Understanding how rhetorical appeals function is critical when analyzing speeches and argumentative essays. These are two common forms where persuasion is paramount.

When analyzing speeches, consider not only the words spoken but also the context in which they were delivered.
- Purpose and Audience: What was the speaker's main goal? Who were they trying to convince?
- Rhetorical Appeals: Identify specific instances of ethos, pathos, and logos. How does the speaker build credibility? What emotions are targeted? What logical evidence or reasoning is provided?

• Rhetorical Strategies (beyond the appeals):
• Repetition: Repeating words or phrases for emphasis and memorability.
• Anaphora: Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
• Allusion: Referencing historical events, literature, or figures that the audience would recognize.
• Figurative Language: Metaphors, similes, personification can be powerfully persuasive when used to create vivid images or emotional connections.
• Parallelism: Using similar grammatical structures to express related ideas.
• Rhetorical Questions: Questions asked for effect, without expecting a literal answer, to prompt thought or emphasize a point.
• Diction (Word Choice): Are words formal or informal? Technical or simple? Positive or negative connotation?
• Tone: The speaker's attitude towards the subject and audience (e.g., inspiring, urgent, critical).

Impact: How did these strategies contribute to the overall effectiveness and impact of the speech on its original audience and perhaps on later generations?

Argumentative essays share many similarities with speeches in their persuasive intent but often rely more heavily on explicit logic and structured evidence. When analyzing an argumentative essay:
- Identify the Claim (Thesis Statement): This is the central argument or position the essay is trying to prove. It's usually found in the introduction.
- Trace the Evidence and Reasoning: What specific facts, statistics, examples, expert opinions, or logical deductions does the author use to support their claim? Is the evidence sufficient, relevant, and credible?

• Recognize Counter-Arguments: A strong argumentative essay often acknowledges and addresses opposing viewpoints. How does the author present counter-arguments?
• Identify Refutations: How does the author respond to and dismantle these counter-arguments? Do they demonstrate why the opposing view is flawed or less valid?

A critical aspect of analyzing any text, especially persuasive ones, is detecting bias and assessing objectivity.
- Objectivity means presenting facts and information without being influenced by personal feelings or opinions. It aims for neutrality.
- Bias is a disproportionate weight in favor of or against an idea, person, or group, often in a way that is unfair or prejudiced. Bias is inherent in human nature and can manifest in subtle ways.

When analyzing texts for bias, particularly news articles and editorials:
- Word Choice (Diction): Does the language use loaded words or emotionally charged terms? (e.g., "terrorist" vs. "freedom fighter"; "wasteful spending" vs. "necessary investment").
- Selection and Omission of Information: What facts are included, and what are left out? Does the text present a full picture, or is information selectively chosen to support a particular viewpoint?
- Source Credibility: Are the sources cited reputable and unbiased? Are there multiple perspectives or only one?
- Placement and Emphasis: Where is certain information placed? What is emphasized?
- Tone: Is the tone neutral, or does it convey a strong positive or negative attitude?
- Stereotyping: Does the text rely on generalizations or stereotypes about groups of people?