Clarke Hall, Room 223
Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements
A strong thesis statement for a rhetorical analysis essay…
Avoids using the first person or phrases like “I believe” or “I think”
Serves as a guide to your essay for your reader
Asserts your conclusion and takes a stand on the author’s rhetorical strategies
States what techniques you will be analyzing, and the impact of these techniques on the
Examples of strong thesis statements for rhetorical analysis:
Jones effectively convinces his audience that ---- through the use of statistics and surveys paired
Although Myers includes many convincing logical arguments through the use of historical facts,
her readers may doubt her objectivity because of her sarcastic tone.
Thompson uses personal stories and tells of his extensive research in the area to make his
readers believe in his
credib
ility. These appeals
to ethos, combined wi
th his frien
dly tone,
creates an effective argument for ----.
Roberts employs the rhetorical appeals of pathos and ethos effectively. However, his use of
research.
Mitchell’s attempt to convince the audience that ----- is unsuccessful because of his insensitive
Note: The above thesis statements all include the original author’s purpose/thesis. Your thesis does not
A strong thesis statement for a rhetorical analysis is NOT…
A simple statement of your topic
A broad statement
A statement of facts or statistics
A statement of what you’re going to do in the essay
Examples of weak rhetorical analysis thesis statements:
Abortion is a big issue in the United States.
The author claims abortion is a big issue in the United States.
I’m going to examine how this author uses pathos, ethos, and logos to convince his audience.
The author uses pathos, ethos and logos.