Basic Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example

It appears also to be aimed at student groups who enter science fairs and competitions and could be particularly valuable for summer schools and extension work after class time. When reviewing this book I examined it from three specific angles: the presentation, the academic content, and the use of language. I also considered its overall strengths and weaknesses, and this three part analysis followed by evaluation is the structure I have chosen for this memo. The first point to note about this booklet is that it is available in electronic form, which makes it very convenient as a resource for teachers.

It can be printed off for use in class, or alternatively it can be projected on to a screen or uploaded on to an educational network. The visual presentation is clearly aimed at a younger audience. The print is large, and there are at most two or three paragraphs of main text per page. The running head at the top of each page reminds the reader of the main topic which is “Science Fair Fun.” Section headings are in very large and bold type, while subheadings are smaller and underlined. The text comes with contents page, page numbers, main text, glossary and a list of resources for further information.

This format resembles a standard project structure, and so it appears that the authors of this booklet wanted to set an example to the students in how to present information in a project report style. There are frequent illustrations which range from photographs to graphs and charts. There are also boxed areas which present key pieces of advice and useful checklists. Some of this material is layered, in magazine style and some of it is more like a web page with large colored icons. These features add interest to the booklet, and encourage students who may have weaker reading skills to persevere with the text and gain clues to its meaning from the illustrations.

The use of color is interesting because it is mainly confined to the primary colors, in rather pastel shades. This may be an attempt to present a visual impression which is both attractive and serious at the same time. Too much bright color can make a text appear infantile and so this subtle coloring is a good compromise. The content of the booklet is both factual and persuasive. The factual information is all related to basic scientific terms such as “hypothesis” and “experiment.” The emphasis is on developing an awareness of scientific methods and following the steps of hypothesis formation, project design, data collection and writing up results in such a way as to come to some conclusion.

There are clear instructions on how to approach each of these stages. This part of the text is rather abstract and it may be that some weaker students would find it had to follow. There is information also on how to present the project verbally, and on what the judges are looking for in a project. The second part of the booklet describes a number of previous projects that have been completed and this information is much more concrete. These short summaries put the theoretical terms and theories into practice, and this provides students with the opportunity to see the terms being used in actions, and a number of models on which they can build their own ideas.

The glossary provides clarification on the scientific meanings of the words used, and this could be used both as preparation for study, and as a revision