Rhetorical Analysis Memo for The Infographic Project

The Rhetorical Analysis Memo (Infographic) is an exercise for The Infographics Project, a major project in Professional Writing, an undergraduate writing course.

[ Course Syllabus | Schedule | The Infographic Project ]

Assignment Guidelines

Write a one-page memo to your instructor that summarizes your plans for your infographic. Your memo should address the rhetorical elements that are outlined in the heuristic below.

The goal of this exercise is to help you get started drafting an infographic. by encouraging you to consider the rhetorical situation for your message. This exercise also serves as a rough draft for your design memo.

Overview of Tasks

Below is a summary of tasks associated with the Infographic Assignment.

  1. First, familiarize yourself with the genre of the Infographic. Do a strategic search for exemplary infographics or for infographics on topics of interest to you. Look both for infographics on the topic you’ve chosen and for infographics that have been recognized for being “good” infographics.
  2. Narrow your topic and locate credible sources of data related to your topic.
  3. Identify your rhetorical context. Analyze the audience, purpose, and context for your infographic and figure out what “story” you want to tell and how you want to tell it.
    1. Audience: Who will read your infographic? Why will they read it?
    1. Purpose: What is your story or argument?
  4. Analyze the infographic development tools that are available and choose the tool(s) you’ll use for this project.