Adrianna Vigil

February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

Rhetorical Analysis: Cover Letter

I chose to approach this assignment as if I was writing to a student organization at UNM that was
directly interested in the communications department. This specific organization of students are
interested in seeing how other universities around the country/ world are gaining more students
into their communication programs. I, being a student enrolled in the program, was their go to
girl. I found an example for them to look over. The advertisement was a YouTube video from

Commented [SD1]: Adrianna,

The parts highlighted in yellow are word-for-word lifted
from your original cover letter.
Ive explained to the class that reusing/recycling ideas is
acceptable--- in small amounts. However, that comes
with reworking those ideas into new formats for
different assignments, or at least paraphrasing. More of
your cover letter is recycled and completely unaltered
than it is new. This is called self-plagiarism and
depending on the instructor, can carry all the penalties
of normal plagiarism. I know the first few sentences of
your actual MWA have been recycled from your LSA,
but because the vast majority of your MWA is new
writing, its not a problem.

Penn State University. In my rhetorical analysis I went over certain details, appeals and measures
that the advertisement uses in order to get students to join their program. I explained to the
student organization that if they followed this advertisement and made some minor adjustments,
such as adding things and taking some things out, they could make a perfect video that would
recruit many students to the Communications program at UNM.

I approached them first with a catchy and fun title Calling All Communicators. This allowed
the rhetorical analysis to have some sort of fun aspect to it that would hopefully draw them in.
I then started off my introductory paragraph with a more broad description of the
communications program at UNM then got down to the reason why we needed an advertisement,
recruitment. I linked a specific video that did an amazing job in giving viewers an inside look
into their program and all that they have to offer. My purpose is to persuade them that this video
is a good example that UNMs communication department should follow in order to expand their
program so I gave examples in order to sell my found advertisement.

Im not going to take off any points because I dont think

youre maliciously self-plagiarizing or anything. :]
However, in the future, when you recycle more than
you create, it means youre reusing a bit too much, and
need to paraphrase or translate your ideas take new
forms. Ill have a discussion with the class because this is
a really grey area of plagiarism and many students do it
without meaning to or realizing, especially when we
encourage you to reuse your work.

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

In the following paragraphs I gave specific examples of appeals that the advertisement used.
These being ethos, pathos, and logos. I stated the appeal and gave its definition, and how it
affects an audience. The advertisement showed video of the students participating in engaging
activities which I explained would draw students in more. I also emphasized how the
advertisement gave most of its credibility, if not all, to the Penn State Communications program.
This made it seem like the students would have not succeeded or got what they wanted any other
way than through this program. I also explained the statistics of success and the program that
students follow in order to be successful. I thought these were ideas that the student organization
might want to take into consideration when thinking about how other programs are recruiting
people. I went into depth because I wanted the student organization to fully understand the
rhetorical strategies so that they could apply them to UNM and its communication program.

Throughout this assignment I have worked towards two SLOs in order to improve my writing
skills. By first writing a proposal letter for the advertisement, then turning it into a rhetorical
analysis, I went through different processes of writing. By peer reviewing both my proposal and
rough draft of my MWA, I was able to get feedback from my classmates as well as my teacher.
The feedback comments from them helped me to make corrections to my paper. This helped me
work towards SLO C. I also was able to work towards SLO G. I researched an advertisement and
the three major appeals, how they affect a person, and how they were applied in the
advertisement. I explained how I thought they would affect a person and how they affected me. I
had to answer specific questions for the organization focused on my major in order to help them
make an accurate advertisement.

Commented [SD2]: You didnt mention anything

youd like me to specifically look at, so I gave general
feedback.

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

Calling All Communicators: A Rhetorical Analysis of Penn State University; College of

Communication Advertisement
The communications program at The University of New Mexico (UNM) has a lot to offer
students. It provides them with the education as well as the opportunities that the aspiring
communications major needs to become successful. What opportunities will they get? What
classes will they take? In order to recruit more students into the program UNM must give them

Commented [SD3]: Rhetorical questions are very

effective here.

an inside look at what the program is all about. The detailed advertisement for Penn State
University; College of communications, effectively uses ethos, pathos and logos by showing the
achievements and opportunities given to students in order to expand their program.
In all advertisements there are types of appeals. That is what makes an advertisement, an
advertisement. The Penn State advertisement used 3 appeals; ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is
done by giving credibility and trustworthiness to the advertisement. If someone is viewing an
advertisement and sees that it is being endorsed by a certain person or someone who is worthy of
credit, then they will more likely trust the ad and therefore use the product, join the program, etc.
Logos is the hard facts. It is an appeal to logic and lays out all the data and evidence. This
appeals to an audience because if they see the results, data, and/or evidence right in front of
them, and will most likely be convinced by it. Pathos is the appeal to emotion and is typically the
most heavily used. Pathos is a number of things that triggers ones emotions or feelings such as;
colors, music, vivid descriptions, tone, etc. All these allow a person to be persuaded by feeling
an emotion towards the advertisement like compassion, sadness, or success. All three appeals are

Commented [SD4]: Solid thesis/intro!

