Rhetorical Analysis

International Document Assignment
The goal of this assignment is to create a usable, one-page international (single-sided or front and
back) document that incorporates both visual and textual information. You will also submit a
rhetorical analysis memo to justify your design choices.
Due Dates:
Wed. 10/13—Rough draft for peer review
Wed. 10/20—Final draft for submission
Document
There are several ways to begin this assignment. You may start by choosing a country or even
multiple countries. Perhaps consider what countries you are interested in learning more about,
have traveled to (or would like to travel to), or will be dealing with in your future career. You
may also start by choosing a type of document you want to create and then narrow your focus
down to a country, city, or type of activity.
Your document may be an advertisement for a study-abroad program, a map of an historic site, a
menu for a restaurant, a bus schedule for a town, a brochure for a tourist attraction, etc. You will
ultimately decide what information the document will contain and its appearance (type, color,
paper used, graphics, etc.). Use your imagination, but at the same time, remember your
audience. You want this to be a usable document. Refer to Chapter 5 for helpful information
about document design and the resources available in D2L.
Rhetorical Analysis Memo
After you create your document, you will compose a memo. (See Chapter 6 in our textbook for
samples and formatting guidelines.) The memo should not exceed one page, and it should
include a brief introduction with three additional sections. The format should be as follows:
• Introduction—Describe the document.
• Section 1—Describe or identify your audience.
• Section 2—Explain how your audience will use your document.
• Section 3—Analyze your design choices by persuading me why your presentation of
information works best for your purpose and users.
Please include a list of sources you used on a separate sheet of paper when you submit your
assignment. Sources should include any photos, maps, tables, graphics, or other information you
used to create your document. You may follow MLA or APA style.
Grading Criteria
While grading this assignment, I will be looking at many aspects of the documents you create.
How clear and concise is your choice of language? Are the tone and style appropriate given the
audience you are addressing? How readable is your document? Does the arrangement of
information reflect the principles of document design that we discussed in class? How useful is
your document? Were you creative in establishing the rhetorical situation and the layout of the
text itself? Are there any grammar, punctuation, or consistency errors?
* Be sure to check out the samples I have posted in the International Document module in D2L.
These are real documents created by past students. Hopefully, they will give you some
inspiration as you begin brainstorming and designing your own international document. These
samples are by no means perfect. In fact, you might see some questionable design choices or
even grammatical errors, so my hope is they will help you in thinking about your own finished
product. Also, I’m including samples for the rhetorical analysis memo. Happy designing! *