Paper #3

Rhetorical Analysis

(150 Points)

For this paper, you will do a close reading style of analysis. By analysis, we are looking for an in-depth examination of a topic. To do the analysis, you will choose a video ad. This ad can be from television or the internet (please no political ads- those are too stressful) and be for any type of product or service. You will need to look beyond the surface to find themes, genre, and to really pick apart the text. Think about how we use rhetoric: appeals (ethos, logos, pathos), audience, purpose, Kairos, exigence, etc. Look at and evaluate how well your text uses rhetoric to accomplish their goals. Think about how when and where the ad shows up might influence what elements they chose to include.

Some questions to consider for the analysis:

· What is the company’s purpose in this ad? How do you know?

· What are the specific rhetorical devices used? (Please point these out and define them for us so that the audience can follow the logic of your claim.)

· How effective are these rhetorical devices for the purpose?

· What literary elements (think about things such as dialogue, onomatopoeia, allusion, foreshadowing, metaphors, etc.) and cinematic elements (soundtrack, camera angles, lighting, casting, etc.) contribute to the ideas presented?

· How would the ad be different if the audience was changed?

Details

· Format: MLA style- Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1” margins

· Length: 3-5 pages

· Sources: At least one of the rhetoric texts from class (Covino & Jolliffe or Alexander & Losh). Do NOT use outside sources.