AP Lang - How to Write Rhetorical Analysis

Start of year help

First with thesis:

look for patterns, an identify two or three main points to develop in your essay.

1. writers purpose

2. rhetorical choices made by writer to reach purpos

do not be narrow/persoal opion and do not be broad summary

rest of essay: how choices make argument effective

Introduction:

• subject of essay

• not super long

• make sure audeince understands

• engage audience and lead to thesis

Topic sentences

relate to thesis, but not repetative

1. connect to purpose

2. think of author’s choice, then go back to purpose

3. your voice

quotes:

• focus on your voice, while using quotes

• why do you think the quote is evidence?

• use original commentary

• line of reasoning : Explain and analyze the quotes in relation to your argument, showing how they support your thesis.

conclusion

• end w/ possible thesis restate/summary

• focus on your most important ideas

• connect to real world

• how does it go beyond topic OR what should audience do? bring solution

sophistication

• use observations about text features (words, tone, figurative language, etc) to support your claim about how the writer’s rhetorical choices convey the argument

• surface level: take each rheotrical tenchnique and discuss how it contributes to the writer’s argument, purporse, or message.

• More sophisticated: discuss the relationship of these multiple rhetorical features both with each other and the overall rheotrical situation

how to explain the signifigance of the writer’s rehotrical choices

• consider how writer’s choices work together to develop more complex and effective arguments (ex: figurative langauage could create a certain tone)

• then take how the choices relate and analyze them in the context of a particular rhetorical situation (audience, etc).

• Draw connections between the rhetorical staregies of a text and a rhetorical situation.