ENGL 120: Comparative Rhetorical Analysis

Context: You may have heard about, or interacted with, the many refugees/New Americans who
live in the Fargo area. If you do not know any refugees personally, you may have learned about
them through news outlets such as Valley News Live and InForum, or through local community
organizations. Nationally, debates about immigration have been tied to questions about national
security, religion, language, culture, the economy, and legal status. And these conversations are
not new throughout the last two centuries, Americans have had mixed reactions to immigrants.
Arguments for and against the U.S. accepting new refugees or allowing for immigration tend to
make use of a variety of appeals to persuade audiences you can see in different texts a
combination of logical appeals (for example: many refugees/immigrants open new businesses,
which help grows the local economy), emotional appeals (for example: refugees/immigrants
bring disease and poverty to the local community), and appeals to authority (for example: the
North Dakota Department of Health disputes claims that refugees/immigrants pose a unique
health risk to the local community). The appeals used in local and national debates vary,
depending on the values and beliefs of the imagined audience(s), the authors purpose(s), as well
as the particular situation(s) that prompted the writing or design of the texts.
Assignment: For this assignment, you will rhetorically analyze one text that comments on
(perhaps critique or support) a social issue that has local/regional consequences. You may choose
any text within a single issue cluster on Blackboard Note: You may choose your own text only
if you receive permission from me (and this text must be approved before continuing with the
assignment).
Ultimately, as the author of this rhetorical analysis, your goal will be to describe and analyze
how the text performs rhetorically to present the social issue in particular ways, for particular
purposes, to their assumed audience(s). Your goal is not to express your own opinion/position on
the issue at hand, but rather to analyze what the text is doing rhetorically. In order to effectively
write this essay you will prepare two different assignments:
This assignment consists of the essay and an annotation of the text.
Annotation:
Once you have identified your issue and the text under analysis, you will need to take extensive
notes on the rhetorical content of the text. You will need to engage in annotating (or extensive
note taking) on the text in whatever form(s) you wish. You might annotate electronically using
various electronic note-taking options, you may take notes directly on the text, or you may do a
combination. Your annotation should:
identify the sources use of Ethos, Logos, and Pathos
summarize the sources key points and intervention;
and identify the genre, audience, purpose, and situation of the text
*Your annotation will be due before your first draft of the essay is due (this is a separate
assignment)

The final draft of your rhetorical analysis will be at least 1200 words plus a Works Cited page.
In addition to analyzing the text, you are required to quote, discuss, and cite pertinent rhetorical
terminology that has been presented in class and/or included in The Call to Write, Chapter 2 (for
example: logos, ethos, and pathos). For background on this assignment, you should review your
notes from class, required readings from The Call to Write (including chapters 2, 12, and 14), and
the readings assigned Weeks 5-8. You should also plan to use at least one context source and also
find and incorporate at least one additional source found via the library. Your Works Cited page
should provide references for the text under analysis, the context source(s) you are using, as well
as at least one additional source found via the library. You should not incorporate more than 4
sources besides the primary text under analysis.
The Rhetorical Situation:
Genre: Rhetorical analysis essay of a text with some research support.
Purpose(s): To present a thesis-driven essay that rhetorically analyzes the content of a
text; to reveal and argue for a complex understanding of the content of the text; to present
a thorough and close reading of the rhetorical components of the content of the text; to
begin making connections of local (or regional) problems; to support this analysis with
related (academic and non-academic) research.
Audience: Scholarly and academic. Consider your audience to include faculty at NDSU
or at other universities, who are highly educated and keenly interested in new knowledge.
Style/Voice: Mid-level to formal style and tone. Use the third person.
Social Context: Your audience and topic exists in the present, and both audience and
topic exist in an academic setting specific to NDSU and the university classroom. As
such, youre writing a public document to be presented within this classroom, with the
potential to reach other audience members across campus and at other universities.
Annotation Due: Thurs. September 29 (bring hard copy to class)
First Draft & Sources Due: At conference with me, week of October 3rd (bring 1 hard copy of
draft and sources, & upload draft to Blackboard)
Second Draft Due: Tues. Oct 11 (bring 2 hard copies to class & upload to Blackboard)
Peer Review Stages 1 & 2: Tues. October 11 & Thurs. Oct 13 (participation credit)
Final + Process Note Due: Tues, Oct 18 (1 hard copy to class & upload to Blackboard)
Value: 250 points (15 points for the annotated text; 10 points for the first full draft and sources; 5
points for second draft; 10 points for process note with final written draft; 210 points for final
draft)
Length: final written draft must be at least 1200 words
Grading Criteria:
Demonstrates a clear focus on the connections among genre, audience, purpose, and
situation/context.
Contains an argumentative thesis about how and why the text uses particular language(s)
and rhetorical strategies for specific purposes.

Makes use of, and defines, rhetorical terminology to frame the analysis.
Moves beyond mere summary or description of the text to a critical analysis of the text.
Integrates evidence from 2-4 source(s), directly and indirectly, to support the analysis.
Demonstrates rhetorically effective choices in writing (including structure; tone;
style/formality; grammar/syntax; creativity; design [as appropriate]).
Contains in-text and end-of-text citations for all outside sources (including the 2 texts
under analysis), properly formatted in MLA style (or a style of your choosing, with my
permission).
Process note, worth 10 points additional: See Blackboard for instructions.