look like this:
Introduction
Identify the text, the author and the subject matter.
Make sure your reader knows what you will be talking about in
your analysis.

3. Rhetorical analysis
Analyze the rhetorical situation (audience, purpose,
context, visual or spatial elements, auditory elements, etc.)
Explain how these elements, along with the author's use of
logos, pathos, and ethos are used to persuade or convince the
audience and evaluate the effectiveness of these elements. This
section might be several paragraphs long.
Response
Respond to the author’s thesis by agreeing/disagreeing.
Add your own ideas opinions and examples.
Conclusion
Wrap up the essay by restating your conclusions and
position on the topic.
There are three individual due dates associated with this essay.
Look at the assignment calendar and you will see them listed as:
Essay 1 - Post Working Draft
Essay 1 - Compete Peer Review
Essay 1- Submit Final Drafts
For the due date associated with "Post Working Draft" you will
post a

4. complete
draft of your essay to the appropriate forum in the Peer Review
Board. How and where to do this are explained in the
Guidelines for Peer Review, located near the end of Unit 2. By
the second due date, Complete Peer Review, you will need to
complete two reviews of drafts submitted by your classmates.
Again, instructions for how to do this are located in the
guidelines. After the peer review process is complete, you will
submit your final draft on the date indicated as "Submit Final
Draft."
The final draft of your essay will be submitted via the link
provided at the end of Unit 2.
Choose from the articles in this folder for essay #1.
No Way to Elect a President
by Frank Bruni,
The New York Times
. April 19, 2016
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/opinion/no-way-to-elect-
a-
president.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=s
tory-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-
region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-
col-left-region

5. Video:
Against
Empathy
Paul Bloom, psychologist and Yale professor, argues that
empathy is a bad thing—that it makes the world worse. While
we've been taught that putting yourself in another's shoes
cultivates compassion, it actually blinds you to the long-term
consequences of your actions. In this animated interview from
The Atlantic
, we hear Bloom’s case for why the world needs to ditch
empathy.
https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/474588/why-empathy-
is-a-bad-thing/
Should Apple be Forced to Unlock an iPhone?
Forcing Apple to Hack That iPhone Sets a Dangerous
Precedent
by Congressman Darrell Issa. Published in Wired Magazine,
Feb 27, 2016
https://www.wired.com/2016/02/forcing-apple-hack-iphone-
sets-dangerous-precedent/
The Real Victims of Victimhood

6. The Real Victims of Victimhood by Arthur C. Brooks, The New
York Times, Dec 26, 2015
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/opinion/sunday/the-real-
victims-of-victimhood.html?smid=tw-share
"Don't Ban Photos of Skinny Models"
Friedman, Vanessa. "Don't Ban Photos of Skinny Models." The
New York Times. 6.25.2016
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/opinion/sunday/dont-ban-
photos-of-skinny-models.html?smid=tw-share
"Can Reading Make You Happier?"
Dovey, Ceridwen. "Can REading Make You Happier?" The
New Yorker. June 9, 2016
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/can-
reading-make-you-happier
"Under Attack"
Curbs on free speech are growing tighter. It is time to speak
out.

7. From The Economist, June 4 2016.
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2016/06/04/under-attack