Rhetorical Analysis

The most important thing to know about rhetorical analysis is that you are not analyzing

the topic your sources are writing about. You are analyzing the way your sources discuss the

topicthe rhetoric itself. In this instance, your sources might be biased, but you will not. By the

end of the paper, I should not know your opinion on your chosen topic.

FORMAT

You will use MLA Format: Double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font. Include a

Works Cited page (separate from the minimum page count).

500-1000 words (not counting the Works Cited)

TOPIC

Choose a social, political, or cultural issue that is specific to Texas or even more local.

Remember that you will be researching and writing on this topic for the next two major

assignments too, so pick something you feel strongly about.

SOURCES

Choose two sources that have taken different positions on your topic. These should be

biased sources, not neutral. Your sources can be print, videos, blogs, podcasts, or almost

any medium.

You are welcome to use other Texas publications, but this is a list of sources that you

wont have to pay for.

Possible Sources:

The Texas Tribune: The Texas Tribune

The Texas Observer: The Texas Observer: Investigating Texas Since 1954

The Texas Standard: Texas Standard

Del Mar Library website

o Texas Monthly: Gale Academic One File

o Texas Fish and Game: Flipstr

o On ProQuest Historical Newspapers, Texas database

Abilene Reporter News

Corpus Christi Caller Times

El Paso Times

Standard Times, San Angelo

Times Record News, Wichita Falls

INSTRUCTIONS

You will write a formal rhetorical analysis including an introduction with a thesis

statement, a body, a conclusion, and a Works Cited page.

Begin with some background on the topic itself. Present an unbiased overview of the

state of the issue.

You will analyze and evaluate the rhetoric of your two chosen sources. Explain to your

audience, using examples from the sources, which rhetorical appeals the sources use,

whether you think those appeals are effective and why. Point out any fallacies you

discover in their reasoning.

Indicate which source you find most persuasive and why, using only their rhetorical

strategies. This is not about your opinion on the topic itself; it is simply an evaluation of

how well the source presented their case.

here are my sources so far

Texas Tribune

AP News

South Texas Environmental Justice Network.

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