How to Write an Effective Rhetorical Analysis?

You might have read several books, essays, articles, blogs, and texts. Have you ever tried to understand why the author of the text has chosen a particular perspective? There might be times you did not agree with the author. There might be times when you understood a completely new concept once you stepped into the shoes of the author. You might have understood how well the author is persuading you and connecting you with the topic. If you can relate to any of these points, then kudos! You have an idea what a Rhetorical Analysis is.

Rhetoric Analysis

The word Rhetoric means persuasive speaking or writing using effective figures of speech and compositions. The main aim of a Rhetorical Analysis is to determine the mindset of the author while writing a particular text.  You begin with analyzing the text, the things that are happening in a text, why the author has chosen a particular technique of writing and how the writing has affected the readers.

Rhetoric Analysis Essay

Hence we can say that a Rhetoric Analysis Essay is unlike a common research paper or an article. It can be considered as a tool to explore the literary works but it isn’t a literary work itself. Now let us see how you can create an effective Rhetorical Analysis Essay.

Also Read: How to Write a 5 Paragraph Essay?

Writing a Rhetoric Analysis Essay – Seek yourself with these 6 Answers!

Prepare the answers to these questions to include in your Rhetorical Essay. These points can act as your claims in the essay.

1.    What is the situation in the text?

You need to explain what the text is all about. What is the viewpoint of the writer? Understand what the author is writing about. See how clear the author has explained their perspective.

2.    What is the tone of the write-up?

Here you will assess the quality of writing. You need to sense the tone of the write-up. There can be different ways a writer can express their idea, for instance, authoritative, friendly, sarcastic, explanatory, optimistic, negative, etc. See what points of the write-up create the tone of the write-up.

3.    Does the author know its audience?

Every author writes for an audience. We are all well aware of this fact. Hence you need to observe what the writer thinks about the audience. Who the write-up is for? Is the author targeting a particular audience or is the write-up written in general?

4.    Is the author trying to connect you on an emotional note?

Many writers try to build a connection with their audience on emotional terms. They might include a catchy headline in between or quotes that might relate to the emotions of their audience. See how well the author has connected with your emotions.

5.    Do you believe what the author saying?

Here you can speak about your own opinions based on what you have an understanding of the text. First, find if you believe what the author is saying. Find out the reasons for your answer.

6.    Is the writer supporting their claim?

Every write-up has a thesis statement which depicts the main point of the write-up. You can also call it as its main claim or the idea over which the whole write-up is based.

Also Read: How to Write a Discussion Essay?

Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion – Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Aristotle gave three modes of Persuasion that authors generally use to convince the audience. In a rhetorical analysis, you must map the impact of the writing of the author on these three modes of persuasion. Then you can use those points as arguments in your Rhetorical Analysis Essay. Let us see what they exactly mean –

Ethos – Also referred to as “Appeal to Ethics” Ethos is a means of convincing the audience via establishing one’s authority. So you will explain in your Rhetoric Analysis why the text is a credible one. You will state how the author has established their credibility.

Logos – Also referred to as “appeal to Logic” Logos means convincing the audience by presenting something with logic in front of them. The author might have used some facts or provided some statistics to prove their point. So in your rhetorical analysis state how the author can convince the audience through logic.         

Pathos – Also referred to as “appeal to Emotions” Pathos is a means of convincing the audience by presenting an emotional story or a plea. So in your rhetorical analysis essay, you need to specify how the author is emotionally connecting with the audience and if the author is able to convince the audience through that technique.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Structure

Introduction – The first paragraph of your essay should contain a summary of what points you are going to cover in the essay. The main thought of your essay will be your thesis statement.

Body Paragraphs – You can include 3-4 body paragraphs in which you will present the arguments that you would have prepared through the techniques mentioned above in this blog. References and citations can be included in these paragraphs.

Conclusion –   In the last paragraph you will conclude your essay by mentioning the main outcomes. Do mention how the text influenced the readers and at last provide a generalized conclusion to your essay in one statement.

A Rhetorical Analysis Essay is generally asked in AP examinations. But many educational institutions have started including them in their curriculum as well. If you need more help in writing a rhetorical essay just connect with GoAssignmentHelp. Our assignment writers will provide you with the best solutions and tips on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay that can fetch you better grades. Our essay writing services are available 24/7 where you can get high quality, plagiarism-free essays without any hustle. Connect with us today!