Text Practice
Learn
This lesson focuses on applying rhetorical analysis skills to a variety of text types. You will practice identifying rhetorical strategies across different genres and purposes.
Key Concepts
- Genre Awareness: Different text types (speeches, editorials, essays, advertisements) employ rhetoric differently based on their conventions and audience expectations.
- Cross-Text Analysis: Comparing how multiple authors address similar topics reveals the range of rhetorical choices available.
- Context Matters: Historical, cultural, and publication context shapes both the author's choices and the audience's reception.
- Synthesis Skills: Drawing connections between rhetorical elements across passages strengthens analytical thinking.
Approaching Different Text Types
Speeches: Look for repetition, parallel structure, direct audience address, and emotional appeals designed for oral delivery.
Editorials: Identify the thesis, counterarguments, and the balance between logos and ethos as the writer establishes credibility.
Scientific Writing: Note how authors establish authority, present evidence, and use precise language to build logical arguments.
Advertisements: Examine visual and verbal rhetoric, implied claims, and emotional manipulation techniques.
Examples
Example 1: Analyzing a Speech Excerpt
"We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."
Analysis: This excerpt uses first-person plural ("we") to create unity with the audience. The repetition of "we cannot" emphasizes collective responsibility and determination. The metaphor of walking/marching suggests progress and forward movement. The short, declarative final sentence creates emphasis through contrast with the longer preceding sentences.
Example 2: Analyzing an Editorial Opening
"The city council's decision to cut library funding by 30% is not merely shortsighted—it is an assault on the intellectual foundation of our community."
Analysis: The author uses hyperbole ("assault") and loaded language to evoke emotional response. The structure "not merely X—it is Y" escalates the critique. The phrase "intellectual foundation" appeals to shared community values and positions the author as defending something precious.
Practice
Complete the following exercises to strengthen your rhetorical analysis skills across different text types.
Practice 1
Read the following excerpt from a political speech:
"Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."
Identify the rhetorical device used and explain its effect on the audience.
Practice 2
A newspaper editorial begins: "Every parent knows the anxiety of sending their child to school in uncertain times." What rhetorical strategy is the author using in this opening sentence, and what assumption does it make?
Practice 3
Compare these two openings on the same topic:
Text A: "Climate change threatens our planet's future."
Text B: "Rising sea levels have already displaced thousands of families in coastal Bangladesh."
Explain how each opening establishes a different rhetorical approach and what effect each might have on readers.
Practice 4
An advertisement shows a family gathered around a dinner table, laughing, with the tagline: "Some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's [Brand]."
Analyze how this advertisement uses irony and implied claims to persuade consumers.
Practice 5
A scientific article states: "Our peer-reviewed study of 10,000 participants over five years demonstrates a clear correlation between sleep duration and cognitive performance."
Identify the elements of this sentence that establish credibility (ethos) and logical appeal (logos).
Practice 6
Read this excerpt from a graduation speech:
"You are not the leaders of tomorrow. You are the leaders of today. Right now. This moment."
Explain how the structure and pacing of this statement creates rhetorical impact.
Practice 7
An opinion piece includes the following: "Critics argue that the new policy will increase costs, but they fail to account for the long-term savings in healthcare expenditures."
How does the author use concession and rebuttal in this sentence? What is the rhetorical purpose of acknowledging the opposing view?
Practice 8
A charity appeal reads: "For just the cost of your morning coffee, you can provide clean water to a child for an entire month."
Analyze the comparison used in this appeal. What rhetorical purpose does it serve, and what emotional response is it designed to provoke?
Practice 9
Compare how a news report and an opinion editorial might describe the same event differently. Write a brief analysis of how word choice, framing, and structure would differ between the two genres.
Practice 10
A speech concludes: "The time for debate has passed. The time for action is now. Let us begin."
Identify the rhetorical devices used in this conclusion and explain how they create a sense of urgency and call to action.
Check Your Understanding
Test yourself with these review questions.
- What are the key differences in rhetorical approach between a speech and a written editorial?
- How does context (historical, cultural, publication) influence the effectiveness of rhetorical strategies?
- Why is it important to consider the genre of a text when analyzing its rhetoric?
- How can comparing multiple texts on the same topic deepen your understanding of rhetorical choices?
Next Steps
- Practice analyzing texts from different genres in your daily reading
- Keep a rhetorical analysis journal noting effective strategies you encounter
- Move on to the next lesson when ready: Writing Application