Week 7 Module: First Draft of Rhetorical Analysis

By the end of this week, you will use the notes you generated about your artifact and turn them into the first 2-3 solid pages of your rhetorical analysis essay.

Here’s what you need to do this week:

1. Blog Post: Research a published review of your artifact. Find one that has interesting things to say about your artifact, and that you will use to either back up the points you will make in your essay, or that you will use as a “counterargument.” This might involve some searching and having to read a few before you find one that you resonate with. Then, in your blog post: analyze the critic’s viewpoint, adding your own perspective as a critic who has just done extensive research on this artifact. Link to the article. Due Wednesday 10/7 at noon.
   1. • Tip: to find a review, use “Boolean searching” on Google. Example: searching “the Florida Project” will yield you less interesting results than if you search the film name + a keyword you want to focus on in your claim. Try something like “The Florida Project poverty analysis.”
      • Another tip: this process is especially useful because all film and music reviews are of course, rhetorical analysis. Now that you have this published rhetorical analysis of the same artifact you’re writing about: what more can you say? Do you agree with the points made? How can you expand on the source and add more? You will ultimately cite from this review in your paper, so stylistically, you should think of yourself as a critic on equal footing with this professional one.
2. Write comments on 2 peer blog posts by Thursday, 10/8 at 5PM.
3. Review the assignment sheet and what it has to say about claims, structure, introductions/ conclusions/ body paragraphs, etc.
4. Optional: Fill out this outline template out before you begin writing to organize your thoughts.
5. Around Tuesday or Wednesday I’ll send you a Tip Sheet with ideas, lessons, and reminders for writing your paper.
6. Sign up for a conference with me next week. In our conference we’ll talk about your draft and Writer’s Letter, and I’ll have a chance to give my own feedback on your writing (in this draft and so far in the course).
7. Submit your first draft and Writer’s Letter to your Working Group folder on Google Drive by Sunday, 10/11 at 5PM. You can put both draft and Writer’s Letter (copy and paste the questions) in the same document. Title your draft “Your Name__Draft.”Next week: we won’t have a typical Zoom class meeting. Instead, you’ll meet with me once for a conference, and we’ll meet Wednesday, 10/14 from 8:30-9:30AM for a Peer Workshop.