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Writing Lab
www.bellevuecollege.edu/asc/writing
Writing a Critical or Rhetorical Analysis
What is a Critical (or Rhetorical) Analysis?
A critical analysis is an essay that evaluates another piece of writing. It uses critical
thinking to assess the strengths and/or the weaknesses of a piece of writing and tells the
readers how well or how poorly the original writer communicated his/her point or
points. Whether you agree with the piece or not is beside the point; for this type of
essay, just focus on evaluating the writer’s style and effectiveness.
Evaluate the Work Instead of the Original Topic
If the original essay was about crime, then your paper is not about crime. Instead, write
on how well the author discusses the topic of crime. You are writing about a piece of
writing, not the original topic that was addressed.
Use Summary ONLY as Supporting Evidence
Unless the assignment asks for a summary, assume that your readers have already read
the piece at some point. You can use short summaries as supporting evidence for your
analysis, but avoid retelling or describing everything the author says.
Cover Only the Most Important Topics
Mentioning every point from the original essay makes it very easy to lapse into
summarizing. Choose a few “big” aspects about the work that you can discuss in detail
and focus on them.
Avoid “I” Statements
Avoid using “I” statements because they draw attention to yourself and take focus away
from the piece you are analyzing. If you decided the piece was effective or not, you
probably have good reasons. Focus on those reasons—the strengths or weaknesses of
the paper—then your analysis will be strong enough that you will not need an “I”
statement to explain your opinion.
Keep Your Voice Distinct: They Say, I Say
There will be two “voices” in your paper: the original author’s and your own.
To avoid confusing the author’s voice with yours, use phrases like “the author says,”
“the author thinks,” and “the article states that” when referring to the original author’s
work. Then follow up with your analysis, but again, avoid using “I” phrases.
Remember to Cite Your Sources
Use proper quotations, in-text citations, and a works cited page at the end. MLA style is
the usual format, but your instructor may prefer APA or Chicago style. Check to make
sure what the assignment requires.
What Topics May Be Covered?
The following are some topics and questions to ask yourself while brainstorming. It is not
necessary to write about ALL of them—some of these topics may not apply to your paper, and
some topics may overlap. When drafting your paper, order these topics in a way that makes
sense to you and flows well.
Table of Topics of Critical Analysis
Theme or
Topic
Do not comment on the theme or topic itself, but discuss how well the writer
addresses or approaches the theme. Does the argument shed new light on
the theme? Could the author have done a better job portraying the theme?
Organization
Are the author’s arguments presented in a clear, well-thought-out manner? Is
it easy to follow their thought process? Or does the essay jump around and
feel jumbled?
Audience
Was the essay written for a specific set of people, such as those who work in
a particular profession or share a common interest? Does the writer assume
the audience has prior knowledge of the subject and background material?
Or does the writer assume the audience is naïve and uninformed? Is the topic
controversial, and does the writer assume the audience disagrees with
his/her opinion?
Tone
When reading the original work, does it feel like listening to a lecture or
listening to a conversation? Does the writer seem to be speaking as an
individual or as part of a group? Does the writer express emotion, such as
anger or enthusiasm, for the topic? Most of all, how does the tone affect the
writing? Does it help or hurt the writing?
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• If the analysis is for a piece of creative writing, some additional topics may include
rhythm, rhyme scheme, imagery, and mood.
• If the analysis is for a movie or film, additional topics may include lighting, use of music
and sound, the quality of acting, special effects, story layout and plot sequencing, and
camera angles.
Bias or
Missing
Information
Does the writer approach the topic objectively? Have they looked at it from
many angles before expressing a viewpoint? Or is the writer’s opinion voiced
so strongly that it ignores contradicting viewpoints? Is there any missing
information? Did the author leave out important information?
Word Choice
Is the writing serious or silly? Casual or technical? Formal or informal?
Does the author use slang or colloquial language? Do they invent new words
or phrases to define new concepts? Does the author use words that only
their specific audience would understand, or do they write so that anyone
can understand and relate? How does the word choice affect the author’s
overall writing? Does it make the piece accessible or annoying? What would
be the effect if other words had been used?
Logos, Ethos,
and Pathos
This is a mixture of both tone and word choice. Greek philosophers divided
the methods of persuasion into these three categories. If the author is trying
to convince readers of a particular point, which of these are used?
