Date Published: 2026
Context
Course Title and Level: Reintroduction to Writing: Writing for Social Justice (AS.004.101), First-Year Writing
Field: First-Year Writing (FYW)
Institutional Setting: A large private research university with an independent University Writing Program serving a diverse undergraduate population
This teaching material—a 50-minute class activity titled “Writing for Social Justice: Rhetorical Analysis”—was introduced in Week 6 of a 15-week semester during Unit Two: Analyze. Positioned after the rhetorical analysis assignment sheet was introduced as the major project of the unit but before the draft is due, the lesson functioned as scaffolded preparation for the major assignment. After students had engaged foundational readings on rhetorical appeals, this activity provided structured, collaborative practice applying rhetorical concepts (ethos, pathos, logos, kairos, e.g.) to contemporary social justice texts. By analyzing activist tweets, posters, and op-eds in small groups, students moved from abstract definitions to situated rhetorical interpretation.
The material supported the course’s broader learning outcomes by reinforcing rhetorical awareness, critical reading, and genre analysis—core objectives outlined in the syllabus. The activity emphasized that rhetoric is not neutral but embedded in systems of power, aligning with the course’s social justice framework. Placing the lesson at this midpoint allowed students to refine analytical vocabulary before revising their drafts, strengthening their ability to identify persuasive strategies and evaluate their ethical implications. Ultimately, the material advanced the course’s goal of helping students see writing as both inquiry and action: a practice through which language shapes public discourse and possibilities for justice.
Reflection
The primary social justice goal of this teaching material is to help first-year writers understand rhetoric as inseparable from power, identity, and public action. Designed for a first year writing class themed “Writing for Social Justice,” the activity situates rhetorical analysis within contemporary struggles over racism, climate justice, gender equity, and other systems of inequality. Rather than presenting traditional rhetoric (ethos, pathos, and logos, e.g.) as neutral techniques, the lesson explicitly frames rhetoric as “never neutral” and asks students to consider how persuasive strategies function within social justice movements. In doing so, the material advances a core course objective: helping students analyze how language can both reinforce and resist injustice.
The design of the activity enacts social justice principles in several ways. First, it relies on open educational resources (Writing Commons and YouTube) rather than costly textbooks, supporting equitable access. Second, students analyze real-world activist texts—tweets, posters, op-eds—foregrounding marginalized voices and contemporary discourse rather than abstract or decontextualized examples. Third, the collaborative “scavenger hunt” format distributes authority across small groups, encouraging peer knowledge-making rather than instructor-centered evaluation. This structure aligns with the course’s emphasis on community accountability and writing as rhetorical action.
In practice, the material has been effective in helping students move from identifying rhetorical appeals mechanically to examining their ethical stakes. Whole-class discussion often generates nuanced conversations. Students report that this activity clarifies expectations for the rhetorical analysis paper and strengthens their confidence in applying analytical vocabulary to public discourse.
Challenges do arise. Some students initially hesitate to critique activist rhetoric, fearing that analysis equates to disagreement. Others gravitate toward surface-level identification (“this is pathos because it’s emotional”) without probing deeper implications. In future iterations, I would incorporate a brief modeling exercise in which I analyze a sample text aloud, demonstrating how to move from identification to critical interpretation. I would also include a short reflective write-up asking students to connect rhetorical strategy to broader systems of power, making the justice framework more explicit.
This lesson plan advances social justice by cultivating critical rhetorical literacy: students learn to read public discourse with attentiveness to both persuasion and power.
Additional Information
I’ve implemented this activity in asynchronous courses only but it’s easily adaptable to an in-person context.
