Visual Rhetorical Analysis Prompt
For this assignment, you are being asked to perform a rhetorical analysis on a printed advertisement. You will not only be identifying what the argument is, but how the ad is making that argument. Using either powerpoint or prezi, you will create a multimodal demonstration of the rhetorical appeals present in your ad. Your presentation or slide will have an image of your ad and paragraphs responding to specific parts of that ad. You must address each rhetorical appeal (ethos, logos, and pathos) in your analysis, which means you must also articulate what the argument is and who is its intended audience. If you believe a rhetorical appeal is absent, discuss why and how that affects the ad’s argument. Write objectively and analytically; “I,” “you,” or your personal experience/opinion should not be present in your paragraphs. You might be the intended audience for this ad, but that does not mean you have to refer to yourself instead of the audience in general. You will need to cite your advertisement somewhere on your presentation (see page 243 in your Easy Writer handbook). If you refer to outside sources (perhaps your ad is alluding to something else), you can either include a traditional MLA in-text citation in your paragraph (and the entry on your Works Cited section), or you can hyperlink it if the source is online. While you are not required to include outside sources, it could help you articulate the full meaning behind an element in the ad.
Research Essay Prompt
For this assignment, you will think about a pivotal event, text (such as song, image, album, movie, book, television series), person, or invention that significantly impacted or defined your generation. In your essay, you will research (at least four resources, two of which must come from our library’s databases or a book) and analyze how your topic has had its strong influence on your generation.
Some specific examples:
- Text: How has Harry Potter joined adult and children readers?
- Pivotal Event: How has 9/11 impacted travel, racial profiling, security, etc. in
America?
- Person: How has Simon Cowell influenced the music industry through American
Idol? Has his creation of America’s Got Talent changed our view of how the “American Dream” is achieved?
- Invention: How has the Smartphone (iPhone, Blackberry, etc.) impacted the way
we communicate, process, and access information?
Note: Just because something is popular or controversial does not mean that it has a significant impact on your generation. Please let me know if you have questions while choosing your topic.
Formatting
Your essay should be written in Times New Roman 12pt font, and should use MLA format. This means that it should use the following guidelines:
- Margins should be 1 inch all around and essay should be double-spaced.
- Your last name and page number should appear in the upper right hand corner of every page.
- There should be a title.
- Headings should be double spaced, and should include student’s name, instructor’s name, course, and due date as shown on pg. 246 in the Easy Writer handbook.
- In-text citations should be formatted as follows: (Smith 5). So, the last name of the author and the page number of the quote or paraphrased material in parentheses with a period at the end. Your works cited page should include at least four entries and should appear on a separate page within the same document as the essay. For further instruction on in-text citation and the works cited page, or for examples of properly formatted papers, consult your Easy Writer handbook.
Persuasive Essay Prompt
For this essay, you are being asked to use the rhetorical appeals we have discussed in class to persuade your audience to donate funds to a non-profit organization or charity. You may choose any non-profit/charity organization. You may also choose to include a brief anecdote or personal connection to the organization if it works toward your purpose of persuasion. In order for you to become informed about your organization, you will be doing some research (2-3 sources). Be sure to articulate what this organization does and why it is important. Why should someone give money to it or even volunteer for its cause? Make sure you provide enough research to back your claims about the organization. In addition to this essay, you will also be giving a presentation about this organization, so be sure to pick one that interests you since you will be working closely with it for the next few weeks. After the essay is submitted, you will be asked to present a PowerPoint or Prezi to the class indicating why you advocate for that organization. Those details can be found on Blackboard under Class Presentation Prompt. Refer to pages 230-232 in your textbook to review qualities of persuasive writing.
Formatting
Your essay should be written in Times New Roman 12pt font, and should use MLA format. This means that it should use the following guidelines:
- Margins should be 1 inch all around and essay should be double-spaced.
- Your last name and page number should appear in the upper right hand corner of every page.
- There should be a title.
- Heading should be double spaced, and should include student’s name, instructor’s name, course, and due date as shown on pg. 246 in the Easy Writer handbook.
