Rhetorical Analysis of an Argument – any
Rhetorical Analysis of an Argument
ML Format
• 12-point font, Times New Roman.
• 3-7 pages, not including the Works Cited page.
• Quote from the source to support and illustrate your analysis; these quotations should be
cited both within the essay (in-text citation) and on the Works Cited page.
Objectives:
• Use invention techniques such as brainstorming, listing, cubing, reporters’ questions, free writing, and clustering.
• Consider an external audience to guide tone, vocabulary, and content.
• Establish a tone that is suitable for both your topic and purpose.
• Write in a clear, concise, and engaging manner.
• Recognize the pervasiveness of argument outside the traditional debate and to critique an argument on academic grounds.
• Analyze the rhetorical situation of an argument, including the author’s intended audience, the historical/social context, and the purpose of the argument.
• Understand how the author employs rhetorical techniques, such as claims, warrants, the rhetorical triangle (ethos, logos, and pathos), and word choice.
• Analyze a claim and determine if sufficient evidence is present to support that claim.
• Learn how to identify errors in reasoning, including faulty logic or rhetorical fallacies.
• Write an essay that is thoroughly developed and logically organized.
• Incorporate in-text citations and develop a Works Cited page.