Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Write a rhetorical analysis of the argument made by Martin Luther King Jr. in his ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail.’ Consider the author’s tone and the purpose of the different parts of his essay as you focus on how rhetorical devices were used to build and strengthen King's argument.
Strategies for completing the analysis:

Undergo a critical investigation of the article by taking careful notes.

Your position (thesis) will be about how well the author uses rhetorical strategies in the argument, not your personal stand on the issues.

Formulate your thesis in a sentence or two. Ask yourself: what exactly is the point I want the reader to understand?

Organize your analysis in light of this thesis. Have two or three main reasons that your thesis is true. These are your topic sentences. Each paragraph must have a topic sentence that connects to the thesis.  Remember that thesis and topic sentences all have to make a statement about your analysis of the argument (without using second person).

Gather all material that supports your argument. This material will come mainly from King's letter in the form of summary, paraphrase, or quote. 

Introduction: Work on arousing the reader’s interest and focusing his/her attention on your topic. Mention the title of the article and author’s name. Include your thesis at the end of your introduction.

Body: Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that reflects your thesis.  Next, further explain your topic sentence.  Then, discuss the evidence/appeals/rhetorical strategies that are used (quoting where appropriate). Finally, evaluate the contribution of all of this to the argument.  How do the elements you’ve discussed in this paragraph strengthen the overall argument?  Repeat these steps for every body paragraph that you write.  

Conclusion: Remember to include a fully developed conclusion that reiterates your argument without repeating previous material.

Grading Criteria:


Purpose: How effectively do you respond to the assignment, accomplish the purpose and follow the directions? Are you clear and convincing?

Audience: How effectively do you take into account audience needs? Do you use enough concrete detail from the text? Is your tone appropriate?

Organization: Do you include the author’s name, title of the text, and main thesis in the first paragraph? Do you use transitions?

Development: Does your analysis include sufficient detail and examples to support the thesis? Does each paragraph have a topic sentence? Do all the sentences in the paragraph support the topic sentence?

Style and Mechanics: Is your paper free from punctuation and grammatical errors that cause confusion for the reader?