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How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis | Key Concepts & Examples

Published on August 28, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A rhetorical analysis is a type of essay  that looks at a text in terms of rhetoric. This means it is less concerned with what the author is saying than with how they say it: their goals, techniques, and appeals to the audience.

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Table of contents

Key concepts in rhetoric, analyzing the text, introducing your rhetorical analysis, the body: doing the analysis, concluding a rhetorical analysis, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about rhetorical analysis.

Rhetoric, the art of effective speaking and writing, is a subject that trains you to look at texts, arguments and speeches in terms of how they are designed to persuade the audience. This section introduces a few of the key concepts of this field.

Appeals: Logos, ethos, pathos

Appeals are how the author convinces their audience. Three central appeals are discussed in rhetoric, established by the philosopher Aristotle and sometimes called the rhetorical triangle: logos, ethos, and pathos.

Logos , or the logical appeal, refers to the use of reasoned argument to persuade. This is the dominant approach in academic writing , where arguments are built up using reasoning and evidence.

Ethos , or the ethical appeal, involves the author presenting themselves as an authority on their subject. For example, someone making a moral argument might highlight their own morally admirable behavior; someone speaking about a technical subject might present themselves as an expert by mentioning their qualifications.

Pathos , or the pathetic appeal, evokes the audience’s emotions. This might involve speaking in a passionate way, employing vivid imagery, or trying to provoke anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response in the audience.

These three appeals are all treated as integral parts of rhetoric, and a given author may combine all three of them to convince their audience.

Text and context

In rhetoric, a text is not necessarily a piece of writing (though it may be this). A text is whatever piece of communication you are analyzing. This could be, for example, a speech, an advertisement, or a satirical image.

In these cases, your analysis would focus on more than just language—you might look at visual or sonic elements of the text too.

The context is everything surrounding the text: Who is the author (or speaker, designer, etc.)? Who is their (intended or actual) audience? When and where was the text produced, and for what purpose?

Looking at the context can help to inform your rhetorical analysis. For example, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech has universal power, but the context of the civil rights movement is an important part of understanding why.

Claims, supports, and warrants

A piece of rhetoric is always making some sort of argument, whether it’s a very clearly defined and logical one (e.g. in a philosophy essay) or one that the reader has to infer (e.g. in a satirical article). These arguments are built up with claims, supports, and warrants.

A claim is the fact or idea the author wants to convince the reader of. An argument might center on a single claim, or be built up out of many. Claims are usually explicitly stated, but they may also just be implied in some kinds of text.

The author uses supports to back up each claim they make. These might range from hard evidence to emotional appeals—anything that is used to convince the reader to accept a claim.

The warrant is the logic or assumption that connects a support with a claim. Outside of quite formal argumentation, the warrant is often unstated—the author assumes their audience will understand the connection without it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still explore the implicit warrant in these cases.

For example, look at the following statement:

We can see a claim and a support here, but the warrant is implicit. Here, the warrant is the assumption that more likeable candidates would have inspired greater turnout. We might be more or less convinced by the argument depending on whether we think this is a fair assumption.

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Rhetorical analysis isn’t a matter of choosing concepts in advance and applying them to a text. Instead, it starts with looking at the text in detail and asking the appropriate questions about how it works:

• What is the author’s purpose?
• Do they focus closely on their key claims, or do they discuss various topics?
• What tone do they take—angry or sympathetic? Personal or authoritative? Formal or informal?
• Who seems to be the intended audience? Is this audience likely to be successfully reached and convinced?
• What kinds of evidence are presented?

By asking these questions, you’ll discover the various rhetorical devices the text uses. Don’t feel that you have to cram in every rhetorical term you know—focus on those that are most important to the text.

The following sections show how to write the different parts of a rhetorical analysis.

Like all essays, a rhetorical analysis begins with an introduction . The introduction tells readers what text you’ll be discussing, provides relevant background information, and presents your thesis statement .

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how an introduction works.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is widely regarded as one of the most important pieces of oratory in American history. Delivered in 1963 to thousands of civil rights activists outside the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech has come to symbolize the spirit of the civil rights movement and even to function as a major part of the American national myth. This rhetorical analysis argues that King’s assumption of the prophetic voice, amplified by the historic size of his audience, creates a powerful sense of ethos that has retained its inspirational power over the years.

The body of your rhetorical analysis is where you’ll tackle the text directly. It’s often divided into three paragraphs, although it may be more in a longer essay.

Each paragraph should focus on a different element of the text, and they should all contribute to your overall argument for your thesis statement.

Hover over the example to explore how a typical body paragraph is constructed.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

The conclusion of a rhetorical analysis wraps up the essay by restating the main argument and showing how it has been developed by your analysis. It may also try to link the text, and your analysis of it, with broader concerns.

Explore the example below to get a sense of the conclusion.

It is clear from this analysis that the effectiveness of King’s rhetoric stems less from the pathetic appeal of his utopian “dream” than it does from the ethos he carefully constructs to give force to his statements. By framing contemporary upheavals as part of a prophecy whose fulfillment will result in the better future he imagines, King ensures not only the effectiveness of his words in the moment but their continuing resonance today. Even if we have not yet achieved King’s dream, we cannot deny the role his words played in setting us on the path toward it.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

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How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay–Examples & Template

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

A rhetorical analysis essay is, as the name suggests, an analysis of someone else’s writing (or speech, or advert, or even cartoon) and how they use not only words but also rhetorical techniques to influence their audience in a certain way. A rhetorical analysis is less interested in what the author is saying and more in how they present it, what effect this has on their readers, whether they achieve their goals, and what approach they use to get there. 

Its structure is similar to that of most essays: An Introduction presents your thesis, a Body analyzes the text you have chosen, breaks it down into sections and explains how arguments have been constructed and how each part persuades, informs, or entertains the reader, and a Conclusion section sums up your evaluation. 

Note that your personal opinion on the matter is not relevant for your analysis and that you don’t state anywhere in your essay whether you agree or disagree with the stance the author takes.

In the following, we will define the key rhetorical concepts you need to write a good rhetorical analysis and give you some practical tips on where to start.

Key Rhetorical Concepts

Your goal when writing a rhetorical analysis is to think about and then carefully describe how the author has designed their text so that it has the intended effect on their audience. To do that, you need to consider a number of key rhetorical strategies: Rhetorical appeals (“Ethos”, “Logos”, and “Pathos”), context, as well as claims, supports, and warrants.

Ethos, Logos, and Pathos were introduced by Aristotle, way back in the 4th century BC, as the main ways in which language can be used to persuade an audience. They still represent the basis of any rhetorical analysis and are often referred to as the “rhetorical triangle”. 

These and other rhetorical techniques can all be combined to create the intended effect, and your job as the one analyzing a text is to break the writer’s arguments down and identify the concepts they are based on.

Rhetorical Appeals

Rhetorical appeal #1: ethos.

Ethos refers to the reputation or authority of the writer regarding the topic of their essay or speech and to how they use this to appeal to their audience. Just like we are more likely to buy a product from a brand or vendor we have confidence in than one we don’t know or have reason to distrust, Ethos-driven texts or speeches rely on the reputation of the author to persuade the reader or listener. When you analyze an essay, you should therefore look at how the writer establishes Ethos through rhetorical devices.

Does the author present themselves as an authority on their subject? If so, how? 

Do they highlight how impeccable their own behavior is to make a moral argument? 

Do they present themselves as an expert by listing their qualifications or experience to convince the reader of their opinion on something?

Rhetorical appeal #2: Pathos

The purpose of Pathos-driven rhetoric is to appeal to the reader’s emotions. A common example of pathos as a rhetorical means is adverts by charities that try to make you donate money to a “good cause”. To evoke the intended emotions in the reader, an author may use passionate language, tell personal stories, and employ vivid imagery so that the reader can imagine themselves in a certain situation and feel empathy with or anger towards others.

Rhetorical appeal #3: Logos

Logos, the “logical” appeal, uses reason to persuade. Reason and logic, supported by data, evidence, clearly defined methodology, and well-constructed arguments, are what most academic writing is based on. Emotions, those of the researcher/writer as well as those of the reader, should stay out of such academic texts, as should anyone’s reputation, beliefs, or personal opinions. 

Text and Context

To analyze a piece of writing, a speech, an advertisement, or even a satirical drawing, you need to look beyond the piece of communication and take the context in which it was created and/or published into account. 

Who is the person who wrote the text/drew the cartoon/designed the ad..? What audience are they trying to reach? Where was the piece published and what was happening there around that time? 

A political speech, for example, can be powerful even when read decades later, but the historical context surrounding it is an important aspect of the effect it was intended to have. 

Claims, Supports, and Warrants

To make any kind of argument, a writer needs to put forward specific claims, support them with data or evidence or even a moral or emotional appeal, and connect the dots logically so that the reader can follow along and agree with the points made.

The connections between statements, so-called “warrants”, follow logical reasoning but are not always clearly stated—the author simply assumes the reader understands the underlying logic, whether they present it “explicitly” or “implicitly”. Implicit warrants are commonly used in advertisements where seemingly happy people use certain products, wear certain clothes, accessories, or perfumes, or live certain lifestyles – with the connotation that, first, the product/perfume/lifestyle is what makes that person happy and, second, the reader wants to be as happy as the person in the ad. Some warrants are never clearly stated, and your job when writing a rhetorical analysis essay is therefore to identify them and bring them to light, to evaluate their validity, their effect on the reader, and the use of such means by the writer/creator. 

What are the Five Rhetorical Situations?

A “rhetorical situation” refers to the circumstance behind a text or other piece of communication that arises from a given context. It explains why a rhetorical piece was created, what its purpose is, and how it was constructed to achieve its aims.

Rhetorical situations can be classified into the following five categories:

Asking such questions when you analyze a text will help you identify all the aspects that play a role in the effect it has on its audience, and will allow you to evaluate whether it achieved its aims or where it may have failed to do so.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

Analyzing someone else’s work can seem like a big task, but as with every assignment or writing endeavor, you can break it down into smaller, well-defined steps that give you a practical structure to follow. 

To give you an example of how the different parts of your text may look when it’s finished, we will provide you with some excerpts from this rhetorical analysis essay example (which even includes helpful comments) published on the Online Writing Lab website of Excelsior University in Albany, NY. The text that this essay analyzes is this article on why one should or shouldn’t buy an Ipad. If you want more examples so that you can build your own rhetorical analysis template, have a look at this essay on Nabokov’s Lolita and the one provided here about the “Shitty First Drafts” chapter of Anne Lamott’s writing instruction book “Bird by Bird”.

Analyzing the Text

When writing a rhetorical analysis, you don’t choose the concepts or key points you think are relevant or want to address. Rather, you carefully read the text several times asking yourself questions like those listed in the last section on rhetorical situations to identify how the text “works” and how it was written to achieve that effect.

Start with focusing on the author : What do you think was their purpose for writing the text? Do they make one principal claim and then elaborate on that? Or do they discuss different topics? 

Then look at what audience they are talking to: Do they want to make a group of people take some action? Vote for someone? Donate money to a good cause? Who are these people? Is the text reaching this specific audience? Why or why not?

What tone is the author using to address their audience? Are they trying to evoke sympathy? Stir up anger? Are they writing from a personal perspective? Are they painting themselves as an authority on the topic? Are they using academic or informal language?

How does the author support their claims ? What kind of evidence are they presenting? Are they providing explicit or implicit warrants? Are these warrants valid or problematic? Is the provided evidence convincing?  

Asking yourself such questions will help you identify what rhetorical devices a text uses and how well they are put together to achieve a certain aim. Remember, your own opinion and whether you agree with the author are not the point of a rhetorical analysis essay – your task is simply to take the text apart and evaluate it.

If you are still confused about how to write a rhetorical analysis essay, just follow the steps outlined below to write the different parts of your rhetorical analysis: As every other essay, it consists of an Introduction , a Body (the actual analysis), and a Conclusion .

Rhetorical Analysis Introduction

The Introduction section briefly presents the topic of the essay you are analyzing, the author, their main claims, a short summary of the work by you, and your thesis statement . 

Tell the reader what the text you are going to analyze represents (e.g., historically) or why it is relevant (e.g., because it has become some kind of reference for how something is done). Describe what the author claims, asserts, or implies and what techniques they use to make their argument and persuade their audience. Finish off with your thesis statement that prepares the reader for what you are going to present in the next section – do you think that the author’s assumptions/claims/arguments were presented in a logical/appealing/powerful way and reached their audience as intended?

Have a look at an excerpt from the sample essay linked above to see what a rhetorical analysis introduction can look like. See how it introduces the author and article , the context in which it originally appeared , the main claims the author makes , and how this first paragraph ends in a clear thesis statement that the essay will then elaborate on in the following Body section:

Cory Doctorow ’s article on BoingBoing is an older review of the iPad , one of Apple’s most famous products. At the time of this article, however, the iPad was simply the latest Apple product to hit the market and was not yet so popular. Doctorow’s entire career has been entrenched in and around technology. He got his start as a CD-ROM programmer and is now a successful blogger and author. He is currently the co-editor of the BoingBoing blog on which this article was posted. One of his main points in this article comes from Doctorow’s passionate advocacy of free digital media sharing. He argues that the iPad is just another way for established technology companies to control our technological freedom and creativity . In “ Why I Won’t Buy an iPad (and Think You Shouldn’t, Either) ” published on Boing Boing in April of 2010, Cory Doctorow successfully uses his experience with technology, facts about the company Apple, and appeals to consumer needs to convince potential iPad buyers that Apple and its products, specifically the iPad, limit the digital rights of those who use them by controlling and mainstreaming the content that can be used and created on the device . 

Doing the Rhetorical Analysis

The main part of your analysis is the Body , where you dissect the text in detail. Explain what methods the author uses to inform, entertain, and/or persuade the audience. Use Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle and the other key concepts we introduced above. Use quotations from the essay to demonstrate what you mean. Work out why the writer used a certain approach and evaluate (and again, demonstrate using the text itself) how successful they were. Evaluate the effect of each rhetorical technique you identify on the audience and judge whether the effect is in line with the author’s intentions.

To make it easy for the reader to follow your thought process, divide this part of your essay into paragraphs that each focus on one strategy or one concept , and make sure they are all necessary and contribute to the development of your argument(s).

One paragraph of this section of your essay could, for example, look like this:

One example of Doctorow’s position is his comparison of Apple’s iStore to Wal-Mart. This is an appeal to the consumer’s logic—or an appeal to logos. Doctorow wants the reader to take his comparison and consider how an all-powerful corporation like the iStore will affect them. An iPad will only allow for apps and programs purchased through the iStore to be run on it; therefore, a customer must not only purchase an iPad but also any programs he or she wishes to use. Customers cannot create their own programs or modify the hardware in any way. 

As you can see, the author of this sample essay identifies and then explains to the reader how Doctorow uses the concept of Logos to appeal to his readers – not just by pointing out that he does it but by dissecting how it is done.

Rhetorical Analysis Conclusion

The conclusion section of your analysis should restate your main arguments and emphasize once more whether you think the author achieved their goal. Note that this is not the place to introduce new information—only rely on the points you have discussed in the body of your essay. End with a statement that sums up the impact the text has on its audience and maybe society as a whole:

Overall, Doctorow makes a good argument about why there are potentially many better things to drop a great deal of money on instead of the iPad. He gives some valuable information and facts that consumers should take into consideration before going out to purchase the new device. He clearly uses rhetorical tools to help make his case, and, overall, he is effective as a writer, even if, ultimately, he was ineffective in convincing the world not to buy an iPad . 

Frequently Asked Questions about Rhetorical Analysis Essays 

What is a rhetorical analysis essay.

A rhetorical analysis dissects a text or another piece of communication to work out and explain how it impacts its audience, how successfully it achieves its aims, and what rhetorical devices it uses to do that. 

While argumentative essays usually take a stance on a certain topic and argue for it, a rhetorical analysis identifies how someone else constructs their arguments and supports their claims.

What is the correct rhetorical analysis essay format?

Like most other essays, a rhetorical analysis contains an Introduction that presents the thesis statement, a Body that analyzes the piece of communication, explains how arguments have been constructed, and illustrates how each part persuades, informs, or entertains the reader, and a Conclusion section that summarizes the results of the analysis. 

What is the “rhetorical triangle”?

The rhetorical triangle was introduced by Aristotle as the main ways in which language can be used to persuade an audience: Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, Ethos to the writer’s status or authority, and Pathos to the reader’s emotions. Logos, Ethos, and Pathos can all be combined to create the intended effect, and your job as the one analyzing a text is to break the writer’s arguments down and identify what specific concepts each is based on.

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What Is a Rhetorical Analysis and How to Write a Great One

Helly Douglas

Do you have to write a rhetorical analysis essay? Fear not! We’re here to explain exactly what rhetorical analysis means, how you should structure your essay, and give you some essential “dos and don’ts.”

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

How do you write a rhetorical analysis, what are the three rhetorical strategies, what are the five rhetorical situations, how to plan a rhetorical analysis essay, creating a rhetorical analysis essay, examples of great rhetorical analysis essays, final thoughts.

A rhetorical analysis essay studies how writers and speakers have used words to influence their audience. Think less about the words the author has used and more about the techniques they employ, their goals, and the effect this has on the audience.

In your analysis essay, you break a piece of text (including cartoons, adverts, and speeches) into sections and explain how each part works to persuade, inform, or entertain. You’ll explore the effectiveness of the techniques used, how the argument has been constructed, and give examples from the text.

A strong rhetorical analysis evaluates a text rather than just describes the techniques used. You don’t include whether you personally agree or disagree with the argument.

Structure a rhetorical analysis in the same way as most other types of academic essays . You’ll have an introduction to present your thesis, a main body where you analyze the text, which then leads to a conclusion.

Think about how the writer (also known as a rhetor) considers the situation that frames their communication:

• Topic: the overall purpose of the rhetoric
• Audience: this includes primary, secondary, and tertiary audiences
• Purpose: there are often more than one to consider
• Context and culture: the wider situation within which the rhetoric is placed

Back in the 4th century BC, Aristotle was talking about how language can be used as a means of persuasion. He described three principal forms —Ethos, Logos, and Pathos—often referred to as the Rhetorical Triangle . These persuasive techniques are still used today.

Rhetorical Strategy 1: Ethos

Are you more likely to buy a car from an established company that’s been an important part of your community for 50 years, or someone new who just started their business?

Reputation matters. Ethos explores how the character, disposition, and fundamental values of the author create appeal, along with their expertise and knowledge in the subject area.

Aristotle breaks ethos down into three further categories:

• Phronesis: skills and practical wisdom
• Arete: virtue
• Eunoia: goodwill towards the audience

Ethos-driven speeches and text rely on the reputation of the author. In your analysis, you can look at how the writer establishes ethos through both direct and indirect means.

Rhetorical Strategy 2: Pathos

Pathos-driven rhetoric hooks into our emotions. You’ll often see it used in advertisements, particularly by charities wanting you to donate money towards an appeal.

Common use of pathos includes:

• Vivid description so the reader can imagine themselves in the situation
• Personal stories to create feelings of empathy
• Emotional vocabulary that evokes a response

By using pathos to make the audience feel a particular emotion, the author can persuade them that the argument they’re making is compelling.

Rhetorical Strategy 3: Logos

Logos uses logic or reason. It’s commonly used in academic writing when arguments are created using evidence and reasoning rather than an emotional response. It’s constructed in a step-by-step approach that builds methodically to create a powerful effect upon the reader.

Rhetoric can use any one of these three techniques, but effective arguments often appeal to all three elements.

The rhetorical situation explains the circumstances behind and around a piece of rhetoric. It helps you think about why a text exists, its purpose, and how it’s carried out.

The rhetorical situations are:

• 1) Purpose: Why is this being written? (It could be trying to inform, persuade, instruct, or entertain.)
• 2) Audience: Which groups or individuals will read and take action (or have done so in the past)?
• 3) Genre: What type of writing is this?
• 4) Stance: What is the tone of the text? What position are they taking?
• 5) Media/Visuals: What means of communication are used?

