Rhetorical Analysis
While logos, ethos, and pathos are not capitalized (since they are not proper nouns), they should be italicized (select, Ctrl+i) because they are non-English words (actually, they’re Greek).
You may notice that I always try to write them in this order: logos, ethos, and pathos. That is because students often write the best essays when they consider the rhetorical approaches in that order: First, logos, then ethos, and finally, pathos.
Consider the facts first, then discuss whether those facts have credibility, and then analyze whether both of those offer any emotional impact to readers.
Why? Once you have all the facts on the table, then you can consider their impact. Good writing is concise writing. Introduce and discuss a point you’d like to make, prove it true with specific details, and move on.
Try to find an ad that offers you a lot to analyze and is trying to reach readers on several levels, all at once. There’s not much to say about simplistic approaches, like “10% off now thru Friday.”
You’ll need to dig into the details and analyze the advertisement’s various elements and points. Plus, you’ll need to analyze how readers might be influenced by those appeals.
Remember, this is a formal analysis and should be written objectively, in the third person; just discuss the ad and its influence. Since it is not a personal response or personal narrative, try to avoid first- or second-person phrasing (i.e., “I”, “you,” or “we”).
It needs to be written as a formal essay, with MLA formatting, with a clear thesis and brief, focused paragraphs, each with a topic sentence to help your readers follow along easily.
Here’s how to get through this assignment as painlessly and effectively as possible:
- Briefly introduce the ad, and describe its apparent purpose and audience. Avoid lengthy corporate histories.
- Then, it’s often best to consider logos first. Describe the facts of the ad — what it says, what it pictures, and what those things mean or suggest.
- Next, analyze whether some or all of those facts help inspire confidence in the ad and trust in its message (ethos).
- Finally, describe whether those elements have an emotional impact — an appeal to pathos.
- Sum up the ad’s effectiveness in a brief conclusion.
If you have any questions, please ask.
Summary vs. Analysis
This unit should help to develop summary and analysis skills. To help us distinguish between the two terms, view this Shmoop video.
Complete these readings as you work through this unit: