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How To Write A Rhetorical Analysis in 8 Simple Steps

A rhetorical analysis examines how an author constructs an argument through their work. The document outlines an 8-step process for writing a rhetorical analysis essay, including gathering information about the speaker, occasion, audience, purpose and tone using the SOAPSTone technique. The essay should then identify the appeals, style choices and details used by the author, and analyze their effectiveness in supporting the author's argument. A strong conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the main points without introducing new information.

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115 views3 pages

How To Write A Rhetorical Analysis in 8 Simple Steps

A rhetorical analysis examines how an author constructs an argument through their work. The document outlines an 8-step process for writing a rhetorical analysis essay, including gathering information about the speaker, occasion, audience, purpose and tone using the SOAPSTone technique. The essay should then identify the appeals, style choices and details used by the author, and analyze their effectiveness in supporting the author's argument. A strong conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes the main points without introducing new information.

Uploaded by

Fatoma Alnassir
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How To Write a Rhetorical Analysis in 8 Simple Steps

What is a rhetorical analysis?


A rhetorical analysis is an essay that explores how the creator — or rhetorician — composed
their work. You can write a rhetorical analysis about any text or visual copy that’s meant to
persuade an audience. The purpose of a rhetorical analysis is to assess the writer's goal or
purpose and the techniques they used to make their argument. Rather than agreeing or
disagreeing with the author's argument, you are describing how they presented their opinion
and whether they effectively made their case.
A few specific examples of works that can be analyzed through rhetorical analysis include:
 A speech
 A scholarly article
 A novel
 A television show, film or play
 An art exhibit
 An advertisement or a cartoon

A rhetorical analysis is most commonly used in academics, as a writing assignment for high
school or college students or as part of a scholarly work.

How do you write a rhetorical analysis essay


A rhetorical analysis typically includes five paragraphs and three parts: an introduction, three
body paragraphs and a conclusion. To begin, break a creative work down into parts and
describe how the parts act together to produce a certain result. The author's desired effect
could be to inform, entertain or persuade. Follow these steps when writing your rhetorical
analysis essay:
1. Gather information
Use the SOAPSTone technique to identify the components of the work and plan your analysis.
SOAPSTone is an acronym commonly used in literary analysis that stands for Speaker, Occasion,
Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone.
 Speaker: The writer or the voice narrating or telling the story
 Occasion: When and where the work takes place and under what context
 Audience: Who the text is written for
 Purpose: The reason behind the work or what the writer wants to achieve
 Subject: The topic of the text
 Tone: The writer's attitude toward the subject
2. Examine the appeals
Writers use appeals, also called persuasive strategies, to get readers to have certain reactions
to their work. The three appeals are:
 Ethos: Ethical appeals that establish the writer's credibility, such as mentioning one's
qualifications.
 Logos: Logical appeals, such as evidence and data, are used to make an argument.
 Pathos: Pathetic appeals designed to have an emotional effect, such as personal and
relatable details about a crime victim.

3. Identify style choices and details


These are tools the writer can use to generate a certain reaction from the reader. These include
elements such as word choice, word order, tone, repetition, imagery, analogies and figurative
language.

4. Build an analysis
Ask yourself questions about the information you have collected. Your answers will help you
determine the reasons for the writer's choices and how well they support the writer's
argument. Focus on what the writer does and why. Examples include:
 What is the writer's intention?
 Who is the intended audience?
 What is the argument?
 What is the writer's strategy to make that argument? Why?
 What appeals does the writer use to persuade the reader? Why?
 What kind of style does the writer use?
 What effect does this work have on the audience?

5. Write the introduction


Your introduction should be one clear and concise paragraph that states the main ideas you are
going to discuss in the essay. Provide a brief background about the author, the relevance of
their text and the message they are trying to send.
Related: 10 Essay Writing Tips
6. Write your thesis
Your thesis statement should be one sentence at the end of the introduction that summarizes
the argument you want to make about the writer's choices and strategies. The thesis is one of
the most important parts of your essay.
7. Write your body text
Include at least three body paragraphs that provide evidence for your thesis. Each paragraph
should be about a new, clearly stated topic. You can organize your paragraphs by appeals
(examples of ethos, pathos and logos) and their efficacy, by techniques the writer used and
their efficacy, chronologically and more. Regardless of how you organize your paragraphs,
support each one with examples, data, facts and quotes rather than opinions or emotions. At
the end of each paragraph, tie that topic back to your thesis.
8. Write your conclusion
Repeat your thesis and summarize the main points of your essay in a brief conclusion. Explain
why your argument matters and include a call to action or for more research if needed.
Related: How To Write a Thesis Statement (With Tips and Examples)
Rhetorical analysis tips
Follow these tips for how to write a rhetorical analysis that is powerful, clear and concise.
 Be well prepared. Practice by writing a rhetorical analysis on your favorite books, TV
shows, movies and blogs. And choose a topic you connect with so your enthusiasm for it
translates into a strong essay.
 Format correctly. A rhetorical analysis should be written in third-person point of view
(he, she, they) rather than first person (I, we), and use present tense (“... the speech
examines social issues,” rather than “... the speech examined social issues.” Make sure
that at least half of your essay is your commentary.

Choose your words wisely. While you’re writing a thoughtful examination, you also
want to use strong verbs (describes, establishes, supports) that imply analysis rather
than weak verbs that sound like you are summarizing (tells, this quote shows, explains).
Avoid personal opinions or your own point of view as this type of analysis strives to
remain neutral. And use
direct quotes, paraphrasing, facts and examples when giving evidence to support your
argument. But be careful not to overstuff your essay with quotes, and never start a
paragraph with a quote.
 Finish strong. Avoid starting your conclusion with weak and redundant phrases, such as
"In conclusion" or "In summary." Instead use, "The research shows that ..." or
"Recognize that …," for example. Analyze rather than argue your main point. Avoid
introducing new information in your conclusion. The conclusion should only summarize
what you have already discussed in the body text.
 Last but not least. Remember to properly cite any references or examples you used in
your analysis. And always proofread your final draft, with careful attention to grammar,
punctuation, spelling and removing any typos or formatting errors.

Best of Luck <3

Recourse: Jennifer Herrity


Updated April 15, 2021 | Published November 12, 2020

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