Essay #1: Rhetorical Analysis
For Essay #1, please write a summary and analysis of any of the articles from Ch. 14 assigned by your instructor. Your audience is educated peers who have read the article, and are wondering what you think about it.
Your rhetorical analysis must include a summary of what the article argues, and also an analysis and evaluation of how well the article makes its points.
Your essay should include those elements of summary that Greene and Lidinsky recommend:
the context of the article
a clear statement of what you feel to be “the gist” of the article
a description of the key claims of the article
1-2 relevant examples (direct quotations or paraphrases) from the article
As no summary is neutral, you must weave an analytical thread throughout your summary that suggests to the reader your judgment of the value of the article. You might consider including:
examine how well the article appeals to its intended audience
evaluate the author's use of evidence
identify the author's purpose or motivation for writing
point out the gaps and flaws in the article's argument
Do not attempt to summarize every last detail of the article. Instead, focus on the gist of the article and your analysis of the how well the article supports its points.
Because an analysis is your perspective, it is appropriate to use "I" in this essay. However, do use "I" sparingly -- your focus should be on analyzing the article, not on simply stating your own beliefs.
Guidelines for Essay #1
Length/Due Date: approximately 600 words, due Sunday midnight Central Time.
Style/Format: This, as all essays in EN106, should be formatted in a standard scholarly format. (Most students follow MLA or APA guidelines, which are outlined in Easy Writer.) No matter what format you follow, be sure to do the following:
Use 12 point, Times New Roman font, double-spaced.
Use 1-inch margins top, bottom, and sides.
Although no cover page is needed, you should include your name, my name, the course number/title, and date at the upper left-hand corner of the manuscript.
References: Essay #1 must quote or paraphrase the article you are analyzing. Each time you quote or paraphrase the article, include in-text citations that follow MLA or APA style.
File format: Please submit your essay as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file. These formats are available in most word processors, including Google Docs and Open Office, and will ensure that your instructor is able to comment on your work.
Works Cited/References: Create an appropriate bibliography, with one entry for the article you are analyzing. Use Easy Writer to learn how to format a end-of-text citation for a work in an anthology or selection in a book with an editor.
Titles: Include a descriptive title at the beginning of your essay that tips your readers off to your central message. Do not format your title with quotation marks, boldface, underlining or italics. Quotation marks or underlining are only appropriate if the title borrows words from another source.
Deadline: Submit your final draft essay no later than midnight on Sunday at the end of this unit.
ESSAY OPTIONS
Pappano, Laura. “How Big-Time Sports Ate College Life.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Jan. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/education/edlife/how-big-time-sports-ate-college-life.html (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.).
Hannah-Jones, Nikole. “School Segregation, the Continuing Tragedy of Ferguson.” ProPublica, 9 Mar. 2014, www.propublica.org/article/ferguson-school-segregation (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.).
Dynarski, Susan. “Why American Schools Are Even More Unequal Than We Thought.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Aug. 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/upshot/why-american-schools-are-even-more-unequal-than-we-thought.html.
Dynarski, Susan. 2018. “Why American Schools Are Even More Unequal Than We Thought”. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader, 4th Edition. Bedford/St. Martin. pp. 427-429.
Edmundson, Mark. 2018. “Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here? A Word to the Incoming Class”. From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader, 4th Edition. Bedford/St. Martin. pp. 414.
Reardon, Sean F., Jane Waldfogel, and Daphna Bassok. 2018. “The good News about Educational Inequality.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing: A Text and Reader, 4th Edition. Bedford/St. Martin. pp. 431.