STEP BY STEP OUTLINE FOR RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

RHETORICAL ANALYSIS The essay can be broken down into 3

parts. IntroductionBody Paragraph (the major analysis)Conclusion

OUTLINE OF THE INTRODUCTION Period (Background Information)

What happened that caused a need for this piece of rhetoric?

What is the historical context? Summary of document

What is the document about?Who is the speaker? What is the tone?

ThesisThesis Formula In (title), (author) persuades (audience) to

(argument) because (reason for argument).

WRITE AN INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH FOR THIS ADVERTISEMENT

TRADE YOUR INTRODUCTION WITH ANOTHER STUDENT. For the paper you have

Underline the background information with a green pencil

Underline the summary with a red pencilUnderline the thesis was a purple pencil

Do they have all three colors? Does their paper go in order?

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHIn the last few decades, Americans have

been putting on more weight because of unhealthy lifestyle choices. Many companies have noticed this and created programs to help people lose weight. Not only does this help the overweight person, but it also benefits the company by making them money. The competition between these programs, like Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and Jenny Craig, has been growing. The competition created has created a need for advertising. Weight Watchers created one such advertisement that included Charles Barkley endorsing their product. In the advertisement, Weight Watchers persuades overweight men to join their program because it will help them lose weight.

SAMPLE PARAGRAPHIn the last few decades, Americans have

been putting on more weight because of unhealthy lifestyle choices. Many companies have noticed this and created programs to help people lose weight. Not only does this help the overweight person, but it also benefits the company by making them money. The competition between these programs, like Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, and Jenny Craig, has been growing. The competition created has created a need for advertising. Weight Watchers created one such advertisement that included Charles Barkley endorsing their product. In the advertisement, Weight Watchers persuades overweight men to join their program because it will help them lose weight.

BODY PARAGRAPH OUTLINE

Rhetorical Strategy Quote (less than 1/6 of paragraph) How (2-3 sentences) Why (1-4 sentences) Ties back to argument (1 sentence)

1. Topic Sentence: (Author) uses (rhetorical strategy) to persuade (audience) to (argument).

2. Quote: For example, “quote.”

3. How: This strategy will appeal to (audience) because (explain connection to ethos, pathos, or logos WITHOUT using those words).

4. This strategy will persuade (audience) to (argument) because (BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHY).

5. After viewing this ad, (audience) will definitely (argument).

SENTENCE STARTERS/FILL IN THE BLANKS

CHOOSE ONE RHETORICAL STRATEGY AND WRITE A BODY PARAGRAPH.

TRADE BODY PARAGRAPHS WITH A PEER. For the paper you have

Underline the rhetorical strategy in purple

Underline the quote in greenUnderline the how in redUnderline the why in blueUnderline the tie back to thesis in

orange

EXAMPLE FROM WEIGHT WATCHER’S ADWeight Watchers uses a spokesman to

persuade overweight men to join Weight Watchers. The spokesman used is Charles Barkley who is pictured and quoted in the ad. This makes the overweight men trust Weight Watchers because they saw him turn from a superstar athlete into an overweight man. They grew up watching him play basketball for the 76’s, Suns, and Rockets. They also remember him as a member of the famed Olympic Dream Team. The men also recall his weight gain. Now, the men can see that he used the program and lost weight. The overweight men have gone through the similar experience of being in shape in their younger years to being overweight. This persuades them because they believe that if Barkley can do it, they can also do it. Therefore, they will join the Weight Watcher’s program.

EXAMPLE FROM WEIGHT WATCHER’S AD

Weight Watchers uses a spokesman to persuade overweight men to join Weight Watchers. The spokesman used is Charles Barkley who is pictured and quoted in the ad. This makes the overweight men trust Weight Watchers because they saw him turn from a superstar athlete into an overweight man. They grew up watching him play basketball for the 76’s, Suns, and Rockets. They also remember him as a member of the famed Olympic Dream Team. The men also recall his weight gain. Now, the men can see that he used the program and lost weight. The overweight men have gone through the similar experience of being in shape in their younger years to being overweight. This persuades them because they believe that if Barkley can do it, they can also do it. Therefore, they will join the Weight Watcher’s program.

CONCLUSION OUTLINE Restate thesis (IN NEW WORDS) Explain how the success of the

argument will benefit the author and what it may look like in the real world

WRITE A CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH FOR AN ANALYTICAL PAPER FOR THE AD BELOW.

TRADE CONCLUDING PARAGRAPHS WITH A PEER. For the paper you have

Underline where the paragraph restates thesis in green

Underline where the paragraph explain how the success of the argument will benefit the author and what it may look like in the real world in blue

EXAMPLEOverweight men are persuaded to

join Weight Watchers because they have seen the success of Charles Barkley as portrayed in the Weight Watchers ad. If men are persuaded to join the program by the use of facts, spokesman, and gender specific words, then society will become more healthy. This program will not only create healthier men, but healthier role models for future generations to come.

EXAMPLEOverweight men are persuaded to

join Weight Watchers because they have seen the success of Charles Barkley as portrayed in the Weight Watchers ad. If men are persuaded to join the program by the use of facts, spokesman, and gender specific words, then society will become more healthy. This program will not only create healthier men, but healthier role models for future generations to come.

POSSIBLE PROMPT McDonald’s “McNuggets” Media

Analysis Essay Prompt: Carefully watch the McDonald’s

commercial titled “McNuggets Rap.” Then write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies McDonald’s uses to achieve their purpose. Papers should be more than two pages in length. Support your analysis with specific references to the video. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lOyZKmRRuI)