Rhetorical Analysis: Hashtag Activism & Social Media

A rhetorical analysis is an evidence-based, in-depth rhetorical examination of a text.

This assignment is not an informative essay, meaning that it is not just a basic description of the hashtag movement, rather you are arguing for a particular and nuanced interpretation of the discourse community. Rhetorical analysis essays close read a text(s) to demonstrate the ways that the text(s) makes an argument by citing evidence. Compose a thesis highlighting your arguable position toward your interpretation of the hashtag movement that represents your understanding of how the discourse community communicates its message, why, and how effectively. Establish how the text(s) aligns within the rhetorical triangle (rhetor, text, audience) and how it relates to the rhetorical canons (invention, arrangement, style, memory, delivery) and rhetorical appeals (pathos, ethos, logos).

Compose 3 page essay in MLA format. You are expected to produce a structured, polished piece of revised writing with a defined thesis, clear introduction and conclusion, and supporting evidence utilizing key terms and concepts regarding rhetorical analysis. Include a works cited page and a page with screenshots of the tweets/posts/blogs that you are utilizing (this does not count toward the overall page count). You  must include at least two sources. One of the sources must be a primary source: tweet/post/blog containing the hashtag. One of the sources must be a secondary source: peer-reviewed article(s) related to hashtags, social media, social justice, activism, etc.

Black life Matter is the hashtag

If you are having trouble getting started, thinking about what catches your attention about the object is a great first step, because it allows you to then analyze why those aspects of the text(s) jumped out at you. From there, you can develop an argument that ties all of these elements together.

Consider:

• Who is the rhetor (author of the text)
• Who is the audience
• What is the text
• What is the exigence
• What is the kairos
• What is the medium and how is the rhetor utilizing the medium to persuade the audience
• How do genre conventions of the text constrict or construct the document
• Who is the intended audience and any sub-audiences, and how does the rhetor appeal to these groups
• Historical context pertaining to the rhetor or object
• Rhetorical situation (what information or things are surrounding the text, and where is it located)
• What words are used in the text and what tone do they convey
• Does the tone of the text provoke a particular emotion
• What kind of ethos does the rhetor seem to have and how do they communicate their reliability
• What is the overall makeup of the text
• How are the different elements of the text put together
• Is there anything that triggers a shared collective memory or living experience with the audience such as referencing an iconic image, familiar quote, or childhood memory
• Does the rhetor utilize humor, alliteration, repetition, rhyme, or visual images to make the text more memorable
• How is the text constructed and presented