Overview
Choose a non-fiction article from the https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ Ideas sectionLinks to an external site. of The Atlantic… NEW: or a non-fiction article from another academically respected journal; examples include The Nation, New Yorker, The Sun, Harpers, Bloomberg, New Republic, Economist, New York Times Magazine, and Washington Monthly. You can explore what you can find, find a serious magazine with a serious article, and then fulfill the assignment. Discuss the soundness of the author’s critical thinking by identifying and analyzing the following aspects of the article:
Issue
Conclusion
Reasons
Evidence
Ambiguous Language
Context
Guidelines
Your essay should:
Have a compelling, original title.
Put forward a clearly focused thesis that evaluates the soundness of the author’s critical thinking based on an examination of its components. Does the author’s perspective (thesis) follow logically from the evidence provided? Is the evidence itself credible and relevant?
Use a balance of clearly attributed and properly documented summary, paraphrase, and direct quotation for representing the ideas and language of the article.
Include at least one short quote from the work under analysis. By definition, a short quote is under four typed lines. This quote should be introduced with a signal phrase and followed by an in-text citation and analysis.
Be 3 FULL pages in length, absolute minimum so submit 3 1/2, submitted in MLA format with in-text citations and a separate Works Cited page with your primary source. note: papers that do not meet the minimum automatically fail.
No secondary sources are to be consulted or referenced on this assignment. Therefore, only your primary text (the article itself) will be listed on your Works Cited page. This is a little different than usual; however, for this assignment, you consult only your article and your brain, plus your peers and tutors.
Follow essay structure. Have an introductory paragraph that hooks the reader, briefly provides necessary background information, and argues a evaluative thesis in the last 1-2 sentences. The thesis needs to be an argument, not a fact, not a summary. You must demonstrate critical assessment, critical judgement: evaluation, in other words. Does the article make logical sense and why or why not? Where are the exact strengths or flaws? Have body paragraphs focused on one idea where the first sentence is a topic sentence. Each topic sentence should support the thesis. All details provide evidence that supports your thesis. Your concluding paragraph should not introduce new information. Instead, it should restate the thesis in new words and end on a deep thought directly related to the thesis.
REMEMBER: the whole purpose of the essay ultimately will be to prove your thesis. So, if you don’t have an arguable thesis, then your essay literally has no point nor purpose… yawn…
Key Definitions
Issue: An issue is a question or controversy responsible for the conversation or discussion. It is the stimulus for what is being said. Descriptive issues are those that raise questions about the accuracy of descriptions of the past, present, or future. Prescriptive issues are those that raise questions about what we should do or what is right or wrong, good or bad.
Conclusion: A conclusion is the message that the speaker or writer wishes you to accept.
Reasons: Reasons are explanations or rationales for why we should believe a particular conclusion.
Evidence: Evidence refers to the facts and details that demonstrate the truth of the reasons.
Ambiguous Language: Ambiguity refers to the existence of multiple possible meanings for a word or phrase, a lack of clarity
Context: Your analysis should include some consideration/acknowledgement of when and where this article appears and how its placement relates to the larger concerns, agendas, and possible biases of The Atlantic.
Sample Thesis Statements
Article X demonstrates sound critical thinking through its evidence, reasoning, and presentation of context.
Article X fails to demonstrate sound critical thinking through weak evidence, reasoning, and presentation of context.
Remember, the thesis should be the last 1-2 sentences of your first paragraph. It should not use first person (I, me, or my, or we) nor second person (you). btw, also avoid the generic “they”… who exactly is “they,” anyway? Be exact.
Sample Papers
Below, I have provided a sample outline and three examples of student papers with my feedback at the end. Please review these carefully. I do not usually provide this many samples, but I wanted to give you the best opportunity to get an A for our first assignment.
