In this essay you will not focus on the argument and its validity; instead, you will explore the author’s self-presentation, how the author makes his/her/their case, and why. Specifically, you will analyze how an author seeks to reach the audience, connecting with its members for maximum persuasion. In this respect, you will be psychologizing writers – thinking about what they do on the page and why. You then will envision how effective it might be and why.
Your analysis will be followed by a short reflection in which you discuss your writing, reading, and thinking process.
You can analyze one of the following essays:
1. Most Books Won’t Change Your Life by Scott H. Young (But You Should Read Them Anyways)
https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2019/06/28/read-more-books/Links to an external site.
MLA Citation: Young, Scott. “Most Books Won’t Change Your Life (but You Should Read Them Anyways).” Scott H.Young, June 2019,https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/2019/06/28/read-more-books. Accessed 24 June 2024.
Requirements:
Analysis Essay:
· Introduction and conclusion: The essay must have well-developed, arresting introductory and concluding paragraphs.
· Thesis: The essay must have a well-developed thesis that lays out the trajectory of the argument.
· Summary: The second paragraph of the essay must summarize the argument you are analyzing. It must follow our usual 4-part summary format.
· Strategy analysis: The essay must identify Rhetorical Strategies the author uses to build trust(Logos, Pathos, Ethos) and analyze how and why they work in the essay. These must be analyzed in one to three well-developed paragraphs.
· Text evidence: The analysis must incorporate properly cited text evidence to support its points.
· Formatting: The essay must be formatted in MLA.
· Edited academic English: The essay must be edited for grammar and clarity.
· Length: Must be at least 650 words.
Reflection:
· Answer the following questions in the form of a paragraph in 150 words.
o Discuss your writing process: why you selected a particular essay to analyze, how you identified the author’s strategies, and picked text evidence.
o Did the author do a good job creating trust? Why?
o What else could the author have done to build trust?
o When you write arguments how do you plan to create trust with a reader?
Rubric
Automatic Grades
· Academic dishonesty: 0
· Major citation error: 65 (Failure to include a Works Cited page or proper in-text citations.)
· Too short: 50 (Analysis essay is shorter than 650 words.)
Category
Point
Value
Notes
Introduction and Conclusion
40
· The author grabs the reader’s attention immediately, using effective rhetorical strategies.
· The introduction is well-developed and interesting.
· Conclusion is well-developed and interesting.
· Conclusion leaves the reader with something to think about.
Thesis
15
· The last sentence of the introduction is a thesis.
· The first sentence of the conclusion restates the thesis.
· The thesis is well-developed and outlines the trajectory of the essay.
Summary
20
· The second paragraph of the essay provides a summary of the essay.
· The summary is 4-6 sentences and does not use quotes.
· The summary identifies the author, title, and genre of the analyzed essay.
· The summary outlines major points the author makes.
· The summary identifies the author’s purpose.
· The summary identifies the audience and explains the author’s intended effect on it.
Analysis
40
· The author not only identifies trust-building strategies but explains HOW and why they work.
· Text evidence is used to support analysis.
Organization
10
· Paragraphs are well-developed according to AEIOU.
· Quotes are properly integrated with introductions and explanations.
· Transitions between ideas.
Formatting
20
· MLA heading and header
· Double-spaced
· Paragraphs indented
· Works Cited page
· In-text citations
· 12-point Times New Roman font
Grammar and style
15
· Essay is edited for typos
· Author runs a spell check
· Proper usage
· Edited for grammar and clarity
· Academic tone
Reflection
40
· Addresses the writing process
· Addresses the author’s trust-building strategies and their effectiveness
· Discusses other strategies the author might have used
· Discusses personal writing plan
