Homework for Friday, September 26th

Please read, "Me Talk Pretty One Day," by David Sedaris for tomorrow's class.  Click here to access the essay.  Please disregard the study questions that follow the text.

Homework for Wednesday, September 24th

Please read, "Black Hair," by Gary Soto for Wednesday. Be prepared to discuss the piece: think about the essay's content and structure, and bring any questions you may have to class.

Click here to access the essay.

Questions to consider when reviewing essays

Has the writer identified the author and title of the piece he or she is writing about?
Does the writer have a clear focus (thesis)?
Do all of the examples (details, images, word choice) support that focus?
Does the essay have a logical organization?
Does the writer make clear transitions from one paragraph or point to the next?
Does the writer make a point?
Is the level of diction appropriate for the audience, the writer’s ethos, and the essay’s point?
Does the writer maintain a consistent tone?
Does the introduction hook the reader?
Does the conclusion trail off or end abruptly?
Is the prose readable?
Does the writer use correct grammar/mechanics?
Does the writer vary sentence length and structure?
Is the text free from distracting surface errors?

Due dates for Rhetorical Analysis

For Wednesday, September 17th your homework is to read the essays posted on the D2L discussion. Be prepared to discuss the essays' rhetorical elements with your groups in class on Wednesday. We will go over workshop practices, posting responses, and source citing in preparation for Friday's class--the day the final drafts are due. I will set up a dropbox on D2L for your final drafts, and you will be required to turn in a hard copy to me on Friday, September 19th. Remember, late papers will be docked 10% from the final draft's grade, so make sure you turn in your papers on Friday!

Questions for Rhetorical Analysis

Who is the writer’s audience?  Describe the characteristics that audience members may possess.  Is there evidence in the essay that the writer has thought about these characteristics and is trying to connect to this audience?  Where?  Are there ways in which the writer may not have considered audience?

What is the purpose of the piece (to move to action to change people’s minds, to anger, etc.) and how does the writer go about trying to achieve that purpose?

How does the context (the situation—cultural, historical, economic, geographical, literary) affect how the piece was written?

What appeals does the writer employ?  Why these appeals?  Specifically,

Where and how is emotion (pathos) used?  Does the writer aim to evoke pity, anger, nostalgia, fear, pride, humor?  Something else?  Why does the writer aim to evoke this/these emotion(s)?  Is it effective?

How does the writer represent him/herself (ethos) in the text?  What characteristics does s/he want the audience to think s/he has, and where does s/he project these characteristics?  How does the writer position him/herself in relation to the audience?  (For example: a friend, an authority figure, a concerned citizen—find words to describe the image of the writer in the essay.)  Where do you see this?  Is this an effective image to take on?  Why or why not?

What kinds of evidence or logic (logos) are used in the text?  Where?  How do those particular kinds help to convince the particular audience being addressed?

What genre is the writer using to achieve his/her purpose in writing (letter, story, essay, etc.)?  Do you think this is an effective genre, given the writer’s purposes?

What stylistic choices does the writer make in his/her text?  Do you think these choices enhance/detract/have no influence on the effectiveness of the piece?  Explain.

Homework for September 10th

Read pages 76-78 in the Harbrace book for Wednesday.  Have an idea as to which of the four essays you'll be responding for your rhetorical analysis paper.  First draft is due this Friday, September 12th.  You'll be assigned a small group and be required to post the first draft to the discussion section of D2L for peer reviews.  In-class peer reviews will take place next week.

Remember, extra credit is available if you attend either the Richard Ford Craft Talk or Reading this Thursday.  For more details on when and where these events are taking place, click here.  If you decide to take advantage of this opportunity, you will need to check in with me at the event and write a 100-200 word response in the form of a blog post.  The response should cover what the writer talked about during either the Craft Talk or Reading.

Assignment Sheet

Assignment: Rhetorical Analysis

Due Date: Rough draft due September 12^th; Final draft due September 18^th

Page Requirements: 4-6 pages, double-spaced; MLA format; 12 point font, Times New Roman; Include page numbers in the right header; 1” margins.

Assignment Description: Respond to one of the four essays in the form of a rhetorical analysis: “Why I Want a Wife,” by Judy Brady; “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King Jr.; “A Modest Proposal,” by Jonathan Swift; or “The American Male at Age Ten,” by Susan Orlean.  Your essay should have a clear focus (thesis), responding to one or more rhetorical elements discussed in class.  The paper must have a logical organization (Intro, Body, and Conclusion).  Remember, the point of this paper is not to agree or disagree with the author’s stance on the essay’s subject; rather, the objective for this paper is for you to identify the essay’s rhetorical components, analyze those components, and then respond to them.

Drafts, Revisions, Workshops: You will be required to write at least one rough draft of the essay and post it to D2L by September 12^th for your peer groups to read.  Members of each peer group will critique the papers and conduct workshops in class. This portion of the assignment will count toward your class participation grade.  Peer groups are set up to get you thinking about your paper critically and to help answer any questions you or your peers may have.  I am available to answer specific questions pertaining to this assignment; however, I may not be available to read every draft.  If you feel you need additional assistance outside of the peer groups, please see the syllabus for information on the Center for Academic Success.

Late Papers:  I will accept late papers up to one week after the 18^th with a penalty of 10% reduced from your paper’s final grade.  Whether it’s late one day or seven, your grade for this assignment will be lowered 10% if it’s not turned in on time.  This assignment counts for 25% of your overall grade, so it would be to your benefit to turn it in on the assigned due date.

Plagiarism:  If you do not give credit where credit is due, if you fail to cite sources or blatantly steal someone else’s work, you will receive an automatic zero for both the assignment and the class.  MSU has a zero tolerance policy on plagiarism.  If you feel unsure about citing and paraphrasing from your sources, feel free to ask for some assistance.  I’m available to look over your work during my office hours. 

If you have any questions regarding the assignment requires, grading criteria (provided as a supplement to this sheet), or policies, please contact me via email, my office phone, or stop by during office hours.  Please refer to your syllabus for contact information.  

Homework for September 8th

Read pages 62-75 in the Harbrace book for class.  Begin thinking about which of the essays we have read and discussed that you would like to rhetorically analyze.  The texts to choose from are as follows: "Why I Want a Wife," by Judy Brady; "Letter from Birmingham Jail," by Martin Luther King Jr.; "A Modest Proposal," by Jonathan Swift; and "The American Male at Age Ten," by Susan Orlean.  We will begin to discuss how to draft your papers on Monday.

Homework for Friday, September 5th

Please read the following essay for Friday's class. Be prepared to discuss any rhetorical elements within the essay. Pay attention to tone, structure, and detail, as well. If you have any questions--if any part of the essay seems confusing, or you're unsure of which rhetorical elements she's using--please bring those questions to class tomorrow.

Susan Orlean's, "The American Male at Age Ten."