Commented [SD5]: Other arguments use rhetorical
appeals as well, but ads really like to use them.

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

successfully used in the Penn State advertisement to help effectively persuade students into
joining their program.

Commented [SD6]: Extra space between paragraphs.

Commented [SD7]: Really good explanation of
appeals!

The five minute video allows enough information to be shared without boring the viewer
or overloading them with too much information. Directed towards college students interested in
the communication field, the video advertisement contains certain elements that are appealing to
them. The majority of the footage is either of activities that the students do or interviews with the
actual students or professors themselves. The advertisement shows students doing mock
interviews like something you would see on Dateline with Diane Sawyer, while other students
are hosting school radio station shows about their big game like ESPN. The advertisement was
made by students in the communication program at Penn State University and was posted onto
Penn State Universitys YouTube page. This advertisement was recently published on June 24,
2014. It is aimed towards college students interested in going to school for Communications and
then having a successful career in the media industry after. The video description says that it is
the largest nationally accredited communication program in the nation. It describes a three step
program that the college follows. The students and faculty go on to say that if you join the
program and follow the steps, you will be successful.
The advertisement video opens with students speaking about all the amazing
opportunities and achievements that they have done through the Communication department at
Penn State. (College of Com.) Ethos is built through the students talking about the faculty and
staff, how they have helped them, and how they have experience within the field. The students
are able to learn from people who have real experience within their interest so they can trust in
them and their knowledge. When talking about internships and interviews that the students have

Commented [SD8]: This part was lifted too, but in the

grand scheme of your whole document, it isnt over
50%. Some of it could have used a little more rewording,
but youve still created more than youve reused here.

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

gone through they explain how impressed their interviewer was. They were amazed by how
much they had done and experienced they had already had through the College of Com. All the
credit for success that the students had accomplished was given to the College of Com. Each
student explained that without the program they would have never achieved what they had or
been able to do what they had done without going through this program. This allows the program
to gain credibility because without it, the students would have not stood out or had gotten the
opportunity to advance in their field.

Commented [SD9]: Good analysis here!

Ethos helps aid with the appeal of logos throughout the advertisement. Students talk
about how companys and future employers were impressed. The video also has pop-up windows
that show different statistics that the communication department is known for such as; ranked
#1 graduated from recruiters, and 80% graduation rate. These statistics could really convince
a student into joining the College of Com. because it shows the success rate. The students
viewing the advertisement could then see themselves falling into the statistics and therefore
becoming successful. An accredited faculty member in the video also explains a three pronged
approach that the College of Com. is based on. By following each part of the breakdown they
guarantee success.
Throughout the advertisement pathos is thoroughly used and is most likely the most
convincing to a viewer of the advertisement. The video starts out with upbeat music which
allows the viewer to become excited. By having the students do most of the speaking, the video
allows a potential student to relate with the students who are already in the College of Com.
They talk about their passion and all that they have achieved. Students viewing this will want the
same for themselves. Many of the students are shown doing real-life activities that fall into the
communication major. They are able to get hands on experience and do what they would

Commented [SD10]: Good examples herea colon

instead of semicolon should come before though.

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

potentially be doing in their upcoming career. Because of this a viewer is able to see what they
will be able to do and the goals that they can set for themselves knowing that they will be
achieved. Due to the fact that a potential student is able to actually hear and see the students and
what they are doing makes a difference. If someone were to just see a billboard or poster with
some words or pictures on it they wouldnt be able to feel the passion or emotion within the
program; this video enables a viewer to feel that. The Dean of College of Com. amplifies the
fact that the school does not take a cookie cutter approach with their students. Instead they
give each of them individual attention because they want each of them to feel limitless and
confident in their chosen career path. When a student hears this, and knows that they will be
given individual attention, they will be drawn in more knowing that they are going to get one of
a kind learning and experiences. Lastly, the students talk about how at the College of Com. there
is a sense of community. Everybody knows everybody and they feel as if they are at home,
working together to achieve their common goals.
Through the use of ethos, logos, and pathos, the advertisement successfully convinces
students that they can achieve more through the College of Com. than with any other program.
By modeling a commercial advertisement for the Communication department at UNM, we can
effectively recruit more students and expand the Communications program. The content
displayed in the video is what sells it and makes it convincing. By editing the video to be better
directed to students at UNM, such as adding more logos like accredited brands or companies that
former students now work for and sharing some statistics of the success of our program, our
video advertisement will help us to expand the Communications program at UNM!

Strong

Good

Needs Work

Weak/NA

Adrianna Vigil
February 6, 2015
ENG 120- Diaz

Cover Letter (10)

10

Introduction (10)

10

Explanation of concepts (5)

Summary of text (5)

Ethos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Pathos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Logos (20)

20 19 18

17 16 15 14

13 12 11 10 9 8

7-0

Conclusion (10)

10

Bonus awesome point (+1)

Total: 98/100