I feel like I don’t know any rhetorical strategies, could you list some more sophisticated ones that I should know?
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Hi,
This is a very common question, but I recommend re-framing it here. CollegeBoard has deliberately changed the Rhetorical Analysis wording from “rhetorical strategies” to “writing choices.” As readers, we would much rather see you put the author’s writing choices in your own words than worry about “matching” a name of a rhetorical strategy. Students who prioritize matching the name of a particular strategy often “oversimplify” the analytical task. It’s about much more than matching a specific term.
Here’s how I would think through the analytical task:
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Get in the “mind” of the audience. What would the target audience likely think BEFORE/DURING reading or listening to the text? What specific things did the writer do to either a). change the audience’s mind or b). reinforce a belief?
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Once you’ve identified the writing choices that would be most effective in addressing the target audience, explain what this writing choice is in your own words. Then, thoroughly unpack how the audience would likely respond to these writing choices. This is where you truly earn your score.
Here is a Replay that is very relevant to this discussion. I hope this helps!
