Assignment Sheet

GENRE: Multimodal Analysis (Rhetorical)

OVERVIEW: “Ancient Greek rhetoricians distinguished among three kinds of appeals to influence readers—ethical, logical, and emotional. As you evaluate arguments, identify these appeals and question their effectiveness. Ethical arguments (ethos), also known as credibility arguments, call upon a writer’s character, knowledge, and authority. Reasonable arguments/logical appeals (logos) appeal to readers’ sense of logic, rely on evidence, and use inductive and deductive reasoning. Emotional arguments (pathos) appeal to readers’ beliefs and values” (Hacker & Sommers, 2021, p. 77).

“When you analyze a multimodal text, you say to readers, ‘Here’s my reading of this text. This is what the text means and why it matters.’ Analysis begins with asking questions about how the text conveys its main idea or message” (Hacker & Sommers, 2021, p. 71).

“Knowing how others use images alongside text can begin to information how you read those images— how they influence how you make meaning—and then apply what you learn in your own writing when you use all of the available means to develop an argument.” (Greene & Lidinsky, 2021, pp. 325-326).

DEFINITION: The rhetorical analysis is an essay grounded in argumentation. The rhetorical analysis builds upon the reaction; instead of responding to a reading personally, students will evaluate the text’s quality or worth according to a set of established criteria. The critique also builds upon the review; rather than reviewing the quality of a product, book, or movie, students are evaluating the quality or

effectiveness of a writer’s argument. The critique is a much more analytical and intellectual enterprise than a simple summary, a reaction, or a review. A rhetorical critique requires students to analyze the quality of a text by judging how effectively the author uses the three rhetorical appeals ethos, logos, and pathos.

THE WRITNG ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES: The essay should be submitted in MLA format; see MLA tab in A Writer’s Reference. The essay should be an analysis of a multimodal text (selected by the student) detailing its effectiveness or ineffectiveness as it relates to the three rhetorical appeals. The essay length should be five to six paragraphs long.

WRITING PROMPT: A website is a multimodal text. Analyze www.visitnebraska.com by identifying its use of ethos, logos, and pathos to make its argument.

ESSAY WRITING NOTES:

1. Introduction
   1. Lead or Hook for the first sentence
   2. Provide information on the publisher of the multimodal text.
   3. Provide your thesis statement for your essay in the last sentence of the first paragraph. See page 72 of our textbook A Writer’s Reference for help with the thesis statement.
2. Summarize the website’s presentation.
3. Pathos – Emotional Appeal
   1. How does the website connect with the audience?
   2. Look at the questions on page 71 of our text A Writer’s Reference. Select some of the questions from the green box and answer them in this paragraph. (By the end of the essay, all of these questions should be discussed in your essay.) Instead of writing these questions down in your essay, write an answer in a complete sentence. It should flow well in your paragraph(s).
4. Logic – Logical Appeal
   1. What information is provided? How does this support the website’s presentation?
   2. Look at the questions on page 71 of our text A Writer’s Reference. Select some of the questions from the green box and answer them in this paragraph. (By the end of the essay, all of these questions should be discussed in your essay.) Instead of writing these questions down in your essay, write an answer in a complete sentence. It should flow well in your paragraph(s).
5. Ethos – Credibility
   1. How does the website establish credibility with the audience?
   2. Look at the questions on page 71 of our text A Writer’s Reference. Select some of the questions from the green box and answer them in this paragraph. (By the end of the essay, all of these questions should be discussed in your essay.) Instead of writing these questions down in your essay, write an answer in a complete sentence. It should flow well in your paragraph(s).
6. Significance – Discuss the reason your thesis statement is significant.
   1. What should viewers/audience be aware of when considering this multimodal text?
   2. What concerns or precautions should be considered?
   3. What value does this website add to the greater discussion on this topic?
7. Conclusion – Remind your reader of your main points, thesis, and overall idea.

References

Hacker, Diana, and Nancy Sommers. A Writer’s Reference. 10^th ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2021.

Rubric for Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Criteria:	Arrived	Almost There	Getting There	In Progress	Not Yet
MLA Format	25Formatted according to the MLA Style Guide including page set- up, in-text citations, andworks cited page.	18Mostly formatted according to the MLA Style Guide.	12Attempts formatting according to the MLA Style Guide.	6Incorrect format; missing required components of MLA.	0Messy, illegible, does not attempt the proper format, does not include required elements of the essay.
Grammar, Mechanics, Usage	25Few, if any errors (0-1) in grammar, mechanics, and/or punctuation.	18No more than 2 major errors and less than 5 minor errors.	123 major errors or 5 minor errors.	63 major errorsor 5 minor errors.	0Numerous major and minor errors that make the

					assignmentillegible.
Introduction	20Includes a lead paragraph that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the general topic. In the last sentence, the thesis is stated clearly and includes the article and rhetoricalappeals.	15Mostly does the following: Includes a lead paragraph that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the general topic. In the last sentence, the thesis is stated clearly and includes the article andrhetorical appeals.	10Adequately does the following: Includes a lead paragraph that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the general topic. In the last sentence, the thesis is stated clearly and includes the article and rhetoricalappeals.	5Lead paragraph may not capture reader’s attention. thesis may not be clearly stated or may be too general.	0The intro paragraph is missing.
Summary of Article	20Begins with topic sentence, provides a brief summary of the multimodal text with proper in-text citation, and ends with a concluding sentence.	15Mostly does the following: Begins with topic sentence, provides a brief summary of the multimodal text with proper in-text citation, and ends with a concludingsentence.	10Adequately does the following: Begins with topic sentence, provides a brief summary of the multimodal text with proper in-text citation, and ends with a concludingsentence.	5Does not adequately summarize the multimodal text with main point and support.	0The summary of multimodal text paragraph is missing.
Body	90Three body paragraphs are included, each dedicated to ethos, logos, or pathos. Evidence from the multimodal text is included, along with proper citations andanalysis of examples.	70Mostly does the following: Three body paragraphs are included, each dedicated to ethos, logos, or pathos.Evidence from the multimodal text is included, along with citations and analysis of examples.	50Attempts the following: Three body paragraphs are included, each dedicated to ethos, logos, or pathos.Evidence from the multimodal text is included, along with citations and analysis of examples.	30A body or two paragraphs may be missing. Not enough evidence may be presented.	0Body paragraphs with topic sentence, supporting evidence, and concluding sentences are missing
Conclusion	20Summarizes main points/relate back to overall theme/purpose.	15Mostly does the following: Summarizes main points/relate back to overall theme/purpose.	10Attempts the following: Summarizes main points/relate back to overall theme/purpose.	5The following may be missing: Summarizes main points/relate back to overalltheme/purpose.	0Concluding paragraph is missing.

Total: 150 Points