Understanding and analyzing the rhetorical situation is essential for building a strong essay. Also think about any rhetoric restraints on the text, such as beliefs, attitudes, and traditions that could affect the author's decisions.

Before leaping into your essay, it’s worth taking time to explore the text at a deeper level and considering the rhetorical situations we looked at before. Throw away your assumptions and use these simple questions to help you unpick how and why the text is having an effect on the audience.

1: What is the Rhetorical Situation?

• Why is there a need or opportunity for persuasion?
• How do words and references help you identify the time and location?
• What are the rhetoric restraints?
• What historical occasions would lead to this text being created?

2: Who is the Author?

• How do they position themselves as an expert worth listening to?
• What is their ethos?
• Do they have a reputation that gives them authority?
• What is their intention?
• What values or customs do they have?

3: Who is it Written For?

• Who is the intended audience?
• How is this appealing to this particular audience?
• Who are the possible secondary and tertiary audiences?

4: What is the Central Idea?

• Can you summarize the key point of this rhetoric?
• What arguments are used?
• How has it developed a line of reasoning?

5: How is it Structured?

• What structure is used?
• How is the content arranged within the structure?

6: What Form is Used?

• Does this follow a specific literary genre?
• What type of style and tone is used, and why is this?
• Does the form used complement the content?
• What effect could this form have on the audience?

7: Is the Rhetoric Effective?

• Does the content fulfil the author’s intentions?
• Does the message effectively fit the audience, location, and time period?

Once you’ve fully explored the text, you’ll have a better understanding of the impact it’s having on the audience and feel more confident about writing your essay outline.

A great essay starts with an interesting topic. Choose carefully so you’re personally invested in the subject and familiar with it rather than just following trending topics. There are lots of great ideas on this blog post by My Perfect Words if you need some inspiration. Take some time to do background research to ensure your topic offers good analysis opportunities.

Remember to check the information given to you by your professor so you follow their preferred style guidelines. This outline example gives you a general idea of a format to follow, but there will likely be specific requests about layout and content in your course handbook. It’s always worth asking your institution if you’re unsure.

Make notes for each section of your essay before you write. This makes it easy for you to write a well-structured text that flows naturally to a conclusion. You will develop each note into a paragraph. Look at this example by College Essay for useful ideas about the structure.

1: Introduction

This is a short, informative section that shows you understand the purpose of the text. It tempts the reader to find out more by mentioning what will come in the main body of your essay.

• Name the author of the text and the title of their work followed by the date in parentheses
• Use a verb to describe what the author does, e.g. “implies,” “asserts,” or “claims”
• Briefly summarize the text in your own words
• Mention the persuasive techniques used by the rhetor and its effect

Create a thesis statement to come at the end of your introduction.

After your introduction, move on to your critical analysis. This is the principal part of your essay.

• Explain the methods used by the author to inform, entertain, and/or persuade the audience using Aristotle's rhetorical triangle
• Use quotations to prove the statements you make
• Explain why the writer used this approach and how successful it is
• Consider how it makes the audience feel and react

Make each strategy a new paragraph rather than cramming them together, and always use proper citations. Check back to your course handbook if you’re unsure which citation style is preferred.

3: Conclusion

Your conclusion should summarize the points you’ve made in the main body of your essay. While you will draw the points together, this is not the place to introduce new information you’ve not previously mentioned.

Use your last sentence to share a powerful concluding statement that talks about the impact the text has on the audience(s) and wider society. How have its strategies helped to shape history?

Before You Submit

Poor spelling and grammatical errors ruin a great essay. Use ProWritingAid to check through your finished essay before you submit. It will pick up all the minor errors you’ve missed and help you give your essay a final polish. Look at this useful ProWritingAid webinar for further ideas to help you significantly improve your essays. Sign up for a free trial today and start editing your essays!

You’ll find countless examples of rhetorical analysis online, but they range widely in quality. Your institution may have example essays they can share with you to show you exactly what they’re looking for.

The following links should give you a good starting point if you’re looking for ideas:

Pearson Canada has a range of good examples. Look at how embedded quotations are used to prove the points being made. The end questions help you unpick how successful each essay is.

Excelsior College has an excellent sample essay complete with useful comments highlighting the techniques used.

Brighton Online has a selection of interesting essays to look at. In this specific example, consider how wider reading has deepened the exploration of the text.

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay can seem daunting, but spending significant time deeply analyzing the text before you write will make it far more achievable and result in a better-quality essay overall.

It can take some time to write a good essay. Aim to complete it well before the deadline so you don’t feel rushed. Use ProWritingAid’s comprehensive checks to find any errors and make changes to improve readability. Then you’ll be ready to submit your finished essay, knowing it’s as good as you can possibly make it.

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Helly Douglas is a UK writer and teacher, specialising in education, children, and parenting. She loves making the complex seem simple through blogs, articles, and curriculum content. You can check out her work at hellydouglas.com or connect on Twitter @hellydouglas. When she’s not writing, you will find her in a classroom, being a mum or battling against the wilderness of her garden—the garden is winning!

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How to write a rhetorical analysis

What is a rhetorical analysis?

What are the key concepts of a rhetorical analysis, rhetorical situation, claims, supports, and warrants.

• Step 1: Plan and prepare
• Step 2: Write your introduction
• Step 3: Write the body
• Step 4: Write your conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions about rhetorical analysis

Related articles.

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion and aims to study writers’ or speakers' techniques to inform, persuade, or motivate their audience. Thus, a rhetorical analysis aims to explore the goals and motivations of an author, the techniques they’ve used to reach their audience, and how successful these techniques were.

This will generally involve analyzing a specific text and considering the following aspects to connect the rhetorical situation to the text:

• Does the author successfully support the thesis or claims made in the text? Here, you’ll analyze whether the author holds to their argument consistently throughout the text or whether they wander off-topic at some point.
• Does the author use evidence effectively considering the text’s intended audience? Here, you’ll consider the evidence used by the author to support their claims and whether the evidence resonates with the intended audience.
• What rhetorical strategies the author uses to achieve their goals. Here, you’ll consider the word choices by the author and whether these word choices align with their agenda for the text.
• The tone of the piece. Here, you’ll consider the tone used by the author in writing the piece by looking at specific words and aspects that set the tone.
• Whether the author is objective or trying to convince the audience of a particular viewpoint. When it comes to objectivity, you’ll consider whether the author is objective or holds a particular viewpoint they want to convince the audience of. If they are, you’ll also consider whether their persuasion interferes with how the text is read and understood.
• Does the author correctly identify the intended audience? It’s important to consider whether the author correctly writes the text for the intended audience and what assumptions the author makes about the audience.
• Does the text make sense? Here, you’ll consider whether the author effectively reasons, based on the evidence, to arrive at the text’s conclusion.
• Does the author try to appeal to the audience’s emotions? You’ll need to consider whether the author uses any words, ideas, or techniques to appeal to the audience’s emotions.
• Can the author be believed? Finally, you’ll consider whether the audience will accept the arguments and ideas of the author and why.

Summing up, unlike summaries that focus on what an author said, a rhetorical analysis focuses on how it’s said, and it doesn’t rely on an analysis of whether the author was right or wrong but rather how they made their case to arrive at their conclusions.

Although rhetorical analysis is most used by academics as part of scholarly work, it can be used to analyze any text including speeches, novels, television shows or films, advertisements, or cartoons.

Now that we’ve seen what rhetorical analysis is, let’s consider some of its key concepts .

Any rhetorical analysis starts with the rhetorical situation which identifies the relationships between the different elements of the text. These elements include the audience, author or writer, the author’s purpose, the delivery method or medium, and the content:

• Audience: The audience is simply the readers of a specific piece of text or content or printed material. For speeches or other mediums like film and video, the audience would be the listeners or viewers. Depending on the specific piece of text or the author’s perception, the audience might be real, imagined, or invoked. With a real audience, the author writes to the people actually reading or listening to the content while, for an imaginary audience, the author writes to an audience they imagine would read the content. Similarly, for an invoked audience, the author writes explicitly to a specific audience.
• Author or writer: The author or writer, also commonly referred to as the rhetor in the context of rhetorical analysis, is the person or the group of persons who authored the text or content.
• The author’s purpose: The author’s purpose is the author’s reason for communicating to the audience. In other words, the author’s purpose encompasses what the author expects or intends to achieve with the text or content.
• Alphabetic text includes essays, editorials, articles, speeches, and other written pieces.
• Imaging includes website and magazine advertisements, TV commercials, and the like.
• Audio includes speeches, website advertisements, radio or tv commercials, or podcasts.
• Context: The context of the text or content considers the time, place, and circumstances surrounding the delivery of the text to its audience. With respect to context, it might often also be helpful to analyze the text in a different context to determine its impact on a different audience and in different circumstances.

An author will use claims, supports, and warrants to build the case around their argument, irrespective of whether the argument is logical and clearly defined or needs to be inferred by the audience:

• Claim: The claim is the main idea or opinion of an argument that the author must prove to the intended audience. In other words, the claim is the fact or facts the author wants to convince the audience of. Claims are usually explicitly stated but can, depending on the specific piece of content or text, be implied from the content. Although these claims could be anything and an argument may be based on a single or several claims, the key is that these claims should be debatable.
• Support: The supports are used by the author to back up the claims they make in their argument. These supports can include anything from fact-based, objective evidence to subjective emotional appeals and personal experiences used by the author to convince the audience of a specific claim. Either way, the stronger and more reliable the supports, the more likely the audience will be to accept the claim.
• Warrant: The warrants are the logic and assumptions that connect the supports to the claims. In other words, they’re the assumptions that make the initial claim possible. The warrant is often unstated, and the author assumes that the audience will be able to understand the connection between the claims and supports. In turn, this is based on the author’s assumption that they share a set of values and beliefs with the audience that will make them understand the connection mentioned above. Conversely, if the audience doesn’t share these beliefs and values with the author, the argument will not be that effective.

Appeals are used by authors to convince their audience and, as such, are an integral part of the rhetoric and are often referred to as the rhetorical triangle. As a result, an author may combine all three appeals to convince their audience:

• Ethos: Ethos represents the authority or credibility of the author. To be successful, the author needs to convince the audience of their authority or credibility through the language and delivery techniques they use. This will, for example, be the case where an author writing on a technical subject positions themselves as an expert or authority by referring to their qualifications or experience.
• Logos: Logos refers to the reasoned argument the author uses to persuade their audience. In other words, it refers to the reasons or evidence the author proffers in substantiation of their claims and can include facts, statistics, and other forms of evidence. For this reason, logos is also the dominant approach in academic writing where authors present and build up arguments using reasoning and evidence.
• Pathos: Through pathos, also referred to as the pathetic appeal, the author attempts to evoke the audience’s emotions through the use of, for instance, passionate language, vivid imagery, anger, sympathy, or any other emotional response.

To write a rhetorical analysis, you need to follow the steps below:

With a rhetorical analysis, you don’t choose concepts in advance and apply them to a specific text or piece of content. Rather, you’ll have to analyze the text to identify the separate components and plan and prepare your analysis accordingly.

Here, it might be helpful to use the SOAPSTone technique to identify the components of the work. SOAPSTone is a common acronym in analysis and represents the:

• Speaker . Here, you’ll identify the author or the narrator delivering the content to the audience.
• Occasion . With the occasion, you’ll identify when and where the story takes place and what the surrounding context is.
• Audience . Here, you’ll identify who the audience or intended audience is.
• Purpose . With the purpose, you’ll need to identify the reason behind the text or what the author wants to achieve with their writing.
• Subject . You’ll also need to identify the subject matter or topic of the text.
• Tone . The tone identifies the author’s feelings towards the subject matter or topic.

Apart from gathering the information and analyzing the components mentioned above, you’ll also need to examine the appeals the author uses in writing the text and attempting to persuade the audience of their argument. Moreover, you’ll need to identify elements like word choice, word order, repetition, analogies, and imagery the writer uses to get a reaction from the audience.

Once you’ve gathered the information and examined the appeals and strategies used by the author as mentioned above, you’ll need to answer some questions relating to the information you’ve collected from the text. The answers to these questions will help you determine the reasons for the choices the author made and how well these choices support the overall argument.

Here, some of the questions you’ll ask include:

• What was the author’s intention?
• Who was the intended audience?
• What is the author’s argument?
• What strategies does the author use to build their argument and why do they use those strategies?
• What appeals the author uses to convince and persuade the audience?
• What effect the text has on the audience?

Keep in mind that these are just some of the questions you’ll ask, and depending on the specific text, there might be others.

Once you’ve done your preparation, you can start writing the rhetorical analysis. It will start off with an introduction which is a clear and concise paragraph that shows you understand the purpose of the text and gives more information about the author and the relevance of the text.

The introduction also summarizes the text and the main ideas you’ll discuss in your analysis. Most importantly, however, is your thesis statement . This statement should be one sentence at the end of the introduction that summarizes your argument and tempts your audience to read on and find out more about it.

After your introduction, you can proceed with the body of your analysis. Here, you’ll write at least three paragraphs that explain the strategies and techniques used by the author to convince and persuade the audience, the reasons why the writer used this approach, and why it’s either successful or unsuccessful.

You can structure the body of your analysis in several ways. For example, you can deal with every strategy the author uses in a new paragraph, but you can also structure the body around the specific appeals the author used or chronologically.

No matter how you structure the body and your paragraphs, it’s important to remember that you support each one of your arguments with facts, data, examples, or quotes and that, at the end of every paragraph, you tie the topic back to your original thesis.

Finally, you’ll write the conclusion of your rhetorical analysis. Here, you’ll repeat your thesis statement and summarize the points you’ve made in the body of your analysis. Ultimately, the goal of the conclusion is to pull the points of your analysis together so you should be careful to not raise any new issues in your conclusion.

After you’ve finished your conclusion, you’ll end your analysis with a powerful concluding statement of why your argument matters and an invitation to conduct more research if needed.

A rhetorical analysis aims to explore the goals and motivations of an author, the techniques they’ve used to reach their audience, and how successful these techniques were. Although rhetorical analysis is most used by academics as part of scholarly work, it can be used to analyze any text including speeches, novels, television shows or films, advertisements, or cartoons.

The steps to write a rhetorical analysis include:

Your rhetorical analysis introduction is a clear and concise paragraph that shows you understand the purpose of the text and gives more information about the author and the relevance of the text. The introduction also summarizes the text and the main ideas you’ll discuss in your analysis.

Ethos represents the authority or credibility of the author. To be successful, the author needs to convince the audience of their authority or credibility through the language and delivery techniques they use. This will, for example, be the case where an author writing on a technical subject positions themselves as an expert or authority by referring to their qualifications or experience.

Appeals are used by authors to convince their audience and, as such, are an integral part of the rhetoric and are often referred to as the rhetorical triangle. The 3 types of appeals are ethos, logos, and pathos.

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A comprehensive guide to rhetorical essays, carla johnson.

• June 14, 2023
• Essay Topics and Ideas , How to Guides

Rhetorical essays are an important part of academic writing because they require students to analyze and evaluate the ways that writers try to convince their readers. At its heart, a rhetorical essay looks at how a writer uses language, tone, and structure to get their point across. By learning how to write good rhetorical essays, students can learn how to think critically and become better communicators.

A rhetorical essay has more than one goal and is important for more than one reason. First, it helps students improve their analytical skills by letting them look at how writers try to convince their readers. Second, it helps students become better communicators by teaching them how to use language, tone, and structure in different ways. Lastly, it gives students a chance to work with complicated ideas and arguments and add to the academic discussion in their field.

This thorough guide will cover the most important parts of writing a rhetorical essay, such as planning, writing, and editing. We will also talk about how important it is for a rhetorical essay to have a clear and logical structure and give you tips on how to use rhetorical devices effectively. By the end of this guide, readers will know how to write effective and convincing rhetorical essays in a wide range of academic fields.

What You'll Learn

Understanding Rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of persuading people with words. It means knowing how different parts of language, like tone, structure, and diction, can be used to persuade people. Rhetoric has a long and interesting history that goes back to ancient Greece and Rome, where it was seen as one of the most important parts of education and public life. One of the most important philosophers of all time, Aristotle, wrote a lot about rhetoric and how important it is in society.

The study of rhetoric is important because it gives people a way to think about how language can be used to persuade and change people. Rhetoric is often used in academic writing to analyze and evaluate the ways that writers use to get their point across. By learning how rhetoric works in writing, students can become better communicators and learn how to think critically .

Elements of a Rhetorical Essay

A rhetorical essay is composed of four key elements: the speaker, audience, purpose, and context. Each element plays an important role in the overall effectiveness of the essay .

The speaker is the person or thing in the essay that is giving the message. When analyzing a rhetorical essay, it is important to think about the background, beliefs, and values of the speaker, as well as their credibility. Knowing the speaker’s point of view can help the reader understand the essay’s purpose and setting better.

2. Audience

The group of people the speaker is talking to in the essay is called the audience. When analyzing a rhetorical essay, it is important to think about the audience’s background, beliefs, and values. Understanding the audience’s perspective can help readers better understand the strategies that the speaker is using to persuade them.

The purpose of a rhetorical essay is the reason why the speaker is delivering the message. It can be to inform , persuade, entertain, or any combination of these. It is important to consider the purpose of the essay when analyzing the strategies used by the speaker to achieve their goal.

A rhetorical essay’s context is its cultural, social, and political setting at the time it was written. It’s important to think about the essay’s setting to figure out how the people who read it might have felt about it. For example, an essay written during a time of social unrest might use different strategies than one written during a time of peace.

Real-world examples can help show why each part of a rhetorical essay is important. One powerful example of effective rhetoric is Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. King gave this speech to the thousands of people who had gathered in Washington, D.C. The goal of the speech was to get people to join the civil rights movement, and it was given in the context of the fight for racial equality in the United States . By looking at each part of this speech, readers can learn more about the methods King used to get his point across and the effects it had on society.

To become a better communicator and improve your critical thinking skills , you need to know what goes into a rhetorical essay. By thinking about the speaker, audience, purpose, and setting of a rhetorical essay, readers can learn more about the ways writers try to convince their readers. Students can become more informed and involved citizens by studying rhetoric and adding to the academic conversation in their field of study.

How to Write a Rhetorical Essay

Writing a rhetorical essay requires careful analysis of a text and the use of effective writing strategies. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing a rhetorical essay:

1. Brainstorm and select a topic: Choose a topic that interests you and has a clear purpose. Consider the author’s intent, audience, and context of the text you will be analyzing.

2. Read and analyze the text: Read the text thoroughly and take notes on its key points, structure, and language. Identify the author’s use of rhetorical devices such as imagery, tone, and metaphor.

3. Develop a thesis statement: Based on your analysis, develop a thesis statement that summarizes the main argument of your essay.

4. Organize the essay: Create an outline that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Use the four elements of a rhetorical essay (speaker, audience, purpose, and context) as a guide to structure your essay .

5. Write the introduction: Begin with a hook to grab the reader’s attention and provide background information on the text. End with a thesis statement that summarizes your argument.

6. Write the body paragraphs: Each body paragraph should focus on a specific rhetorical device or strategy used by the author. Use evidence from the text to support your analysis , and explain how the device contributes to the author’s overall purpose.

7. Write the conclusion: Summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement. End with a thought-provoking statement or call to action.

Tips for coming up with ideas and choosing a topic include picking a text with a clear purpose and audience, as well as thinking about your own interests and how the text relates to your life or field of study. When you’re trying to figure out what the text is about, it can help to mark up the text with notes about key points and rhetorical devices. Look for patterns in the language, like repetition, metaphor, or allusion, to figure out what kind of rhetorical device is being used.

