AP English Language: Rhetorical Analysis
AP English Language – rhetorical analysis, SOAPS framework and essay writing
What is Rhetorical Analysis?
In AP English Language, rhetorical analysis asks you to examine how an author builds an argument. You analyse the choices a writer makes – evidence, structure, tone, and language – and explain their effect on the intended audience.
The SOAPS Framework
Subject – what is the text about?
Occasion – what is the context (time, place, circumstances)?
Audience – who is the intended reader/listener?
Purpose – what does the author want to achieve?
Speaker – who is the author and what is their perspective?
Analysing Rhetorical Devices
Ethos: appeals to credibility/authority
Pathos: appeals to emotion
Logos: appeals to logic and evidence
Writing the Essay
Thesis → 3 body paragraphs with rhetorical device + evidence + effect on audience → conclusion restating your argument.
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