INTRODUCTION AND OUTLINE

The Rhetorical Analysis of a Written Argument

Arguments, or attempts at persuading audiences to think or act in certain ways, are part of our everyday culture, yet we dont always stop to consider how they work. To gain a stronger understanding of persuasion, and to become stronger persuasive writers, this rhetorical analysis assignment asks you to learn the basic components of rhetoric and to analyze how those components work in a written argument. Understanding how an argument works, and studying how rhetorical appeals function (in sometimes subtle ways) within that argument, will allow you to not only strengthen your critical thinking and reading skills, but to eventually write your own effective argument in response (in Unit 2) as well.

Once you have identified the various relationships between an articles intended audience, its overall claim, and its rhetorical appeals, this assignment then asks you to make a claim about what makes the argument particularly successful or unsuccessful for that specific audience. Your own rhetorical analysis will then focus on your argumentative claim.

As you develop this rhetorical analysis, you will want to focus on how the argument applies rhetorical appeals; you should not, however, include your own feelings or opinions about the topic or content of the article. You will write your analytical argument for a supportive audience that is interested in your perspective and ideas. For instance, you could imagine your classmates or peers as your willing audience. Because your audience is supportive, and therefore unlikely to need as much convincing as a resistant audience, a clear, direct tone is expected.