To write a good rhetorical essay, you need to organize and structure the essay . Use the four parts of a rhetorical essay as a guide to organize the essay and make an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction should give background information about the text, grab the reader’s attention, and end with a thesis statement that sums up your argument.

In the body paragraphs, you should focus on specific types of rhetoric and use textual evidence to back up your analysis. The conclusion should summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement . It should end with a strong statement or a call to action.

Rhetorical Essay Examples

To better understand the use of rhetoric in writing, it can be helpful to examine examples of effective rhetorical essays. Here are ten inspiring examples of rhetorical essays:

1. Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr.

2. “The Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln

3. A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift

4. “Sinnersin the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards

5. Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell

6. “The Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson

7. “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter

8. “I, Too” by Langston Hughes

9. The Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf

10. The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Du Bois

Each of these examples shows how rhetoric can be used well in writing. For example, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” makes a strong case for civil rights and peaceful protest by using strong images, repetition, and persuasive language. In his “Gettysburg Address,” Abraham Lincoln uses parallelism and imagery to honor the Civil War soldiers and promote the idea of a united country.

When looking at these examples, it’s important to figure out what rhetorical tools the authors used and how they fit into the essay as a whole. For example, in “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” by Anne-Marie Slaughter, she uses personal stories and statistics to show that working mothers need more help and a better balance between work and life. By looking at how rhetorical tools like pathos and logos are used, readers can get a better idea of how well the essay works .

A good way to learn how to use rhetoric in writing is to look at examples of good essays that use rhetoric. By looking at the main points and rhetorical devices in these essays , readers can learn more about how language can be used to persuade and sway an audience. It is important to identify the four parts of a rhetorical essay (speaker, audience, purpose, and context) and analyze how they contribute to the overall effectiveness of the essay . Students can learn the skills and knowledge they need to write their own effective and convincing rhetorical essays by looking at these examples and using them as guides.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, anyone who wants to improve their critical thinking , communication, and writing skills needs to learn how to write rhetorical essays. By understanding the main parts of a rhetorical essay, such as the speaker, the audience, the purpose, and the setting, as well as good writing techniques and the analysis of real-world examples , readers can become better communicators and more involved citizens.

To write a good rhetorical essay, you need to follow a step-by-step plan that includes coming up with ideas and choosing a topic , analyzing the text, coming up with a thesis statement, organizing and structuring the essay, and using good writing techniques. Also, it’s important not to make common mistakes like not addressing the four parts of a rhetorical essay, making claims that aren’t backed up, and not having a clear and logical structure.

By looking at examples of good rhetorical essays, readers can learn more about the power of language and the methods writers use to persuade and sway their audience. Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. and “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” by Anne-Marie Slaughter are good examples of how imagery, repetition, and personal stories can be used to make a point.

To sum up, to be good at writing rhetorical essays, you need to be able to think critically and write well, and you also need to know what the main parts of a rhetorical essay are. By following the step-by-step instructions in this article and looking at real-world examples , readers can develop the skills they need to write effective and persuasive rhetorical essays that deal with complex ideas and add to academic discourse in their field of study.

1. What is a rhetorical essay?

A rhetorical essay is one that looks at and evaluates the ways that writers try to convince their readers. It means knowing how to use language, tone, structure, and other tools of rhetoric to get your point across.

2. How do I write a rhetorical essay?

To write a rhetorical essay, you should start by choosing a text to analyze and figuring out who the speaker, audience, purpose, and setting are. Look for rhetorical devices in the text, come up with a thesis statement, and put your essay together with an introduction , body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

3. What are some examples of rhetorical essays?

Examples of rhetorical essays include Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address,” and Anne-Marie Slaughter’s “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All.”

4. How do I choose a topic for a rhetorical essay?

When choosing a topic for a rhetorical essay, consider the author’s intent, audience, and context of the text. Choose a topic that interests you and has a clear purpose.

5. What are some common mistakes to avoid when writing a rhetorical essay?

Common mistakes to avoid when writing a rhetorical essay include failing to address the four elements of a rhetorical essay, using unsupported assertions, and failing to provide a clear and logical structure.

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How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

3-minute read

• 22nd August 2023

A rhetorical analysis essay is a type of academic writing that analyzes how authors use language, persuasion techniques , and other rhetorical strategies to communicate with their audience. In this post, we’ll review how to write a rhetorical analysis essay, including:

• Understanding the assignment guidelines
• Introducing your essay topic
• Examining the rhetorical strategies
• Summarizing your main points

Keep reading for a step-by-step guide to rhetorical analysis.

What Is a Rhetorical Strategy?

A rhetorical strategy is a deliberate approach or technique a writer uses to convey a message and/or persuade the audience. A rhetorical strategy typically involves using language, sentence structure, and tone/style to influence the audience to think a certain way or understand a specific point of view. Rhetorical strategies are especially common in advertisements, speeches, and political writing, but you can also find them in many other types of literature.

1.   Understanding the Assignment Guidelines

Before you begin your rhetorical analysis essay, make sure you understand the assignment and guidelines. Typically, when writing a rhetorical analysis, you should approach the text objectively, focusing on the techniques the author uses rather than expressing your own opinions about the topic or summarizing the content. Thus, it’s essential to discuss the rhetorical methods used and then back up your analysis with evidence and quotations from the text.

2.   Introducing Your Essay Topic

Introduce your essay by providing some context about the text you’re analyzing. Give a brief overview of the author, intended audience, and purpose of the writing. You should also clearly state your thesis , which is your main point or argument about how and why the author uses rhetorical strategies. Try to avoid going into detail on any points or diving into specific examples – the introduction should be concise, and you’ll be providing a much more in-depth analysis later in the text.

3.   Examining the Rhetorical Strategies

In the body paragraphs, analyze the rhetorical strategies the author uses. Here are some common rhetorical strategies to include in your discussion:

●  Ethos : Establishing trust between the writer and the audience by appealing to credibility and ethics

●  Pathos : Appealing to the audience’s emotions and values

●  Logos : Employing logic, reason, and evidence to appeal to the reader

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●  Diction : Deliberately choosing specific language and vocabulary

●  Syntax : Structuring and arranging sentences in certain ways

●  Tone : Conveying attitude or mood in certain ways

●  Literary Devices : Using metaphors, similes, analogies , repetition, etc.

Keep in mind that for a rhetorical analysis essay, you’re not usually required to find examples of all of the above rhetorical strategies. But for each one you do analyze, consider how it contributes to the author’s purpose, how it influences the audience, and what emotions or thoughts it could evoke in the reader.

4.   Summarizing Your Main Points

In your conclusion , sum up the main points of your analysis and restate your thesis. Without introducing any new points (such as topics or ideas you haven’t already covered in the main body of your essay), summarize the overall impact that the author’s rhetorical strategies likely had on their intended audience.

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How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay (With Example)

November 27, 2023

Feeling intimidated by the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? We’re here to help demystify. Whether you’re cramming for the AP Lang exam right now or planning to take the test down the road, we’ve got crucial rubric information, helpful tips, and an essay example to prepare you for the big day. This post will cover 1) What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? 2) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric 3) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt 4) AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example 5)AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

What is the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay?

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay is one of three essays included in the written portion of the AP English Exam. The full AP English Exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long, with the first 60 minutes dedicated to multiple-choice questions. Once you complete the multiple-choice section, you move on to three equally weighted essays that ask you to synthesize, analyze, and interpret texts and develop well-reasoned arguments. The three essays include:

Synthesis essay: You’ll review various pieces of evidence and then write an essay that synthesizes (aka combines and interprets) the evidence and presents a clear argument. Read our write up on How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay here.

Argumentative essay: You’ll take a stance on a specific topic and argue your case.

Rhetorical essay: You’ll read a provided passage, then analyze the author’s rhetorical choices and develop an argument that explains why the author made those rhetorical choices.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric

The AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay is graded on just 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . At a glance, the rubric categories may seem vague, but AP exam graders are actually looking for very particular things in each category. We’ll break it down with dos and don’ts for each rubric category:

Thesis (0-1 point)

There’s nothing nebulous when it comes to grading AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay thesis. You either have one or you don’t. Including a thesis gets you one point closer to a high score and leaving it out means you miss out on one crucial point. So, what makes a thesis that counts?

• Make sure your thesis argues something about the author’s rhetorical choices. Making an argument means taking a risk and offering your own interpretation of the provided text. This is an argument that someone else might disagree with.
• A good test to see if you have a thesis that makes an argument. In your head, add the phrase “I think that…” to the beginning of your thesis. If what follows doesn’t logically flow after that phrase (aka if what follows isn’t something you and only you think), it’s likely you’re not making an argument.
• Avoid a thesis that merely restates the prompt.
• Avoid a thesis that summarizes the text but does not make an argument.

Evidence and Commentary (0-4 points)

This rubric category is graded on a scale of 0-4 where 4 is the highest grade. Per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric, to get a 4, you’ll want to:

• Include lots of specific evidence from the text. There is no set golden number of quotes to include, but you’ll want to make sure you’re incorporating more than a couple pieces of evidence that support your argument about the author’s rhetorical choices.
• Make sure you include more than one type of evidence, too. Let’s say you’re working on your essay and have gathered examples of alliteration to include as supporting evidence. That’s just one type of rhetorical choice, and it’s hard to make a credible argument if you’re only looking at one type of evidence. To fix that issue, reread the text again looking for patterns in word choice and syntax, meaningful figurative language and imagery, literary devices, and other rhetorical choices, looking for additional types of evidence to support your argument.
• After you include evidence, offer your own interpretation and explain how this evidence proves the point you make in your thesis.
• Don’t summarize or speak generally about the author and the text. Everything you write must be backed up with evidence.
• Don’t let quotes speak for themselves. After every piece of evidence you include, make sure to explain your interpretation. Also, connect the evidence to your overarching argument.

Sophistication (0-1 point)

In this case, sophistication isn’t about how many fancy vocabulary words or how many semicolons you use. According to College Board , one point can be awarded to AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essays that “demonstrate sophistication of thought and/or a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation” in any of these three ways:

• Explaining the significance or relevance of the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Explaining the purpose or function of the passage’s complexities or tensions.
• Employing a style that is consistently vivid and persuasive.

Note that you don’t have to achieve all three to earn your sophistication point. A good way to think of this rubric category is to consider it a bonus point that you can earn for going above and beyond in depth of analysis or by writing an especially persuasive, clear, and well-structured essay. In order to earn this point, you’ll need to first do a good job with your thesis, evidence, and commentary.

• Focus on nailing an argumentative thesis and multiple types of evidence. Getting these fundamentals of your essay right will set you up for achieving depth of analysis.
• Explain how each piece of evidence connects to your thesis.
• Spend a minute outlining your essay before you begin to ensure your essay flows in a clear and cohesive way.
• Steer clear of generalizations about the author or text.
• Don’t include arguments you can’t prove with evidence from the text.
• Avoid complex sentences and fancy vocabulary words unless you use them often. Long, clunky sentences with imprecisely used words are hard to follow.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis: Sample Prompt

The sample prompt below is published online by College Board and is a real example from the 2021 AP Exam. The prompt provides background context, essay instructions, and the text you need to analyze. For sake of space, we’ve included the text as an image you can click to read. After the prompt, we provide a sample high scoring essay and then explain why this AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay example works.

Suggested time—40 minutes.

(This question counts as one-third of the total essay section score.)

On February 27, 2013, while in office, former president Barack Obama delivered the following address dedicating the Rosa Parks statue in the National Statuary Hall of the United States Capitol building. Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activist who was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Read the passage carefully. Write an essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices Obama makes to convey his message.

In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that analyzes the writer’s rhetorical choices.
• Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.
• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

In his speech delivered in 2013 at the dedication of Rosa Park’s statue, President Barack Obama acknowledges everything that Parks’ activism made possible in the United States. Telling the story of Parks’ life and achievements, Obama highlights the fact that Parks was a regular person whose actions accomplished enormous change during the civil rights era. Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did.

Although it might be a surprising way to start to his dedication, Obama begins his speech by telling us who Parks was not: “Rosa Parks held no elected office. She possessed no fortune” he explains in lines 1-2. Later, when he tells the story of the bus driver who threatened to have Parks arrested when she refused to get off the bus, he explains that Parks “simply replied, ‘You may do that’” (lines 22-23). Right away, he establishes that Parks was a regular person who did not hold a seat of power. Her protest on the bus was not part of a larger plan, it was a simple response. By emphasizing that Parks was not powerful, wealthy, or loud spoken, he implies that Parks’ style of activism is an everyday practice that all of us can aspire to.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example (Continued)

Even though Obama portrays Parks as a demure person whose protest came “simply” and naturally, he shows the importance of her activism through long lists of ripple effects. When Parks challenged her arrest, Obama explains, Martin Luther King, Jr. stood with her and “so did thousands of Montgomery, Alabama commuters” (lines 27-28). They began a boycott that included “teachers and laborers, clergy and domestics, through rain and cold and sweltering heat, day after day, week after week, month after month, walking miles if they had to…” (lines 28-31). In this section of the speech, Obama’s sentences grow longer and he uses lists to show that Parks’ small action impacted and inspired many others to fight for change. Further, listing out how many days, weeks, and months the boycott lasted shows how Parks’ single act of protest sparked a much longer push for change.

To further illustrate Parks’ impact, Obama incorporates Biblical references that emphasize the importance of “that single moment on the bus” (lines 57-58). In lines 33-35, Obama explains that Parks and the other protestors are “driven by a solemn determination to affirm their God-given dignity” and he also compares their victory to the fall the “ancient walls of Jericho” (line 43). By of including these Biblical references, Obama suggests that Parks’ action on the bus did more than correct personal or political wrongs; it also corrected moral and spiritual wrongs. Although Parks had no political power or fortune, she was able to restore a moral balance in our world.

Toward the end of the speech, Obama states that change happens “not mainly through the exploits of the famous and the powerful, but through the countless acts of often anonymous courage and kindness” (lines 78-81). Through carefully chosen diction that portrays her as a quiet, regular person and through lists and Biblical references that highlight the huge impacts of her action, Obama illustrates exactly this point. He wants us to see that, just like Parks, the small and meek can change the world for the better.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example: Why It Works

We would give the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay above a score of 6 out of 6 because it fully satisfies the essay’s 3 rubric categories: Thesis, Evidence and Commentary, and Sophistication . Let’s break down what this student did:

The thesis of this essay appears in the last line of the first paragraph:

“ Through the use of diction that portrays Parks as quiet and demure, long lists that emphasize the extent of her impacts, and Biblical references, Obama suggests that all of us are capable of achieving greater good, just as Parks did .”

This student’s thesis works because they make a clear argument about Obama’s rhetorical choices. They 1) list the rhetorical choices that will be analyzed in the rest of the essay (the italicized text above) and 2) include an argument someone else might disagree with (the bolded text above).

Evidence and Commentary:

This student includes substantial evidence and commentary. Things they do right, per the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis rubric:

• They include lots of specific evidence from the text in the form of quotes.
• They incorporate 3 different types of evidence (diction, long lists, Biblical references).
• After including evidence, they offer an interpretation of what the evidence means and explain how the evidence contributes to their overarching argument (aka their thesis).

Sophistication

This essay achieves sophistication according to the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis essay rubric in a few key ways:

• This student provides an introduction that flows naturally into the topic their essay will discuss. Before they get to their thesis, they tell us that Obama portrays Parks as a “regular person” setting up their main argument: Obama wants all regular people to aspire to do good in the world just as Rosa Parks did.
• They organize evidence and commentary in a clear and cohesive way. Each body paragraph focuses on just one type of evidence.
• They explain how their evidence is significant. In the final sentence of each body paragraph, they draw a connection back to the overarching argument presented in the thesis.
• All their evidence supports the argument presented in their thesis. There is no extraneous evidence or misleading detail.
• They consider nuances in the text. Rather than taking the text at face value, they consider what Obama’s rhetorical choices imply and offer their own unique interpretation of those implications.
• In their final paragraph, they come full circle, reiterate their thesis, and explain what Obama’s rhetorical choices communicate to readers.
• Their sentences are clear and easy to read. There are no grammar errors or misused words.

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay—More Resources

Looking for more tips to help your master your AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay? Brush up on 20 Rhetorical Devices High School Students Should Know and read our Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension . If you’re ready to start studying for another part of the AP English Exam, find more expert tips in our How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis blog post.

Considering what other AP classes to take? Read up on the Hardest AP Classes .

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Christina Wood

Christina Wood holds a BA in Literature & Writing from UC San Diego, an MFA in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in English at the University of Georgia, where she teaches creative writing and first-year composition courses. Christina has published fiction and nonfiction in numerous publications, including The Paris Review , McSweeney’s , Granta , Virginia Quarterly Review , The Sewanee Review , Mississippi Review , and Puerto del Sol , among others. Her story “The Astronaut” won the 2018 Shirley Jackson Award for short fiction and received a “Distinguished Stories” mention in the 2019 Best American Short Stories anthology.

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Rhetorical Analysis Essays: Overview

Simply defined, rhetoric is the art of communicating effectively to an audience —so when we conduct a rhetorical analysis, our purpose is to understand how a communicator has used elements of rhetoric to shape their message for an audience.

The ancient Greeks, namely Aristotle, developed rhetoric into a form of art. In fact, much of the terminology we still use today to talk about rhetoric comes from the ancient Greek. Perhaps the three most important rhetorical terms are ethos, logos, and pathos, which combine together to form the Rhetorical Triangle.

The Rhetorical Triangle: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos

Ethos:  the ethical appeal.

Literally translated, ethos means “character.” When a communicator uses ethos to appeal to an audience, they are trying to establish credibility and trustworthiness.

Ethos Examples

• A company paying a celebrity or influencer to endorse one the company’s products on social media
• An academic author referring to their extensive previous research about a subject in a scholarly article
• Florida SouthWestern State College’s webpage “Celebrating 60 Years” to demonstrate the college’s longevity

Logos:  the logical appeal

Literally translated, logos means “word,” but in most cases we should think of logos as referring to any information a communicator uses to appeal to an audience’s sense of logic and reason.

Logos Examples

• A hand soap claiming to kill 99.9% of germs
• A politician using labor statistics to make a point during a speech about unemployment
• Florida SouthWestern State College’s webpage spotlighting the exact number of students who have earned degrees or certificates since the college opened

Pathos: the emotional appeal

Literally translated, pathos means “suffering,” but in most cases we should think of pathos as referring to any attempt a communicator makes to appeal to an audience’s emotions. 

Pathos Examples

• Tony the Tiger’s smiling face on a box of Frosted Flakes
• A local newspaper article that features a citizen’s harrowing account of living through a recent hurricane
• Florida SouthWestern State College’s marketing department using photos of overjoyed students receiving their degrees

As readers, watchers, and listeners, we must be able to recognize how communicators rely upon the Rhetorical Triangle to connect with and persuade audiences. As communicators ourselves, we benefit from understanding how others rely upon ethos, pathos, and logos. When we see others use rhetoric effectively, we learn how we might communicate more effectively. On the other hand, when we see rhetoric used ineffectively, we learn what types of rhetoric might not work as well in certain rhetorical situations.

When we think rhetorically, we also must think about Kairos, the Greek word commonly used to refer to context. A communicator might successfully use certain rhetorical appeals in one context, but in another context those same appeals might utterly fail. Because of this, no rhetorical analysis can be complete without careful consideration of Kairos.

The Fourth Appeal: Kairos

Kairos: the context appeal.

Literally translated, Kairos means the “supreme moment,” but in most cases we should think of Kairos as referring to the context surrounding a piece of communication—in other words, when and where a piece of communication occurs.

Rhetorical analysis can help us evaluate and analyze any type of communicator’s effectiveness, whether that be a speaker, an artist, an advertiser, or a writer. In fact, everything we hear and see on a daily basis can be understood through rhetoric, and we can use rhetoric to shape and refine our own efforts to communicate. Rhetoric is all around us all the time, so rhetorical analysis allows us to better understand the world we share.

