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All of us will most likely either 1) use the Internet for research or other information gathering or 2) design web pages for ourselves (whether for personal or professional use). Therefore, it makes perfect sense for us to study them, using rhetoric as a background!
Part I (This part prepares you to complete the formal assignment, kind of like prewriting. This part is not turned in.)
First, review in your mind the rhetorical principles of ethos, pathos, and logos. Then, surf the Net, and choose one site you feel is “effective” and one that you feel is “ineffective.” (I use quotation marks because there is no such thing as a completely effective or ineffective website; these are just general impressions.) You may even choose from the list of websites you analyzed previously when exploring technical information online. It might be easier if you chose sites that were similar in topic and scope. Also, try to choose websites that are either home pages or that are at a similar link level. That way, you wouldn’t be comparing completely dissimilar things.
Now, compare and contrast the two sites, making notes on your observations. You might choose to focus on the following areas:
Ways each site addresses the rhetorical concerns of ethos, pathos, and logos
Color and its relationship to the sites’ purposes
Ways text and graphics complement (or don’t complement) each other
Overall document design (Refer to the textbook for ideas.)
Kinds of words used
Available links Tone of the text
Sentence length
Jargon
NOTE: The first item about rhetoric can be applied to the other items listed.
Part II (This is the formal Analysis that is turned in to the Assignments Folder; make sure to ask for peer feedback on this publish.)
Now that you’ve analyzed, it’s time to write it up formally. Instead of writing in essay form, though, like you did for the technical document analysis assignment, I’d like for you to write using technical writing conventions. There are some similarities to an essay, though. Your analysis should be relatively brief (about one page). Single-space your document, double-spacing in between sections or paragraphs. Make sure to incorporate headings. Include a brief introduction and conclusion. Use bullet statements to compare and contrast the sites. Include the URLs in your paper. Be sure to compare and contrast! Many times, writers do only one. Use comparison/contrast words such as “like,” “different from,” “similar to,” “in contrast,” “as opposed to,” etc.
NOTE: Since I’m your audience, you know that I would be very happy for you to discuss rhetorical concerns. This means that you can discuss
Audience
Persuasive elements
Ways the website authors are trying to convey a persona (or ethos) through the sites
Ways the website authors are trying to appeal to the Internet audience (Here, you might have to think briefly about characteristics of web users.)
Ways logical design or reasoning might have been used in the sites
You might choose to use a rhetorical element as the context for discussing website characteristics, such as color, organization, or word choice.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.