Assignment Task: Rhetorical Analysis
Instructions: For this assignment, you'll do a rhetorical deep dive into an (art)ifact of New Media. Artifact is just a term used to describe an item of art. Whatever you choose, you will be making a claim about what the argument is and how it is convincing its audience of that argument through its different elements (rhetoric).
Example of a claim that doesn't quite say things about the world: Black Panther is a great film full of awesome effects.
Example of a claim that does: Black Panther fuses Marvel technology with contemporary politics to create commentary on the experiences of Black people in the United States.
Choose one of the following:
1) Movie
2) Documentary
3) TV Show
4) Selection of Music (full album, select songs from an album, select songs/music videos from the same music artist, etc.)
5) Other, as approved by me
Tips/Advice:
Use the methods we have discussed (Rhetorical Situation, SOAPSTone, CAMPD, Rhetorical Appeals/Techniques, etc.) to analyze your artifact.
? You should seek to approach your artifact first as a universal audience viewer/listener. Then you should approach it from an analysis lens.
Rhetorical Analysis - COM IN
? Complete your SOAPStone/CAMPD over your artifact. This will help you discover the subject/argument of the artifact and the context behind it. Then you will consider how the elements of the artifact (plot/lyrics, sound/rhythm, speakers/actors, genre, design, etc.) contribute to that argument, or rather make the argument more effective.
? You should include specific examples (lyrics/plot scenes/episodes, sounds/etc.) when you are writing your analysis.
? You should use time stamps when discussing specific moments.
- Ex: (30:45-31:33) represents a time frame of 30 min, 45 seconds to 31 min, 33 seconds.
- There should be a balance between examples and analysis. Each paragraph should indicate the "so-what" and remind the reader of what the point of the paragraph was and how it is supporting the argument in your claim.
- If you can portray what the artifact is, what the argument is, how the argument is established through rhetoric, and why the argument exists/is important, you will have successfully written a rhetorical analysis.
Assessment:
Writing Process:
Decision + SOAPSTone/CAMPD (10pt) - Part of Discussion Post 5 (SN 4/21 11:59pm)
You will submit this as an answer to one of the questions on Discussion Post. Complete SOAPStone + CAMPD for your chosen artifact.
Decision + Rationale (10pt) - Part of Discussion Post 6 (SN 4/28 11:59pm)
You will submit this as an answer to one of the questions on Discussion Post 6. Submit what you plan on analyzing for your paper, the argument you are going to discuss, and the elements that you are going to analyze.
Example: I am going to analyze the documentary, The Social Dilemma. I will be discussing the documentary's argument that social media has increased polarity, diminished mental health, and broken up communities. I will analyze the film's genre, plot, imagery, speakers, and music used within the film.
NOTE: This is not the same as your thesis. A thesis using the example above would turn into something like this: The Social Dilemma argues that social media has increased polarity, diminished mental health, and broken up communities through the elements of genre, plot, imagery, speakers, and music used within the film.
Content/Organization
- Did you analyze an artifact of New Media?
- Did you meet page requirements?
- Did you include an introduction with a thesis at the end + a conclusion at the end of the paper that discusses the main points of analysis?
- Did you include a thesis at the end of your introduction that indicates what the argument of your artifact is and the main elements you are analyzing in your paper?
- Did you include a balance of examples + explanations that help support the argument you are including in your thesis?
- Do you include more than just plot/summary of your artifact?
- Do you discuss the context/audience, and other SOAPSTone/CAMPD/Rhetorical Appeals + Techniques throughout your paper?
- Do you separate paragraphs when you begin to introduce a new idea?
- Do you group paragraphs about similar ideas near each other?