Obviously, a successful rhetorical analysis requires a thorough understanding, and no matter what kind of communication you’re analyzing, the methods covered in the the Reading Critically chapter can help.

Key Features

Careful attention to the rhetorical situation.

The way a communicator uses ethos, logos, pathos, and Kairos will be shaped by their genre, audience, and purpose. These three elements are the foundation of the Rhetorical Situation.

Genre. Genre, in broad terms, refers to types of communication. There are many genres, but some common genres include essays, newspaper articles, podcasts, songs, movies, TV shows, advertisements, and so on. Keep in mind that there are also many sub-genres: personal essays, sports podcasts, hip-hop songs, fantasy movies, and many more. Each sub-genre has its own set of key features that audiences expect. For example, someone listening to a basketball podcast generally expects to hear people talk about basketball; if the podcasters begins talking at length about movies, the audience’s expectations are not being met.

Audience. Any type of communication is intended for, or aimed at, at least one specific audience. Along with genre, communicators must think carefully about audience to decide which types of rhetoric to use. Certain rhetorical appeals might be effective for some genres and audiences, but not at all effective for others. For example, logos might work well in a fact-based news article about global financial challenges intended for an audience of economists. If the topic stayed the same —global financial challenges—but the intended audience was changed to middle-class listeners of a radio show, then the radio hosts might choose to rely more on pathos by including soundbites from people explaining how these challenges have impacted their lives.

Purpose. What is a communicator trying to accomplish? The answer to that question is their purpose, and purpose connects directly with genre and audience. A filmmaker directing a big-budget action movie might primarily want to entertain their audience, a TikToker might want to inform their audience about a new fashion trend, and a documentary filmmaker might try to persuade their audience to care about an overlooked social issue. In each case, the communicator must decide how to use rhetoric to best accomplish their purpose for their intended audience and through their chosen genre.

The Interconnected Nature of the Rhetorical Situation. Each element of the rhetorical situation directly impacts every other element. Audience shapes purpose and genre. Some genres make sense for certain purposes and not for other purposes. And purpose helps a communicator pick the right genre and determine how to use rhetoric for an intended audience. These elements also affect how a communicator will use ethos, logos, pathos, and Kairos as well as tone, stance, attitude, visual design, and other rhetorical elements . If rhetoric is being used effectively, all these elements work harmoniously together; if rhetoric is being used ineffectively, then some elements of the rhetorical situation are not working well with other elements. 

Concise Description of the Communication Being Analyzed

You may write a rhetorical analysis about any kind of communication: a newspaper article, an advertisement, a speech, a product’s packaging, a website’s homepage, a YouTube video, a song, a Twitter thread, and so on. The options for what we can rhetorically analyze are nearly limitless. Whatever piece of communication we do analyze, we need to describe its essential elements and details. If we don’t effectively describe the piece of communication, then our readers won’t fully appreciate our analysis. What you include in your description, and how you write it, will depend on the piece of communication you’re analyzing. But a general rule is to focus your description on the elements you plan to analyze. Your reader doesn’t need to know every single little detail about the piece of communication, but they do need to know about the elements that are key to your analysis.

Clear Claims Supported By Evidence

When writing a rhetorical analysis, our main goal is to determine whether the elements in a piece of communication work together or not. Your rhetorical analysis should make clear claims about the piece of communication’s overall effectiveness, and these claims should be built around evidence. In many cases, the evidence will be your own observations of the ways rhetoric is being used. Your analysis will likely have one main claim, similar to a thesis, and then several related sub-claims that are developed throughout your analysis. 

Drafting Checklists

These questions should help guide you through the stages of drafting your rhetorical analysis essay.

• What is the genre of the piece of communication you’re analyzing?
• What is the purpose?
• Who are the intended audiences?
• Who is the creator?
• What are the main ideas and topics covered in the piece of communication?
• Where was the piece of communication originally published or hosted?
• What are some elements of the Kairos?
• Are there ways that ethos could have been used more effectively?
• Are there ways that logos could have been used more effectively?
• Are there ways that pathos could have been used more effectively?
• Could these elements work together more effectively?
• What is your overall judgment on how well rhetoric has been used?

Writing and Revising

• Have you identified the title? Creators? Place of publication?
• Have you identified the genre? Purpose? Audiences?
• Have you highlighted main ideas and topics?
• Is your rhetorical analysis built on clear claims from the start and throughout?
• Have you carefully considered and analyzed the rhetorical situation?
• Have you addressed any ways in which the rhetorical appeals could have been used more effectively?
• Is your rhetorical analysis organized in a clear and logical way?
• Have you used signal phrases or citations as needed?
• Have you carefully proofread your essay to correct any grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and spelling errors?
• Have you formatted your document appropriately and used citations when necessary?

Sources Used to Create this Chapter

Parts of this chapter were remixed from:

• Let’s Get Writing by Elizabeth Browning et al, which was published under a CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0 license.

Starting the Journey: An Intro to College Writing Copyright © by Leonard Owens III; Tim Bishop; and Scott Ortolano is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Compelling Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Tips and Techniques

Understanding the rhetorical situation, identify the speaker, analyze the audience, determine the purpose, dissecting the argument, identify the claims, evaluate the evidence, recognize the appeals, analyzing rhetorical devices, figurative language, tone and diction, organization and structure, writing the essay, crafting an introduction, developing body paragraphs, concluding the analysis, proofreading and revising, check for clarity, ensure coherence, polish your style, additional resources, sample rhetorical analysis essays, recommended books, helpful websites.

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay can seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and techniques, you'll be able to master it in no time. In this blog post, we'll explore the essential steps to creating a compelling rhetorical analysis essay, from understanding the rhetorical situation to polishing your final draft. Get ready to impress your audience with your analytical skills!

Before diving into the analysis, it's important to grasp the rhetorical situation of the piece you're examining. This involves identifying the speaker, analyzing the audience, and determining the purpose of the text. By doing so, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the context in which the author is communicating, which will ultimately strengthen your rhetorical analysis essay.

First, determine who the speaker or author of the text is. This is the person responsible for crafting the argument and presenting it to the audience. Keep in mind that the speaker's background, experiences, and beliefs can influence the way they convey their message. Consider the following aspects:

• Expertise : Is the speaker an expert in the subject matter?
• Reputation : How is the speaker perceived by the audience?
• Personal values : What beliefs or values might the speaker hold that could impact their argument?

Next, consider the audience the speaker is addressing. Understanding who the intended readers or listeners are will help you discern what strategies the speaker employs to persuade them. When analyzing the audience, think about:

• Demographics : What are the age, gender, and cultural background of the target audience?
• Knowledge : What does the audience likely know about the subject matter?
• Attitudes : How might the audience feel about the topic?

Lastly, identify the purpose of the text. Understanding the speaker's goal will help you see how their argument is structured and what techniques they use to achieve that goal. The purpose can be to inform, persuade, or entertain, among other possibilities. Ask yourself:

• What is the main message or argument the speaker wants to convey?
• How does the speaker want the audience to feel or react?
• What outcome does the speaker hope to achieve with their argument?

Now that you have a solid grasp of the rhetorical situation, you're well-prepared to start dissecting the argument and analyzing the various rhetorical devices at play in your rhetorical analysis essay.

With a clear understanding of the rhetorical situation, you're now ready to dive into the heart of the text and dissect the argument itself. This involves identifying the claims the speaker makes, evaluating the evidence they provide, and recognizing the appeals they use to persuade the audience. Let's break down these components to help you create a well-rounded rhetorical analysis essay.

Start by pinpointing the speaker's main claims or assertions in their argument. Claims are the building blocks of the argument and are used to support the overall thesis or purpose. As you read or listen, look for statements that:

• Assert a fact or belief : The speaker presents a statement as true or false.
• Propose a solution : The speaker suggests a course of action to address a problem.
• Express a value judgment : The speaker evaluates something as good or bad, ethical or unethical.

Next, assess the evidence the speaker uses to support their claims. Strong evidence is crucial to a persuasive argument, so evaluating its quality and relevance is a key part of your rhetorical analysis essay. Consider the following questions when examining the evidence:

• Is the evidence relevant and directly related to the claim?
• Does the evidence come from credible and reliable sources?
• Is the evidence sufficient to support the claim, or are there gaps in the argument?

In a rhetorical analysis essay, it's essential to identify the appeals the speaker uses to persuade the audience. There are three main types of appeals—ethos, pathos, and logos—that you should be able to recognize:

• Ethos : Appeals to credibility and trustworthiness, often demonstrated by the speaker's expertise or character.
• Pathos : Appeals to emotions and values, often using vivid language and personal anecdotes to evoke a specific feeling in the audience.
• Logos : Appeals to logic and reason, often using facts, statistics, and rational arguments to convince the audience of the validity of the claim.

By dissecting the argument and understanding its components, you can better analyze the effectiveness of the speaker's strategies in your rhetorical analysis essay.

Beyond the argument itself, a rhetorical analysis essay should also examine the specific rhetorical devices the speaker employs to make their message more persuasive. These devices include figurative language, tone and diction, and organization and structure. Let's explore each of these categories and their significance in the analysis.

Figurative language is a powerful tool speakers use to convey complex ideas and emotions in a more relatable way. Some common forms of figurative language include metaphors, similes, and personification. When analyzing figurative language, consider:

• What images or comparisons does the speaker use?
• How do these images help convey the message or evoke a specific emotion?
• Do the images contribute to the overall effectiveness of the argument?

The speaker's tone and diction—the words they choose and the way they express themselves—can greatly influence the audience's perception of their argument. In your rhetorical analysis essay, pay attention to:

• The tone of the speaker's voice : Is it formal or informal? Serious or humorous? Angry or empathetic?
• The choice of words : Are they simple or complex? Concrete or abstract? Do they evoke specific emotions or values?
• The impact of tone and diction : How do these elements contribute to the overall persuasiveness of the argument?

Lastly, the organization and structure of the text or speech can also play a significant role in the persuasiveness of the argument. When examining this aspect for your rhetorical analysis essay, consider:

• The overall structure : Does the speaker follow a clear and logical progression of ideas? Are there smooth transitions between points?
• The use of examples and anecdotes : Are they well-placed and relevant to the argument? Do they help illustrate the speaker's points effectively?
• The impact of organization and structure : How do these elements contribute to the clarity and persuasiveness of the argument?

By exploring these rhetorical devices, you can gain a deeper understanding of the speaker's strategies and better assess their effectiveness in your rhetorical analysis essay.

Now that you've analyzed the rhetorical situation, dissected the argument, and examined the rhetorical devices, it's time to put it all together and write your rhetorical analysis essay. This section will guide you through crafting an introduction, developing body paragraphs, and concluding the analysis.

The introduction sets the stage for your rhetorical analysis essay. To write an engaging and informative introduction:

• Introduce the text or speech : Mention the title, author or speaker, and the context in which it was delivered.
• Provide a brief summary : Give a concise overview of the main argument and key points.
• State your thesis : Present your central argument or analysis, focusing on the speaker's rhetorical strategies and their effectiveness.

Remember, the introduction should be interesting and engaging, but also clear and concise, to set the tone for the rest of your essay.

Body paragraphs are the heart of your rhetorical analysis essay, where you'll present the evidence and analysis to support your thesis. To create effective body paragraphs:

• Focus on one main idea per paragraph : Each paragraph should discuss a single rhetorical device or aspect of the argument.
• Provide evidence : Use specific examples from the text or speech to support your analysis.
• Analyze the evidence : Explain how the examples demonstrate the speaker's rhetorical strategies and their effectiveness.
• Transition smoothly : Use clear transitions between paragraphs to maintain a logical flow throughout your essay.

By following these guidelines, you can create well-structured and cohesive body paragraphs that effectively support your thesis.

The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your reader and wrap up your rhetorical analysis essay. To write a strong conclusion:

• Restate your thesis : Briefly rephrase your central argument, showing how you've proven it through your analysis.
• Summarize your main points : Recap the key aspects of the argument and the rhetorical devices you've discussed.
• End with a broader implication : Explain the overall significance of the speaker's rhetorical strategies, and how they contribute to the audience's understanding or reaction to the argument.

By crafting a compelling conclusion, you'll leave your reader with a clear understanding of the speaker's rhetorical techniques and their impact on the argument.

Once you've written your rhetorical analysis essay, it's important to proofread and revise it to ensure clarity, coherence, and polish. This section will provide you with some tips on how to improve your essay during the revision process.

Make sure your essay is easy to read and understand. To check for clarity:

• Read your essay out loud : This can help you catch awkward phrasing, confusing sentences, or repetitive wording.
• Ensure your thesis is clear and concise : Your thesis should be easily identifiable and clearly state your main argument.
• Explain rhetorical terms and concepts : If you've used specific rhetorical terms, make sure you've provided clear definitions or explanations for your reader.

By checking for clarity, you'll ensure that your essay is easy to follow and effectively communicates your analysis.

Your essay should have a logical flow and be well-organized. To ensure coherence:

• Use transitions between paragraphs : Connect your ideas with clear and smooth transitions to maintain a logical flow throughout your essay.
• Follow a logical structure : Organize your essay in a way that presents your analysis in a clear and accessible manner.
• Stay focused on your thesis : Make sure each paragraph relates back to your central argument and contributes to proving it.

By ensuring coherence, you'll create an essay that is easy to follow and maintains a strong connection between your analysis and your thesis.

Finally, make sure your essay is well-written and free of errors. To polish your style:

• Check for grammar and punctuation errors : Use a grammar checker or carefully proofread your essay to catch any mistakes.
• Vary your sentence structure : Use a mix of short and long sentences, as well as different sentence structures, for a more engaging and dynamic writing style.
• Choose precise and concise language : Use specific and clear wording to effectively convey your analysis.

By polishing your style, you'll create a professional and polished essay that showcases your rhetorical analysis skills and impresses your reader.

Beyond the tips and techniques provided in this blog, there are many additional resources available to help you further develop your rhetorical analysis essay writing skills. Let's explore some of these resources, including sample essays, books, and helpful websites.

Reading sample rhetorical analysis essays can be a great way to learn more about the structure, style, and techniques employed in this type of essay. Look for samples from reputable sources, such as:

• College writing centers : Many college and university writing centers offer sample essays to help students understand different types of assignments.
• Writing guidebooks : Books on essay writing often include sample essays, which can be a valuable resource for learning how to craft a rhetorical analysis essay.
• Online writing communities : Websites and forums dedicated to writing can be a treasure trove of sample essays and constructive feedback from other writers.

By reviewing sample essays, you can gain a better understanding of what makes a successful rhetorical analysis essay and improve your own writing in the process.

There are several books available that can help you learn more about rhetorical analysis and improve your essay writing skills. Some recommended titles include:

• "The Elements of Rhetoric" by Ryan Weber : This book provides a comprehensive overview of rhetorical concepts and techniques, making it an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their rhetorical analysis essay writing.
• "Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace" by Joseph M. Williams and Joseph Bizup : This book offers guidance on writing with clarity and style, which can be particularly useful when crafting a rhetorical analysis essay.
• "They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing" by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein : This book provides practical advice on effectively structuring your essay and making persuasive arguments, both of which are crucial skills for a successful rhetorical analysis essay.

By studying these books, you can deepen your understanding of rhetorical analysis and hone your essay writing skills.

There are numerous websites that offer helpful resources for improving your rhetorical analysis essay writing skills. Some examples include:

• OWL at Purdue : Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers a wealth of information on essay writing, including guides to rhetorical analysis, grammar, and style.
• The Writing Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill : This website offers a variety of resources, including guides on rhetorical analysis, essay organization, and style.
• Grammarly : While not specifically focused on rhetorical analysis, Grammarly offers a powerful grammar and style checker that can help you polish your essay and avoid common mistakes.

By taking advantage of these resources, you can continue to develop your rhetorical analysis essay writing skills and create compelling, high-quality essays.

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Rhetorical Analysis

Almost every text makes an argument. Rhetorical analysis is the process of evaluating elements of a text and determining how those elements impact the success or failure of that argument. Often rhetorical analyses address written arguments, but visual, oral, or other kinds of “texts” can also be analyzed. 

Rhetorical Features—What to Analyze

Asking the right questions about how a text is constructed will help you determine the focus of your rhetorical analysis. A good rhetorical analysis does not try to address every element of a text; discuss just those aspects with the greatest [positive or negative] impact on the text’s effectiveness. 

The Rhetorical Situation

Remember that no text exists in a vacuum. The rhetorical situation of a text refers to the context in which it is written and read, the audience to whom it is directed, and the purpose of the writer. 

The Rhetorical Appeals

A writer makes many strategic decisions when attempting to persuade an audience. Considering the following rhetorical appeals will help you understand some of these strategies and their effect on an argument. Generally, writers should incorporate a variety of different rhetorical appeals rather than relying on only one kind. 

Ethos (appeal to the writer’s credibility)

• What is the writer’s purpose (to argue, explain, teach, defend, call to action, etc.)?
• Do you trust the writer? Why?
• Is the writer an authority on the subject? What credentials does the writer have?
• Does the writer address other viewpoints?
• How does the writer’s word choice or tone affect how you view the writer?

Pathos (appeal to emotion or to an audience’s values or beliefs)

• Who is the target audience for the argument?
• How is the writer trying to make the audience feel (i.e., sad, happy, angry, guilty)?
• Is the writer making any assumptions about the background, knowledge, values, etc. of the audience?

Logos (appeal to logic)

• Is the writer’s evidence relevant to the purpose of the argument? Is the evidence current (if applicable)? Does the writer use a variety of sources to support the argument?
• What kind of evidence is used (i.e., expert testimony, statistics, proven facts)?
• Do the writer’s points build logically upon each other?
• Where in the text is the main argument stated? How does that placement affect the success of the argument?
• Does the writer’s thesis make that purpose clear?

Kairos (appeal to timeliness)

• When was the argument originally presented?
• Where was the argument originally presented?
• What circumstances may have motivated the argument?
• Does the particular time or situation in which this text is written make it more compelling or persuasive?
• What would an audience at this particular time understand about this argument?

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

No matter the kind of text you are analyzing, remember that the text’s subject matter is never the focus of a rhetorical analysis. The most common error writers make when writing rhetorical analyses is to address the topic or opinion expressed by an author instead of focusing on how that author constructs an argument.

You must read and study a text critically in order to distinguish its rhetorical elements and strategies from its content or message. By identifying and understanding how audiences are persuaded, you become more proficient at constructing your own arguments and in resisting faulty arguments made by others.

A thesis for a rhetorical analysis does not address the content of the writer’s argument. Instead, the thesis should be a statement about specific rhetorical strategies the writer uses and whether or not they make a convincing argument.

Incorrect: Smith’s editorial promotes the establishment of more green space in the Atlanta area through the planting of more trees along major roads.

This statement is summarizing the meaning and purpose of Smith’s writing rather than making an argument about how – and how effectively – Smith presents and defends his position.

Correct: Through the use of vivid description and testimony from affected citizens, Smith makes a powerful argument for establishing more green space in the Atlanta area.

Correct: Although Smith’s editorial includes vivid descriptions of the destruction of green space in the Atlanta area, his argument will not convince his readers because his claim is not backed up with factual evidence.

These statements are both focused on how Smith argues, and both make a claim about the effectiveness of his argument that can be defended throughout the paper with examples from Smith’s text.

Introduction

The introduction should name the author and the title of the work you are analyzing. Providing any relevant background information about the text and state your thesis (see above). Resist the urge to delve into the topic of the text and stay focused on the rhetorical strategies being used.

Summary of argument

Include a short summary of the argument you are analyzing so readers not familiar with the text can understand your claims and have context for the examples you provide.

The body of your essay discusses and evaluates the rhetorical strategies (elements of the rhetorical situation and rhetorical appeals – see above) that make the argument effective or not. Be certain to provide specific examples from the text for each strategy you discuss and focus on those strategies that are most important to the text you are analyzing. Your essay should follow a logical organization plan that your reader can easily follow.

