rhetorical analysis

“Cheating is taking work done by somebody else […] and saying it is yours.” (Colleen Wenke 532). Through the use of contrast, surveys, credibility, and emotions, Wenke is able to successfully make her claim that cheating will decline only when the need for a grade without the work diminishes and the desire for knowledge is resurrected in a student’s mind. Wenke ______. High school aged students are represented in the text by Wenke. Wenke’s target audience she is writing to the high school administration. She blames high school administrations for the epidemic saying, “schools are drifting away from emphasizing learning and are emphasizing the grade instead.” (Wenke 532). Wenke writes with students in mind to the high school administration to listen to her claim. Wenke makes her claim to explore the puzzling problem. Wenke poses her solution to the cheating epidemic in hopes to assert to her audience, high school administration, that there is a problem in the schools and it needs to be solved. Wenke shapes her argument through the contrast of her school years to her parents. She addresses the contrast writing, “[students today] are very goal oriented and will compromise values to achieve these goals.” (Wenke 534). The use of contrast makes Wenke’s argument stronger and adds depth to her claim. Wenke incorporates logical appeals into her argument to strengthen her claim. Wenke references a survey that states “[…] 98% of students who participated in the survey admitted to cheating.” (Wenke 534). The survey makes Wenke’s argument more respected and seem more valid. Ethos. Wenke clearly states her credentials listing her schooling and degrees. She is able to connect with the topic with personal memories. These memories make her argument stronger by giving the impression she has been there before. Wenke also cites credible sources multiple times. With each bit of information she references, she cites the source and lists the credentials of the source. Pathos. Wenke uses emotional appeals in the first paragraph setting the mood for the rest of the piece. She allows the reader to recall what it feels like to cheat. Wenke is specifically targeting her invoked audience in the first paragraph. This strong use of pathos builds her argument. CONCLUSION