Rhetorical Appeals
What is logos?
Rhetorical appeal that uses logic, facts, and evidence.
What is a thesis statement?
1-2 sentences that states your main argument
MLA requires what font and size?
What is Times New Roman (or another readable font) 12 pt.?
How many pages should the Final Draft be?
3-4 FULL pages, not including the Works Cited page
What are transition sentences?
The technique used to connect one paragraph smoothly to the next, typically phrases or words.
Examples: However, additionally, although, on the other hand
What is pathos?
Rhetorical appeal that targets the audience’s emotions.
Define a topic sentence.
The main idea of a paragraph, stated at the beginning of the paragraph
This belongs in the top-right corner of every page.
Last name + page number header
Example: Manning 1
Example answers:
-A summary of what the two articles say.
-A fact check of whether the authors are right or wrong.
-A personal response ("I liked it" or "I disagree").
-Personal responses can be included in the conclusion of your essay but should not appear in the introduction or body of your essay.
-A debate about the issue itself.
-An evaluation based solely on whether you found the articles persuasive.
What is a blended paragraph?
Combines 2 pieces of evidence and 2 analyses to make a more complicated point (TEAEA)
What is ethos?
Rhetorical appeal that relies on credibility or trustworthiness.
What forms can Evidence generally take in an essay?
Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing
In-text citations must include which two elements?
Author’s last name + page number
Examples: (Manning 22). OR According to Manning, [evidence] (22).
What is a rhetorical analysis?
Example answers:
-An analysis of how a writer or speaker persuades an audience.
-An examination of rhetorical choices and their effects.
-A study of the relationship among the writer, audience, purpose, context, and message (rhetorical situation).
-An evidence-based explanation of why particular strategies are likely to be effective or ineffective for a specific audience
What is the difference between Growth Mindset and an Open Mindset?
A growth mindset is believing abilities develop through effort while an open mindset means a person is willing to learn new things, hear different perspectives than their own, and possibly change their mind if confronted with solid evidence.
What is kairos?
Rhetorical appeal that depends on the skillful use of timing, context, and audience awareness to make an argument or message particularly effective
Explain why evidence must always be followed by analysis.
Because evidence alone doesn't show the writer’s reasoning or connection to the argument, so the writer has to state their reasoning and the connection to the argument.
How should entries on the Works Cited page be arranged?
Alphabetically by author’s last name
What should your thesis statement be?
A clear, arguable thesis that explains how the two articles frame the same event differently and what those differences accomplish rhetorically.
What is the difference between revising and editing?
Revising addresses Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) that significantly change an essay. Examples: Reorganizing paragraphs or sentences, rewriting a section, etc.
Editing addresses Lower Order Concerns (LOCs) that minimally change an essay. Examples: Fixing misspellings, adding punctuation, etc.
What are the 6 elements of rhetorical situation?
Exigence, audience, author, purpose, context, message
What is the full acronym for the structure of a paragraph that we use in this class?
Topic Sentence
Evidence
Analysis
What is the correct order of elements in the MLA heading (first four lines) on the left side of the top page?
Name, Instructor, Course, Date
Example:
Student Name
Kat Manning
ENGL 1160
17 September 2026
What will the strongest essays do?
Demonstrate your ability to move beyond simply identifying differences between articles and instead explain how those rhetorical choices shape meaning for specific audiences
What is the CRAAP test?
Evaluating a source's Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose to determine if it is a trustworthy source.