Go beyond restating your thesis; comment on the effect or significance of the entire essay. Make a statement about how important rhetorical strategies are in determining the effectiveness of an argument or text.

Analyzing Visual Arguments

The same rhetorical elements and appeals used to analyze written texts also apply to visual arguments. Additionally, analyzing a visual text requires an understanding of how design elements work together to create certain persuasive effects (or not). Consider how elements such as image selection, color, use of space, graphics, layout, or typeface influence an audience’s reaction to the argument that the visual was designed to convey.

This material was developed by the KSU Writing Center and is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . All materials created by the KSU Writing Center are free to use and can be adopted, remixed, and shared at will as long as the materials are attributed. Please keep this information on materials you adapt or adopt for attribution purposes. 

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How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis

Last Updated: January 27, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,376,088 times.

A rhetorical analysis can be written about other texts, television shows, films, collections of artwork, or a variety of other communicative mediums that attempt to make a statement to an intended audience. In order to write a rhetorical analysis, you need to be able to determine how the creator of the original work attempts to make his or her argument. You can also include information about whether or not that argument is successful. To learn more about the right way to write a rhetorical analysis, continue reading.

Gathering Information

• The speaker refers to the first and last name of the writer. If the writer has any credentials that lend to his or her authority on the matter at hand, you should also briefly consider those. Note that if the narrator is different from the writer, though, it could also refer to the narrator.
• The occasion mostly refers to the type of text and the context under which the text was written. For instance, there is a big difference between an essay written for a scholarly conference and a letter written to an associate in the field.
• The audience is who the text was written for. This is related to the occasion, since the occasion can include details about the audience. In the example above, the audience would be a conference of scholars versus an associate in the field.
• The purpose refers to what the writer wants to accomplish in the text. It usually includes selling a product or point of view.
• The subject is simply the topic the writer discusses in the text.

• Ethos, or ethical appeals, rely on the writer's credibility and character in the garnering of approval. Mentions of a writer's character or qualifications usually qualify as ethos. For instance, if a family therapist with 20 years of practice writes an article on improving familial relations, mention of that experience would be using ethos. Despite their name, these appeals don't have anything to do with "ethics" as we usually think of them.
• Logos, or logical appeals, use reason to make an argument. Most academic discourse should make heavy use of logos. A writer who supports an argument with evidence, data, and undeniable facts uses logos.
• Pathos, or pathetic appeals, seek to evoke emotion in order to gain approval. These emotions can include anything from sympathy and anger to the desire for love. If an article about violent crime provides personal, human details about victims of violent crime, the writer is likely using pathos.

• Analogies and figurative language, including metaphors and similes, demonstrate an idea through comparison.
• Repetition of a certain point or idea is used to make that point seem more memorable.
• Imagery often affects pathos. The image of a starving child in a low income country can be a powerful way of evoking compassion or anger.
• Diction refers to word choice. Emotionally-charged words have greater impact, and rhythmic word patterns can establish a theme more effectively.
• Tone essentially means mood or attitude. A sarcastic essay is vastly different from a scientific one, but depending on the situation, either tone could be effective.
• Addressing the opposition demonstrates that the writer is not afraid of the opposing viewpoint. It also allows the writer to strengthen his or her own argument by cutting down the opposing one. This is especially powerful when the author contrasts a strong viewpoint he or she holds with a weak viewpoint on the opposing side.

• Ask yourself how the rhetorical strategies of appeals and style help the author achieve his or her purpose. Determine if any of these strategies fail and hurt the author instead of helping.
• Speculate on why the author may have chosen those rhetorical strategies for that audience and that occasion. Determine if the choice of strategies may have differed for a different audience or occasion.
• Remember that in a rhetorical analysis, you do not need to agree with the argument being presented. Your task is to analyze how well the author uses the appeals to present her or his argument.

Writing the Introduction

• By letting the reader know that your paper is a rhetorical analysis, you let him or her know exactly what to expect. If you do not let the reader know this information beforehand, he or she may expect to read an evaluative argument instead.
• Do not simply state, "This paper is a rhetorical analysis." Weave the information into the introduction as naturally as possible.
• Note that this may not be necessary if you are writing a rhetorical analysis for an assignment that specifically calls for a rhetorical analysis.

• The introduction is a good place to give a quick summary of the document. Keep it quick, though. Save the majority of the details for your body paragraphs, since most of the details will be used in defending your analysis.

• You do not necessarily need to mention these details in this order. Include the details in a matter that makes sense and flows naturally within your introductory paragraph.

• Try stating which rhetorical techniques the writer uses in order to move people toward his or her desired purpose. Analyze how well these techniques accomplish this goal.
• Consider narrowing the focus of your essay. Choose one or two design aspects that are complex enough to spend an entire essay analyzing.
• Think about making an original argument. If your analysis leads you to make a certain argument about the text, focus your thesis and essay around that argument and provide support for it throughout the body of your paper.
• Try to focus on using words such as "effective" or "ineffective" when composing your thesis, rather than "good" or "bad." You want to avoid seeming like you are passing value judgments.

Writing the Body

• The order of logos, ethos, and pathos is not necessarily set in stone. If you intend to focus on one more than the other two, you could briefly cover the two lesser appeals in the first two sections before elaborating on the third in greater detail toward the middle and end of the paper.
• For logos, identify at least one major claim and evaluate the document's use of objective evidence.
• For ethos, analyze how the writer or speaker uses his or her status as an "expert" to enhance credibility.
• For pathos, analyze any details that alter the way that the viewer or reader may feel about the subject at hand. Also analyze any imagery used to appeal to aesthetic senses, and determine how effective these elements are.
• Wrap things up by discussing the consequences and overall impact of these three appeals.

• Start from the beginning of the document and work your way through to the end. Present details about the document and your analysis of those details in the order the original document presents them in.
• The writer of the original document likely organized the information carefully and purposefully. By addressing the document in this order, your analysis is more likely to make more coherent sense by the end of your paper.

• Evidence often include a great deal of direct quotation and paraphrasing.
• Point to spots in which the author mentioned his or her credentials to explain ethos. Identify emotional images or words with strong emotional connotations as ways of supporting claims to pathos. Mention specific data and facts used in analysis involving logos.

• Avoid use of the first-person words "I" and "we." Stick to the more objective third-person.

Writing the Conclusion

• When restating your thesis, you should be able to quickly analyze how the original author's purpose comes together.
• When restating your thesis, try to bring more sophistication or depth to it than you had in the beginning. What can the audience now understand about your thesis that they would not have without reading your analysis?

• Keep this information brief. You spent an entire essay supporting your thesis, so these restatements of your main ideas should only serve as summaries of your support.

• Indicate what that research must entail and how it would help.
• Also state why the subject matter is important enough to continue researching and how it has significance to the real world.

Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Avoid the use of "In conclusion..." While many writers may be taught to end conclusion paragraphs with this phrase as they first learn to write essays, you should never include this phrase in an essay written at a higher academic level. This phrase and the information that usually follows it is empty information that only serves to clutter up your final paragraph. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Do not introduce any new information in your conclusion. Summarize the important details of the essay. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Do not argue in an analysis. Focus on the "how" they made their point, not if it's good or not. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/establishing_arguments/rhetorical_strategies.html
• ↑ https://writingcenter.tamu.edu/Students/Writing-Speaking-Guides/Alphabetical-List-of-Guides/Academic-Writing/Analysis/Rhetorical-Analysis
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/text-an-overview-of-the-rhetorical-modes/
• ↑ https://schools.stlucie.k12.fl.us/lpa/files/2019/05/AP-Language-Rhetorical-Analysis-Setup-Resource.pdf
• ↑ https://oer.pressbooks.pub/informedarguments/chapter/rhetorical-modes-of-writing/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/visual_rhetoric/analyzing_visual_documents/organizing_your_analysis.html
• ↑ https://www.pfw.edu/offices/learning-support/documents/WriteARhetoricalAnalysis.pdf

About This Article

To write a rhetorical analysis, start by determining what the author of the work you're analyzing is trying to argue. Then, ask yourself if they succeeded in making their argument. Whether you think they did or didn't, include quotes and specific examples in your analysis to back up your opinion. When you're writing your analysis, use the third-person to appear objective as opposed to using "I" or "we." Also, make sure you include the author's name, profession, and purpose for writing the text at the beginning of your analysis to give reader's some context. To learn different ways to structure your rhetorical analysis from our English Ph.D. co-author, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Using Rhetorical Strategies for Persuasion

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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These OWL resources will help you develop and refine the arguments in your writing.

There are three types of rhetorical appeals, or persuasive strategies, used in arguments to support claims and respond to opposing arguments. A good argument will generally use a combination of all three appeals to make its case.

Logos or the appeal to reason relies on logic or reason. Logos often depends on the use of inductive or deductive reasoning.

Inductive reasoning takes a specific representative case or facts and then draws generalizations or conclusions from them. Inductive reasoning must be based on a sufficient amount of reliable evidence. In other words, the facts you draw on must fairly represent the larger situation or population. Example:

In this example the specific case of fair trade agreements with coffee producers is being used as the starting point for the claim. Because these agreements have worked the author concludes that it could work for other farmers as well.

Deductive reasoning begins with a generalization and then applies it to a specific case. The generalization you start with must have been based on a sufficient amount of reliable evidence.Example:

In this example the author starts with a large claim, that genetically modified seeds have been problematic everywhere, and from this draws the more localized or specific conclusion that Mexico will be affected in the same way.

Avoid Logical Fallacies

These are some common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Also, watch out for these slips in other people's arguments.

Slippery slope: This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur A must not be allowed to occur either. Example:

In this example the author is equating banning Hummers with banning all cars, which is not the same thing.

Hasty Generalization: This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts. Example:

In this example the author is basing their evaluation of the entire course on only one class, and on the first day which is notoriously boring and full of housekeeping tasks for most courses. To make a fair and reasonable evaluation the author must attend several classes, and possibly even examine the textbook, talk to the professor, or talk to others who have previously finished the course in order to have sufficient evidence to base a conclusion on.

Post hoc ergo propter hoc: This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.' Example:

In this example the author assumes that if one event chronologically follows another the first event must have caused the second. But the illness could have been caused by the burrito the night before, a flu bug that had been working on the body for days, or a chemical spill across campus. There is no reason, without more evidence, to assume the water caused the person to be sick.

Genetic Fallacy: A conclusion is based on an argument that the origins of a person, idea, institute, or theory determine its character, nature, or worth. Example:

In this example the author is equating the character of a car with the character of the people who built the car.

Begging the Claim: The conclusion that the writer should prove is validated within the claim. Example:

Arguing that coal pollutes the earth and thus should be banned would be logical. But the very conclusion that should be proved, that coal causes enough pollution to warrant banning its use, is already assumed in the claim by referring to it as "filthy and polluting."

Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather than actually proving it. Example:

In this example the conclusion that Bush is a "good communicator" and the evidence used to prove it "he speaks effectively" are basically the same idea. Specific evidence such as using everyday language, breaking down complex problems, or illustrating his points with humorous stories would be needed to prove either half of the sentence.

Either/or: This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices. Example:

In this example where two choices are presented as the only options, yet the author ignores a range of choices in between such as developing cleaner technology, car sharing systems for necessities and emergencies, or better community planning to discourage daily driving.

Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than their opinions or arguments. Example:

In this example the author doesn't even name particular strategies Green Peace has suggested, much less evaluate those strategies on their merits. Instead, the author attacks the characters of the individuals in the group.

Ad populum: This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive (such as patriotism, religion, democracy) or negative (such as terrorism or fascism) concepts rather than the real issue at hand. Example:

In this example the author equates being a "true American," a concept that people want to be associated with, particularly in a time of war, with allowing people to buy any vehicle they want even though there is no inherent connection between the two.

Red Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them. Example:

In this example the author switches the discussion away from the safety of the food and talks instead about an economic issue, the livelihood of those catching fish. While one issue may affect the other, it does not mean we should ignore possible safety issues because of possible economic consequences to a few individuals.

Ethos or the ethical appeal is based on the character, credibility, or reliability of the writer. There are many ways to establish good character and credibility as an author:

• Use only credible, reliable sources to build your argument and cite those sources properly.
• Respect the reader by stating the opposing position accurately.
• Establish common ground with your audience. Most of the time, this can be done by acknowledging values and beliefs shared by those on both sides of the argument.
• If appropriate for the assignment, disclose why you are interested in this topic or what personal experiences you have had with the topic.
• Organize your argument in a logical, easy to follow manner. You can use the Toulmin method of logic or a simple pattern such as chronological order, most general to most detailed example, earliest to most recent example, etc.
• Proofread the argument. Too many careless grammar mistakes cast doubt on your character as a writer.

Pathos , or emotional appeal, appeals to an audience's needs, values, and emotional sensibilities.  Pathos can also be understood as an appeal to audience's disposition to a topic, evidence, or argument (especially appropriate to academic discourse). 

Argument emphasizes reason, but used properly there is often a place for emotion as well. Emotional appeals can use sources such as interviews and individual stories to paint a more legitimate and moving picture of reality or illuminate the truth. For example, telling the story of a single child who has been abused may make for a more persuasive argument than simply the number of children abused each year because it would give a human face to the numbers.  Academic arguments in particular ​benefit from understanding pathos as appealing to an audience's academic disposition.

Only use an emotional appeal if it truly supports the claim you are making, not as a way to distract from the real issues of debate. An argument should never use emotion to misrepresent the topic or frighten people.

9.3 Glance at Genre: Rhetorical Strategies

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Identify key rhetorical strategies that authors use to persuade readers.
• Analyze texts to demonstrate understanding of key rhetorical concepts.
• Identify genre conventions and explain how they are shaped by purpose, culture, and expectation.

Rhetorical analysis is the genre , or type of writing, that examines the way writers and speakers use language to influence readers. Rather than describing or summarizing content—the what of characters or themes—rhetorical analysis focuses on the individual parts of a text to show how language works to create the effects the writer wants. In other words, in addition to content, writers use rhetorical strategies to deliver and strengthen their ideas and thus influence their readers. A rhetorical analysis should, therefore, address the rhetorical situation , or conditions of communication that surround the rhetoric. These consist of the author (who), message (what), readers (to whom), purpose (why), means (how), context (where and when), and culture (community).

Culture refers to the way of life that a defined group of people establish. Their beliefs, laws, customs, and habits represent them as a group and may provide a signature to identify who they are and what they have accomplished. Rhetorical analysis must take these factors into full consideration, especially because cultural patterns are constantly changing and evolving with new knowledge and behaviors. Moreover, culture will vary greatly from group to group. Subgroups within a larger culture—for example, minorities within a majority population—may have distinct expressions of culture. When rhetorical analysis approaches language of a particular culture, questions may arise about who is best equipped to do the analysis and on what criteria, based on time and place.

Writers of rhetorical analyses consider these elements carefully and ask questions based on them. What are the goals of the author of the text? What factors are at play in the author’s choice of strategies used to make a rhetorical impact? What may occur in the interaction between the writer and reader? Will readers approach the piece neutrally, with no previous opinions? Are they likely to agree because they are of the same opinion, or are they hostile and ready to reject the arguments? Have they heard or read the ideas before? Will the ideas be too radical or too familiar? Are readers likely to see the author as sharing the field with them or as a stranger who must win their confidence?

The Workings of Rhetorical Analysis

The aim of rhetorical analysis is not to find agreement with or praise for the writer, although either may be implied or stated. The essential task of analyzing requires a detachment that will convince the readers of the validity and effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the writing by identifying the writer’s tools and what they accomplish.

As you formulate your rhetorical analysis, be aware of the following approaches and strategies that writers use to persuade an audience. Your goal will be to identify them in your analysis, explain their use, and evaluate their effectiveness.

• Establishing credibility. Writers include their credentials or experience with the subject to ensure that readers will take them seriously as someone who knows what they’re talking about. To reinforce their authority, they cite reliable sources as support for their points.
• Sharing personal experience. Sharing a personal experience related to the subject enhances credibility and may also appeal to readers’ emotions.
• Targeting emotional concerns. By specifically addressing those incidents or outcomes that readers may fear or desire, the author can rally them to take a particular position. Emotional concerns also include appeals to the five senses and to broader sentiments such as love, loyalty, anger, justice, or patriotism.
• Using devices that draw attention to claims. These include literary devices such as parallelism, repetition, and rhetorical questions that writers and speakers use to emphasize points and unify a text.
• Supporting claims with convincing evidence. Ways of supporting claims include quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing expert opinions; relating anecdotes and examples; and citing appropriate statistics and facts.
• Acknowledging the opposition. If a writer makes a point of explaining other groups’ positions carefully and respectfully, readers from those groups, as well as the target audience, are more likely to be responsive to the writer. By acknowledging the opposition, writers show they have considered opposing views and can then demonstrate that their position is preferable.
• Questioning the motivation of the opposition. By exposing others’ possibly conflicting interests, the writer can undermine the credibility of an opponent’s character or argument.

In addition to these, writers may use more questionable rhetorical devices to persuade readers. While the techniques of each strategy differ, all lead away from the actual argument and seek to persuade through means other than reasonable, logical thought. Such strategies include bandwagon, ad hominem (name-calling), bait and switch, and more. Recall the roommates’ use of some of these in their efforts at persuasion in Breaking the Whole into Its Parts .

Rhetorical Strategies in Advertising and Public Policy

The strategies and other devices of rhetorical writing that are open to analysis are present in many types of communication, including multimodal examples such as advertisements that combine visuals with carefully crafted texts, dialogue, and voice-over.

Look at the M&Ms commercial, for example, in this collection of Super Bowl ads. Starting at minute 4:57, the prize-winning ad for M&Ms initially shows the widely recognizable candy in its multiple colors as both speaking cartoon figures and symbols of human behavior. The simple pitch: when people have offended others in one of a range of interpersonal blunders, the candy is offered as a peace offering. For example, the first image shows a man on a plane bumping into another passenger’s seat, causing him to spill his drink. The offender then offers the passenger a package of M&Ms. What is the rhetorical strategy behind the situation and the gesture? The ad appeals to pathos in the sense that people feel the need to be liked. Despite the humorous twist in the comment that he kicked the seat on purpose, the offending man nonetheless doesn’t want to be disliked. Nor do the others who commit other blunders. The sense of taste—sweetness—also comes into play, appealing to the senses, as does the sense of sight in the images of the colorful candy.

Furthermore, placing the ad during the Super Bowl targets an audience of game watchers whose ages, interests, and habits have been studied. They may be in a snacking frame of mind, so the appeal of candy is timely (kairos). The ad combines sophistication, appropriate adult behavior, and childishly amusing animation and personification. Seeing the product makes it more memorable. On the other hand, note the subtle use of the bandwagon fallacy: different people in different situations are doing the same thing—offering M&Ms. The bandwagon implication is that if you do something you’re sorry for or should be sorry for (or even if you don’t), giving out M&Ms is the way to apologize and be likable. Because travelers, businesspeople, the religiously observant, and others from different walks of life are doing it, so should you.

Figure 9.4 is an image from the U.S. Forest Service that also reflects the use of rhetorical strategies. Smokey Bear is a symbol created in 1944 to raise awareness of the danger of forest fires. Images of this gentle, personified bear are often accompanied by the slogan “Remember . . . only you can prevent forest fires” or a variation of it. The image shows Smokey dressed in rolled-up jeans, a name belt, and a ranger’s hat. He is reading letters delivered by a mail truck and sent to his own ZIP code, 20252, from children and adults promising to cooperate with his environmental efforts. The entire image is among the most recognizable of American cultural symbols.

