The Assignment:

• This assignment is designed to further student understanding of rhetorical devices and author’s style used in authentic settings and to have students look at arguments and draw their own conclusions.

• Students will read and analyze editorials written by a syndicated columnist and using that text for analysis.

EDITORIALS

• Go to the Opinion section of The Miami Herald and click on Columnist and chose one you like.

• Go to Opinion section of The New York Times and click on Columnist and chose one you like.

• Go to Opinion section of The USA Today and click on Columnist and chose one you like.

On a sheet of paper write . . .

• The persons name • The newspaper they are columnist for• Why you chose him or her?

The Method:

• Select one syndicated columnist. The following are suggested sources:

• Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel (local newspapers)The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today (national newspapers)The New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, Time, or Newsweek (magazines)

• Your columnist can be any kind (political, humor, sports, etc.), except an advice columnist whose columns are put together in letter and response form.

• Read many (at least ten) of the columnist’s editorials so you know his or

her beat, looking for patterns in rhetorical strategies and style.

• Make hard copies of three columns and annotate them heavily—including questions, comments, definitions, rhetorical devices, connections, or other.

Basic Rhetorical Analysis Questions(Annotation Guide)

• What is the thesis, what is the overall argument the author presents?

• What is the writer’s purpose? To inform? To persuade? To criticize?

• Who is the author’s intended audience?

• How does the writer organize his or her ideas? Chronologically? Other? Why?

• How does the writer use diction? (Word choice, arrangement, accuracy, is it formal, informal? Technical versus slang?) Why?*

• Does the writer use dialogue? Quotations? Why?*

• What rhetorical devices are used? Why? *• Is there evidence of problems with the

authors argument? What would the opposition say about his or her argument that

would weaken it? *• What is the sentence structure (syntax) of

text? Are there fragments, run-ons? Is it declarative, imperative, and exclamatory?

What effect does this have?*• Does the writer use punctuation to create

an effect? Italics, underlining, parentheses? Which marks does the writer use, and when?

What is the effect?*• What is the author's tone and voice? Identify

tone and voice. *• Personal Connection to the column or topic

– Questions– Comments

* Style Questions

Due: Monday, January 6, 2013