College Composition / Unit 28 CMP 0689 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Thesis for a Rhetorical Analysis
The idea
A rhetorical analysis thesis states how a text persuades its audience and how effectively, naming the main strategies.
In practice
Build one in order. First, name the text, its author and its genre. Second, identify its purpose and intended audience. Third, identify the two or three strategies or appeals that do the most work. Fourth, judge their effectiveness. Fifth, combine these into one or two sentences: for example, that an author's opinion piece persuades parents to support later school start times by pairing a sympathetic story about one sleep-deprived student with research findings, though its reliance on a single study weakens its logical appeal.
Where people slip
A thesis that only lists the appeals, such as "the author uses ethos, pathos and logos," says nothing about this text. Name the specific strategies and make a judgment.
Your place on the trail
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