Exam tips for masters (2nd Year) Tas Rhetorical analysis of the text (scheme)

EXAM TIPS FOR MASTERS (2^nd Year)


Task1. Rhetorical analysis of the text (scheme):

1) Identify the functional style of the text (publicistic; academic; scientific; popular science etc);

2) Identify the genre of the text (newspaper/magazine article; essay; interview; speech; report etc);
3) Formulate the communicative/pragmatic purpose of the text (to inform/make the readership aware of the problem; to present an alternative viewpoint on sth; to advertise/make the ideas more popular with the public; to start a debate on sth; to persuade; gain support of the public; to entertain etc); Analyze the text from the perspective of logos, ethos & pathos.
4) Comment on the author's strategies to reach the communicative purpose:
a) on the structural level – through the composition of the text and coherence devices (a well-structured text includes: introduction, body, conclusion);
b) on the content and rhetoric level – through employing/using proper arguments and rhetorical strategies (argumentation; contrasting ideas; comparison; cause/effect relations, providing statistics etc); .(НАВОДИТЕ ПРИКЛАДИ !!!)
through proper choice of words that fits the genre requirements (neutral words, emotional words, phraseology, special terminology etc); (НАВОДИТЕ ПРИКЛАДИ !!!)
through proper choice of syntax and cohesion devices (ellipsis, inversion; emphatic sentences; compex/simple sentences). (НАВОДИТЕ ПРИКЛАДИ !!!)
through stylistic device (metaphors, simile, epithet, etc.).

Rhetorical strategies

Rhetorical strategies are the efforts made by authors to persuade, entertain or inform readers. Before deciding which rhetorical strategy to use in any specific situation, a writer/speaker needs to consider a few questions to determine the strategy that best suits the text. Such questions might include:

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  Who is the intended audience and what is the writer’s/ speaker’s relationship with them? For example colleague-to-colleague, teacher-to-student, salesman-to-client, etc..
  
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  Does one want to prove an argument? If so, will you include counter arguments?
  
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  Do you want to simplify the issues?
  

In addition to these and other questions, consider also the choice of words to use. In some respects this is a part of bearing in mind the intended or target audience. However, word choice can influence the development of an argument or a position and can affect the reader’s emotions.