Posted: June 15th, 2015

WRITING ASSIGNMENT II – RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF FILM

 

ENGLISH 1301

WRITING ASSIGNMENT II – RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF FILM

SUMMER – 2015

 

For your second writing assignment, you will respond to an argument found in a cinematic documentary you will view outside of class. Using the strategies we’ve discussed in class after a group viewing of a documentary, you will evaluate, and then inform your reader of an argument being presented in your film of choice. Your writing purpose in this essay is informative.

 

As you watch the film and compose your essay, answer the following questions:

Who is the primary audience of the documentary?

What is the purpose of the documentary?

What is the occasion of the documentary? (to what event or idea does the documentary respond or address?)

Where in the film are examples of Compare and Contrast and Cause and Effect?

Has the director/narrator/featured artist presented information from both sides of the argument? If so, has the rhetor represented both sides fairly? Is there bias in their presentation of information? What could the presenter do differently in providing information to audiences?

*As an evaluator of argument, do you find the information valid and worthy of a positive evaluation?

*As a reviewer of the film, are you persuaded by the argument and will now think differently of the topic?

*note* The two aforementioned questions do not need the same answer. One asks about argument, the other asks about the issue being argued. Ask for further clarification if necessary.

What is the primary mode of appeal used to persuade audiences: ethos, pathos, or logos? Is this mode effective or tiresome? Why?

 

 

You will be asked to provide direct quotes, paraphrases, and summaries in your analysis. Strong essays will contain to less than five quotes. These direct quotes will support your ideas as you answer the guiding questions of your essay. Failing essays will provide no direct quotes or paraphrases. You will also need to provide a works cited page to accompany your essay.

 

Each documentary for analysis must meet the following criteria:

– Your film must span (at least) 70 minutes in length.

– Your film must not be a spoof of an original documentary (Super High Me is not an acceptable

submission).

– No two students can write about the same documentary title.

– You may select your documentary from: Netflix, the NCTC library, or an accredited video store. Your

choice of film may not be raw footage, a homemade film, or be derived from YouTube.

 

This essay should contain an introduction, a thesis statement, and a conclusion. This essay should be no less than four pages in length, not including the works cited page. Please do not assume your audience has seen the film, this means you should include a brief summary of the film in your introduction.

 

Please compose this essay entirely in third person. Do not use personal pronouns. Do not use: I, we, us, our, you, your, yourself ourselves, myself, me, my, etc…

Your paper will be graded based on your ability to effectively describe the issue being presented, answer the guiding questions provided for your analysis, expand upon and evaluate ideas presented in the film, follow directions for MLA format and citation, and good use of mechanics and writing style that are appropriate for the academy.

A typed rough draft will be due in class for peer review on Thursday, June 18th. For peer review, bring a typed hard copy to class; do not bring a copy on your laptop. An electronic and polished final copy is due by midnight on Friday, June 19th via Canvas. This writing assignment addresses the following elements of writing: Arrangement, Drafting and Revising, and Editing and Proofreading. This assignment addresses learning outcomes 1-6 as stated on page 1 of our syllabus. Feel free to visit me during office hours, ask questions in class, or visit the NCTC writing lab for free and friendly help with this assignment.

 

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