Essay #1 Source-Based Rhetorical Analysis (15%)

Assignment Resources

• rhetorical situation
• author and audience
• tone and purpose
• genre and medium
• stance and language

Goals for this Assignment

With this assignment, I want you (our audience) to get some practice with the rhetorical terms that we list above (our purpose). We will use these rhetorical terms throughout the semester; they form the basis of the course. Throughout the course, you will develop your understanding of how rhetoric and writing function in social contexts. You’ll be able to use what you learn about rhetoric in this course and apply it in any other course that requires writing. You will also familiarize yourself with CCNY’s academic databases. You already know how to search for material on the open web; a better understanding of how to make use of academic databases will expand the range of materials to which you have access. (Notice the tone and language here: professional, but not too academic. Accessible, but not casual.)

Format

For this assignment, you will write a source-based article (that is, you’ll do some research in CCNY’s academic databases) in which you will describe the rhetorical elements–author, audience, tone, purpose, genre, medium, stance, and language–of four sources that you have found in CCNY’s academic databases and on the open web on the subject of your choice.

The four sources must include: a web site, a newspaper article, and a scholarly source (we’ll discuss “scholarly sources” in detail during the class). The fourth source is up to you.

With the exception of the website, I recommend you locate your sources within CCNY’s academic databases. Some recommended databases include: Academic One File, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, JSTOR, and the National Newspaper Index, but the choice is up to you.

For each article you choose, you will provide a brief summary, describe its author,  audience, tone, purpose, genre, medium, and stance. In your analysis, you’ll not only identify, for example, the writer’s purpose–to inform, to persuade, to argue, or something else–but also what in the text tells you what the purpose is. If, for example, I think the article’s purpose is to argue, I’d point out phrases like “In this article I argue,” or point out where the author makes specific claims about their subject. You’ll also need to look at both the articles you choose and the publication in which they appear. Looking at the publication’s web site will give you a lot of information about your article’s purpose and audience.

Finally, you’ll conclude your essay in a one or two paragraph conclusion, stating any similarities and differences you may have noticed, and its relationship to the subject.

Format

In this essay, you’re describing a series of articles. Instead of making an argument, as school essays often do, you’re exploring your sources from a rhetorical perspective. The essay should include:

• A general introduction, that summarizes your subject and four sources
• Rhetorical analysis of four sources
• Your thoughts about the relationships between the rhetorical elements of your sources
• With the exception of the general introduction, your essay doesn’t have to be in this exact order. You might, for example, want to talk about author and audience across all of your sources at the same time instead of separately presenting the audience analysis for each article.

Length: 1,500-1,750 words (about 5 pages)

Submission: Through Blackboard (we’ll go through the process in class)

Evaluation Rubric, have you:

1. Used four different genres for your sources?
2. Identified and made comparisons between the various rhetorical aspects of your sources, such as rhetorical situation, purpose, audience, genre, and stance?
3. Uploaded your assignment to Bb?