The continuing identification of the bear and his appeal over decades is an example of the powerful use of rhetorical devices that speak without seeming to become dated and lose impact. First, a wild and dangerous animal is personified and made credible so that the credibility (ethos) of Smokey as a domesticated father figure with a fuzzy, playful cub climbing on the family mailbox removes any sense of danger and instead makes him into a believable voice for safety. No humans are emphasized in the illustration; the mail truck is seen only in the distance after having delivered another stack of fan mail. Other small animals are present in the background, as are familiar household items such as a shovel, a mailbox, an American flag, a boat on crystal clear water, and the playful images of the ranger’s hat and rolled-up jeans on crossed legs. The drawing features bright primary colors and the dark forest green of bountiful nature. The print medium in the center of the illustration, the sign reading “Prevent forest fires,” unifies the visual.

Because the images are emotionally accessible to children as well as adults, they appeal to widely shared pathos. The unspoken implication is that preventing forest fires will allow these young animals and forest plants to live rather than die in a carelessly started—and deadly—fire. In addition, it will allow human life to continue safely and pleasurably, as viewers can see, far in the background, people sailing and enjoying the water. If children’s wisdom and receptivity to images are present, this idealized picture has great appeal. Rather than a harsh rebuke for adult negligence, the lesson of Smokey relies on the power of rhetoric to modify behavior with specific, carefully crafted appeals. Yet the most frequently used slogan, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” is an example of hyperbole. Certainly “you” are not the sole person responsible for starting or preventing fires. Other people and other factors are at work aside from yourself.

More explicit, however, is this earlier image:

The rhetorical strategy again is pathos, appealing to a sense of guilt. If these children can help prevent fires, then surely adults can do the same, as they are likely more knowledgeable and care for the safety and health of their children.

Rhetorical Analysis: Key Terms

Rhetorical appeals.

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these appeals writers use to persuade their audiences.

• Ethos : believable, authoritative voice that elicits credibility and audience trust.
• Kairos : sense of appropriate timing when attempting to persuade.
• Logos : credible information—facts, reasons, or examples—presented as evidence that moves toward a sensible and acceptable conclusion.
• Pathos : the use of appeals to feelings and emotions shared by an audience. Some of the general categories are fear, guilt, anger, love, loyalty, patriotism, and duty.

Rhetorical Devices and Language Use

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these devices writers use to organize and emphasize their writing.

• Figurative language : similes and metaphors. Comparing one aspect of things that in other ways are completely different is an essential part of rhetorical language. Simile example: “The treasure chest of nature’s wonders shone like a pirate’s gold tooth.” Metaphor example: “The pizza was a disk of saucy sunlight.”
• Numerical data : statistics and figures. When accurate, numerical data can strengthen an argument.
• Parallel structure : repetition of the same pattern of words to show that ideas are equally significant. Parallel structure, or parallelism, calls attention to these ideas, achieves balance, and makes the statements more memorable. Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.”
• Personification : giving an inanimate or nonhuman object human characteristics to make it seem alive and relatable. Examples: “The virus packed its bags and spread across the ocean”; “Twitter erupted in outrage.”
• Repetition : repeating a single word or group of words to build emphasis. Example: “The first underline cause end underline is poverty; the second underline cause end underline is poor health; the third underline cause end underline is discrimination. These underline causes end underline have been studied, but to what effect?”
• Rhetorical question : a question that is not expected to be answered, one for which there is no answer, or one that creates a dramatic effect. Examples: “Has it occurred to you to ask why the economy is so unstable? A first point to consider is . . .”; “Do you think poverty will go away by itself?”
• Understatement : presenting something as less important than it is as a way of distancing from the truth. Understatement is often used sarcastically or ironically. Example: “It may not have occurred to politicians that poverty leads to a host of health-related issues.”

Rhetorical Fallacies

When doing a rhetorical analysis, notice these fallacies writers may use to unethically persuade their audiences.

• Ad hominem : logical fallacy that attempts to discredit a person, not an argument. Ad hominem , meaning “against the man,” is often termed name-calling . Examples: “She’s just a leftover from another era who can’t accept change”; “He’s a stupid bully and an outright thief.”
• Bait and switch : logical fallacy that introduces a point about one thing that is likely to be accepted and then changes the terms once initial agreement occurs. Example: “Buy these phones at this price before they’re all gone!” When you go to buy one, moments later, the phones are gone—and they’re far more expensive.
• Bandwagon : logical fallacy often used in advertising and propaganda. It tries to make people do something or think a certain way because everyone is doing it, and if they don’t go along, they will be excluded. Example: “Everyone is buying these sneakers; get yours now before you’re left out.” Negative example: “This style is so dated; no one wears things like this now.”
• Causal fallacy : the faulty logic of claiming or believing that an event that follows another event is the result of it. For example, losing your keys after going to a concert does not mean the events are connected causally; going to the concert did not cause you to lose your keys.
• Hyperbole : exaggeration. Hyperbole is one of the staples of advertising language. Examples: “Season’s Best Peppermint Glazed Delights”; “I have a ton of homework.”

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Home — Essay Types — Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples

How to choose the best rhetorical analysis topic.

Choosing the best topic for a rhetorical analysis essay is a crucial step that sets the stage for insightful and engaging writing. This process demands a thoughtful consideration of various factors to ensure that your essay not only demonstrates your analytical skills but also captivates your audience. Here's a more detailed guide to navigating this selection process, ensuring you pick a topic that is both meaningful and manageable.

Interest and Relevance

Begin by identifying topics that spark your interest or passion. Writing about something you find intriguing naturally leads to a more engaging and enthusiastic analysis. Furthermore, consider the relevance of the topic to current events or societal issues. Topics that touch on contemporary debates or ongoing cultural conversations tend to resonate more with readers and provide a richer ground for analysis.

Availability of Sources

Ensure there is enough material available to support your analysis. This could include speeches, texts, advertisements, or any media content that is rich in rhetorical strategies. A topic with ample sources allows for a deeper dive into various rhetorical techniques and their effectiveness.

Scope and Complexity

Choose a topic with a manageable scope. It should be neither too broad that it becomes overwhelming to cover in detail nor too narrow that it lacks sufficient content for analysis. The complexity of the topic should match your ability to dissect and understand the rhetorical strategies employed.

Impact on Society

Consider topics that have had a significant impact on society. Analyzing how rhetoric has influenced public opinion, shaped political discourse, or contributed to cultural shifts can provide insightful perspectives on the power of effective communication.

Originality

Strive for originality in your topic selection. While it's helpful to review examples of rhetorical essays or rhetorical analysis essay examples, choosing a unique angle or a less commonly analyzed text can make your essay stand out. This approach not only showcases your creativity but also your ability to apply analytical skills to new and diverse materials.

Audience Engagement

Think about your potential audience and select a topic that would engage them. Understanding your audience's interests and background can help tailor your analysis in a way that is both accessible and compelling.

🔥 30 Hot Rhetorical Analysis Essay Titles in 2024

The year 2024 is ripe with opportunities for rhetorical analysis, from political speeches addressing global challenges to influential social media campaigns reshaping public opinion. These topics not only reflect current trends but also offer a deep well of rhetorical techniques worth exploring.

• Analyzing the Rhetoric of Climate Change in Political Speeches
• The Power of Social Media Influencers: A Rhetorical Analysis
• Rhetorical Strategies in "The Future We Choose" by Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac
• "Why We Can't Wait" by Martin Luther King Jr.: A Rhetorical Examination
• Dissecting the Appeals in Greta Thunberg's UN Speech
• The Rhetoric of Hope in Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" Speech
• Persuasion Techniques in Apple's Product Launches
• "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: A Rhetorical Analysis
• Rhetorical Devices in "Letter from Birmingham Jail"
• Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies in "Lean In" by Sheryl Sandberg
• Elon Musk's Vision for the Future: A Rhetorical Review
• Rhetorical Elements in the #MeToo Movement Speeches
• "A Time for Choosing" by Ronald Reagan: Rhetorical Analysis
• The Art of Persuasion in Winston Churchill's War Speeches
• Analyzing the Appeal in Malala Yousafzai's Nobel Prize Lecture

👍 10 Good Titles for Rhetorical Analysis Essays

A good rhetorical analysis essay title promises an insightful exploration of persuasive communication techniques. These topics are selected for their significant cultural, political, or social impact, providing a rich basis for analysis.

• The Rhetorical Genius of "I Have a Dream" by Martin Luther King Jr.
• Analyzing the Pathos in "The Diary of Anne Frank"
• Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in "The Audacity of Hope" by Barack Obama
• A Rhetorical Examination of "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
• The Power of Language in "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi
• Rhetorical Strategies in "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
• Dissecting the Appeals in "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
• "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan: A Rhetorical Critique
• The Persuasive Language of "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
• Rhetorical Devices in "We Should All Be Feminists" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

🎯 10 Easy Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics

For those new to rhetorical analysis or looking for more straightforward subjects, these topics offer a gentler introduction. They focus on popular media and public campaigns, where rhetorical strategies are both prominent and accessible to beginners.

• Rhetorical Techniques in Super Bowl Commercials
• Analyzing Rhetoric in Viral TED Talks
• The Persuasive Power of Instagram Campaigns
• Rhetoric in the "Share a Coke" Campaign
• Speech Analysis: Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Address
• Rhetorical Strategies in Movie Trailers
• The Art of Persuasion in Children's Advertising
• Rhetorical Elements in Presidential Inauguration Speeches
• The Use of Pathos in Animal Rights Campaigns
• Ethos, Logos, and Pathos in Health Awareness PSAs

🏫 Popular Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics for College

College students can deepen their analytical skills by exploring these popular rhetorical analysis topics. They span a range of interests, from literature and advertising to social movements and media, reflecting the diverse ways rhetoric shapes our world.

• The Rhetoric of American Dream in Modern Literature
• Gender Roles and Rhetoric in 21st-Century Advertising
• The Evolution of Rhetorical Strategies in Social Movements
• Rhetorical Analysis of News Media's Coverage on Climate Change
• The Use of Rhetoric in Legalizing Marijuana Debates
• Ethical Persuasion Techniques in Non-Profit Organizations
• The Influence of Rhetoric in Fashion Industry Marketing
• Analyzing Rhetorical Appeals in Documentary Films
• The Role of Rhetoric in Video Game Narratives
• The Power of Rhetorical Questions in Political Discourse

💡 Insightful Speech Ideas for Rhetorical Analysis Topics

Speeches have long been a goldmine for rhetorical analysis, offering a direct insight into the speaker's persuasive techniques. These topics cover a range of speeches, from historical milestones to contemporary talks, each providing a unique perspective on effective rhetoric.

• The Rhetorical Impact of "The Gettysburg Address"
• Rhetorical Devices in "The Declaration of Independence"
• Analyzing the Persuasive Techniques in Emma Watson's UN Speech for HeForShe
• The Use of Rhetoric in Historic Farewell Addresses
• Rhetorical Strategies in Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speeches
• The Art of Rhetoric in Valedictorian Speeches
• Persuasive Elements in Keynote Addresses at Technology Conferences
• The Role of Ethos in Human Rights Advocacy Speeches
• Pathos and Logos in Environmental Activist Speeches
• Rhetorical Techniques in Award Acceptance Speeches

Each section offers a curated list of topics designed to spark interest and inspire deep analytical thought. Whether you're drawn to contemporary issues or historical speeches, these topics serve as a starting point for a compelling rhetorical analysis essay.

Crafting a rhetorical analysis essay involves dissecting how a writer or speaker uses words to influence an audience, focusing on the effectiveness and techniques rather than the content itself. This guide delves into the art of writing a compelling rhetorical essay, incorporating examples of rhetorical essays to illustrate key points.

What is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

A rhetorical analysis essay dives deep into the artistry behind an author’s method of communication, scrutinizing the deliberate choice of words, structure, and overall rhetorical techniques used to sway or enlighten the audience. Unlike typical essays that might argue for or against the author’s position, a rhetorical essay takes a step back, focusing purely on the craftsmanship of the argument itself. How does the author appeal to the audience? What strategies are employed to make their message resonate more deeply or convincingly? This analytical approach is invaluable in academic environments, pushing students to not only observe and report but to critically evaluate the effectiveness of communication strategies. Doing so, sharpens critical thinking and analytical skills, equipping students with the ability to dissect complex arguments and understand the underlying mechanics of persuasive writing.

How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis

Writing a successful rhetorical analysis essay begins with thoroughly reading and understanding the text in question. Identify the author’s purpose, target audience, and the strategies used to achieve their goals. Highlighting direct quotes and examples of rhetorical essays can serve as a solid foundation for your analysis. This process allows you to dissect the text meticulously, revealing the nuances of the author’s strategies. Here’s a breakdown of the main points to consider when crafting your essay:

• Thorough Reading : Start with a comprehensive reading of the text. Pay close attention to its overall structure, the tone of the writing, and the main themes presented. This initial step is crucial for gaining a deep understanding of the material you will analyze.
• Identify the Purpose : Every text is written with a specific purpose in mind. Determine what the author intends to achieve. Are they trying to persuade, inform, entertain, or provoke thought? Understanding the purpose is key to analyzing the rhetorical strategies employed.
• Understand the Audience : Who is the target audience of the text? Identifying the audience is essential because the rhetorical techniques used by the author are often tailored to the values, beliefs, or interests of this group. Knowing the audience helps in evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies.
• Analyze the Strategies : Break down the specific strategies the author uses to reach their audience and fulfill their purpose. Look for examples of ethos (credibility), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical argument) within the text. Each of these appeals plays a crucial role in persuasion and should be carefully examined.
• Use Direct Quotes : Incorporate direct quotes from the text to support your analysis. These quotes serve as concrete evidence of the rhetorical strategies you identify. They also help to substantiate your claims about how the author’s choices impact the overall effectiveness of the text.

Following these points ensures a structured and comprehensive approach to writing a rhetorical analysis essay, enabling you to deliver a critique that is both insightful and substantiated.

How to Structure a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Structuring a rhetorical analysis essay follows a conventional essay format but with a focus on analysis rather than exposition. It typically includes an introduction that presents the text being analyzed, a thesis statement that outlines the main argument or findings, body paragraphs that dissect various rhetorical strategies, and a conclusion that summarizes the analysis and discusses the impact or importance of the rhetorical strategies used.

Major Rhetorical Elements

Understanding and identifying rhetorical elements are crucial. These include the rhetorical situation (author, audience, purpose), use of rhetorical appeals, and stylistic choices (language, tone, structure). A rhetorical analysis essay sample can show how these elements interact within a text.

Rhetorical appeals are strategies authors use to persuade their audience, including ethos, pathos, and logos.

• Ethos  refers to the credibility or ethical appeal the writer establishes, convincing the audience of their reliability or authority on the subject matter.
• Pathos appeals to the audience’s emotions, seeking to evoke feelings that support the author’s argument.
• Logos involves logical reasoning, where the author uses facts, statistics, or logical arguments to appeal to the audience’s rationality.

Text and Context

Delving into the context surrounding a text enriches your rhetorical analysis, shedding light on the nuances that might affect its interpretation and impact. Historical conditions at the time of writing can reveal why certain rhetorical strategies were employed or why the text resonated with its audience in a particular way.

Social norms and values inform the ethos and pathos appeals, as what is considered credible or emotionally stirring can vary widely across different societies and eras. P

Political climate plays a crucial role too; a text might be responding to, challenging, or supporting prevailing political ideologies or policies. Understanding these layers of context allows you to not only analyze the text on a surface level but also to appreciate the depth and complexity of its rhetorical strategies.

This comprehensive approach adds a rich dimension to your analysis, offering a more nuanced view of the text’s persuasive power and its place within a broader historical, social, a

Claims, Supports, and Warrants

Identify the author’s main claims, the evidence or support provided, and the warrants, which are the underlying assumptions that connect the support to the claims.

Identifying the author’s main claims, the evidence or support provided, and the warrants—those underlying assumptions linking the evidence to the claims—is critical. These elements form the backbone of the argument, showcasing how the author constructs a logical, persuasive case. Unpacking these components reveals the argument’s strength and its persuasive appeal, offering insights into the author’s rhetorical skill and the argument’s potential impact on the audience.

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

An outline organizes your thoughts and ensures your essay is coherent and focused.

• Analyzing the Text. Begin with an in-depth examination of the text, noting the rhetorical strategies used.
• Rhetorical Analysis Introduction. Introduce the text and provide background information. State your thesis, summarizing your main analytical points.
• Rhetorical Analysis Body Paragraph. Each body paragraph should focus on a single rhetorical strategy, providing examples and explaining its effectiveness.
• Rhetorical Analysis Conclusion. Conclude by summarizing your analysis and reflecting on the significance of the rhetorical strategies used, possibly considering their broader implications.

Including a rhetorical analysis essay sample  can significantly enhance understanding by demonstrating how to apply theoretical concepts in a practical context. For instance, analyzing a well-known speech, such as Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream,” could serve as an excellent example of rhetorical analysis. In this case, the essay might explore how King uses ethos to establish his credibility as a leader in the civil rights movement, pathos to evoke a deep emotional response from his audience, and logos to present logical arguments for racial equality and justice.

Another topic that could serve as a rhetorical analysis essay example is an analysis of a key advertising campaign by a famous brand, such as Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. This example would illustrate how the company uses various rhetorical strategies to appeal to its target audience, motivate them, and ultimately persuade them to purchase their products.

A third example could be a detailed examination of an influential op-ed piece from a major newspaper, analyzing how the author constructs their argument to persuade readers on a controversial issue. This rhetorical essay example would delve into the use of evidence, the appeal to the readers’ values and beliefs, and the structure of the argument to maximize its persuasive impact.

By exploring these topics, readers can gain a clearer understanding of how to identify and analyze the rhetorical strategies used in different types of texts. These examples of rhetorical essays highlight the importance of context, audience, and purpose in shaping effective communication, providing valuable lessons for anyone looking to improve their analytical and persuasive writing skills.

5 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Tips

• Always keep the rhetorical situation in mind. This means considering the relationship between the speaker, the audience, and the message to fully understand the effectiveness of the rhetorical strategies used.
• Use direct quotes as evidence. Incorporating quotes directly from the text not only provides solid backing for your analysis but also demonstrates a precise understanding of the source material.
• Avoid summarizing the text; focus on analysis.  While a summary can provide context, the primary goal is to delve into how the text works rhetorically, examining the strategies and their impact rather than recounting the content.
• Be clear and concise in your argumentation.  Clarity and brevity ensure that your analysis is accessible and straightforward, making your arguments stronger and more persuasive to the reader.
• Proofread for clarity and coherence.  A thorough review of your essay can help eliminate errors and ensure that your analysis flows logically from one point to the next, enhancing the overall quality of your work.

Final Words

In conclusion, mastering the art of writing a rhetorical analysis essay not only sharpens your critical thinking and analytical skills but also enhances your ability to engage deeply with various forms of communication. The use of examples of rhetorical essays plays a pivotal role in this learning process, serving as illuminating guides that showcase the application of theoretical concepts in real-world texts. By examining rhetorical essay examples, you gain valuable insights into effective analytical techniques, understanding not just the ‘what’ but the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind rhetorical strategies.

We strongly encourage you to explore rhetorical analysis essay examples on our website. These resources can significantly aid in developing your analytical prowess, offering a diverse range of texts and contexts to study and learn from. These samples provide practical insights and inspiration for your writing.

Remember, every rhetorical analysis essay sample is an opportunity to delve into the intricacies of rhetorical communication, enhancing your appreciation for the subtleties of argumentation and persuasion. As you explore these examples on our website, you’re not just preparing to write your next essay; you’re building a foundation for more effective communication and critical engagement with the world around you. So, take this chance to enrich your understanding and skills in rhetorical analysis by reviewing the wealth of examples we have made available for you.

