Rhetorical Analysis of an Argument assignment sheet for English 102H

1. English H102
Rhetorical Analysis of an Argument
Purpose
To develop and practice the skills necessary for synthesizing arguments, this
assignment focuses on reading, summarizing, and analyzing an argument in a single
text.
Description
This assignment is based on the “Doing a Rhetorical Analysis of a Written Text” on
pages 61 – 63 of Becoming Rhetorical.
Steps:
1. Read “Thresholds of Violence” and “The Birth of a New American Aristocracy”
(Sections 1 and 4) and choose which one you want to analyze.
2. Complete a rhetorical reading annotating both what is said and how it is said.
3. Research the rhetorical situation:
a. Who are the communicators?
b. What is the message of the text?
c. Who is the audience for the text?
d. What is the exigence for the text?
e. What is the text’s purpose? What does it hope to achieve?
f. What is the text’s material means of communication?
4. Complete the “Analytical Circle” assignment on Bblearn.
5. Compose a draft of your essay using the material from the previous steps. Your
essay should include:
a. Thesis – make a claim about which rhetorical strategy (or strategies)
is the most important for achieving the purpose of the text.
b. Summary – briefly summarize the significant aspects of the text
c. Support – using material from the Analytical Circle assignment,
describe what the text does, explain how what it does attempts to
fulfill its purpose, and explain how that supports your thesis.
d. Conclusion – comment on why this article, its argument, or your
rhetorical analysis of it matters.
6. Submit your draft on Bblearn by the beginning of class Friday, 9/14 and bring
three hard copies to class for Peer Review.
7. Revise and proofread your draft and submit final version by Sunday, 9/16 end-
of-day.