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In a letter to the author, analyze an opinionated source that addresses an aspect of pop culture that interests you (see “Guidelines for Choosing an Appropriate Text” posted under Additional Resources on Model for more information about sources). You will identify the source’s purpose, audience, and context, then evaluate how well the source achieved its purpose by analyzing its rhetorical strategies (such as, but not limited to, appeals, tropes, style and tone, word choice, use of evidence).
Why: Strategies of persuasion and argument permeate our culture in advertisements, politics, and even casual conversations among friends about what to do this weekend. The ability to recognize and evaluate this rhetorical overload builds critical thinking skills that identify manipulations and foster informed decision making. Additionally, identifying claims and reasoning, as well as the ability to summarize and paraphrase, is an essential skill in any class that requires responses to reading assignments.
This project is designed to address the following course outcomes: monster ability in written analysis, undertake writing as a recursive process that develops and transforms thought, respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations, adopt appropriate voice, tone, and level of formality. Physical Requirements: Your analysis must be 1200-1500 words in a 12 apt font, double spaced, in a business letter format. Your final folder should include all invention work and rough drafts.
Evaluation Criteria: For this assignment, A papers will: meet the physical requirements listed include a clear and precise thesis statement (an analytical claim with reasons about owe the text works) describe the rhetorical context clearly and fairly summarize the main claim explain and analyze how the author builds and presents his/her argument explain and analyze how the author connects with (or fails to connect with) the audience demonstrate audience awareness engage and move the reader be generally free of grammatical errors B papers will mostly meet these criteria; C papers will somewhat meet these criteria; D and F papers will fall short of these criteria Due Dates: Rough drafts will be due in increments as announced in class and posted on Model.