Visual Analysis
Assignment Guidelines
Compose a rhetorical analysis of the image you selected. Remember, your essay should argue for a particular interpretation of the image.
1. Select an image from the array of images posted in iCollege.
2. Consider the following elements of your image:
• The rhetorical situation of the image, including the author, audience, purpose, context,
tone, genre, design, constraints, and exigence
• The rhetorical strategies, or how the image is composed to produce a specific effect
(use of color, layout, contrast, etc.)
• The rhetorical appeals (ethos/pathos/logos), or ways the image seeks to engage its
audience
3. Compose a thesis that argues your interpretation (i.e. a particular way of viewing the
image) based on the choices made in its construction. See the Introduction to Visual Analysis page and PowerPoint posted in the current module.
4. Support your thesis by describing and analyzing various elements of your image (see #2
above) that support your overall argument about the image.
5. Explain how your analysis of the image relates back to the article from which the image
originated. Does the article reinforce your view, challenge, or contradict it? (There’s no right or wrong answer here; just your ability to evaluate). You’ll need to quote and/or paraphrase from the article in cite it in your essay.
6. Conclude by reinforcing the key points and highlighting why the conversation is important
in contemporary society.
Requirements
• A thesis that argues for a specific interpretation of the image you selected
• Several detailed supporting examples from the image that explain the rhetorical appeals at
work
• A clear connection between your way of viewing this image and its context
• An explanation of how or if your interpretation of the image fits its companion article’s use
or interpretation. This will require quoting and/or paraphrasing from the article to substantiate your claim.
• The only sources used in this essay should be your approved image and the article from
which it originated.
• A coherent organizational structure that supports your thesis (with introduction and
conclusion)
• A strong sense of audience
• 3-4 double-spaced pages (750-1,000 words)
• MLA documentation for all sources (including the image) through in-text citation and a
Works Cited page
• Meticulous proofreading and proper MLA formatting
Submit the Final Draft of Essay Two to this folder. Please use .pdf, .docx, or .rtf format.