- In-text citations should be formatted as follows: (Smith 5). So, the last name of the author and the page number of the quote or paraphrased material in parentheses with a period at the end. Your works cited page should include at least two entries—the text from the organization you are supporting and additional background information on the cause. The works cited page should appear on a separate page within the same document as the essay. For further instruction on in-text citation and the works cited page, or for examples of properly formatted papers, consult your Easy Writer handbook.
Narrative Exploration of a Photo Prompt
Using a photo that contains family, friends, or yourself, recreate for your reader the moment it was captured, including extra details or background information when appropriate. It should be a picture that holds vivid memories, sensory recollections, or strong emotional associations, but make sure you feel comfortable discussing it with your classmates and your instructor. Rather than spend your entire essay giving a step-by-step narration of the event (like stage directions), I want you to focus more on the elements not pictured such as the atmosphere; the reasons behind the location, the outfits, the smiles; the motives embedded in gestures or body positions; how you feel about the people included (this may mean you jump back or forward from the moment of the picture to help that person become more real and involved in your narrative); or what this pictured moment meant to you then or means to you now. What matters most is depicting an emotional truth based on the photo while also enabling your readers to see the photo through your words.
Formatting
Your essay should be written in Times New Roman 12pt font, and should use MLA format. This means that it should use the following guidelines:
- Margins should be 1 inch all around and essay should be double-spaced.
- Your last name and page number should appear in the upper right hand corner of every page.
- There should be a title.
- Heading should be double spaced, and should include student’s name, instructor’s name, course, and due date as shown on pg. 246 in the Easy Writer handbook.
- If you are using additional sources (beyond your memory and the photo) then be sure to include in-text citations and a works cited page using MLA format. Your works cited page should include any sources you use or draw from outside of yourself. The works cited page should appear on a separate page within the same document as the essay. For further instruction on in-text citation and the works cited page, or for examples of properly formatted papers, consult your Easy Writer handbook.
Snapshot Essay Prompt
Think of a memorable experience or a defining moment you have had in your life. This could be leaving home for the first time, scoring a winning goal, making an important decision, meeting a best friend, receiving a special gift, or anything in between. Your goal for this essay is to use writing in order to recreate this experience for an audience. Readers should feel as if they are there, in the moment, experiencing along with you the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions. In order to do this, you will need to incorporate into your writing the use of sharp dialogue and vivid details, avoiding image blank adjectives (show, don’t tell!) and weak description. You should write in present tense, recreating the situation as if it is unfolding before the readers’ eyes.
Though you are sharing an experience in this essay, you are not necessarily telling a traditional story. Of less importance is the inclusion of an expository beginning, middle, and end; instead, you should strive to capture a specific moment in time, as if, through writing, you are taking a snapshot. For example, if you choose to write about meeting your nemesis, your goal would be to present readers with an in-the-moment account of that first day in Kindergarten in which Sally, your new classmate, let you borrow her Crayons and then accused you of stealing the red one. You would not necessarily begin by introducing Sally as your archenemy of thirteen years, and you would not necessarily end by briefly recapping the other ways in which she has wronged you since Kindergarten. Stay in the moment, and let the snapshot speak for itself.
Guidelines
- At least 2 ½ - 3 pages in length—5 pages maximum
- Adhere to all MLA guidelines, including the following:
- Proper heading in the upper left margin of your first page only.
- Full Name
- Teacher’s Name
- Class
- Date
- Double-spaced
- 1” margins on all four sides
- Page numbers in the upper right margin of every page
- 12 pt. Times New Roman font
Career/Major Essay Prompt
Select one college major or career you may be interested in pursuing, and construct an exploratory paper in which you consider the various aspects of that major or career from many angles, including the preparation you would need and the rewards and pitfalls you might encounter if you decide to pursue that track. Asking and answering questions about the major or career you are considering will form the heart of your exploratory paper.
For this essay, you will need to conduct research using resources found online and within the community. For example, if you choose to explore a major, you might begin by visiting the UNCW webpage for the particular department. Next, you might visit the actual department on campus for brochures, handouts, and to possibly speak with professors about your intentions. The library may also prove useful to you, as there are entire sections dedicated
Guidelines
- 3-5 pages in length—not including the Works Cited
- Use at least 3 sources, one of which must be a source other than a traditional website (ex: marinecareers.net). Check out brochures and books (published within the past 10 years), conduct personal interviews, email experts for information, and use Randall Library’s eResources and databases. If you find yourself at a loss for sources, please do not wait until the last second to let me know; I will be happy to help you out. Members of the library staff are also great resources if you need assistance finding reliable sources on a certain topic.
