Rhetorical Analysis Checklist
Title – MLA stipulates that all papers have titles. Your title should be telling of what your paper is about. It
should be professional and appropriate
Introduction
1. Hook?
2. Contextualize the article: discuss its exigence/social context; paint a quick picture of the cultural climate
into which this argument was introduced (date, place, the current state of technology in some cases).
3. Introduce author and article: mention article’s title and discuss briefly author’s background
4. Describe briefly article’s topic/ argument (very short summary)
5. Identify briefly author’s main claim(s) and make clear which claims are purpose and which are
secondary points.
6. Identify very briefly author’s intended audience(s)
7. State thesis: how relatively effective/ineffective do you find this argument for its intended audience,
listing briefly some of its greatest rhetorical choices and their effect. Your thesis will be similar to this.
Remember, your thesis must have the following:
a. Title and Author
b. Evaluation/ Claim/ Statement of Effectiveness
c. Audience
d. Purpose
e. 3 Rhetorical Choices (unless permission has been given)
f. Overall Effect on Audience
Body Paragraphs (3+)
1. Include a topic sentence identifying a clear rhetorical choice that supports the thesis. The topic sentence
should make a thoughtful statement about how the device is used.
2. Show the choice through quotes, summary, or paraphrase.
3. Focus on how the author writes the device and why it is effective or not effective. What effect does it
create? How does that effect influence the audience? How does the influence in the audience help the
author achieve purpose?
4. Provide sufficient and balanced support from the text, meaning find two or three excellent examples of
the rhetorical device. (See Chapter 13C in your e-handbook for information on adeptly incorporating
quotations and/or how to paraphrase.)
5. Include commentary on the choice explaining how and why the author uses the quote (discuss the
rhetorical choice in conjunction with purpose and audience).
6. Finish with a sentence that wraps up the point of the paragraph and/or transitions to the next one.
7. Reread each paragraph after you write it to see if you need to include additional information (evidence,
topic sentence, explanations) or if you should eliminate anything (opinions, summary, excessive quotes).
Conclusion
1. Mention text, writer, rhetorical strategies again.
2. Provide statement(s) about the effectiveness of the writer’s choices to accomplish the purpose for the
target audience.
3. Possibly include any further implications of the text in terms of rhetorical choices, purpose, and
audience.
a. That is, take the time to wrap up the interconnections between the choices. How do all three
work together to make the writing effective? Which ones build on each other?
Works Cited – You must include a works cited reference. Undocumented work will not be accepted.
