Invention and Inquiry
- Select two sources you have collected related to your topic;
- Explore the context in which the two document were published (author, publication source and platform, publication date, socio-cultural and political environment, etc.)
- Analyze the sources according to rhetorical methods, with particular emphasis on the authors’ argument and evidence, use of language, and social context.
- Make notes about the ways in which the authors deploy rhetorical strategies to achieve a particular objective given the situational constraints and textual foci listed above.
The Composing Process
- Introduce your topic and define the scope of your paper;
- Present a thesis that you will develop based on your analysis;
- Offer some background on your topic to set up your analysis;
- Carry out your analysis according to the specified rhetorical framework;
- Lead readers to a conclusion about the ways in which these texts/authors make arguments and shape understanding of your research topic. How do they use writing and rhetoric to achieve their objectives? What are the stakes involved? What do we stand to gain or lose by thinking critically (or not thinking critically) about these and other sources? Why should we or anyone else care?
Conclude your essay by pointing toward additional research and analysis that can be done to better understand the issue as part of an ongoing conversation.
Specific Requirements
Your essay should:
- Analyze two sources that represent differing views on your topic;
- Develop a clear and compelling thesis based on thorough analysis;
- Draw a conclusion about the ways in which the authors use rhetorical techniques to shape understanding of the topic (and why that should matter to your readers);
- Be written in a clear, precise, and active prose style;
- Cite sources correctly using appropriate citation style;
- Include a title that reflects the spirit and scope of the essay;
- Be 4-5 pages in length (double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12 point Times New Roman or Garamond typeface);