This is the second of two mini-criticisms you will perform on the ballot or the bullet by Malcolm x . The goal is to demonstrate your thorough understanding of a perspective and to “try out” that perspective on your artifact. This will allow you to practice critical analysis and to sample different perspectives across the two mini-criticisms to help you determine which perspective you would like to use for your final paper.
Based on your current understanding of your artifact and your understanding of each of the criticism types below, select one to apply to your artifact for this assignment:
Ideographic/Ideological
Your essay should have two main parts:
1) First, provide a sufficient but concise explanation of your chosen critical perspective. “Teach” your reader what they need to know about your perspective in order to understand the analysis that follows in the second part. Discuss the underlying assumptions this perspective has about rhetoric (what does it focus our attention on? What does it assume about rhetors and audiences? What does it teach us or explain about persuasion and symbolic influence?). For this part you should cite at least three academic sources which help you fully explain the perspective. Your textbook may be one of your sources, but this will also require additional research and reading in which you take a “deeper dive” into your perspective.
2) For the second part, demonstrate how one might use the perspective to learn something about your artifact. Conduct a mini-analysis of your artifact using your chosen perspective. What does looking at your artifact through the lens of this perspective show us? Support this argument with evidence from the artifact. Your analysis should focus exclusively on what you see in the artifact itself. Therefore, there should be no outside sources (sources other than the artifact) cited in this section nor mention of any of the constraints or contexts you identified in the rhetorical situation essay. Focus solely on what you can learn directly from the artifact using this perspective.
Your essay should be 5-7 pages and demonstrate balance between both parts. Follow the same formatting expectations for written work identified in the syllabus and previous written assignments for the course. See rubric below.
Based on your current understanding of your artifact and your understanding of each of the criticism types below, select one to apply to your artifact for this assignment:
Ideographic/Ideological
Your essay should have two main parts:
1) First, provide a sufficient but concise explanation of your chosen critical perspective. “Teach” your reader what they need to know about your perspective in order to understand the analysis that follows in the second part. Discuss the underlying assumptions this perspective has about rhetoric (what does it focus our attention on? What does it assume about rhetors and audiences? What does it teach us or explain about persuasion and symbolic influence?). For this part you should cite at least three academic sources which help you fully explain the perspective. Your textbook may be one of your sources, but this will also require additional research and reading in which you take a “deeper dive” into your perspective.
2) For the second part, demonstrate how one might use the perspective to learn something about your artifact. Conduct a mini-analysis of your artifact using your chosen perspective. What does looking at your artifact through the lens of this perspective show us? Support this argument with evidence from the artifact. Your analysis should focus exclusively on what you see in the artifact itself. Therefore, there should be no outside sources (sources other than the artifact) cited in this section nor mention of any of the constraints or contexts you identified in the rhetorical situation essay. Focus solely on what you can learn directly from the artifact using this perspective.
Your essay should be 5-7 pages and demonstrate balance between both parts. Follow the same formatting expectations for written work identified in the syllabus and previous written assignments for the course. See rubric below.