Rhetorical Analysis Outline: See Bb For A Sample Student RA

Rhetorical Analysis Outlinesee Bb For A Sample Student RA Essay of M

Analyze the rhetorical strategies and effectiveness of the article "Some Students Need to Fail" by Melissa Nicolas, published in The Chronicle of Higher Education on May 10th, 2012. Your analysis should identify the author and summarize the piece, explain the social context and issues addressed, examine the author’s purpose and credibility, analyze relationships to primary and secondary audiences, evaluate language use and tone, and assess the overall rhetorical effectiveness. Discuss any potential weaknesses or parts of the argument that could have been expanded or improved.

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The article "Some Students Need to Fail" by Melissa Nicolas offers a compelling exploration into the nuanced realities of grading in higher education, challenging the prevalent notion that all students should be passed regardless of their engagement or performance. As a dean involved in academic and student counseling, Nicolas brings a credible perspective, emphasizing that failing students who demonstrate a lack of effort and communication is essential for maintaining academic standards and fostering valuable life lessons (Nicolas, 2012). This analysis will scrutinize the rhetorical components of her argument, assessing her effectiveness in persuading her audience of the importance of allowing some students to fail.

Understanding the social and institutional context of Nicolas’s work is crucial. In contemporary academia, the push for student success often translates into lenient grading policies, which can undermine educational integrity and compromise institutional standards. Nicolas addresses this larger social issue—whether it is justifiable to pass students who have not met course requirements—highlighting the tension between compassion and accountability. She reflects on her personal experiences and professional stance, reinforcing her credibility as an authority on the subject and establishing a connection with educators and administrators who grapple with similar dilemmas.

Nicolas’s primary audience appears to be educators and academic administrators, directly speaking to their responsibilities and ethical considerations regarding student failure and success. Her tone is sympathetic yet resolute, with language that blends personal anecdote and professional conviction. For example, she recounts her sleepless nights over failing a student, framing her position as empathetic while also underscoring the necessity of authentic assessment (Nicolas, 2012). This establishes her ethos, portraying her as a dedicated professional who values honesty and the educational process.

The secondary audience extends to students and parents, who may initially view failure as solely negative but are subtly guided to understand its educational importance. Nicolas emphasizes that failure teaches students resilience, accountability, and awareness of adult responsibilities. Her tone balances compassion with realism, urging her readers to accept that failure is sometimes essential for personal growth. This strategic tone helps her persuade skeptical audiences of her viewpoint, fostering acceptance of the idea that allowing students to fail can be ultimately beneficial.

Language usage in the article is straightforward, clear, and accessible, which enhances its persuasiveness. Nicolas employs formal tone and precise diction, making her argument credible and authoritative. Her phrase "Teachers do not celebrate when students fail" humanizes her position, emphasizing that failure, while uncomfortable, is a necessary component of genuine learning. She also transforms the language around grading from a process of "giving" to one of "recording," thereby humanizing educators and acknowledging the weight of their decisions (Nicolas, 2012). Such language choices deepen her ethos and make her claims resonate more effectively with her audience.

The tone–sympathetic, reflective, and pragmatic–serves her rhetorical goal of convincing her audience that failure, although difficult, has educational value. Her honesty about her feelings and professional struggles enhances her ethos, while her logical arguments about the negative consequences of unwarranted passing reinforce her logos. Moreover, her discussion about the wider social issues—such as drug addiction and roommate conflicts impacting academic performance—grounds her stance in the broader social context, demonstrating her understanding of the complex factors influencing student success.

However, the article could have been more persuasive if Nicolas had addressed counterarguments more explicitly or elaborated on specific institutional policies that support failing students, such as academic probation or remediation programs. Also, the piece might have benefitted from empirical data illustrating the long-term benefits of failure, thereby strengthening her logical appeals. Her overall effectiveness is notable; she successfully humanizes and rationalizes her position, encouraging educators to view failure not as a betrayal but as a vital educational tool.

In conclusion, Nicolas’s article effectively employs ethos, pathos, and logos to argue that some students genuinely need to fail for their growth and the integrity of higher education. While the article could delve deeper into systemic policies and empirical evidence, its clear tone, personal credibility, and compelling social context make it a convincing call to embrace the reality of failure as an educational necessity.

References

• Nicolas, M. (2012). Some students need to fail. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com
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