- Adhere to all MLA guidelines, including the following:
- Proper heading in the upper left margin of your first page only.
- Full Name
- Teacher’s Name
- Class
- Date
- 1” margins on all four sides
- Page numbers in the upper right margin of every page
- 12 pt. font, preferably Times New Roman
- Use quotations to indicate material lifted directly from the source
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/
- Use in-text (parenthetical) citations following both quotations and instances of paraphrasing
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/
- Include a properly formatted Works Cited page
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/
Advertisement Essay Prompt
For this three-part assignment, select a print or video advertisement, such as a magazine ad or television commercial. Your job for this essay is to analyze how the aspects of that advertisement work together in order to persuade an audience.
1) In the first section of your essay, you will write up a description of the ad, detailing the visual for a reader who has never before seen this advertisement and who does not have a copy. Limit yourself to ½ page. Descriptions of television commercials can get lengthy, and descriptions that are too long have the potential to bore a reader. Try your best to summarize only the important parts of a commercial.
2) Next, briefly discuss what you believe the advertisement is trying to persuade you to do. What does it say to you? What is its point or purpose?
3) In the remainder of your essay, your goal is to pull apart the elements of the advertisement in order to show how it works to persuade you of what you discussed in part two. For a print advertisement, you might analyze colors, fonts, images, text, and overall layout and positioning. For a commercial, you might analyze text, characters, setting, storyline, music, fonts, and colors. How do these elements work to persuade an audience?
With both types of advertisements, consider rhetorical appeals. Does this ad use ethos, pathos, and logos? Where? How is the use of ethos, pathos, and logos working to persuade an audience? What other strategies does it use to appeal to an audience?
All three sections of your essay should be connected using effective transitions. Do not simply label parts of the essay. You should also have an introductory paragraph that acts to both draw in the reader and to tell them exactly what you will be accomplishing in the essay by way of a thesis statement. Your conclusion should work to sum up your essay and to leave readers with something to think about. What new insights can you draw from analyzing the advertisement?
Guidelines
- 3-5 pages in length—not including the Works Cited
- Adhere to all MLA guidelines, including the following:
- Proper heading in the upper left margin of your first page only.
- Full Name
- Teacher’s Name
- Class
- Date
- 1” margins on all four sides
- Page numbers in the upper right margin of every page
- 12 pt. font, preferably Times New Roman
- Double-spaced
- Use quotations to indicate material lifted directly from the source
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/03/
- Use in-text (parenthetical) citations following both quotations and instances of paraphrasing
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/
- Include a properly formatted Works Cited page
- http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/
Persuasive Research Essay Prompt
Choose any arguable political, social, academic, or special interest issue that is important or relevant to you. This does not have to be one of the “big topics” such as abortion, capital punishment, underage drinking, or gay marriage. Though those are great topics to explore, don’t feel obligated to pick a subject that is popular or heavily covered by the media; underpublicized issues are just as important as the others! Once you have chosen an issue, write an essay in which you use research to convince an audience of college students that your position on the issue is valid.
Requirements
- Present your issue in a way that will grab your readers’ attention and help them understand that the issue exists and that they should be concerned about it. For example, if you are attempting to convince buyers to purchase cell phones with antivirus protection, you first need to demonstrate the prevalence of cell phone viruses. Another way to present the issue is to share an anecdote about it or to offer some statistics that clearly demonstrate the existence and danger of viruses.
- Your essay should have a clearly stated, arguable claim or thesis. A claim is the assertion you are making about the issue, and an arguable claim is one about which people may disagree. For example, “All cell phone users should purchase antivirus software” is an arguable claim; a reader could disagree by saying, “Cell phone viruses are not a major threat.” However, no one will disagree with the statement, “Computers viruses can be annoying.” Therefore, it is not an effective claim for persuasive writing.
- Your essay should present to your audience convincing points or reasons. Writers of convincing arguments offer support for what they are asking their reader to believe or to do. Think of the reasons you use to support your point as the other part of a because statement,
with the claim being the first part. Ex: “Animal fur should not be used in clothing because synthetic fur is available and looks like real fur.”
