Article Analysis 3: Rhetorical/crtical: To argue the topic area as stated was communication skills needed for business, with an emphasis on a disconnect between what business leaders want and what educators teach.
Your task is to discuss the article as if you were evaluating it for use in your research project.
Each paper will include at least two sources:
- your textbook/class notes related to the paradigm and
- the scholarly article you are examining. Your task is to discuss your topic as if you were proposing a research
Then complete these tasks.
- First, remind the reader of your topic.
- Second, discuss:
- what specific method used is by the article,
- how it fits within the paradigm
- why it is a good fit for your
- Third, evaluate any one conclusion the authors make following the claim, data, warrant structure of the Toulmin Model.(see lecture material)
- Finally, based upon this article, pose a potential research question on your This is only for practice, so be sure the question is only based upon your specific article.
Guide for choosing Articles for Analysis
Things to look for:
• Studies in communication journals
• Full studies that have analyses of data
• Studies that have identifiable methods
Technical Requirements
- Length 2-3 pages
- Proper APA format, particularly when citing the article
- The scholarly research article must be from the paradigm you claim.
- Proper use of the Toulmin Model
- File saved as an Adobe .pdf
- Grammar and spelling
Using this informtion from the Croucher, S. M., & Cronn-Mills, D. (2021). Understanding Communication Research Methods (3rd ed.). Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781000452648
In chapter 18, you’ll learn about rhetorical criticism, a communication research method focused on analyzing symbols used to persuade, influence, or shape reality. Rhetoric, dating back to ancient Greece, remains central to understanding influence. Rhetorical critics analyze “artifacts,” which could be speeches, ads, signs, or media content, to uncover the intent and impact of persuasive messages. Common approaches include neo-Aristotelian (focusing on classical persuasion techniques), metaphor criticism, and fantasy theme analysis. Critics choose artifacts and approaches based on interest or relevance. Rhetorical criticism is flexible, allowing multiple interpretations, with strong arguments providing meaningful insights into the communication’s influence.
And in In chapter 4 you’ll learn about critical theory, a field that examines power and oppression, aiming to change relationships of power. Starting with Hegel’s concept of dialectics, which sees change as an internal contradiction within ideas, the chapter explores how Marx applied this to society’s class structures, defining class not by wealth but by one’s relationship to production. Marxists and postmodernists analyze power differently: Marxists focus on economic structures, while postmodernists see power as dispersed across society, shaped through discourse. Both approaches seek to end oppression and maximize freedom and happiness, with discourse shaping ideologies and societal structures.