Mrs. Scruggs provides guidance to AP students on how to properly analyze and discuss rhetorical strategies in essays. She explains that simply devoting one paragraph to each strategy is too simplistic and redundant. Instead, students should base paragraphs around the rhetorical intent and discuss how multiple strategies work together to achieve the writer's goal. For example, explaining how diction, detail selection, and figurative language all combine to ridicule a subject within a single paragraph. This provides a deeper analysis compared to superficial separate discussions of each strategy.

1. Mrs. Wendy Scruggs AP English Language & Composition
IDENTIFYING & EXPLAINING RHETORICAL STRATEGIES
Poor papers are easy to spot: Three body paragraphs, each
about one rhetorical strategy. And a conclusion that
summarizes.
Here's the formula for a low-scoring paper:
The writer wants his audience to think he's right. To do this,
he uses diction, selection of detail, and figurative language.
The writer uses diction when...
The writer uses selection of detail when...
The writer uses figurative language to...
In conclusion, by using diction, selection of detail, and
figurative language, the writer convinces the audience to
think he's right.
The writer may address relevant strategies, but the response
as a whole suggests minimal understanding. It's too simplistic
in its reasoning.
It is important to understand that most strategies work
together in combination. For example, in an essay, the
strategies of diction and selection of detail generally combine
to establish the speaker's persuasive attitude. For AP
students, it would be redundant to present this information in

2. Mrs. Wendy Scruggs AP English Language & Composition
separate paragraphs (one on diction, the other on selection of
detail).
Often, it is best to base paragraphs on the rhetorical intent as
opposed to the rhetorical strategy. For example, a writer
intends to ridicule his subject. In order to accomplish this goal,
he uses the strategies of diction, selection of detail, and
figurative language (e.g., similes). Write about these three
strategies in ONE paragraph detailing how they work together
to ridicule the subject and bring readers to the author's point
of view.
A good rule of thumb is to make a brief list at the bottom of
the page under the heading, "WHAT THE WRITER WANTS..."
List out what the writer wants. These then become your
paragraphs. Identify and explain all strategies the writer uses
(within that single paragraph) to accomplish that goal.
Wevodau, Edward. "Writing the Rhetorical Analysis." Writing for the AP Exam. Colleyville Heritage High School, 2012. Web.
Web. 3 Oct. 2012. <http://www.myteacherpages.com/webpages/EWevodau/writing4.cfm?subpage=1115012>.