- Your essay should present sufficient evidence for each point or reason. Every claim you make, every point you argue, must be backed up with research. If you have chosen to argue that fried food should be banned from school cafeterias and one of your reasons is because fried food causes obesity, you must use research to thoroughly “prove” to your audience that this is true. Even if you have heard it your entire life, you still must supply concrete evidence.
- Your essay must utilize the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos. As you write, consider ways in which you might appeal to readers’ logic and emotions. Your credibility should come from your use of reliable sources to back up your claims.
- Your essay should briefly discuss other views. For any arguable claim or thesis, there will be at least one other point of view besides yours. To be effective, the writer of a persuasive text needs to acknowledge and deal with possible objections from the other side. As you write, consider ways in which you might address a counterargument.
Guidelines
- 6-8 pages in length—not including the Works Cited
- Use at least 6 reliable sources, two of which must be a source other than a website. Check out magazines and books (published within the past 10 years), explore government documents, and use Randall Library’s eResources and databases. If you find yourself at a loss for sources, please do not wait until the last second to let me know; I will be happy to help you out. Members of the library staff are also great resources if you need assistance finding reliable sources on a certain topic.
- Adhere to all MLA guidelines
Visual Rhetorical Analysis Assignment
For this assignment, you will write a 4-5 page essay in which you rhetorically analyze a visual text of your choice (an advertisement from your favorite magazine; make sure it is complex enough to warrant an analysis), looking at the visual text’s structure and appeals and how they relate. You will identify and analyze the visual text’s rhetorical situation and its use of appeals in order to support a claim for how well (or not so well) the components of the visual text’s argument work together to persuade the audience.
Format/Requirements
Your rhetorical analysis should be double spaced, in Times New Roman, formatted according to MLA guidelines, and include the following in the introduction, the body, and the conclusion:
Introduction: Introduce your topic to your readers by providing a brief description of the text you are working with. Be sure you formulate a detailed and specific claim about the effectiveness of the argument that you are analyzing. While you want your introduction to be functional (it should serve as a preview of your larger essay by explaining, in brief, your purpose and how you intend to develop that purpose), you also want to catch your readers’ attention by providing an interesting hook, by contextualizing your project in a thought-provoking way, by offering an insightful comment, by providing an attention-catching anecdote, etc.
In addition to capturing your readers’ interests and providing them with some incentive to keep reading, a good introduction provides a road map for readers to help them navigate the various sections of your essay. Generally, in academic and professional writing, readers want, even need, to know what your purpose is and how you plan on achieving that purpose from the start so that they can make better sense of what they are reading and how it relates to your larger purpose.
Body: Begin with a summary of the document’s main claim and its rhetorical situation, and then move into an identification of the different appeals the author uses to be convincing. Make sure you discuss the rhetorical elements at work within the text. Be sure to support all of your claims with evidence. This may include such things as descriptions of an image’s visual components or examples of written text used in conjunction with an image.
Conclusion: Finally, include a strong conclusion that not only reminds the reader of your main claim but provides a final analysis of the work
Narrative Essay Prompt
Picture
in
your
mind
what
your
room
looks
like.
This
could
be
your
childhood
bedroom,
dorm
room,
or
bedroom
in
your
current
house
or
apartment.
Think
about
what
the
different
objects/pictures/books
in
your
room
mean
to
you
and
what
they
say
about
you
as
a
person.
For
this
essay,
I
want
you
to
think
about
an
object
in
your
bedroom
(either
past
or
present
room)
that
is
unique
to
you.
You
could
go
in
many
directions
here.
For
example,
you
may
talk
about
a
picture
of
you
and
your
friends,
your
favorite
book,
a
poster,
a
pair
of
running
shoes,
a
souvenir
from
a
trip,
etc.
You
may
have
a
couple
of
objects
that
relate
to
each
other,
so
you
may
talk
about
more
than
one
object
if
you
wish.
Make
sure
to
describe
this
object
or
objects
in
detail.
After
choosing
an
object,
you
should
take
narrative
approach
and
reflect
on
what
it
means
to
you.
