I’m asking you to write an

evaluation of an approved article. The article you choose should offer an argument, a commentary on a

particular topic, not simply explain other people’s arguments or convey information.From this

source https://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/shou…

.

Your essay will need to briefly summarize the article, construct a thesis, and ultimately analyze

how effectively the essay employs specific rhetorical strategies (i.e. ethos, pathos, and logos) and/or

writing strategies.

Whatever article you choose, keep these principles in mind as you write your evaluation:

* Make sure you indicate clearly the author and title of the work you’re using, and, if it’s from a

website, send me the link to the article.

* Summarize the arguments made by the article early in the intro your essay, so that a reader

knows what you’re responding to. Specifically, you should indicate what specific claims

and rhetorical and/or writing strategies used by the author that you will analyze and

evaluate. The goal is not to talk about as many elements as possible but instead to focus on

those elements that you feel most contribute to the persuasiveness of the article’s overall

argument.

* Make sure you convey to your reader why the article you’ve chosen is worth addressing.

In other words, your essay should be able to answer the question “so what?” You need to

construct a thesis that explains why the rhetorical and/or writing strategies are mostly

convincing or unconvincing. At the end of the introductory paragraph, your thesis

statement should be multiple sentences because each rhetorical strategy is convincing or

unconvincing in a different way.

So, for the rhetorical critique, make sure that your

thesis statement offers a sentence for each rhetorical strategy that explains

why

each

strategy is convincing or unconvincing.

Refer to the student example essay or the

handout,

Structure of the Rhetorical Critique Essay

, as models for a strong and

developed thesis for your essay.

* Depending on your essay’s thesis statement, your first body paragraph will need to be either a

concession paragraph or tip-your-hat paragraph to build credibility with your audience. If

your thesis finds the rhetorical and/or writing strategies mostly convincing, then you will

need a concession paragraph that explains how a specific rhetorical and/or writing strategy

is weak. If your thesis outlines the ways in which the rhetorical and/or writing strategies

are mostly weak, then you need the first body paragraph to tip its hat, explaining how a

specific rhetorical and/or writing strategy is strong and convincing.

* Write a conclusion that does more than just summarize your earlier statements. You might

consider explaining why your analysis of this article matters or offer a “call-to-arms”

statement, asking readers to support a specific idea or solution.

* Avoid arguing with the article from your belief system. You need to perform a rhetorical

critique, which explains why the rhetorical strategies and writing strategies are convincing

or unconvincing. This is NOT an ideas critique where you employ your belief system to

support or debunk a writer’s ideas. Refer to the handout,

Structure of a Rhetorical

Critique Essay

, as a guide to help you develop your body paragraphs.

*Give your essay a creative title.

*

Keep the conventions of grammar, spelling, and punctuation in mind as you write.

5 pages,Times New Roman 12 pt. font. Normal margins.

Double-spaced.