rhetorical analysis
the rhetorical précis
foundation for an effective introduction
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
what is a rhetorical précis?
• It is a kind of summary of a rhetor’s rhe-
torical strategies…an abstract of someone
else’s work.
• It is your explanation of how you understand the rhetorical strategies.
• It establishes the foundation for your analysis of the piece.
• It is usually a single paragraph that contains four sentences or points.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis part one
• Name of author/speaker/rhetor
• Type and title of work
• Rhetorical verb (asserts, argues, claims,…)
• Description of author’s argument or claim
In her essay titled “I Am A Cripple,” Nancy Mairs
defines herself as a “cripple” as opposed to the
more accepted terms disabled or handicapped.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis part two
• Author’s last name(s)
• Purpose is to
• Explain your opinion of the purpose
Mairs’ purpose is to take the reader through her
path of acceptance of her condition.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis part three
• Describe tone of writing
• Describe target audience
• Template: (Author) writes in a (description)
tone for (target audience).
She writes in a sincere, yet often humorous tone
for those unsure how to characterize or approach
a person of her similar condition.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis part four
• He/She/They/The author(s)
• Explain the rhetorical strategies the author
uses advance their argument, claim, message
• Limit your explanation to those that you will
analyze in the essay
She marries euphemism and clinical description1, appealing simultaneously to our sense of
humor and our sorrows2, invoking a complex
tone3 of recognition with hope.
1.Diction 2. Appeals 3. Tone. The superscripts demonstrate
that it is the interplay of diction and appeals (and really also
syntax) that generates tone.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis: one arrangement
In her essay titled “I Am A Cripple,” Nancy Mairs
defines herself as a “cripple” as opposed to the
more accepted terms disabled or handicapped.
She writes in a sincere, yet often humorous tone
for those unsure how to characterize or approach
a person of her similar condition. Mairs’ purpose
is to take the reader through her path of acceptance of her condition. She marries euphemism
and clinical description, appealing simultaneously
to our sense of humor and our sorrows, invoking
a complex tone of recognition with hope.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
rhetorical précis: another arrangement
In her essay titled “I Am A Cripple,” Nancy Mairs
takes the reader through her path of acceptance of her MS diagnosis by defining herself as
a “cripple” as opposed to the more accepted
terms disabled or handicapped. She writes in a
sincere, yet often humorous tone for those unsure how to characterize or approach someone
of her similar condition. She marries euphemism
and clinical description, appealing simultaneously to our sense of humor and our sorrows, invoking a complex tone of recognition with hope.
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp
after the precis...
• Develop your thesis.
• Follow the prompt!
• Outline your points of analysis.
• Select appropriate evidence to support
• See “Evidential Block” presentation
Rhetorical Analysis: The Rhetorical Précis
Gaughen AP Lang & Comp