Prof.

Nelson ::: ENGL 1301 ::: F22

Exercise: Rhetorical Analysis of Peer Reviewed Article

Example Text:

Hawkes, Joel. “A Quick Reference Guide to Mental Health on University Campus: a Brief
Rhetorical Analysis of Fear.” Disability & Society, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 162-168. Taylor &
Francis Journals Complete, doi: 10.1080/09687599.2018.1536841.

Step 1: Determine GAPS

 What is the genre of the Hawkes piece? What are the common components / rhetorical
moves of this genre? Genre: Researched Rhetorical Analysis (Academic)

 Who is the audience of the Hawkes piece?

Common Components:
 Long list (in Works Cited/ References section at the end of paper) of references for
reliable/trustworthy/ expert sources that have been cited throughout the paper to
support claims with evidence and validated interpretations
 Standard Essay Structure:
o Introduction that provides (researched) contextual information on the topic and
narrows to a thesis statement that summarizes the argument of the paper and
concludes with a methodology that previews how the body of the essay will
prove the thesis statement.
o Body that develops the argument of the thesis statement; breaking the thesis
statement down into sub-claims that are proven with evidence and analysis of that
evidence as well as support from researched sources. (other scholars and other
reliable sources of information); body paragraphs follow standard paragraph
structure with topic sentences that serve as claims (call backs to thesis statements)
and are supported with evidence + explanation, and include transitions that
connect the paragraph level claims to one another
o Conclusion that restates the thesis and key sub-claims from the body and
describes the implications of the findings of the paper
 A title that summarizes the main idea/ topic of the paper, uses the “Topic: Method”
formula
 An abstract that summarizes the key points (thesis, sub-claims, main artifact under
investigation) of the paper in a short paragraph
 Author clearly identified, as well as his credentials
 Uses first person pronouns to establish context and author’s relation to the context of
study/ artifact under study. This style is allowed given the discipline of study/ journal

 Who is the audience of the Hawkes piece?

Scholars/ Professors/ students interested in the topic of student mental health, research
topic of disability studies, especially university programs/ policies/ materials aimed at
addressing student mental health

 What is the purpose of the Hawkes piece?

“My aim is not to simply criticise the resource; rather, I seek to generate discussion that will help
us further improve services and resources for students, staff and faculty” (Hawkes 163)
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 What is the context of the Hawkes piece?

o “Department of English, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada”- different
assumptions/ expectations, culturally and legally, for universities, professors, and
students in Canada
o Published 2019-Pre-Pandemic; different assumptions and expectations about
student mental health
 What is the argument (thesis statement) of the Hawkes piece?

Short Version:
“What intrigued – and concerned – me was a conflict in the rhetoric of the Guide that nicely
reflects a historical dichotomy of care and fear that has long governed our uncertain response to
mental illness” (Hawkes 163)

Long Version:
“A simple resource of information for faculty suggests awareness and care for those with mental
health issues (and for this, institution and resource should be praised); but this sense of care,
and arguably the resource itself, is undermined by a recourse to fear, so that not mental illness
but rather Madness is glimpsed on the page – Madness which has traditionally been seen and
represented as a threat that must be contained” (Hawkes 163)

Step 2: Locate Rhetorical Appeals (Gather Evidence)

 Where does the Hawkes piece provide examples of appeals to ethos?

1. “As Rachel Demery, Kathryn Thirlaway, and Jenny Mercer’s study suggests, little had been done
to examine the experiences of students diagnosed with mood disorders, and in looking to rectify
this they also conclude that little information is offered on campus to help these students
(Demery et al. 2012)” (Hawkes 163)
2. he most common diagnosis for students is depression. Richard Kadison and Theresa DiGeronimo
call this a ‘Mental Health Crisis’ on campus, claiming that depression affects 50% of students at
some point during their time at university (Kadison and DiGeronimo 2004) (Hawkes 162)

 Where does the Hawkes piece provide examples of appeals to logos?

1. Every faculty member was given one as part of a three-year initiative (2014–2017): the
University of Victoria (UVic) Student Mental Health Strategy, a ‘framework that provides
direction for the Division of Student Affairs and the broader university community for a holistic
and comprehensive approach to student mental health’ (University of Victoria 2014a).” (Hawkes
162)
Comprehensive approach to student mental health’ (University of Victoria 2014a)”
(Hawkes162)

2. The most common diagnosis for students is depression. Richard Kadison and Theresa
DiGeronimo call this a ‘Mental Health Crisis’ on campus, claiming that depression affects 50% of
students at some point during their time at university (Kadison and DiGeronimo 2004).
(Hawkes162)

 Where does the Hawkes piece provide examples of appeals to pathos?

 Prof. Nelson ::: ENGL 1301 ::: F22

Step 3: Identify the Strategies Delivering the Rhetorical Appeals (Analyze Evidence)

 How does the Hawkes piece deliver appeals to ethos? What rhetorical strategies are used?
1. Calling on experts to establish credibility of support information/ ideas; “As Rachel
Demery, Kathryn Thirlaway, and Jenny Mercer’s study suggets’s- calling on specific
study that is published in the same peer reviewed journal as Hawke’s article
2. Calling on experts to establish credibility of supporting information/ ideas: “Richard
Kadison and Theresa DiGeronomi”- calling on academic book that is published by a
reputable press
 How does the Hawkes piece deliver appeals to logos? What rhetorical strategies are
used?

 How does the Hawkes piece deliver appeals to pathos? What rhetorical strategies are
used?

Step 4: Evaluate the Effectiveness of the Text’s Use of Rhetorical Appeals (Draw a
Conclusion)

 Do the appeals to ethos in the Hawkes piece match the genre expectations?

 Do the appeals to ethos in the Hawkes piece address the audience?

 Do the appeals to ethos in the Hawkes piece match the purpose?

 Do the appeals to ethos in the Hawkes piece address the context?

 Do the appeals to ethos in the Hawkes piece support the argument effectively?

 Do the appeals to logos in the Hawkes piece match the genre expectations?

 Do the appeals to logos in the Hawkes piece address the audience?

 Do the appeals to logos in the Hawkes piece match the purpose?

 Do the appeals to logos in the Hawkes piece address the context?

 Do the appeals to logos in the Hawkes piece support the argument effectively?

 Do the appeals to pathos in the Hawkes piece match the genre expectations?
 Prof. Nelson ::: ENGL 1301 ::: F22

 Do the appeals to pathos in the Hawkes piece address the audience?

 Do the appeals to pathos in the Hawkes piece match the purpose?

 Do the appeals to pathos in the Hawkes piece address the context?

 Do the appeals to pathos in the Hawkes piece support the argument effectively?

Step 5: Formulate a Thesis Statement

Use one of the following formulas to craft an assertion about the Hawkes piece and a reason that
supports it:

Formula 1
Hawkes’s article is in/effective in supporting its argument because it [summarize what it
does rhetorically in support of your assertion].

Formula 2
The argument of Hawkes’s article is un/persuasive because it [summarize what it does
rhetorically in support of your assertion].