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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
effectiveness of the text.
Examples of strong thesis statements for rhetorical analysis:
Jones effectively convinces his audience that ---- through the use of statistics and surveys paired
with emotional stories.
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 credibility. These appeals to ethos, combined with his friendly tone,
creates an effective argument for ----.
Roberts employs the rhetorical appeals of pathos and ethos effectively. However, his use of
unsupported logical appeals causes his readers to doubt his claim that ---- is supported by
research.
Mitchell’s attempt to convince the audience that ----- is unsuccessful because of his insensitive
word choice and angry tone.
Note: The above thesis statements all include the original author’s purpose/thesis. Your thesis does not
have to include this as long as it appears in your introduction.
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 summary of the author’s essay you are analyzing
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.