Writing Assignment
Summary and Rhetorical Analysis
Assignment: For this writing assignment, select a scholarly article from the Hunt Library on a subject that interests you.
Write an essay, of approximately 450 – 500 words, in which you:
Identify the elements of the rhetorical situation – introduction (1st paragraph of essay)
Article title and author(s) – provide the link to the article
Topic – the subject
Audience – the readers (both primary and secondary audience)
Purpose – the reason for writing (informative or persuasive)
Thesis statement – a claim about the overall effectiveness of the text
Summarize the article – body (2nd paragraph of essay)
Summary – the thesis and major supporting points
Objective tone – do not insert your own opinion or evaluation
Select 3-4 rhetorical strategies from the text – body (3rd and 4th paragraphs of essay)
Form (organization and format)
Style (sentence design, word choice, and use of figurative language)
Types of evidence/support (facts, quotes, statistics, case studies, etc.)
Appeal to logos (logic)
Appeal to ethos (credibility)
Appeal to pathos (emotions)
Analyze those strategies
Identify each of the selected strategies.
Give an example from the text for each selected strategy.
Evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies – conclusion (5th paragraph)
Explain why the strategies successfully appeal to the audience (or why they do not).
Explain how the strategies accomplish (or do not) the purpose of the author(s).
