Rhetorical Analysis Lecture Notes

Definition of Rhetoric

  • Rhetoric = the art of persuasion or effective communication.

    • Focuses on the techniques used to compose a message or argument.

  • Key maxim to memorize: “Rhetoric is not what we are arguing, but how we are arguing it.”

“Mind the GAP” Framework

  • GAP = Genre — Audience — Purpose.

  • Whenever you craft or critique a message, always ask:

    • Genre: What kind of text is it (speech, tweet, email, essay, meme, etc.)?

    • Audience: Who is meant to receive it (best friend, professor, boss, child, voting public)?

    • Purpose: What is the communicator trying to achieve (inform, persuade, entertain, commemorate, call-to-action)?

What Is a Rhetorical Analysis?

  • An evaluation of how the author/speaker constructed their message, not a commentary on the topic itself.

  • Guiding question: “Which rhetorical choices were the most (or least) effective, and why?”

  • Involves judging each choice against GAP.

Difference Between Content Analysis vs. Rhetorical Analysis

Perspective

Primary Concern

Typical School Task?

Content / Argument Analysis

What is being said; logical claims, evidence, accuracy

Very common

Rhetorical Analysis

How it is being said; style, organization, appeals

Less familiar, source of confusion

Reminder: A rhetorical analysis is a reaction to how something is discussed, not to what is discussed.

Factors That Shape Effective Rhetorical Choices

1. Audience

  • Language, tone, complexity, cultural references all shift with the audience.

  • Example: Explaining current events to fellow adults vs. simplifying for a child.

2. Genre

  • Form determines length, formality, and even allowable media.

    • Tweet → short, possibly includes GIFs/emojis.

    • Email to boss → longer, formal, emoji-free.

3. Purpose

  • Desired outcome governs style.

    • If the goal is to break up with “Salmon” (humorous classroom placeholder for a person), the message differs from making future plans.

    • Attempting to entertain allows jokes; explaining a devastating war demands seriousness.

A conceptual formula:
\text{Effectiveness} = f\big(\text{Audience},\;\text{Genre},\;\text{Purpose}\big)

Common Rhetorical Choices (Non-Exhaustive List)

  • Organization / structure

  • Quantity & quality of examples

  • Quotations & outside research

  • Word choice (diction)

  • Tone & register

  • Formatting / typographic emphasis

  • Anecdotes (short illustrative stories)

  • Images, graphics, GIFs, emojis

  • Rhetorical questions

  • Repetition & parallelism

  • Figurative language (metaphor, simile, analogy)

"Anything the author decides to do can count as a rhetorical choice – as long as you can point to it in the text and discuss its effect."

Step-by-Step Procedure for Performing a Rhetorical Analysis

  1. Read / View the Text Carefully

    • Annotate noticeable choices; note immediate reactions.

  2. Identify Rhetorical Choices

    • Highlight what technique is used and where it occurs.

  3. Judge Effectiveness Using GAP

    • Ask: Did this choice move the intended audience closer to the author’s purpose within the constraints of the genre?

  4. Gather Evidence

    • Collect direct quotations, timestamps, screenshots, or other concrete proof.

  5. Draft the Analysis

    • Follow the Rules for Writing (below).

Rules for Writing a Rhetorical Analysis (3-Part Formula)

  1. Claim — Clearly state whether the choice was effective or ineffective.

  2. Evidence — Provide specific passages or examples from the text that illustrate the choice.

  3. Reasoning — Explain why the choice worked (or failed) in relation to audience, genre, and purpose.

Avoid These Pitfalls

  • Don’t assume the reader sees what you see; always point explicitly to the example.

  • Don’t skip justification; explain why the choice matters.

Illustrative Classroom Examples Mentioned

  • Opening sentence in an essay: Some students start with a quotation; the rhetorical analysis compares whose opening line works best and why.

  • Tweet vs. Email: Demonstrates genre constraints (length, formality, media).

  • Adult-to-child explanation of world events: Shows audience adaptation.

  • Joke while describing war: Reveals mismatch between tone and purpose (ineffective).

Ethical & Practical Implications

  • Ethical communication requires sensitivity to audience and purpose; joking about tragedies can undermine credibility.

  • Misjudging rhetorical context can lead to misunderstanding, offense, or failure to persuade.

Connections to Future Lessons

  • Upcoming example: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speech — students will evaluate his choices against his civil-rights audience, sermonic-speech genre, and purpose to inspire social change.

Key Questions to Master (Step One Review)

  1. What is a rhetorical analysis? — Evaluation of how messages are built.

  2. What must you consider? — G + A + P (Genre, Audience, Purpose).

  3. How do you decide if a choice was effective? — Measure against GAP and provide evidence.

  4. What must you remember when discussing a choice? — Always (a) label the choice, (b) cite textual evidence, and (c) explain why it succeeds or fails.

End of comprehensive notes — these can stand in place of the original lecture transcript.