2.6 Using a critical reading process for rhetorical analysis of text

In this section, you will learn how to break down an opinion-based article (editorial or “op-ed”) through a critical reading and rhetorical reading process.  In the exercise for this section, you will work with other students in small groups (online breakout group or in-class small group of three or four students) who selected the same article you did  to complete the rhetorical analysis graphic organizer and create a rough outline based on your reading. The content and exercises in this section will prepare you to complete one or both of the rhetorical analysis papers at the end of this unit.

Preview and preread the text

Previewing

Whether you are asked to read or view a text, speech, or a TEDTalk, you want to understand the context in which it occurs. This means you need to identify the author/speaker and research their bio. Knowing the venue in which the selection occurred will give you a better sense of the context surrounding the text. Did it appear in an online newspaper? a print magazine? a personal blog? Does the source itself have credibility as reputable publishing organization? As you preview the text, jot down all the information you can collect about the text before actually reading any of it. This point of this is to ascertain the ethos of the source and/or author and to understand the context and time period in which the article appeared (the rhetorical situation).

Pre-reading

Next, skim the article to get a sense of its structure and a gist of the content. As you skim, read the introductory text and author’s or publisher’s note if available, note headings, charts, and any keywords in bolded font, and read the first and last sentences of each section or paragraph.  Finally, if any sources are cited or any explanatory material exists after the text, read that, too. The most important question to ask yourself is: Do I have the background knowledge to understand this text? If you are not sure, read a short description of the issue on Wikipedia, Britannica’s Pro/Con.org,  or on your college’s online library reference databases. Prereading is an excellent skill to apply to any text you are reading because it creates a cognitive schema for more fully comprehending new information and detailed information you are encountering in the text.

Engage in “During Reading” strategies

Assume you will conduct at least two close readings before coming to conclusions about the argument or writing your rhetorical analysis.  I recommend breaking down your reading in to three close readings, with the second and third readings focused on rhetorical elements and details. In the long run, following this process will save you time and increase your comprehension and the quality of your rhetorical analysis.

First, read closely to identify the main ideas and supporting ideas. Resist the urge to agree or disagree with the argument or ideas presented. Remember, your job here is to first understand and critique the author’s argument through the filter of rhetorical appeals. If you let your own attitudes and beliefs about the topic or argument influence your reading, you may not fully comprehend the author’s argument. As you read, note any terms or phrases that are still not clear to you to investigate after this first in-depth reading. Notice the structure of the text or speech, the transitions from section to section, and the patterns of development the writer uses to develop their ideas.  Consider writing a brief, informal summary of the  argument presented to help you

On your second close reading, identify the rhetorical appeals and types of evidence the author uses and keep track of them. Using a graphic organizer designed to help you track of  the evidence and rhetorical language used can help you gather the textual details that will become your evidence in your argument about the effectiveness of the author’s argument. The chart below will help you select evidence that was likely presented to create a certain rhetorical appeal. You will find that some evidence you are selecting will  seem to fall in several appeals, and that is expected. Read the text surrounding the evidence again to help you determine the author’s purpose in providing that evidence or detail.  Some students may end up combining two appeals in their analyses because they are so closely coupled. There is nothing wrong about doing that. For example, you might find that your expert testimony from a scholarly researcher bears direct quoting because of the expert’s strong ethos, but the quote also contains facts and statistics you would classify as logos. If this is a strategy a writer or speaker uses to reinforce their argument, you may end up discussing the rhetorical strength (or weakness, if the source’s ethos is lacking) of this strategy.

On your third close reading, I recommend focusing on rhetorical language and rhetorical devices. I suggest this for several reasons, one of which is the necessity of understanding the argument and how the author uses evidence before you can understand the rhetorical language choices a writer or speaker makes. Using your notes, organizer, or digital or direct annotations on a print out page. As you read, notice language and ideas that stand out to you as you read. and highlight them. Make an annotation to add detail about why that phrasing or use of a figure of speech stood out to you. If you noticed them, they probably have a rhetorical purpose!
Good questions to ask yourself when you are making rhetorical language notations are, How does the author’s rhetorical use of language (the writer’s diction) affect my reading experience? The meaning? Does it “work on” me the way I think the author intended?  Why? Why not?

Most effective rhetors select every word, write every phrase, and craft every sentence intentionally.  How does rhetorical language work to support or advance writer’s purpose in your selected article? That is the question you are answering in your  notes and one you will respond to in your rhetorical analysis practice exercise, paper, or project.

In the next exercise, you will have the opportunity to apply these reading strategies and practice reading and analyzing a text or other work rhetorically.