SampleOutline:RhetoricalAnalysis
[Link]
[Link]:discussitsexigence/socialcontext;painta
quickpictureoftheculturalclimateintowhichthisargumentwas
introduced
[Link]:mentionessay'stitleanddiscussbriefly
author'sbackground,occupation,otherwritings,etc.
[Link]'ssubjectmatter/gist
[Link]'smainclaim(s)
[Link]'sintendedaudience(s)
[Link]'slikelymaingoals
[Link]:thegistofyourfinalevaluationthatis,howrelatively
persuasive/unpersuasiveyoufindthisargumentforitsintendedaudience,
listingbrieflysomeofitsgreateststrengthsandweaknessesasconsidered
fromtheintendedaudience'sperspective.
[Link]
[Link](publisher,website,organization,college)
[Link]'sintendedaudiencethelikelyreadersofthispublication
[Link]'ssubjectmatter,argument,
[Link]
[Link]
this
[Link],why,andhowyou
knowthis
[Link],why,andhowyou
knowthis.*Note:Focus,though,ontheprimaryintendedaudienceabove
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[Link]
[Link]'sorganization/logicforyourreaders
(whowearepretendinghaveneverreadtheessay)
[Link],howitunfolds,andhow
itconcludes
[Link]'sreasoning
[Link]'sstructure:concludethissectionby
commentingonhowintendedaudiencemightrespondtothe
argument'soverallstructure.*Notestrengthsaswellaspossible
weaknesses
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[Link]
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he/sheoffers
[Link](keyand
clear)instancesoftheauthor'sreasoninghowhe/shelinksreasons
toaclaim
[Link]:discusshowtheauthorusesthat
particularstrategytopersuadereaders
[Link]'sreasoning:concludethissectionby
commentingonhowtheintendedaudiencewilllikelyrespond,
overall,totheauthor'sreasoninganduseofthedifferentkindsof
arguments.*Notestrengthsaswellaspossibleweaknesses
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[Link]
([Link],statistics,personalexperience,stories,anecdotes,etc.)
[Link]
[Link]:discusshowtheauthorusesthat
typeand/orspecificbitofevidencetopersuadereaders
[Link]'sevidence:concludethissectionby
commentingonhowtheintendedaudiencewilllikelyrespond,
overall,totheauthor'suseofdifferentformsofevidenceandthe
qualityandquantityofthatevidence.*Notestrengthsaswellas
possibleweaknesses
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[Link]'sextrinsicethos:howitisestablished,howit
contributestotheauthor'scharacter/credibility,andhowitmightinfluence
theintendedaudience
[Link]'sintrinsicethos
[Link]/herethos
throughouttheargument
[Link]:discusshowtheauthorusesthatstrategy
topersuadereaders
[Link]'sethos:concludethissectionbycommentingonhowthe
intendedaudiencewilllikelyrespond,overall,totheauthor'sethos.*Note
strengthsaswellaspossibleweaknesses
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[Link]'sappealstopathos:appealstointendedaudience's
emotions,values,assumptions,senseofidentity
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waystopersuadehis/herintendedaudience
[Link]:discusshowtheauthorusesthat
particularstrategytoelicitcertainresponses/feelingsfromreaders
[Link]'suseofpathosappeals:concludethissectionby
commentingonhowtheintendedaudiencewilllikelyrespond,overall,to
theauthor'sappealstopathos.*Notestrengthsaswellaspossible
weaknesses
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[Link],where,andwhytheauthormightqualifymain
claimsofhis/herargumentincrucialwaysandwhateffectthese
qualificationsmighthaveonthereader
[Link],
concessions,andrefutations
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argumentstopersuadehis/herintendedaudience
[Link]:discusshowtheauthorhandlesthe
counterargument(howrespectfulhe/sheistotheopposition,howmuch
he/sheconcedesandrefutes)andwhateffectthesestrategieshaveon
readers
[Link]'suseofcounterarguments,concessions,andrefutations:
concludethissectionbycommentingonhowtheintendedaudiencewill
likelyrespond,overall,totheauthor'streatmentoftheoppositionandits
arguments.*Notestrengthsaswellaspossibleweaknesses
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[Link]'sstrengthsand
weaknesses(asconcernstheintendedaudience)
[Link],offerafinalevaluationofthe
argument'soverallpersuasivenessrelativetotheintendedaudience