If this is the first time you’re attempting to write a rhetorical analysis essay, it may seem like an impossible task. Don’t worry; we all felt the same the first time we tried to write such an academic paper. Fortunately, writing this essay is not as complicated as you think. You just need some more information, that’s all. And remember, you should definitely read at least one excellent rhetorical analysis essay example PDF. You can almost certainly find one on the Internet. A sample, however, won’t show you how to write the paper. Our how to write rhetorical analysis essay guide will, so read on!
First, What Is a Rhetorical Analysis Essay?
The very first thing you should ask yourself is “what is a rhetorical analysis essay?” You can’t write about something without knowing what it is, can you? The rhetorical analysis is an essay that takes a piece of non-fiction writing (a movie, a TV show, a public speech, or even a newspaper article) and analyzes its arguments. Your paper must show your audience how the text being analyzed persuades us.
It’s not about what the text says; it’s about the various strategies and methods used within it to persuade the audience to accept the argument. Basically, to write a rhetorical analysis essay, you need to be able to identify the SOAPSTone (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject and Tone) elements and the rhetorical strategies.
Need a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example?
Of course you do! The easiest way to see exactly what you have to do is to read a good sample. Here is why you want an example of rhetorical analysis essay:
- You can read the sample and see how an experienced writer organizes his ideas.
- You get to see exactly what rhetorical strategies (such as pathos, ethos, logos, analogies, imagery, repetition, diction, tone, and so on) the writer discusses.
- You can use the sample as a rhetorical analysis essay outline.
- It’s easy to learn how to support your arguments simply by reading an exemplary sample.
- You get an idea of how your paper should look after you’re done writing and editing it.
Now, even if you have to write an AP Lang rhetorical analysis essay, you have a general idea about what you need to do. The next step is to get a good sample on the topic you need to write about. Remember that this is almost impossible to do – especially if you want an original text. The only way you can get a top quality example that is 100% original is to request one from a reliable academic writing company. Experienced academic writers can write a sample for you in just a couple hours.
Where to Find Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics?
Presumably, you’ve read one or two good rhetorical analysis essay examples. Good, now it’s time to talk about rhetorical analysis essay topics. Did you know that the topic you choose for your paper greatly influences your grade? Professors love to be entertained. They love to be surprised. A good topic is exactly what you need for the best results. If you didn’t receive a rhetorical analysis essay prompt, here are some methods you can use to find interesting topics:
- You can go online and search for topics, of course. Just make sure you dig deeper and not choose the topics you find on the first couple of websites Google returns. Your classmates are probably writing their papers on those same topics.
- Ask around on forums, blogs or even Quora. Don’t be afraid to politely ask people to help you with some topic ideas. In many cases, you will get answers from experienced writers or even from professors.
- Look at the latest news or the latest speeches by public authorities and find a good topic for your analysis essay there. You need a relatively lengthy text that features at least a couple of rhetorical techniques.
- Ask a writing company to send you a list of original topics. Keep in mind that writers employed by such an agency come up with unique topics every day. You will get an entire list of topics in record time. You can even get a visual rhetorical analysis essay example.
Good Rhetorical Analysis Essay Topics
Remember, when everything else fails, you can just write a Letter from Birmingham jail rhetorical analysis essay. However, we want to make sure you have at least some topics to choose from. So, before we get to the part where we show you how to start a rhetorical analysis essay, here are some topics you can use right now for free:
- Write an analysis on “The Picture of Dorian Gray”
- Analyze the rhetorical techniques in Hamlet
- Beowulf and The Odyssey are excellent choices for a rhetorical analysis essay
- Analyze “Violence Unbroken” written by Laura Hillenbrand
- Death Of A Salesman contains plenty of quality material
- Analyze “A Nation Among Nations”
- “Republic,” written by Plato, is an excellent choice for a rhetorical analysis essay
- Analyze the sermons of Jonathan Edwards
- Analyze the racial issues presented in “The Painted Veil” movie
- The importance of knowledge in Fahrenheit 451 (the novel)
These are all good rhetorical analysis essay topics for both high school and college students. You can use them as they are or change them as you see fit.
How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Step by Step
Whatever you do, make sure you choose a topic that nobody in your class can think of. You want your essay to be 100% original. You will get some bonus points for this and your professor will be more willing to overlook minor mistakes if your paper makes for a good read.
We realize you are probably looking for a guide on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay step by step. Here is our simple guide on how to write a rhetorical analysis essay AP Lang:
- Find a good topic and carefully read the text you need to analyze. Write down all the rhetorical techniques you find and identify the audience, the writing style, the appeals, and the tone. You need to be able to do this research before you learn how to write a rhetorical analysis essay.
- Write the introduction. This is a very important paragraph, so you may want to read a bit more about how to write a rhetorical analysis essay introduction properly. If you don’t have enough time, we suggest you get some help from a professional writer. Remember, you need to include the rhetorical analysis essay thesis statement in the first part of the intro.
- Write three body paragraphs. Each one should deal with a single important idea. You will notice in almost every rhetorical analysis essay sample that the body paragraphs are used to analyze three of the most important rhetorical devices/methods. It’s a good idea to use this approach yourself. You just need to describe how the author uses these literary techniques to persuade the audience.
- Write the rhetorical analysis essay conclusion. This is also a very important part of your paper. The reality is that the conclusion is rather easy to write. Just read everything you’ve written and summarize it in a short and concise paragraph. It’s a good idea to restate the thesis statement as well. Even though not necessary in 90% of the cases, you can wrap everything up with a call to action.
As you can see, you need to complete just 4 steps to write the paper. This guide can be used for every essay, including a rhetorical analysis of an advertisement essay. In fact, the five paragraph essay structure is considered to be the most versatile of them all. However, before you begin writing the paper, make sure you know what rhetoric techniques are and what they are used for. Once you learn this, writing a rhetorical analysis essay is a piece of cake.
