MWA #1: Rhetorical Analysis

Peer Draft and IA Draft: Due Friday, February 5

on Discussion board by 11:59 pm
2 Peer Edits: Due Friday, Feb 12 by 11:59 pm.
Final Draft to Julie: Due Monday Feb. 16 by
11:59 pm on Learn
Rhetorical Situation: You are asked by the editor of New York Magazine to submit a rhetorical
analysis of any piece from their online magazine. This piece may be in any category that
interests you such as: News, Music, Entertainment, or even Style.
Purpose: This assignment is to give you practice in the genre of rhetorical analysis as
well as multimodal composing and principles of design.
Audience: Think about the relationship between purpose for composing, your audience,
and the choice you make in your multimodal composition piece.
o Which group of people do you want to inform, persuade, or educate?
o Which tone, style, or purpose would be appropriate for your intended audience?
Task:
Background: New York Magazine is an online magazine that covers our world in many
different modes. The text in this magazine is multimodal. The medias that are found in here are
not only text based, but commonly visual and audio orientated. Some of these include videos,
posters, montages, photo essays, and infographics.
What are you going to do? You are going to choose any piece from the online magazine that can
be analyzed for rhetorical appeals of ethos/pathos/logos. You are going to reply to the piece
with your own multimodal composition rhetorically analyzing how effective or persuasive they
are in their composition . Youll need to use two outside resources to back up your analyses.
Cite them in MLA format. This could be done within the multimodal composition, or on a
separate page after your written reflection.
First, find the opinion piece youd like to rhetorically analyze
Second, determine your purpose and audience and their relationship to each other.
Third, determine the medium youd like to use to convey your analysis in. Here are
some ideas, but you are welcome to hit me up with some other ideas you have. Peruse
the NY Mag site for other ideas if you would like! They also link to other online
magazines like Vulture and Daily Intelligencerall fun and informative.
o Video: Keep your video under 5 minutes, about 750 words (use iMovie, Windows Movie
Maker, or another such program)
o Audio: Keep your video under 5 minutes, about 750 words (use something like Audacity
or another audio recording program you are familiar with)
o Comic Strips: Combination art work/word bubbles10-15 panels, 500 words (use
something like bitstrips.com, makebeliefcomix.com, or hand draw your comics)
Fourth, analyze the composition for rhetorical situations and appeals. Review Chapters
2 and 3 in Writing Today, as well as the video about ethos, pathos, logos.
Fifth, design and compose your multimodal composition using rhetorical analysis
strategies and features. Use chapter 8 in Writing Today as a refresher of the features of a
rhetorical analysis.
Sixth, turn in your multimodal rhetorical analysis on Learn with a separate reflection
document written in traditional text format.
Reflection: Your reflection document should be a written text of approximately 500 words.
Here are the guidelines: A) Describe SLOs A,C,E in terms of how you worked with them in
this assignment; B)What goals did you set for yourself and your project? Why did you set these
goals? Did your goals change throughout the project? How? Why? C) Explain the purpose and
audience for your multimodal project. D) Explain and reflect upon your rhetorical features and
why you employed them in the way you did. What is the intended effect on your audience of
these features?
Rhetorical Analysis Rubric:_____/100 pts. Possible
Qualities Highly Effective Satisfactory Needs Further Attention
Addresses Intended Audience 10
The writer clearly understands
the needs of the intended
audience and has adapted the
writing to that audience.
8
The writer seems to understand the
needs of the intended audience but
hasnt fully adapted the writing to
meet those needs.
6
The writer does not demonstrate an
understanding of the needs of the
intended audience.
Clear Sense of Purpose 10
The writers purpose is clear
throughout the entire project.
8
The writers purpose is clear
throughout most of the project.
6
The writer needs to clarify the
purpose of the project.
Analysis

20
The writer has critically
examined substantial information
and has used the most relevant
information.
16
The writer has critically examined
some information and has used
relevant information.
12
The writer has critically examined
some information and has used
fairly relevant information.
Conventions 10
The writer has attended to all the
necessary conventions of writing.
8
The writer has attended to most of
the necessary conventions of
writing.
6
The writer needs to attend to more
of the necessary conventions of
writing.
Organization and use of
graphics/multimodal component
10
The writer has used graphics and
mediums well, as they enhance
the piece.

8
The writer has used graphics and
mediums well although they may
not enhance the piece; organization
flows but could be better.
6
The writer has used graphics and
mediums, but they dont, enhance
the piece; organization needs work.

Rhetorical Considerations 20
Writer has used the moves of
rhetoric. There is evidence they
considered the rhetorical
situation and the appeals in their
analysis in a thoughtful and well-
developed manner.
16
Writer has used the moves of
rhetoric. There is some evidence
they considered the rhetorical
situation and the appeals in their
analysis but in a manner that shows
some misunderstanding in their
use.
12
Writer has not used the moves of
rhetoric appropriately. There is
little evidence they considered the
rhetorical situation and the appeals
in their analysis.
Reflection 20
Writer has written a reflection
and accounted for his/her choices
16
Writer has attempted to write a
reflection but needs to do more to
account for his/her choice in
medium.
12
Writer has made little to no attempt
to reflect.