Preparing for Rhetorical Analysis Rhetorical Ad Analysis

1. Preparing for Rhetorical AnalysisRhetorical Ad Analysis • After watching the following videos, please fill out the worksheet. Civic Super Bowl Ad Apple Mac 1984 Ad Detroit Super Bowl Ad

2. Rhetorical Analysis • a rhetorical analysis assignment generally asks you to do two things: 1) figure out what each writer is trying to accomplish, and 2) identify what writing tactics he or she is utilizing to accomplish it. • What we will be looking for are examples of the following: • What does the author express directly and indirectly? • How does the writer’s voice and use of rhetorical techniques convey key ideas? • What effect does the author’s choice of words have on the reader? • What things or ideas does the writer describe through figurative language? • What words, phrases, or ideas are repeated? • What is the writer’s attitude towards the subject?

3. Non-Literary Analytical Essay An analytical essay that focuses on how effectively an author expressed their opinion considering word choice and writing style 500 words or less (two typed pages) Standard MLA format Cites the text on at least three occasions Approximately two and a half weeks to fully process the paper

4. Non-Literary Analytical Essay contd. Read one of the non-fiction pieces from the textbook Discern the author’s main arguments Develop a working thesis which discusses at least two of the following: What does the author express directly and indirectly? How does the writer’s voice and use of rhetorical techniques convey key ideas? What effect does the author’s choice of words have on the reader? What things or ideas does the writer describe through figurative language? What words, phrases, or ideas are repeated? What is the writer’s attitude towards the subject?

5. Options for the essay: “The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli page 454 “The Spectator” by Joseph Addison page 602 “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift page 622 “A Vindication of the Rights of Women” by Mary Wollstonecraft page 720 “Evidence of Progress” by Thomas Babington Macaulay page 1032 “The Condition of England” by Thomas Carlyle page 1036 “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell page 1252 “Words and Behavior” by Aldous Huxley page 1266

6. Common Rhetorical Devices Found on the SAT Test • Hyperbole • Repetition • Simile • Metaphor • Personification • Symbolism • Rhetorical questions • Idioms and clichés • Irony • Verbal irony (sarcasm) • Dramatic irony • Flashback • Foreshadowing • Motif • Anecdote • Appeal to authority • Appeal to fear • Appeal to patriotism • Appeal to pride • Appeal to objection • Bandwagon • Emotional words

7. Metacognition • The non-literary analytical essay poses very unique challenges. While the pieces you are reading are small, and I have already discussed the main ideas, you still have to get your head around what your author is expressing, how they are expressing it, and how that means of expression either helps you as the reader make more sense out of the essay or contributes to the effectiveness of the message. Your journal today is to discuss what you have figured out about your primary work and what questions you have about the essay you are required to write. What am I asking you to tell me is which of the six questions apply to the piece you are reading and what you understand to be the next step in the process.

8. Pop Quiz! • What are you arguing in this paper? • How many quotes need to be on the reflections chart? • How many items must you argue about in your paper? • Name one rhetorical device and give an example:

9. Thesis statement • Thesis must argue what sort of rhetorical devices the author is using and for what purpose. Why are they using the specific words and phrases to express their point? • This is a basic thesis statement for this essay: Using a flippant tone and hard numerical data, David Brooks,in the article entitled, “The Good News About Poverty”, paints a very optimistic future for those in the lowest economic class.

10. Peer Editing • Break into groups based on topic • Whoever has their paper completed, please share your thesis • Each person name the two items they are writing about and give at least one example for each • After fifteen minutes, return to your original seats and we will talk about the essay’s as a class.

11. Basic Format for the Essay • Introduction should give a little background on your author such as when were they alive, where did they live, what are they famous for? Another good thing to put in the introductions is the main argument of the essay. What was the essay you read about? Finish your introduction with a thesis statement. • The thesis statement should argue that (your author) using (rhetorical or literary device one) and (rhetorical or literary device two) made the point of (main point of essay) • Your first body paragraph should discuss the first point you brought up in your thesis. Begin by explaining the point you are going to make, then set up your quote by discussing what is going on in the essay when the point is made, use your quote, cite your quote, and then explain how the quote proves how the author expressed their point and why they expressed it the way they did. • The second body paragraph is just like the first • The conclusion should summarize your introduction, rephrase your main points, and finish by praising your author for their great writing skills. Be sure not to be redundant. Do not use the same words you used earlier in your essay

12. Ratiocination Instructions: • Please read your essay and circle the words “I”, “my” or “you” • Next, please put a box around any “to be” verb: is, am, are, were, was, be, being, been, or any conjunction with them in it such as isn’t, wasn’t, or weren’t • Then, underline your main points • Finally, please put a star next to where you cited the text

13. Point of View • The reason why I had you circle “I”, “my”, and “you” has to do with point of view. Since this essay is academic in nature (analyzing a text), it should be in third person point of view, meaning I, my, and you are not used. You will need to rewrite any parts of the essay where you made this error.

14. “To Be” Verbs • “To be” verbs have the distinctive nickname of lazy verbs. The reason for this nickname revolves around their lack of action. As I stated earlier in the year, you cannot is, nor can you was. Please count the number of times one of these words appears in your essay and write that total at the top of your page. Try to reduce this number by half. Again, this might mean having to rewrite entire sentences, but your essay gets better each time you do

15. Main Points • Often people believe their essay is great because they used a lot of words. Those words are just fluff if you do not have a point. Since you are trying to prove at least two things from the six options, you should have at least two or three main points. These points should have to do with what you noticed about how an author expressed something and why they expressed it in such a way. • The last thing is, you were supposed to cite the text at least three times, so you should have three quotes. Remember: “Quote” (Author).

16. Essay help • Your introduction should give a short bit of background about your essay, summarize the main argument of your essay, and then conclude with your thesis statement. • Your thesis statement should argue two or three of the six points from the Reflection Chart • Your body paragraphs should elaborate on the points identified in your thesis. Be sure to quote your primary text at least three times and give (author’s name, page #) • Your conclusion should restate your main points without being redundant • You need a works cited page which only needs to include your textbook (unless you used the Internet for background information on your essay)

17. Peer Review • Groups by essay • Discuss the main arguments of your chosen essay • Each member must then discuss which points they are arguing in their thesis • After about ten minutes each group will report to the class • One member will explain the main argument • Each of the other members will discuss one point and how they are proving it • “One technique (author) uses to express his point of view is (point). An example of this is when he/she writes (example) which makes his/her essay better for the reader by (how?)