Historical Cultural Situation Paper

Rhetoric and Social Change
Spring 2002
Dr. Adrienne Christiansen

For this assignment, you will write a 5-10 page analysis of your rhetorical act's historical-cultural situation. I strongly recommend that you reread Chapter 3 in Critiques of Contemporary Rhetoric in preparing to write this paper.

Your paper should be organized by an explicit discussion of the most relevant aspects of the historical-cultural situation, a discussion of the rhetor or author, a description of the audience(s) for the act, an indication of competing rhetorical forces, if any; and a discussion of the validity, credibility, and adequacy of supporting evidence in the rhetorical act, if any.

Very likely, you will generate far more information about the historical-cultural context than you can possibly discuss in a 5-10 page paper. You will need to be discerning and write about those factors which seem to you to be the most relevant in helping your readers understand the rhetorical situation. Save other materials for potential use in your final paper.

Papers must have an introduction which states or summarizes your perspective on the historical-cultural situation, and a preview or overview of those issues you address in the body of the analysis. The body of your paper should provide the argumentative substance to support the claims you make in the introduction. Even if you use subheadings in your paper as you move from one category of analysis to another, be sure to use prose transitions.

You must give appropriate attribution for materials you use in this paper. I prefer footnotes at the bottom of the page, but you may also use endnotes and parenthetical citations in the text of your paper. Include a works cited page. Follow appropriate MLA style conventions for notes and citations. You can purchase an MLA Handbook at Ruminator Books or find copies of it in the reference section of the DeWitt Wallace Library. In addition, much of the Handbook is available to you on the WWW.

Carefully proofread your paper for clarity, syntax, grammar, punctuation, and typos. Type your papers, double-spaced, leaving one inch margins on all four sides. Please include a title page. I highly recommend that you ask your class colleagues to read drafts of your paper, that you make an appointment for assistance at the Learning Resources Center, or that you make an appointment with me to talk about your paper or read a rough draft. My office hours are on X.

Remember: Good writing is a function of rereading, revising, and rewriting. Give yourself enough time to undertake these important tasks.

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