MA #2: Rhetorical Analysis Instructions

PurposeAmericans are constantly bombarded by political rhetoric, particularly during election years. Presidential elections are hotly disputed. We still have many examples of political campaigning fresh in our memories. Much of this rhetoric seems empty and meaningless; what does it mean to say that “I’m for America,” or “I’m running on a platform of family values?” The purpose of this project is to help you learn about political rhetoric. You will learn to identify the different types of appeals, analyze political jargon, and consider how politicians use rhetoric to influence voters. A good understanding of political rhetoric is an absolute necessity for citizens in a democracy.

This project is designed to help you learn about classical and modern rhetorical concepts like the three appeals (ethos, logos, and pathos), audience, and identification.

Assignment Details

First, visit The Livingroom Candidate Website and browse the political commercials (http://www.livingroomcandidate.org). You can also use a commercial from YouTube or other site for a political ad, but I recommend the Livingroom Candidate because it provides some context and background information on the commercial that you may find helpful.

Your 1,000-1,500 word essay should do the following:

1. DESCRIBE the commercial and its historical/political context
2. DETERMINE the intended audience
3. IDENTIFY the types of appeals and issues addressed in the commercial
4. EVALUATE the effectiveness of the commercialsThe commercial will be your PRIMARY source; you also need at least two other SECONDARY sources to support your arguments or supply additional material. These secondary sources can be newspaper or magazine articles, political websites, or political or rhetorical texts. An paper from the International Conference on Language and Education titled, “Language, Power and Manipulation: The Use of Rhetoric in Maintaining Managerial Influence,” by Maya Khemlani David (PDF) Language, Power and Manipulation: The Use of Rhetoric in Maintaining Managerial Influence (researchgate.net) is an accessible and quality source for further understanding the way many politicians use and control the image they share with potential voters.
   

   The commercial will be your PRIMARY source; you also need at least two other SECONDARY sources to support your arguments or supply additional material. These secondary sources can be newspaper or magazine articles, political websites, or political or rhetorical texts. An paper from the International Conference on Language and Education titled, “Language, Power and Manipulation: The Use of Rhetoric in Maintaining Managerial Influence,” by Maya Khemlani David (PDF) Language, Power and Manipulation: The Use of Rhetoric in Maintaining Managerial Influence (researchgate.net) is an accessible and quality source for further understanding the way many politicians use and control the image they share with potential voters.

   Length: 1,000-1,500 words

   1. The first draft for peer review due to the D2L Discussion titled
      “MA #2 Draft and Peer Review” by 10:00 PM Monday, February 21.
   2. Responses to two of your classmates’ drafts due by
      5:00 PM Friday, February 25.
   3. Final draft due to the D2L drop box titled, “MA #2” by 5:00 PM Monday, February 28.