Humanities Homework Help

         In this essay, you will learn to analyze the writing methods of an author in order to show how well the given writing achieves the purposes set up by the author. (Later, you will use what you’ve learned from this essay to create your own argument—one that utilizes the strengths you find while avoiding the pitfalls.) You will choose an article to read and do your best to write a thoughtful analysis. Though you may not agree (or disagree) with everythingthe author is saying, you do need to decide if you think the author has presented these ideas well. Please remember that this paper is not a summary. And more importantly, it is not a chance for you to share your opinions about the topic at hand. Instead, you are required to analyze how well the author presents his or her ideas. Is it good, bad, or somewhere in between?

To begin, choose a feature article from a reputable magazine or newspaper (or see approved list from our book on next page). If you choose an outside article, it needs to be approved by me ASAP—at least one full week before the DRAFT is due. (Here are some good publications to start with: Time, Atlantic Monthly, Newsweek, and New York Times). The article you choose must be at least 1,500 and no more than 3,500 words. Once your article is in place, you’ll spend time in (and out) of class discussing it and putting together an analysis of the article. Your paper will begin with an introduction that highlights the main idea of the argument and adds your general evaluation of the article (evaluative thesis). Then, the bulk of the paper will critique the writing style and main points of the article by offering both positive and negative remarks (with quotations from the text). Use helpful topic sentences that tell your reader what each paragraph will evaluate. Finally, the paper will end with an overall evaluation of the article that connects your findings to alarger discussion of your topic in the world; please use an example from outside the article in your conclusion. 

YourRhetorical Analysis will be highly polished and should contain few–if any–mechanical errors.  As usual, please use MLA format and a 12-pointTimes or Arial font. (If you didn’t notice, this prompt is in MLA format.) The final paper should be 4full pagesin length (1200 words)and include a Works Cited. Like Paper 1, this paper can be revised for a better grade; you will have one week to revise from the day I return your paper with comments. A full draft of your papermust be uploaded to Turnitinonthe designated day by 11:59 p.m. You will write reviews of other student papers for credit (via Turnitin in Canvas).And the final paper is due on the designated day by 11:59 p.m. (via a separate Turnitin Assignment in Canvas.)