Steps to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay

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Rhetorical appeals and techniques are used by the writers and speakers to influence an audience. This is something we all know!

A rhetorical analysis essay aims to explore those techniques and evaluates the effectiveness of these techniques in a piece of writing or a speech. A rhetorical analysis can be conducted on anything that aims to persuade the audience, a movie, an advertisement, or a piece of art.

Such an essay explores the goal of rhetoricians and how effective they are in using those techniques.

It is a very common assignment in college. Does it seem like a daunting task to you? Calm down! You are not alone. The good news is you can craft a perfect analysis essay with this writing guide.

These tips come from my years of essay writing experience. Follow these steps and an essay writer will be having a perfect essay at the end.

• Educate Yourself

Now you must be familiar with what a rhetorical analysis actually means? Be aware of the rhetorical methods and how these are used by rhetoricians.

Three rhetorical methods are very common, also known as Aristotelian appeals:

1. Ethos, based on speaker or writer’s credibility.
2. Pathos, an appeal of emotions to persuade the reader.
3. Logos, an appeal of logic and rationality. Main features of logos are facts, statistics, strong evidence of arguments.

Other appeals also exist when it comes to doing a rhetorical analysis, generally, these three are evaluated.

• Information Gathering

At this point, actual work begins. Start reading and analyzing the text, speech, or whatever you have to analyze. Examine the use of rhetorical appeals.

Let me give you an example. If you have to analyze a piece of text, ask yourself the following questions:

What is the goal of the author? What is the target audience? What strategies are used by the author? What is the purpose of these strategies? Are these strategies effective?

Also, pay attention to the use of figurative language and stylistic details in the piece.

Better for you if you create an outline at this stage. If you want to get your flawed outline corrected or proofread, you can take help from a professional essay writing service free. These professional writers are the last resort for many students or lifesavers, I would say!

• Write the Introduction Paragraph

Have the outline in hand? Roll your sleeves up and start writing.

Remember! The introduction is an opportunity to hook your reader. Provide them with the necessary details. Tell them what you are analyzing in the essay.

Create a clear, concise, and crisp thesis statement. Whatever argument you make in the thesis will be followed throughout the essay.

• Body Paragraphs with Arguments

If you have developed an outline already, this section will be a piece of cake for you. Pinpoint the reader’s attention to the ways the author has employed rhetorical appeals and techniques.

Do not forget to give examples from the piece of text. Without quoting examples, your essay will be rated as below average. Effective evidence is the key!

The body paragraphs must be organized by the types of appeals used by the author. Have a single claim in one paragraph with supporting evidence. Clarity and conciseness will lead you straight away to A grade.

• Conclusion

What is the main goal of the conclusion? Provide a summary of key ideas to the reader with final words from the writer. Restate thesis, and key arguments very briefly. Ending with an impression, or a related question enhances the quality of the conclusion paragraph.

The ball is in your court unless you submit the assignment. Read, and re-read for mistakes. Revise until you reach perfection.

Good luck and Happy Writing!!