Thinking Rhetorically: Some Practice

Welcome back to blogging! Unit 2 focuses primarily on the rhetorical analysis of arguments, eventually making meaning from that analysis. And our authors in Everything's an Argument are pushing us to develop and sharpen the skills necessary in a project of this nature. In fact, Chapter 5 is all about thinking rhetorically.

In this week's blog posting, I'd like you to perform a short rhetorical analysis of a primary text. Your chosen text can be visual, written, or a combination of the two, but it must be comprised of primary source material (i.e. a text created "in the moment"). Once you find this argument, analyze it rhetorically. Even though you may have a copy of the image (if it's visual), describe the argument carefully in your post, using the assumption that your description is all your readers may have to go on. Then make a judgment about the effectiveness of this argument, supporting your claim with clear evidence from the text.

Please remember that your post is due by 8 AM on Thursday, 2/26 and comments on your peers' blogs are due by 5 PM on Friday, 2/27.

The Ethos, Pathos, and Logos of Public Spaces

As you observe and take notes on your chosen public spaces, I'd like you to consider the Ethical, Emotional, and Logical appeals of your place. In this week's blog post, please discuss the Ethical, Emotional, and Logical appeals your space makes. I understand that this prompt is open-ended, which is intentional. I'd simply like you to use this post to work through your ideas about Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in relation to your Public Space Analysis. Every space is different, and thus every post will be different.

Please remember that your post is due by 8AM on Thursday, and your 3 responses to your peers are due by 5PM on Friday.