Modified Version of Exercise #1, page 144

Analyzing a Writer's Ethos

From the periodical you've selected, choose an argumentative piece written by one person (i.e., not a collective piece written by the editors of the periodical). The piece may be the argumentative essay often found on the last page of magazines, or perhaps you might find an essay in the editorial section of a newspaper. (Stay away from short letters to the editor; those are of a different genre.)

Here's a shortcut to finding just such a piece: go to a website for a news source such as the Washington Post and follow the links for "columnists." Most columnists specialize in short argumentative pieces, and you can find them about everything from sports to politics to the environment.

Once you've selected a piece to analyze, answer the questions Crowley and Hawhee ask for Exercise #1 on page 144 (notice I've assigned agency, and I've assigned it to the writers of the book, not the book itself!). Be specific in your response; you will probably need to quote from the article to make your points. Remember to think about extrinsic as well as intrinsic ethos.

Attach the text you've studied (original, photocopy, or hard copy of on-line article) to your written response, and provide a citation for it. You will need to have both the text and your analysis ready to turn in at the beginning of class on October 28.

As usual, feel free to email me if you have any questions.