Ted Talks Analysis Worksheet

Ted Talks Rhetorical Analysis Worksheet

Goals: The goal of a rhetorical and visual analysis is not only to analyze what a writer is arguing concerning a focused issue/topic, but to analyze how the writer and creator of the visual is presenting the argument. You’ll do this by analyzing the use of rhetorical strategies. You will provide an objective analysis of the strengths and weaknesses in the speaker’s use of ethos, logos, and pathos within his or hers Ted Talk.

Purpose: Before composing the essay itself, however, it will be helpful to spend some time simply identifying the rhetorical strategies at work in your selected presentation. Don’t worry about the structure of your essay. Just examine your TedTalk with an eye on the rhetorical situation. You will want to look at a transcript of the presentation for the purpose of quotes and accuracy.

Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model – Cameron Russell

Purpose:

* In three sentences, identify what the purpose is of the TedTalks presentation. What is the speaker attempting to communicate to the audience, and what is he/she hoping to achieve through this communication? Cameron Russell has being a model for the past 10 years, talks about the significance of image in our society. She speaks specifically about the racial bias in modeling, the fact that images of models are false, and that the false assumption that beautiful equals happy. She wants the audience to acknowledge that image shapes individual lives ad society as a whole.

Ethos deals primarily with credibility.

* Examine the author’s reputation, authority, and/or expertise.

* Should we consider any value in what he/she is saying? Why or why not?

* These factors as well as the argument being made will either improve or detract from the writer’s credibility.

* Identify at least 3 elements that contribute to the ethos of the writer/speaker.

1. Cameron Russell has being a model for the past 10 years. We can assume that...