Rhetorical Analysis of Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address is widely regarded as one of the most powerful speeches in American history. Delivered on January 20, 1961, it marked the beginning of Kennedy’s presidency and set the tone for his administration. The speech is remembered for its inspirational and…

Rhetorical Analysis of Anti-Smoking Quotes

Smoking has been a prevalent issue in society for decades, and despite the numerous health warnings and anti-smoking campaigns, it continues to be a significant public health concern. Anti-smoking quotes have been used as a powerful tool to raise awareness about the harmful effects of…

Rhetorical Analysis of FDR Inaugural Address

Franklin D. Roosevelt is remembered as one of the most influential presidents in American history. His inaugural address in 1933 marked the beginning of his presidency during a time of great economic turmoil and uncertainty. In this essay, we will analyze the rhetorical strategies employed…

Lord Chesterfield Rhetorical Analysis

Lord Chesterfield, a prominent figure in 18th-century English society, was known for his eloquence and persuasive language. His letters to his son, known as “Letters to His Son,” are a prime example of his rhetorical prowess. In this essay, we will conduct a rhetorical analysis…

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The Great Influenza Rhetorical Analysis

Infectious diseases have had a significant impact on human societies, shaping the course of events and influencing the development of public health policies. The Great Influenza, also known as the Spanish flu, was a devastating global pandemic that occurred in 1918 and 1919, infecting an…

Malala Rhetorical Analysis

Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani activist for female education, delivered a powerful speech at the United Nations in 2013. Her speech, commonly known as the “Malala Rhetorical Analysis,” is a prime example of effective rhetoric. In this essay, I will analyze the rhetorical strategies Malala…

Rhetorical Analysis of Margaret Thatcher’s Speech

Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was known for her strong leadership and impactful speeches. One of her most famous speeches is the “The Lady’s Not for Turning” speech, delivered at the Conservative Party Conference in 1980. This speech is…

Richard Nixon’s Speech Rhetorical Analysis

Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States, delivered his famous “Silent Majority” speech on November 3, 1969. This speech was a response to growing opposition to the Vietnam War and was a pivotal moment in Nixon’s presidency. In this essay, I will analyze…

Into The Wild: Rhetorical Analysis

Into the Wild, written by Jon Krakauer, is a non-fiction book that follows the journey of Christopher McCandless, a young man who gives up his possessions and money to live a life of solitude in the Alaskan wilderness. The book delves into McCandless’s motivations, experiences,…

On Being a Cripple Rhetorical Analysis

Author Nancy Mairs, in her essay “On Being a Cripple,” brings forth a compelling argument about the use of the word “cripple” and how it has shaped her identity and perception of herself. Mairs, who herself is disabled due to multiple sclerosis, uses various rhetorical…

What is a rhetorical essay?

Rhetorical essay writing is quite challenging since it is necessary to provide an explanation of how an author uses words to have an impact on the target audience. In most cases, rhetorical essay examples represent an already existing set of ideas where an author has provided a certain writing style. The topics of rhetorical writing will vary from the dangers of smoking to the role of teachers in the classroom.

How to write rhetorical essays?

Start your essay with an analysis of the content that you work with. Once a certain argumentation is studied, analyze how a certain verbal effect has been achieved. See our free rhetorical analysis essay as a reference to see how the ethos, logos, and pathos elements are analyzed by citing parts of the original text. Do not give an opinion regarding the content itself but focus on the rhetoric alone.

What’s the goal of a rhetorical analysis?

The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to examine how an author or speaker persuades their audience using various rhetorical strategies and techniques. It involves identifying the purpose, audience, context, and methods of communication to evaluate the effectiveness of the argument.

What are logos, ethos, and pathos?

Logos refers to logical appeal or reasoning, ethos to the speaker's credibility or trustworthiness, and pathos to emotional appeal. These are the three pillars of persuasion identified by Aristotle, used to persuade and influence an audience's beliefs or actions.

What are claims, supports, and warrants?

Claims are statements or assertions that the writer or speaker wants the audience to accept. Supports are the evidence or reasons provided to back up those claims. Warrants are the underlying assumptions or principles that connect the supports to the claims, often implicitly, making the argument coherent and persuasive.

What is the “rhetorical triangle”?

The rhetorical triangle is a model that outlines three essential components of persuasive communication: ethos (credibility or ethical appeal), pathos (emotional appeal), and logos (logical appeal). These elements work together to influence an audience effectively.

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Rhetorical Analysis Sample Essay

Harriet Clark

Ms. Rebecca Winter

13 Feb. 2015

Not Quite a Clean Sweep: Rhetorical Strategies in

Grose's "Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier”

A woman’s work is never done: many American women grow up with this saying and feel it to be true. 1 One such woman, author Jessica Grose, wrote “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier,” published in 2013 in the New Republic, 2 and she argues that while the men recently started taking on more of the childcare and cooking, cleaning still falls unfairly on women. 3 Grose begins building her credibility with personal facts and reputable sources, citing convincing facts and statistics, and successfully employing emotional appeals; however, toward the end of the article, her attempts to appeal to readers’ emotions weaken her credibility and ultimately, her argument. 4

In her article, Grose first sets the stage by describing a specific scenario of house-cleaning with her husband after being shut in during Hurricane Sandy, and then she outlines the uneven distribution of cleaning work in her marriage and draws a comparison to the larger feminist issue of who does the cleaning in a relationship. Grose continues by discussing some of the reasons that men do not contribute to cleaning: the praise for a clean house goes to the woman; advertising and media praise men’s cooking and childcare, but not cleaning; and lastly, it is just not fun. Possible solutions to the problem, Grose suggests, include making a chart of who does which chores, dividing up tasks based on skill and ability, accepting a dirtier home, and making cleaning more fun with gadgets. 5

Throughout her piece, Grose uses many strong sources that strengthen her credibility and appeal to ethos, as well as build her argument. 6 These sources include, “sociologists Judith Treas and Tsui-o Tai,” “a 2008 study from the University of New Hampshire,” and “P&G North America Fabric Care Brand Manager, Matthew Krehbiel” (qtd. in Grose). 7 Citing these sources boosts Grose’s credibility by showing that she has done her homework and has provided facts and statistics, as well as expert opinions to support her claim. She also uses personal examples from her own home life to introduce and support the issue, which shows that she has a personal stake in and first-hand experience with the problem. 8

Adding to her ethos appeals, Grose uses strong appeals to logos, with many facts and statistics and logical progressions of ideas. 9 She points out facts about her marriage and the distribution of household chores: “My husband and I both work. We split midnight baby feedings ...but ... he will admit that he’s never cleaned the bathroom, that I do the dishes nine times out of ten, and that he barely knows how the washer and dryer work in the apartment we’ve lived in for over eight months.” 10 These facts introduce and support the idea that Grose does more household chores than her husband. Grose continues with many statistics:

[A]bout 55 percent of American mothers employed full time do some housework on an average day, while only 18 percent of employed fathers do. ... [W]orking women with children are still doing a week and a half more of “second shift” work each year than their male partners. ... Even in the famously gender-neutral Sweden, women do 45 minutes more housework a day than their male partners. 11

These statistics are a few of many that logically support her claim that it is a substantial and real problem that men do not do their fair share of the chores. The details and numbers build an appeal to logos and impress upon the reader that this is a problem worth discussing. 12

Along with strong logos appeals, Grose effectively makes appeals to pathos in the beginning and middle sections. 13 Her introduction is full of emotionally-charged words and phrases that create a sympathetic image; Grose notes that she “was eight months pregnant” and her husband found it difficult to “fight with a massively pregnant person.” 14 The image she evokes of the challenges and vulnerabilities of being so pregnant, as well as the high emotions a woman feels at that time effectively introduce the argument and its seriousness. Her goal is to make the reader feel sympathy for her. Adding to this idea are words and phrases such as, “insisted,” “argued,” “not fun,” “sucks” “headachey,” “be judged,” “be shunned” (Grose). All of these words evoke negative emotions about cleaning, which makes the reader sympathize with women who feel “judged” and shunned”—very negative feelings. Another feeling Grose reinforces with her word choice is the concept of fairness: “fair share,” “a week and a half more of ‘second shift’ work,” “more housework,” “more gendered and less frequent.” These words help establish the unfairness that exists when women do all of the cleaning, and they are an appeal to pathos, or the readers’ feelings of frustration and anger with injustice. 15

However, the end of the article lacks the same level of effectiveness in the appeals to ethos. 16 For example, Grose notes that when men do housework, they are considered to be “’enacting “small instances of gender heroism,” or ‘SIGH’s’—which, barf.” 17 The usage of the word “barf” is jarring to the reader; unprofessional and immature, it is a shift from the researched, intelligent voice she has established and the reader is less likely to take the author seriously. This damages the strength of her credibility and her argument. 18

Additionally, her last statement in the article refers to her husband in a way that weakens the argument. 19 While returning to the introduction’s hook in the conclusion is a frequently-used strategy, Grose chooses to return to her discussion of her husband in a humorous way: Grose discusses solutions, and says there is “a huge, untapped market ... for toilet-scrubbing iPods. I bet my husband would buy one.” 20 Returning to her own marriage and husband is an appeal to ethos or personal credibility, and while that works well in the introduction, in the conclusion, it lacks the strength and seriousness that the topic deserves and was given earlier in the article. 21

Though Grose begins the essay by effectively persuading her readers of the unfair distribution of home-maintenance cleaning labor, she loses her power in the end, where she most needs to drive home her argument. Readers can see the problem exists in both her marriage and throughout the world; however, her shift to humor and sarcasm makes the reader not take the problem as seriously in the end. 22 Grose could have more seriously driven home the point that a woman’s work could be done: by a man. 23

Works Cited

Grose, Jessica. “Cleaning: The Final Feminist Frontier.” New Republic. The New Republic, 19 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

• Article author's claim or purpose
• Summary of the article's main point in the second paragraph (could also be in the introduction)
• Third paragraph begins with a transition and topic sentence that reflects the first topic in the thesis
• Quotes illustrate how the author uses appeals to ethos
• Analysis explains how the quotes show the effective use of ethos as noted in the thesis
• Transition and topic sentence about the second point from the thesis
• Quote that illustrates appeals to logos
• Analysis explains how the quotes show the effective use of logos, as noted in the thesis
• Transition and topic sentence about the third point from the thesis
• Quotes that illustrate appeals to pathos
• Analysis explains how the quotes show the effective use of pathos, as noted in the thesis
• Transition and topic sentence about fourth point from the thesis
• Quote illustrates how the author uses appeal to ethos
• Analysis explains how quote supports thesis
• Transition and topic sentence about fourth point from thesis
• Conclusion returns to the ideas in the thesis and further develops them
• Last sentence returns to the hook in the introduction

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Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example - Free Samples

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Ethos, Pathos, and Logos - Structure, Usage & Examples

Writing a rhetorical analysis essay for academics can be really demanding for students. This type of paper requires high-level analyzing abilities and professional writing skills to be drafted effectively.

As this essay persuades the audience, it is essential to know how to take a strong stance and develop a thesis. 

This article will find some examples that will help you with your rhetorical analysis essay writing effortlessly. 

• 1. Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example
• 2. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example AP Lang 2023
• 3. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples for Students 
• 4. Writing a Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay with Example 
• 5. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing Tips

Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

The step-by-step writing process of a rhetorical analysis essay is far more complicated than ordinary academic essays. This essay type critically analyzes the rhetorical means used to persuade the audience and their efficiency. 

The example provided below is the best rhetorical analysis essay example:

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Sample

In this essay type, the author uses rhetorical approaches such as ethos, pathos, and logos .  These approaches are then studied and analyzed deeply by the essay writers to weigh their effectiveness in delivering the message.

Let’s take a look at the following example to get a better idea;

The outline and structure of a rhetorical analysis essay are important. 

According to the essay outline, the essay is divided into three sections: 

• Introduction
• Ethos 
• Logos 

A rhetorical analysis essay outline is the same as the traditional one. The different parts of the rhetorical analysis essay are written in the following way:

Rhetorical Analysis Introduction Example

The introductory paragraph of a rhetorical analysis essay is written for the following purpose:

• To provide basic background information about the chosen author and the text.
• Identify the target audience of the essay. 

An introduction for a rhetorical essay is drafted by:

• Stating an opening sentence known as the hook statement. This catchy sentence is prepared to grab the audience’s attention to the paper. 
• After the opening sentence, the background information of the author and the original text are provided. 

For example, a rhetorical analysis essay written by Lee Jennings on“The Right Stuff” by David Suzuki. Lee started the essay by providing the introduction in the following way:

Analysis of the Example: 

• Suzuki stresses the importance of high school education. He prepares his readers for a proposal to make that education as valuable as possible.
• A rhetorical analysis can show how successful Suzuki was in using logos, pathos, and ethos. He had a strong ethos because of his reputation. 
• He also used pathos to appeal to parents and educators. However, his use of logos could have been more successful.
• Here Jennings stated the background information about the text and highlighted the rhetorical techniques used and their effectiveness. 

Thesis Statement Example for Rhetorical Analysis Essay 

A thesis statement of a rhetorical analysis essay is the writer’s stance on the original text. It is the argument that a writer holds and proves it using the evidence from the original text. 

A thesis statement for a rhetorical essay is written by analyzing the following elements of the original text:

• Diction - It refers to the author’s choice of words and the tone
• Imagery - The visual descriptive language that the author used in the content. 
• Simile - The comparison of things and ideas

In Jennings's analysis of “The Right Stuff,” the thesis statement was:

Example For Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statement

Rhetorical Analysis Body Paragraph Example 

In the body paragraphs of your rhetorical analysis essay, you dissect the author's work, analyze their use of rhetorical techniques, and provide evidence to support your analysis. 

Let's look at an example that analyzes the use of ethos in David Suzuki's essay:

Rhetorical Analysis Conclusion Example

All the body paragraphs lead the audience towards the conclusion.

For example, the conclusion of “The Right Stuff” is written in the following way by Jennings:

In the conclusion section, Jennings summarized the major points and restated the thesis statement to prove them. 

Rhetorical Essay Example For The Right Stuff by David Suzuki

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example AP Lang 2023

Writing a rhetorical analysis for the AP Language and Composition course can be challenging. So drafting it correctly is important to earn good grades. 

To make your essay effective and winning, follow the tips provided by professionals below:

Step #1: Understand the Prompt

Understanding the prompt is the first thing to produce an influential rhetorical paper. It is mandatory for this academic writing to read and understand the prompt to know what the task demands from you. 

Step #2: Stick to the Format

The content for the rhetorical analysis should be appropriately organized and structured. For this purpose, a proper outline is drafted. 

The rhetorical analysis essay outline divides all the information into different sections, such as the introduction, body, and conclusion.  The introduction should explicitly state the background information and the thesis statement. 

All the body paragraphs should start with a topic sentence to convey a claim to the readers. Provide a thorough analysis of these claims in the paragraph to support your topic sentence. 

Step #3: Use Rhetorical Elements to Form an Argument 

Analyze the following things in the text to form an argument for your essay:

• Language (tone and words)
• Organizational structure
• Rhetorical Appeals ( ethos, pathos, and logos) 

Once you have analyzed the rhetorical appeals and other devices like imagery and diction, you can form a strong thesis statement. The thesis statement will be the foundation on which your essay will be standing. 

AP Language Rhetorical Essay Sample

AP Rhetorical Analysis Essay Template

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example AP Lang

AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples for Students 

Here are a few more examples to help the students write a rhetorical analysis essay:

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example Outline

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example College

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example APA Format

Compare and Contrast Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Comparative Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

How to Start Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example High School

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example APA Sample

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example Of a Song

Florence Kelley Speech Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example MLA

Writing a Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay with Example 

The visual rhetorical analysis essay determines how pictures and images communicate messages and persuade the audience. 

Usually, visual rhetorical analysis papers are written for advertisements. This is because they use strong images to convince the audience to behave in a certain way. 

To draft a perfect visual rhetorical analysis essay, follow the tips below:

• Analyze the advertisement deeply and note every minor detail. 
• Notice objects and colors used in the image to gather every detail.
• Determine the importance of the colors and objects and analyze why the advertiser chose the particular picture. 
• See what you feel about the image.
• Consider the objective of the image. Identify the message that the image is portraying. 
• Identify the targeted audience and how they respond to the picture. 

An example is provided below to give students a better idea of the concept. 

Simplicity Breeds Clarity Visual Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Writing Tips

Follow the tips provided below to make your rhetorical writing compelling. 

• Choose an engaging topic for your essay. The rhetorical analysis essay topic should be engaging to grab the reader’s attention.
• Thoroughly read the original text.
• Identify the SOAPSTone. From the text, determine the speaker, occasions, audience, purpose, subject, and tone.
• Develop a thesis statement to state your claim over the text.
• Draft a rhetorical analysis essay outline.
• Write an engaging essay introduction by giving a hook statement and background information. At the end of the introductory paragraph, state the thesis statement.
• The body paragraphs of the rhetorical essay should have a topic sentence. Also, in the paragraph, a thorough analysis should be presented.
• For writing a satisfactory rhetorical essay conclusion, restate the thesis statement and summarize the main points.
• Proofread your essay to check for mistakes in the content. Make your edits before submitting the draft.

Following the tips and the essay's correct writing procedure will guarantee success in your academics. 

We have given you plenty of examples of a rhetorical analysis essay. But if you are still struggling to draft a great rhetorical analysis essay, it is suggested to take a professional’s help.

MyPerfectWords.com can assist you with all your academic assignments. The top essay writer service that we provide is reliable. If you are confused about your writing assignments and have difficulty meeting the deadline, get help from the  legal essay writing service .

Hire our  analytical essay writing service  today at the most reasonable prices. 

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31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

What is a rhetorical device and why are they used.

As with all fields of serious and complicated human endeavor (that can be considered variously as an art, a science, a profession, or a hobby), there is a technical vocabulary associated with writing. Rhetoric is the name for the study of writing or speaking as a means of communication or persuasion, and though a writer doesn’t need to know the specific labels for certain writing techniques in order to use them effectively, it is sometimes helpful to have a handy taxonomy for the ways in which words and ideas are arranged. This can help to discuss and isolate ideas that might otherwise become abstract and confusing. As with the word rhetoric itself, many of these rhetorical devices come from Greek.

Ready, set, rhetoric.

The repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

wild and woolly, threatening throngs

Syntactical inconsistency or incoherence within a sentence especially : a shift in an unfinished sentence from one syntactic construction to another

you really should have—well, what do you expect?

Repetition of a prominent and usually the last word in one phrase or clause at the beginning of the next

rely on his honor—honor such as his?

A literary technique that involves interruption of the chronological sequence of events by interjection of events or scenes of earlier occurrence : flashback

Repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect

we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground

The repetition of a word within a phrase or sentence in which the second occurrence utilizes a different and sometimes contrary meaning from the first

we must all hang together or most assuredly we shall all hang separately

The usually ironic or humorous use of words in senses opposite to the generally accepted meanings

this giant of 3 feet 4 inches

The use of a proper name to designate a member of a class (such as a Solomon for a wise ruler) OR the use of an epithet or title in place of a proper name (such as the Bard for Shakespeare)

The raising of an issue by claiming not to mention it

we won't discuss his past crimes

An expression of real or pretended doubt or uncertainty especially for rhetorical effect

to be, or not to be: that is the question

Harshness in the sound of words or phrases

An inverted relationship between the syntactic elements of parallel phrases

working hard, or hardly working?

A disjunctive conclusion inferred from a single premise

gravitation may act without contact; therefore, either some force may act without contact or gravitation is not a force

The substitution of a disagreeable, offensive, or disparaging expression for an agreeable or inoffensive one

greasy spoon is a dysphemism for the word diner

Repetition of a word or expression at the end of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect

of the people, by the people, for the people

Emphatic repetition [ this definition is taken from the 1934 edition of Webster's Unabridged dictionary ]

An interchange of two elements in a phrase or sentence from a more logical to a less logical relationship

you are lost to joy for joy is lost to you

A transposition or inversion of idiomatic word order

judge me by my size, do you?

