Rhetorical Analysis
Rhetorical analysis, or rhetorical criticism, is the systematic interpretation of how symbolic messages — speeches, texts, images, campaigns — work to persuade audiences and create meaning. Rooted in classical rhetoric and codified for contemporary practice by scholars like Sonja Foss, it examines the strategies a message uses, the situation it responds to, and the effects it invites, producing an argued interpretation rather than a count.
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Sources
- Foss, S. K. (2017). Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice (5th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press. ISBN: 9781478634898
- Entman, R. M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of Communication, 43(4), 51–58. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 22). Rhetorical Criticism and Analysis of Communication. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/communication/rhetorical-analysis-method
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
- Audience Reception AnalysisCommunication↔ compare
- Framing AnalysisCommunication↔ compare
- Manifest Content AnalysisCommunication↔ compare
- Narrative Analysis in MediaCommunication↔ compare