ThWe
RITING
CENTER
How to Write
A Rhetorical Analysis
Analytical writing moves beyond summarization by reacting to the
implied meaning of the text and considering the context. A rhetorical
analysis requires you to apply your critical reading skills in order to
break down a text. The goal is to articulate how the author writer,
not what the author actually wrote; you’re looking for strategies the
author uses to achieve their goal or purpose, not just a summary of
explanation of the work.
It is also key to stay focused on analysis and not evaluation! Stay away from claims like, “greatest ever
given” or “this was a great article.” Remember, this isn’t about your opinion of the content of the text, it’s
about how well the writer/speaker did their job. Instead, stay focused on being evaluative of how well the
originator supported their claims and achieved their goals. If the goal was to motivate, state that—and
back it up with quoted material and an explanation of what makes that material so motivational.
You’ll want to begin by writing a brief summary of the text, including title and author. Then, as you work
through your analysis, examine how the author developed the ideas and information presented in the
text. Look closely at what the author is doing to convince the audience, and how they do it. There are
three key elements to discover and determine in the text you are analyzing:
• Purpose: Determine what the author is trying to do by writing this piece. Is the author trying to inform
the audience or trying to persuade the audience to think a certain way? Keep in mind there may
be more than one purpose, and the purpose is what shapes our writing, determines our genre and
audience, and helps us understand what to say and how to say it.
• Audience: To whom is the author writing? What is said, how much is said, and how it is phrased is all
infuenced by the audience. For example, is the work published in a peer reviewed, scholarly journal or
in an Online periodical for the general public? Where a piece is published can give it a diferent context
for evaluation.
• Genre: What kind of writing is it--a letter, report, profle, poem, instruction, parody? How does the
genre afect the content and what can be included--does it require a specifc strategy or format? Does
it afect the tone or type of language (formal or informal)?
Next, analyze how well the author accomplished their purpose by looking at the ways the author is
informing or persuading the audience, and if they chose an appropriate genre. For example:
• Title: Is it informative, persuasive, or written to arouse curiosity? Think about why the author might
have written the title this way.
• Thesis or main point: What is the author arguing or trying to get the audience to understand, listen
to, or believe?
• Evidence: What is ofered in support of the main point?
• Organization: What comes frst, second, and last in the piece?
• Language: What kind is used: academic or casual?
• Tone of voice? Is the author talking to the audience in a formal, sarcastic, humorous, plain-speaking,
indignant or sarcastic manner? How does this tone of voice add to or take away from the article’s
persuasive efect?
