Paper 1: Article Analysis
Length: 3-5 pages
This assignment requires you to analyze one of the articles below according to the following criteria. The assignment should be completed in “essay” or “paper” format, meaning your analysis should be a series of paragraphs with a clear beginning, middle, and end that contains a thesis statement that asserts the article’s main idea. (Note: The thesis statement of your paper will be an explanatory thesis. It will identify and explain the argument/main idea of the article and does not have to, in itself, be argumentative.)
***Any of the following text-based works from Chapter 4 of the textbook may be chosen as the focus of this paper.
“The Myth of the Latin Woman: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria”
“On Being a Cripple”
“Head Hunting in Cyberspace”
*Any other article from Chapter 4* (we will be discussing the 3 above in class)
1. Choose 1 work from Chapter 4 for your analysis.
2. Identify the main point and 2 supporting points
3. Explain those points to your reader with an emphasis on WHY or HOW the author is making the points.
The paper must include quotes, paraphrases, or statistics that the author used to reinforce the supporting points. No outside research is required for this assignment.
The assignment may look at the use of ethos, logos, and pathos in the whole article, the thesis, or the supporting points. The Toulmin model of claims, reasons, warrants, and evidence may also be used. The questions below should get you started with your analysis. ***We’ll go over these in class.***
SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENTS:
Formula: The main point or ARTICLE/AUTHOR is THIS (something about identity, society, etc) and here’s HOW (method or writing technique) she/he makes this point.
1. Article 1 is written from a casual, personal perspective that shows the writer’s identity is both individual and universal. (this thesis is very general, but it focuses on TWO aspects of the articles/essays: casual writing and personal point of view)
2. To explore the concepts of commonality and collective identity, Author 1 focuses on stereotypes, their offenses, and ways to overcome them as a society.