This assignment asks you to closely analyze two artifacts from your field: 1) a text-based artifact (e.g., a scholarly article, book chapter, or professional publication) and 2) a non-text-based artifact (e.g., an image, video, or podcast). However, rather than analyzing their content, you will be considering how each of the artifacts functions in a rhetorical manner. In other words, you will be looking at how they construct meaning and fit a particular rhetorical situation. By comparing and contrasting these two texts, you will describe how each genre attempts to accomplish its respective purposes.
To begin, you will identify a pressing issue in your field of study. Then, you will select two artifacts that address the issue you have identified. The goal is to work with a single subject but two very different rhetorical approaches to that subject. Then, you will closely read and analyze your artifacts. In order to perform a rhetorical analysis, you will need to have a strong grasp of both the subject of the artifacts and a basic understanding of the genres. Only then can you turn your attention to analyzing the rhetorical strategies each employs, including genre conventions, context, author, audience, purpose, rhetorical appeals, exigence, medium, constraints, metaphorical language, active and passive voice, use of visuals, organization, structure, tone, and formality. Finally, you will write an essay that analyzes your two artifacts, paying particular attention to the rhetorical strategies each employs and, perhaps, the effectiveness of the texts. This is in large part a comparison/contrast essay built around rhetorical terminology and solid evidence to support your findings.
Documentation Style: Use the documentation style of your field, Times New Roman, 12 pt. font, double-spaced.