Structure Your Essay (50 points):
Introduction
begins with an attractor identifying the authors and speech titles and summarizing the circumstances and message of both speeches
ends with a thesis sentence whose topic and claim are the comparison of Reagan’s and Obama’s rhetorical appeals (if you like, you can close the thesis by listing the appeals: logos, ethos, and pathos).
Body
topic sentences begin each new topic paragraph, claiming that the authors compare in their appeals to logos, ethos, or pathos
subsequent paragraphs support that claim with quoted evidence and reasoning (see Analyze and Compare Rhetorical Appeals below)
Conclusion
summarize your whole analysis, restating the topics (from your thesis and topic sentences)
Note: all language below in red font should be exact terminology used in your analysis
Analyze and Compare Rhetorical Appeals (100 points):
Compare Reagan’s and Obama’s appeals to logos:
quote and cite the author’s claims, identifying each using the term “claim”
for each claim, also quote and cite the author’s supporting evidence, identifying each using the term “evidence”
for each claim, either quote or paraphrase and cite the author’s reasoning, identifying each using the term “reasoning” (or the verb form “he reasons”)
Compare Reagan’s and Obama’s appeals to ethos:
quote and cite evidence of ethos, identifying each with the exact terminology listed below
inherent authority
moral authority
borrowed authority
goodwill
common ground
self-presentation (or any combination of the words present and self)
for each evidence quoted, give some explanation and reasoning as to why or how it builds the audience’s trust
Compare Reagan’s and Obama’s appeals to pathos:
quote and cite evidence of pathos, identifying each with the exact terminology listed below
word choice [or] choice of words (explain and reason what emotion each word or phrase invokes)
vivid [or] specific example (explain and reason what emotion an example invokes)
sensory detail (explain and reason what emotion any of the five senses invokes)
scare tactic (explain and reason why the quote causes fear or caution)
Compose with Good Language and Style (50 points):
Demonstrate skillful writing fluency with few errors
Format and cite according to MLA style
attribute quotes to the author in signal phrases, and cite only the numeral for the page from Language Acts in the parenthesis.
Obama insisted, “Blah blah blah . . . blah” (19).
cite page numbers from Barack Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech from Canvas > Pages, pp. 17-23 (not from any handouts)
cite page numbers from Ronald Reagan’s “Remarks at Brandenburg Gate” from Canvas > Pages, pp. 634-637 (not from any handouts)
create an MLA style Works Cited page:
two authors will be cited in alphabetical order: Obama and Reagan
bibliographical information for each should simply copied and pasted from the bottom of each source’s Canvas > Pages synopsis page, under the header “MLA Citation.”
correctly format works cited (“Works Cited” centered top of page, citations double spaced & hanging indent)
