1. AP Language Reading Strategies and Rhetorical Analysis
How to read, annotate, and analyze college-level rhetoric.

2. What is rhetoric?
The art of using language to communicate ideas and persuade an audience.
Ethos – establish credibility as a speaker
Logos – appeals to logic
Pathos – appeals to emotion

3. What is Rhetorical Analysis ?
Reading another person’s text (nonfiction or fiction, image, photograph, cartoon, film, etc.) and pointing out how he/she uses language to influence or persuade the audience.
Remember “analysis” means to break apart something complex into smaller, meaningful parts that can be studied in order to draw conclusions.

4. The Rhetorical Triangle

5. Rhetorical Analysis Continued
When reading, look for PATTERNS in the text or REPEATED important rhetorical strategies.
What are the lines and quotes that contain the most power?
What lines and quotes are the most memorable?
What image(s) does the text bring up for the audience?
How are these all connected?

6. Rhetorical Analysis Continued
Always ask yourself the following:
What overall message is the author trying to communicate?
How is the author attempting to manipulate the feelings of the audience?

7. Rhetorical Strategies
Appeals to ethics
The writer positions himself/herself as a person of good sense, good moral character, and good intentions.
Stating that all people should do or believe something because it benefits society as a whole, or stating that everyone should stop doing or believing something because it damages society as a whole.

8. Rhetorical Strategies
Appeals to logic
Provides rational arguments to support one’s claim using facts, statistics, and figures.
Argument based on logical reasoning.
If…, then… statements.
Cause/effect statements.

9. Rhetorical Strategies
Appeals to emotion
Using emotionally charged language or images to manipulate the feelings of the audience.
Guilt trips, shaming, scare tactics, challenges/dares, flattery, etc.
Look for repeated words with a specific connotation

10. Rhetorical Strategies
Appeals to emotion
Using emotionally charged language or images to manipulate the feelings of the audience.
Guilt trips, shaming, scare tactics, challenges/dares, flattery, etc.
Look for repeated words with a specific connotation

11. Becoming an Active Reader
Get used to annotating texts in AP Language; it’s one of the best strategies for improving your score on the AP test.
For instructions and examples, visit

12. SOAPSTone (Acronym #1) Speaker Occasion Audience
Purpose (specific answer)
Subject (general terms)
Tone (narrow down to 3-4 options, pick the best)
Quotes to support

13. DIDLS (Acronym #2) Diction Images Details Language Style
Rhetorical Terms Glossary (5 page monstrosity)