Note:
You
only
have
to
choose one object
for
this
portion,
but
you
may
talk
about
more
than
one
if
you
want
to.
For
example,
if
you
are
describing
your
favorite
pair
of
running
shoes,
you
may
want
to
write
about
a
fond
memory
you
have
of
running
while
wearing
those
shoes.
Or,
if
you
are
describing
a
souvenir
from
a
trip,
you
may
want
to
recall
the
day
you
bought
the
souvenir
and
how
the
souvenir
represents
a
fond
memory.
The
idea
is
that
you
should
reflect
on
how
that
object
represents
a
part
of
you
and/or
some
memory
from
your
past
that
is
important.
Be
as
specific
as
you
can.
Your
thesis
statement
should
address
the
object
and
how
it
is
important
to
you/what
it
means
to
you.
Formatting
- 3-‐4
pages
- Must
follow
MLA
guidelines
- Margins
should
be
1
inch
all
around
and
essay
should
be
double-‐spaced.
- Your
last
name
and
page
number
should
appear
in
the
upper
right
hand
corner
of
each
page.
- There
should
be
a
title
•
Heading
should
be
double
spaced,
and
should
include
student’s
name,
instructor’s
name,
course,
and
due
date.
Persuasive Essay Prompt
For
this
assignment,
you
are
asked
to
write
a
persuasive
essay
that
convinces
your
audience
to
donate
funds
to
or
volunteer
for
a
non-‐profit
organization
or
charity.
You
may
choose
any
non-‐
profit/charity
organization.
Keep
in
mind
the
rhetorical
appeals
we
have
discussed
earlier
in
class
and
think
about
how
to
use
those
in
your
essay
to
appeal
to
your
audience.
In
order
for
you
to
become
informed
about
your
organization,
you’re
going
to
have
to
do
some
research.
Be
sure
to
articulate
what
this
organization
does
and
why
it
is
important.
Why
should
people
give
money
or
their
time
to
it?
Refer
to
pgs.
230-‐232
in
your
textbook
to
review
qualities
of
persuasive
writing.
Your essay should:
- Have
a
clear,
persuasive
thesis
statement
that
synthesizes
your
main
points
and
states
why
people
should
donate
time/money
to
organization.
- Use
research
to
back
claims,
statements,
and
facts
about
the
organization
- Have
at
least
2-‐3
sources
(we
will
discuss
this
in
class)
- Use
the
rhetorical
appeals
to
persuade
the
audience
- Have
a
conclusion
that
synthesizes
your
persuasive
argument
Rhetorical Analysis Prompt
For
this
essay,
you
will
rhetorically
analyze
a
television
commercial.
You
may
use
either
a
current
commercial
running
on
television
or
you
may
use
one
found
on
Youtube
(i.e.
Superbowl
commercials).
The
first
part
of
your
essay
will
consist
of
a
summary
of
the
commercial.
Considering
this
is
a
fairly
short
paper,
your
summary
should
be
no
more
than
half
a
page.
In
order
for
your
audience
to
understand
your
discussion
of
the
rhetorical
appeals,
they
need
to
know
what
is
going
on
in
the
commercial.
So,
the
summary
is
very
important,
but
it
should
be
concise.
After
you
have
summarized
the
commercial,
you
will
then
analyze
what
argument
is
being
made
and
how
effectively
it
is
being
made.
How
does
the
commercial
appeal
to
the
audience?
Here
are
some
questions
that
you
should
answer
in
this
portion
of
the
essay:
- What
is
the
targeted
audience
for
the
commercial?
- What
are
examples
of
ethos,
pathos,
and
logos
in
the
commercial?
- How
do
these
contribute
to
the
effectiveness
of
the
argument?
- Do
you
evaluate
the
effectiveness
of
the
rhetorical
appeals
and
the
argument?
Formatting
- 3-‐4
pages
- Must
follow
MLA
guidelines
- Margins
should
be
1
inch
all
around
and
essay
should
be
double-‐spaced.
- Your
last
name
and
page
number
should
appear
in
the
upper
right
hand
corner
of
each
page.
- There
should
be
a
title
- Heading
should
be
double
spaced,
and
should
include
student’s
name,
instructor’s
name,
course,
and
due
date.