Project 2: Writing to Analyze

Project Goal: In an essay addressed to an audience of your classmates and me, you will write a rhetorical analysis of a text of your choosing.  As we have discussed in class, texts do not have to be limited to writing: commercials or print ads are texts as well. You may choose a text in any medium that interests you—a song, a video, a commercial, or article are just a few examples.

Your essay will analyze the rhetorical strategies used in the text to convey meaning. You will evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.  Keep in mind the three tenets of the rhetorical triangle we have discussed in class: ethos, pathos, and logos. In addition, you must also remember that audience and purpose (both part of the context we always depict around the rhetorical triangle) dictate the rhetorical strategies a text uses to make meaning. The goal of your essay is to show your audience how the text delivers its message.  Remember that you are not simply summarizing or describing the text—your essay should note specific examples from the text to support your analysis of the different strategies the text uses.

Format/Requirements: The format for this essay, as well as all other formal writing in this course, must be typed, double-spaced, and in Times New Roman 12 pt. font. The final essay should be 2-3 pages in length and must be submitted via Moodle.