Extravagant exaggeration

mile-high ice-cream cones

The putting or answering of an objection or argument against the speaker's contention [ this definition is taken from the 1934 edition of Webster's Unabridged dictionary ]

Understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary

not a bad singer

The presentation of a thing with underemphasis especially in order to achieve a greater effect : UNDERSTATEMENT

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them ( Metaphor vs. Simile )

drowning in money

A figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated

crown as used in lands belonging to the crown

The naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it

A combination of contradictory or incongruous words

cruel kindness

The use of more words than those necessary to denote mere sense : REDUNDANCY

I saw it with my own eyes

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by "like" or "as"

cheeks like roses

The use of a word in the same grammatical relation to two adjacent words in the context with one literal and the other metaphorical in sense

she blew my nose and then she blew my mind

A figure of speech by which a part is put for the whole (such as fifty sail for fifty ships ), the whole for a part (such as society for high society ), the species for the genus (such as cutthroat for assassin ), the genus for the species (such as a creature for a man ), or the name of the material for the thing made (such as boards for stage )

The use of a word to modify or govern two or more words usually in such a manner that it applies to each in a different sense or makes sense with only one

opened the door and her heart to the homeless boy

MORE TO EXPLORE: Rhetorical Devices Used in Pop Songs

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Free Rhetorical Analysis Generator

• 🌟 Intro to Rhetorical Analysis Generator

🤔 What Is Rhetorical Analysis?

• ✒️ Components of Rhetorical Analysis
• 💎 SOAPSTone Template
• 📝 Essay Outline

🔗 References

🌟 intro to our free rhetorical analysis generator.

Rhetoric refers to the use of language that helps motivate, persuade, or get the point across to a particular audience. Rhetorical analysis involves studying and evaluating strategies authors and speakers use to achieve this goal. Here, you’ll learn how to use our generator, the fundamentals of rhetorical analysis, and the components of making a great essay.

Rhetorical Analysis Generator & Reasons to Try

It’s not always easy to conduct a good rhetorical analysis. Many students struggle with it and may even fail to submit their work on time. Our rhetorical analysis generator is here to help! It has many benefits that help you finish your work faster:

A rhetorical analysis evaluates a piece of work and the effectiveness with which the author communicated their ideas. It can be anything from a novel to a movie, as long as the work wants to persuade an audience. In other words, instead of discussing the events of The Count of Monte Cristo, you explore what Alexander Dumas wanted to tell his readers, which techniques were used to convey the message, and whether it was successful.

11 Common Rhetorical Analysis Devices

Look at some of the most popular rhetorical devices you can encounter in written and spoken works. They will help you better identify and include them in your upcoming papers.

✒️ Rhetorical Analysis Components & Their Meaning

You can come across several rhetorical analysis methods in your professional and academic work. The rhetorical triangle is the most popular type but has several lesser-known subtypes.

Its components are:

• Ethos . This notion appeals to the author or speaker’s credibility. It evaluates a person’s authority on a subject and tells the audience if they should trust them.
• Pathos . Pathos deals with emotions. It’s the most effective rhetorical device as it’s used to connect the speaker and the audience. For example, an emotional appeal over the use of facts is a tell-tale sign of propaganda.
• Logos . This element backs up a claim with logical and reasonable substance. Through it, the author provides factual evidence that supports their claims.
• Kairos . When a writer or a speaker addresses a particular time and place, they use kairos to provide specific context. To illustrate, an address concerning the First Amendment is most effective during a political debate.
• Stasis . The final segment of the rhetorical analysis lets people view arguments from different perspectives. This adds an impact and makes the audience more likely to side with the writer or speaker.

💎 Rhetorical Analysis: SOAPSTone Template

Like any analysis, evaluating a person’s rhetorical capabilities requires structure. Without it, you may fail to address some aspects of the work, making your paper incomplete. You can make this process easier with the SOAPSTone template and its components:

📝 Rhetorical Analysis Essay Outline

Writing any type of essay requires structure and cohesion. While you may have encountered this structure before, it’s worth to remember the basics. A rhetorical analysis paper outline requires the following elements:

• Introduction . This paragraph introduces the text and its author. Some experts recommend including a summary of the work and elements of the SOAPStone analysis you uncovered. Explain why you’re conducting the research and give a clear thesis statement.
• Body . The section where you present arguments about work and what makes it persuasive. Here you discuss the methods, strategies, and rhetorical and literary devices the author used to convey their message.
• Conclusion . The conclusive paragraph ties your analysis together by driving home the main arguments provided in its body. It can also explain how the work impacted society or its target audience.

3 Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Examples

Here we have picked up some samples with rhetorical analysis of different types of works that can inspire you to create own impressive essay.

• Rhetorical Analysis of Paypal’s Online Payments Commercial Essay . PayPal's online payments commercial employs a potent blend of rhetorical techniques to convey its message effectively. The ad emotionally connects with the audience through vibrant visuals, stirring music, and relatable scenarios. Using real-life situations highlights the convenience and security of PayPal's services, appealing to the ethos and building trust. Additionally, persuasive language and a call to action stimulate a sense of urgency, prompting viewers to adopt PayPal as their preferred online payment platform. By artfully combining pathos, ethos, and logos, the commercial convinces viewers that PayPal is a trustworthy and convenient decision for their online payment requirements.
• “The Myth of Multitasking” by Rosen: Rhetorical Analysis Essay . The author adeptly employs rhetorical strategies to debunk the notion of multitasking. Christine Rosen dismantles the prevalent belief in multitasking efficiency through persuasive arguments and compelling evidence, revealing its detrimental effects on productivity and cognitive abilities. Her skillful use of logic and reasoning challenges readers to question their habits and consider a more focused approach to tasks. By strategically dismantling this cultural trend, Rosen urges her audience to reassess their attitudes toward multitasking, prompting a profound reevaluation of its impact on daily life and productivity.
• A Rhetorical Analysis: “Chevy Commercial 2014” Essay . Chevy Commercial from 2014 is a captivating piece of rhetoric that skillfully employs various persuasive techniques to resonate with its audience. The ad establishes an immediate connection with viewers through emotional storytelling. The commercial artfully weaves heartwarming scenes of people's lives, accompanied by an inspiring soundtrack, evoking a sense of nostalgia and relatability. Ethos is reinforced by showcasing real people in everyday situations, enhancing the credibility of Chevy's brand positioning as an integral part of consumers' lives. Furthermore, logos strategically highlights the car's innovative features and performance. By aligning Chevy with moments of happiness and adventure, the ad compels viewers to consider Chevy as the vehicle that can accompany them on their life journeys.

We hope our tool will facilitate your rhetorical analysis of books, commercials, or speeches, so you'll create a unique essay! Besides, you may try our hook generator to engage the audience to read your paper from the beginning.

📌 Rhetorical Analysis Generator – FAQ

Updated: Oct 25th, 2023

• Rhetorical Analysis – Jessica Allee, University of Arkansas
• How To Write a Rhetorical Analysis in 8 Simple Steps – Jennifer Herrity, Indeed
• Rhetorical Analysis – Blinn College District
• What Is a Rhetorical Device? Definition, List, Examples – Jeffrey Somers, ThoughtCo
• Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Formatting – Brandon Everett, California State University, East Bay
• What is Rhetorical Analysis? – Melanie Gagich & Emilie Zickel, PressBooks
• SOAPStone Graphic Organizer for Rhetorical Analysis – Sacramento City Unified School District
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This page contains a free tool for conducting rhetorical analysis. It is user-friendly, accurate, and fast. You can customize the analysis according to your text type and context. Also, we have prepared a guide where you can find out about literary devices, components of rhetorical analysis, and the structure of your future essay.

• Post published: March 26, 2024

WRAC Faculty and Graduate Students Collaborate to Teach Undergraduate Writing Courses

Before enrolling in a writing course at MSU, undergraduates might view writing as a solitary act: performed alone by a creative professional, or as a one-way conversation between an author and invisible readers. But across the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures (WRAC), faculty invite their students to challenge these traditional notions. 

In both graduate and undergraduate settings, WRAC courses push beyond one-dimensional conceptions of writing in favor of collaboration and community-building. Whether they’re pursuing a Minor in Writing (MiW), a Professional and Public Writing (P2W) degree, or simply fulfilling a writing requirement, students from all majors have the opportunity to develop their definitions of writing and apply them to their professional aspirations. 

In the spirit of collaboration, Assistant Professors Dr. Margaret Morris and Dr. Bree Straayer teamed up with Ethan Voss and Mary Murdock , both graduate students in the Master of Arts (MA) in Rhetoric and Writing program , to teach two P2W courses this spring semester: 

• Writing in Corporate Contexts (WRA 333), taught by Dr. Morris and Voss
• Writing in the Public Interest (WRA 331), taught by Dr. Straayer and Murdock

These graduate-faculty partnerships enrich the experiences of undergraduates and the learning outcomes of all involved. 

WRA 333: Writing in Corporate Contexts

In WRA 333, Dr. Morris and Voss invite students to read, analyze, and produce the kinds of writing that function as “glue” in corporate communications: from public-facing messages and crisis response to business emails and even group chats. 

Through a series of four projects, students reflect on prior experiences and apply their unique knowledge sets to their future roles, professional contexts, and responsibilities. Together, Dr. Morris and Voss engage students in a mixture of audience analysis, writing production, and presentations, with a continual emphasis on professionalism and corporate leadership.

Dr. Morris frames conversations about corporate work with Dare to Lead , written by researcher, professor, and storyteller Brené Brown . After reading Brown’s book, students are asked to present core concepts from the text and articulate their strengths and opportunities for leadership development. Through this work, “students begin to take on their own markers of leadership, and hopefully begin to understand that leadership – and writing – isn’t about being perfect, but rather vulnerable and self-correcting,” Dr. Morris said. 

These aims are reinforced by the students’ final two projects, which ask them to create plans for success as future leaders and writers in corporate environments. Each student reflects on the course in a letter, in which they articulate their intentions as young writers entering a fast-changing workforce.

A Partnership Built on Past Experiences

Dr. Morris brings real-world corporate experience and over twenty years of teaching experience to her classroom. This is her second time teaching WRA 333 as well as collaborating with Voss; last fall, the duo co-taught WRA 370, an introductory course in grammar and editing.

As an undergraduate at the University of Minnesota, Voss’ two favorite courses were “Technical and Professional Writing” and “Editing, Critique, and Style.” In addition to sharing relevant knowledge from his undergraduate years, Voss offers his perspectives as a young adult and current student to connect with undergraduates in WRA 331, many of whom are seniors. 

“I was in their position not too long ago, so I’m often asking: ‘How can we prepare these students to launch into the next phase of life?’” Voss said. 

As a former writer in a corporate setting, Dr. Morris also understands the particular nature of corporate environments that many of her students will enter after graduating this spring. 

“When students get to the workplace, they’re going to be writing a lot,” Dr. Morris said. “In a corporate setting, you have to be in good relationships with people across the organization, so you can gather the information you need and write it up in a way that meets the needs and expectations of your audience.”

In anticipation of these demands, Dr. Morris and Voss ask their students to write across different modes of writing while attending closely to their audiences, which involves analysis and research to better understand the needs of hypothetical readers. In the classroom, peers function as readers and supporters, so Dr. Morris and Voss strive to foster a communal space where students feel comfortable sharing, brainstorming, and writing together. 

“One of my primary aims as a P2W Professor is to create a small community in every classroom where people really know each other, their strengths and weaknesses, and trust in the process of sharing their writing,” Dr. Morris said. 

Intentional community-building is especially vital in classrooms with varied academic interests. In WRA 333 alone, represented majors include Neuroscience, Textile and Apparel, Japanese, Communications, Political Science and Theory, and Experience Architecture. Students often enroll in P2W courses like WRA 333 to fulfill requirements for the MiW or complete a writing elective, so P2W faculty – and teaching assistants like Voss – work with students from diverse backgrounds.

By getting to know these students “on a more granular level,” Dr. Morris said, she can tailor their activities and teams to align with their educational goals and personal needs. “Every class, we check in and try to be honest with each other. We share a lot of laughter, and then we forge forward.”

Co-Teaching = Co-Learning

Collaborating with Voss – who will complete his MA in Rhetoric and Writing this spring and begin a Ph.D. program next fall – “lets me perceive new ways to come into the classroom and infuse it with life and knowledge,” Dr. Morris reflected. She attributes the success of their collaboration to shared pedagogical values, enthusiasm, and overall “synergy.” 

“Ethan and I have complementary values of building community, listening to students, and centering students in our pedagogy,” Dr. Morris described. She contends that the students in WRA 333 also benefit from their collaboration, as they get to work with both a long-time professor and former corporate professional and a younger educator with newer theory and praxis. 

Both Dr. Morris and Voss bring their enthusiasm for relationship-building via writing, as well as their shared belief in the value of pedagogical partnerships in higher education. “In teaching settings, there’s so much value in observation, but even more in the process of actively engaging your ideas and putting them into practice,” Dr. Morris said. “Most of the time, students are so eager to learn that they’re forgiving about your learning process as a teacher.” It can take years to develop one’s “teacherly identity,” Dr. Morris noted – and she’s still doing it alongside Voss. 

Preparing Students for Future Work – and Future Writing

The impending job search can feel daunting for many students, so Voss and Dr. Morris take measures to ground their class in the present moment with supportive check-ins and a “Dumb Question of the Day” – usually supplied by Voss – that imbue the classroom with honesty and a therapeutic dose of humor. 

These pedagogical moves support the professional and personal success of undergraduates, as well as Voss’ personal journey as a graduate student. After completing his Ph.D., Voss sees himself teaching in a First-Year Writing Program and eventually working as a Director. From there, he plans to eventually transition into other leadership roles, but always circling back to his original love for higher education, classroom community, and the students who define this work.

In this specific course and across his pedagogy, Voss views the classroom as a space to gather and “foster the development of genuinely good people: ones who can leave as leaders and understand the importance of engaging with other people, exactly as they are.” 

“Regardless of whether they go into a corporate setting or somewhere else, we want students to make genuine changes in the spaces they enter,” Voss said. 

Voss and Dr. Morris recently submitted a presentation proposal to talk about their co-teaching experience at the Spring 2024 Teaching and Learning Conference , hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation. They look forward to completing the semester together and sharing about their collaboration with a larger community of teachers, researchers, and writers.

WRA 331: Writing in the Public Interest

Across the hall, Murdock and Dr. Straayer teach undergraduates about nonprofit writing in WRA 331. While acknowledging their roles as teachers first, they also wear “the hats of clients, such that students are creating deliverables that would be used in a nonprofit communications strategy or a real community,” Murdock reflected. 

Dr. Straayer offered a similar sentiment. “As a class, we’re really invested in understanding what reading and writing look like in community spaces, and not just in higher education.” 

In keeping with this community-centric vision, Dr. Straayer and Murdock incorporate a mixture of projects and learning modalities into WRA 331. Across assignments, they emphasize hands-on creation and thinking about the complexities of writing for nonprofit organizations, especially compared to corporate settings. 

The course is structured around five assignments, beginning with an introductory project that asks students to analyze and adjust an example of nonprofit communication with significant room for improvement. Students get a chance to play with design in a low-stakes environment, familiarize themselves with writing in the nonprofit sphere, and “make constructive changes and see what challenges arise in the process,” Dr. Straayer described. Students find that while “it’s easy to critique a writing sample, it’s much harder to make it ‘right,’” she said.  

This foundational assignment prepares students for the remaining four projects, which collectively ask them to consider the role of audience, storytelling, and personal values when communicating on behalf of a nonprofit organization. The course simulates the challenges and affordances of writing for nonprofits, whether on a freelance or in-house basis: through case studies, rhetorical analysis of common documents, project management, and ongoing reflection. 

In the students’ third project, which explores the role of storytelling in the nonprofit world, Dr. Straayer asks students to consider the ethics of communicating other people’s stories. “We consider what it looks like to give others agency in the composition practice – because in the nonprofit world, so much of writing is storytelling,” Dr. Straayer said. In this specific project but also throughout the course, Dr. Straayer and Murdock focus on preparing students to enter a nonprofit setting with care and intention. 

“We want to prepare students to listen and understand their own positionality and lens through which they view the world, so when they’re working with communities, they understand how to work with a certain kind of sensitivity and thinking,” Dr. Straayer described. “When we tell stories in nonprofit spaces, we want to honor the people we’re working with and show them in the fullness of who they really are, and ensure that we’re not just shedding one light.”

Replicating Community Work in the Writing Classroom

Prior to teaching in WRAC, Dr. Straayer worked for three years at the Literacy Center of West Michigan and oversaw their program for parents learning English. As a graduate student at MSU, Dr. Straayer worked with English Language Learners at Bethany Christian Services; and during the summers, she taught at Grand Rapids Community College as an English Fast Track Instructor. These highly immersive experiences – centered around one-on-one relationships – continue to inform Dr. Straayer’s teaching philosophy in WRA 331.

Dr. Straayer also has ample experience mentoring younger professionals like Murdock, who originally got involved in WRA 331 to fulfill the internship requirement for her MA concentration in Professional Writing and Technical Communication. On a more personal level, Murdock views this internship as an opportunity to expand the definition of teaching, particularly as it relates to her professional interests in nonprofit work.

“Teaching happens everywhere,” Murdock said. “Even though I’m not currently interested in classroom teaching as a career, I find that teaching happens across professional spaces and roles: in nonprofit leadership, project management, even user experience and design work.”

Murdock incorporates various pedagogical tools and experiences from her work in the Cube – a publishing and user experience research center in WRAC – to give undergraduates in WRA 331 an experience she called “workplace-light.” 

“When you’re presenting something to a client, explaining ‘here’s what we did, and here’s why,’ or running workshops to get feedback on a prototype – these conversations are pedagogical in a lot of ways,” she said. 

Collaboration, Community, and Cross-Cultural Communication

This Spring semester, the majority of students in WRA 331 are non-writing majors, ranging from Studio Art to Political Science. The course bridges a range of learners and experiences, enhancing the relevance of collaboration and cross-cultural understanding in the classroom. 

Outside the classroom, Dr. Straayer and Murdock collaborate regularly to plan for their next class and reflect on the last. “We’re both learning to teach this class for the first time,” Murdock explained. “It’s been really cool to bring my knowledge and experiences to this setting and see students practice project management, especially since undergraduates don’t usually get asked to take on these roles in their classes.”

As she looks forward to graduating in the spring, Murdock is actively applying to communications roles in mission-driven organizations. Reflecting on her development as a writer and professional, she loves helping undergraduates recognize and honor their passions, interests, and abilities. “A lot of this co-teaching experience has involved confidence-building: helping students recognize their own affinities and leverage them for class projects,” Murdock said. 

Dr. Straayer plays a parallel supportive role for Murdock and other young professionals. As a former graduate student, Dr. Straayer was recognized for her mentorship of new teaching assistants ; and now, as a working teacher, she maintains her commitment to advising new educators. “I want to help them develop curriculum, see their strengths as teachers, and ultimately lean into what they’re good at and not try to be something they’re not in the classroom,” she shared. 

Figuring out “your window into pedagogy” takes time, Dr. Straayer said, but these semester-long collaborations give graduate students like Murdock and Voss the time, space, and community to explore their pedagogical values – and, perhaps most challengingly, how to translate them into structured classroom activities. “How do you funnel all of your teaching values into one moment?” Dr. Straayer mused. “It’s a tough question.”

Dr. Straayer makes time at the end of each day to sit with this question, reflect on what went well in the classroom, and consider which areas might call for revision or more structured collaboration with Murdock or other teachers in the department. “It’s so fun and helpful working with Mary, getting to know the students, seeing their energy, and hearing their discussions,” Dr. Straayer said. 

In both WRA 331 and WRA 333, the lines between teacher, learner, and writer are productively blurry – and in these collaborative communities, moments of teaching and learning are always unfolding. 

For more information about the MiW, P2W major, and the graduate program in Rhetoric and Writing, please visit the WRAC website . 

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