How to Approach the Rhetorical Analysis

Introduction
Brief Hook or No Hook (an easy default hook is a significant quote from the
essay)
Summary of Passageinclude author, title, and message
Thesis Statement (answer the prompt without being formulaic)
Body

Paragraphs
Answer HOW and WHY
Default rhetorical strategies: diction, imagery, syntax, detail
Use ACE (Answer, Connect evidence, Explain)
Remember CAT (Clear Accurate Thorough)
Focus on one rhetorical strategy at a time
Remember two well-developed CAT paragraphs are better than 3
BAD paragraphs (Brief, Ambiguous, Disorganized)
Helpful guideline: each body paragraph should contain at least 10 sentences
and 6 of those sentences should be commentary (your explanation and
analysis BEYOND answers, evidence, and transitions).

Conclusion
Restate your thesis
Sum up your points
End with a provoking thought
Note: It is better to have an essay with 1 introductory paragraph, 1 body paragraph, and 1
conclusion paragraph than an essay that has no concluding paragraph or an essay that has
4-5 paragraphs that are a jumbled mess of nonsense.
For most people, rhetorical analyses are the most challenging essays out of the three
(synthesis, rhetorical analysis, argumentation) to write. Practice is key. Remember:
PRACTICE, PONDER, POWER UP, PERSEVERE.