Logos (logic)
Does the writer use logical reasoning to make their point? What are some
examples from the original text?
Ethos
(credibility)
Does the writer claim to be an expert on the subject? What proof do they
give for their credibility? How does the writer gain the audience’s trust and
respect to believe what is being said? Perhaps the writer does not make any
claim, but shows through examples and research that their words are valid.
Pathos
(emotion)
Does the writer try to invoke an emotional response from the audience? Do
they use personal stories to emphasize their point? Do they appeal to
common beliefs and values to persuade the audience? Does the writer try to
get the audience to see things from the writer’s point of view? Do they use
emotional language, vivid language and/or descriptive imagery?
Critical Analysis of Style Example
Sarcasm Anyone?
Spiro T. Agnew's essay “English Anyone?” attempts to spread the author's disgust
about recent changes in the English language: grammatical errors, the elimination of
words that discriminate against women, and the careless use of language. In the
beginning of his essay, he states his point solidly and simply, and unemotionally
presents an example of an incorrect practice. But gradually, Agnew reveals his disgust
for misuses of language, and this aggressive emotion increases as the essay develops.
Agnew tries to convince the reader through sarcasm and by using commanding words
like “should.” He also clearly shows what he considers to be a black and white issue and
requires the reader to choose either black or white. Eventually his argument collapses
from its own offensive tone.
Agnew uses the word “should” in every paragraph to show his adamant stand on
the issue. For example, he writes “should not be used” (410), “should amend” (410), and
“should express” (411). He also uses strong words in rhetorical questions: “Why must
we . . . ?” (410). By using these forceful words, he creates a rigid tone that makes the
reader feel intimidated. In addition, the word “indisputable” (410) limits the reader's
responses, and implies that there is no way to accept changes in the language.
Agnew also emphasizes his point with a sarcastic tone, which appears whenever
he supports his ideas. By asking rhetorical questions, he makes the reader unable to
deny his point. In his statement “Should one want to get really ludicrous, how about
‘horsepersonship’ or ‘personhole cover’?” (410), even though he is asking the readers,
he does not really want their opinion, but he implies that the reader who does not agree
with his idea is ludicrous. He is disgusted by the elimination of discriminatory words
because of “feminists' adamant refusal to accept the masculine pronoun” (410): using
“they” or “he or she” instead of “he.” In the 6th paragraph, he states, “I am a strong
advocate for eliminating discrimination against women, but how is this accomplished by
inhibiting the fluency maintained over hundreds of years?” Instead of just saying
language cannot be changed, he remains sarcastic. By employing the negative phrase
“inhibiting the fluency” (410), he leads the reader to disapprove of change. Statements
like “bruised female egos” and “ridiculous squabbles” again show Agnew's sarcasm.
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When he says, “please, no more singular verbs and plural pronouns” (410), the tone is
very confident and condescending, and is more of a whine than a sincere plea.
The examples above also show the author's black and white thinking concerning
the English language. He believes that there are only two choices; one is the right choice
and the other is ridiculous. There is no compromising between the two for Agnew. The
author appears very traditional and educated about the English language. Therefore, he
knows the correct use of language, but he cannot accept change. He deplores misuse of
language, and also he believes that language reflects thought. He states that if people
have worthwhile ideas, they should use correct language. In other words, people who
misuse the English language are not presenting their ideas in an acceptable, worthwhile
manner. Right before he talks about worthwhile expression, he complains about
repeated grammatical errors by writers of print media, who, he says, have an
opportunity to catch and correct their mistakes. By connecting these two ideas, he
indirectly implies that the print media does not express itself in a worthwhile way.
Again, this reveals his sarcasm toward journalists.
Agnew's essay reveals sarcasm, a strong tone, and black and white thinking while
he supports his idea and gives several examples. He attempts to lead the reader to his
point strongly, sometimes in a sarcastic way and sometimes very straightforwardly. The
reader can tell where Agnew stands, either black or white. In this view, he gets his idea
across very clearly. However, he forcibly compels his audience, and he speaks so
negatively and disrespectfully of other positions that his essay can make readers
uncomfortable even if they can understand and agree with his main point. In the end, his
style offends his reader as much as he himself is offended about changes in the language.
Works Cited
Agnew, Spiro T. “English Anyone?” Exploring Language, 8th ed., edited by Gary
Goshgarian, Longman, 1998, pp. 409-11.
