Second Genre and Rhetorical Analysis Assignment

Part 1: Rhetorical Analysis Essay

We will analyze and practice applying rhetorical strategies across different texts and arguments. We will also develop our critical reading and analytical practices by engaging, researching, examining, discussing, summarizing, and writing about various readings on our shared course topic of inquiry, the “Politics of Language.” 

Your assignment is to evaluate at least 3 rhetorical strategies used in one of the readings/videos we have reviewed this “semester”. 

  1. Introduce the text/video you will be talking about.
  1. Name and describe the rhetorical strategies. 
  1. Explain how the author used those rhetorical strategies by describing the intended and extended audience, how the author tried to appeal to the audience by using those strategies, and how the text/genre/mode may have influenced those rhetorical strategies?

Part 2: Second Genre

For Part 2, you will have multiple options (choose one). 

Option 1: What songs do you feel empower or oppress you when it comes to language and literacy? Create a Spotify playlist of songs that you feel you can identify with, especially in terms of language and literacy These songs can be any genre, language, style etc. (For example, one pop song, one hip hop song, and one classical song or “Despacito,” “Watermelon Sugar,” and “Espresso”). 

Option 2: Choose either your research essay or your language and literacy narrative and turn it into another genre like a meme, TikTok, podcast, pamphlet, poster etc. 

Part 3: Rhetorical Analysis of Second Genre

Analyze the rhetorical strategies used in Part 2. If you created a Spotify playlist,  discuss how and why you chose those songs by describing the rhetorical strategies the musician(s) use in those songs to appeal to their audience. If you chose to do Option 2, discuss the rhetorical strategies you implemented when creating that other genre. Either way, you must evaluate at least 3 rhetorical strategies and:

  1. Introduce the songs or meme/TikTok etc. you will be talking about.
  1. Name and describe the rhetorical strategies the musicians or you use. 
  1. Explain how you or the musician used rhetorical strategies by describing the intended and extended audience, how the author tried to appeal to the audience by using those strategies, and how the text/genre/mode may have influenced those rhetorical strategies?

Part 4: Reflection

Write a reflection to me (Prof. Gandhi) by answering the following questions in paragraph form:

  1. How and why did you choose to do a playlist or second genre? If you chose a playlist, why did you choose those particular songs? If you chose a second genre, why did you choose to adapt your research essay or LLN and why did you choose that particular genre (meme, TikTok, poster etc)? 
  2. How did you enhance strategies for reading, drafting, revising, editing, and self-assessment (how you revised your second genre/playlist)?
  3. How did you develop and engage in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes (how peer review helped or did not help you revise your work)?
  4. How did you negotiate your own writing goals and audience expectations regarding conventions of genre, medium, and rhetorical situation?
  5. What did you struggle with, if anything, when writing this assignment?
  6. What did you learn, if anything, when writing this assignment?

The reflection should be no more than 2 pages. This is your chance to tell me what you learned, what your experience was with this assignment, and anything else you want me to know.

First Draft of Part 1 due: Wednesday, 6/19 (by 10:30am)

First Draft of Part 2 due: Wednesday, 6/19 (by 6:30am)

First Draft of Part 3 due: Thursday, 6/20 (before class)

Final Draft of Second Genre and Rhetorical Analysis Assignment with Reflection due: Friday, 6/21 at 5:00pm

Portfolio Version of Second Genre and Rhetorical Analysis Assignment due: Monday, 7/1 at 2:05pm

Assignment Goals and Evaluation Criteria
1. Observe the relationship between an author’s rhetorical strategies and the rhetorical situation of a given text. How effective are the observations of rhetorical strategies in our course texts? How effectively are these observations connected back to elements of the rhetorical situation (i.e., information about the author, text, context/exigence, purpose, and audience)? 
2. Appeal to an intended audience with the creation of rhetorical texts. How effectively does the rhetorical text tailor its argument, genre, mode, rhetorical strategies, style, and language to meet the expectations of the intended audience?
3. Analyze rhetorical strategies in your own texts. How effective is the analysis of the rhetorical text that you created? How effectively is that analysis supported with explanation tying back to rhetorical terms and the rhetorical situation (i.e., information about the author, text, context/exigence, purpose, and audience)?
4. General Requirements. Were all requirements for length and due date met?