Audience: Who is the intended audience? What does the author want the audience to think or do? How much does this audience know about the topic? Purpose: Why is the author writing this essay? What does the author want to accomplish? Stance: How does the author feel toward the topic? How is the author related to the topic and audience? How does the author convey his/her stance through tone? Context: Does the author recognize any other perspectives? Are there any constraints on the author or the writing? Rhetorical Appeals Logos: appeal to logic – hard facts, statistics, numbers, proven results, etc. Ethos: appeal to authority – being authoritative on the topic itself, using quotes or information from an authority, etc. Pathos: appeal to emotion – personal/emotional stories, images/descriptions that invoke emotions Your final essay should be a clear argument with a thesis statement outlining your main claims. You should support your claims with specific evidence, including quotes and paraphrases from the essay you have chosen to write about. Requirements: 3-4 pages, double-spaced, MLA format.