Instructions
For this assignment, you will produce an analysis of a text we have read for class. You may choose any essay we have read for the course between the start of the quarter and the assignment’s due date, *except* chapters from your Foster textbook. Any texts that appear in PDF form in the Course Readings folder that are *not* chapters from Foster or Stokstad, or texts labeled as examples of reviews, are options for this assignment.
In your essay, identify the main points of the author’s argument—their thesis. Avoid excessive summarization; the object is not to repeat everything the author says, but to identify the points they are trying to make, and where they stand on the issues at hand. Discuss the way the author’s argument is crafted: what kind of rhetorical style do they employ, and how do they persuade the audience to their point of view? Finally, provide your response to the author’s argument in a detailed fashion. If there are weaknesses or blind spots in the author’s argument, what are they? If the author’s argument strikes you as particularly strong or true, why is this the case? What evidence supports it? Give specifics: simply saying “The author says ______, and I agree” or “I disagree” reduces a complex argument in a way that is not informative. Because authors typically discuss others’ opinions, you will have to read carefully to make sure that you understand what the author believes, versus what the people they discuss believe. Keep in mind that if nowhere in your paper do you identify either the author or the text by name, you are not giving the impression that you have engaged with the text closely.
Papers are due in the Submissions folder no later than 11:59 p.m., Sunday March 7. This long timeframe is designed to allow you to choose a time to analyze a text that works well with your schedule; you are however strongly encouraged to turn in your analysis no later than a week after you complete the reading for class, while it is still fresh in your mind. This assignment is worth 20% of your total grade in the course.
Formal Requirements:
Your paper must be no less than 2 and no more than 3 pages long, double-spaced, with a 12-point font and 1” margins. A minimum of two pages means two full pages of text. Do not include illustrations. References to works of art and to the text you discuss must be formatted and cited correctly, which means that you must select either the MLA or Chicago Manual of Style citation system and use it correctly and consistently. See your Barnet for further guidance. Your paper must be free of spelling and grammatical errors; papers that have not been proofread will be graded accordingly.
* I added an example of my previous work for reference in order to make sure this paper will not be too different from my previous work.