Writing Homework Help

For Essay 2 you will be writing two rhetorical analyses and a written response. You will need to carefully read the directions below to make sure you meet all of the requirements for this essay.

• Read the article “The FBI is Reading Over Your Shoulder”.doc and annotate as needed.
• Type a 1 ½ to 2-page rhetorical analysis of the article in MLA format (including a works cited page). This rhetorical analysis should be written in paragraph form and have a thesis that drives the analysis.
  • Remember, a rhetorical analysis is an analysis of how effective the author’s argument is. Your thesis should answer that question. Further, you will address what rhetorical devices the author used and ARGUE how effective he/she was in getting you to believe his/her truth.
  • Devices to consider: ethos, pathos, logos, tone, structure, fallacies, counter-arguments, etc. (see your notes)
• Read the article “USA Patriot Act Defends Democracy”.pdf and annotate as needed.
• Type a 1 ½ to 2-page rhetorical analysis of the article in MLA format (including a works cited page). This rhetorical analysis should be written in paragraph form and have a thesis that drives the analysis.
  • Remember, a rhetorical analysis is an analysis of how effective the author’s argument is. Your thesis should answer that question. Further, you will address what rhetorical devices the author used and ARGUE how effective he/she was in getting you to believe his/her truth.
  • Devices to consider: ethos, pathos, logos, tone, structure, fallacies, counter-arguments, etc. (see your notes)
• Additionally, you will type a 1 ½ page response ARGUING which of the two articles was most rhetorically effective. Again, you are not agreeing or disagreeing with anything. An article you vehemently disagree with can still be rhetorically effective.
• While the response is not a full essay, it should still be thesis driven, meaning your answer to the question should be very clear and should be supported with evidence.
• You will compose a thesis which directly answers this question:
  • What article was more rhetorically effective?
  • Please build a defense in part by weighing the effectiveness of the rhetorical devices employed by each writer (Remember, don’t just list and discuss the devices as if you were writing in 101 mode. Evaluate the effectiveness of the devices employed and make an argument for the reader.)
  • Your thesis statement might look something like this: “Zara Gelsey’s argument is more rhetorically effective than Viet D. Dinh’s because of her skillful usage of rhetorical modes in her article.

Hints: Remember what we have covered in the modules. Additionally, go over your list of Avoid These Common Usage Problems in Writing and use it as an editing tool.

Final thought: Your paper will be a total of 4 ½ to 5 ½ pages with a Works Cited page (This does not count as one of the pages).