Article analysis
As we have discussed in class, nonfiction writing is inherently dialogic; it involves responding to ideas expressed in other authors' work. For this article analysis you are required to respond with an in-depth of analysisof one of the readings assigned for our course. (Alternatively, you can propose a different article to analyze and get my approval to do so.) You must take a position on the author's argument and then argue your position. Is the author's argument effective? Why or why not? To do this effectively, you must interpret, analyze, and critique passages from the article you selected. Remember to use analytical terms we have covered in class. See pages 64-65 in A Writer's Reference for an example student article analysis essay.
Note: You are not allowed to analyze Letter from Birmingham Jail by King for this assignment. There are too many papers analyzing this piece floating around, which makes it hard for students to have their own ideas about it.
Objective: The goal of this assignment is for you to show that you can effectively argue your own position in response to another author's writing.
Length: Your paper must be at least 900 words, but no longer than 1200 words long not including the Works Cited Page. (A page of 12-sized typed text that is double-spaced is usually about 300 words long.)
Format: Your paper should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and no extra spaces between paragraphs. Use a 12-sized font (Times New Roman is recommended). Papers for this class must be formatted in MLA style which means each paper should include your name, the instructor's name, ENG 101, and the date inupper left corner of the first page. Each subsequent page should also include your last name and the pagenumber in the upper right hand corner.See pages 408-409 in A Writer's Reference for an example of a paper formatted in MLA style.
Sources:A minimum of one source (an article from our course) is required for this paper. You will need to use a summary, at least one paraphrase and at least one quote from the essay you are analyzing. Remember to choose the quotes carefully and don't make them longer than necessary. You must include MLA style in-text citations and an MLA-style Works Cited page. See "Documenting Sources" in A Writer's Reference (beginning on page 370). Also see page 412 for an example of a list of sources in MLA style. As always, any sources used must be introduced and properly credited with citations.