-When you are working on your thesis statements: In addition to reviewing 3a-3c in St. Martin's (which you should have already read), also take a look at P. 162-4 in First-Year Writing. Although you are writing a rhetorical analysis (not a research paper) this chapter still has some helpful tips.
- In addition to the uses listed on pages 207-9 of First-Year Writing, you also need to be familiar with literary devices. Click here for a brief list. You are not limited to this list; these are just some suggestions. Using these two sources, you should create a specific thesis! If you just list "ethos, pathos, logos" in your thesis you will have points deducted for not being specific enough. Think: HOW does the author appeal to my emotions? Do they use imagery? Do they use personification?
-Remember that all 3 versions of your thesis statement should include: a brief summary of the author's purpose (Ask your self: What are they arguing? Is it effective?), the title of the article, the author's name, and at least 3 rhetorical devices (be specific!) that you will discuss in your body paragraphs. Remember what we said in class about the organization of your thesis matching the organization of your body paragraphs.
Brief Assignment 4: Developing Thesis Statements
Objective: To develop new strategies for writing a thesis statement.
Purpose: One key to writing a successful essay is to develop a focused thesis statement. This assignment will enable you to do so.
Description: For your draft 1.1, you will write a rhetorical analysis. See the description of Draft 1.1 for a discussion of what a rhetorical analysis is and what you will be expected to do. To create your thesis, you need to have the following: 1) one primary text (specified by your instructor) that will serve as the object of your analysis, and 2) the results of your close reading of this text that you will use to formulate your thesis. To complete this assignment, compose three thesis statements that you might use in your draft 1.1. You may write 3 statements which could be used in three different analytical papers, or try out different thesis statements for a single paper.
Choose ONE of the following five articles to analyze and write 3 thesis statements:
- "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift Click here (Remember: this text is satirical!)
- FDR's Inaugural Address Click here (scroll down, click on the first picture under the subtitle "First Inaugural Address," and read all 9 pages)
- "Virtual Friendship and the New Narcissism" by Christine Rosen in First-Year Writing on pages 321-8
- "Unmarried with Children" by Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas in First-Year Writing on pages 388-92
- "Iraq and the Democratic Peace: Who Says Democracies Don't Fight" by John M. Owen IV in First-Year Writing on pages 465-9
Some things the graders are looking for...
Scoring Guide: For brief assignment 4, you will apply four of the criteria listed on the critical thinking rubric: 1, 3, 5, and 7.
Criterion 1 – Issue Identification and Focus
Does the thesis clearly present the paper as a rhetorical analysis rather than a descriptive paper or a summary? Is the thesis sufficiently focused?
Criterion 3 -- Sources and Evidence
Does the thesis identify the author and title of the object of rhetorical analysis (the article)? Does the thesis offer a reasonable interpretation of the central purpose of the source?
Criterion 5 – Own Perspective
Does the student present a clear claim about how he or she will analyze the article? Does he or she list specific strategies the author of the article uses to make a point? In this section, you will want to be sure to examine the selected strategies carefully. How specific are the strategies? Does the student choose actual strategies (emotional appeal, elevated diction, allusion, sentence length, etc.)?
Criterion 7 – Communication
How well does the student do all of the above in regard to tone, style, word choice, and other writing conventions? Does the student communicate his or her purpose and perspective clearly to an intended audience?
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