Rhetorical Analysis

What is exigence?

the reason a text exists—written as an action using “to + verb.”

What question identifies exigence?

Why does this text exist?

What is audience?

The specific group of people the text is intended to reach.

What question identifies audience?

Who is this text meant for?

Why shouldn’t I identify the audience as “everyone”?

Writers make specific choices based on the people they want to reach.

What are constraints?

Factors that limit a text’s ability to achieve its exigence.

What are possible constraints?

Medium, genre, language, length, cultural knowledge, emotional subject matter, the author’s perspective, or audience resistance.

What are rhetorical choices?

Choices involving words, tone, imagery, examples, organization, language, pacing, and references.

What is critical thinking?

Carefully interpreting, questioning, evaluating, and responding to ideas—not automatically criticizing them.

What is the difference between summary and analysis?

Summary explains what the author says; analysis examines how, why, and how effectively the author communicates it.