Structure:
Intro (this paragraph should be relatively brief)
Attention getter
Background info (including full ID of author & title & a brief summary).
Thesis statement (arguments in article effective and/or ineffective, and why)
Body
(You will need more than three body paragraphs)
See next page of this handout
Conclusion (brief)
Wrap up ideas/ restate main point(thesis) in a different way
Level of Formality:
This is an academic essay analyzing a written argument, not a personal essay.
Avoid using first-person pronoun I
Avoid using second-person pronoun you
Use third person (the writer, he, people, etc.)
You may use first-person PLURAL form (We can see that ..)
Avoid slang (This lady is wacko)
Options for Organizing Body Paragraphs
Sections listed below do not have to be of equal length.
Discussion of one area may require several paragraphs,
while another area may require only one paragraph.
Appeals (Discuss strengths/weaknesses/overall effectiveness)
Does not have to be in the order listed below.
Logos
purpose, claim, reasons, evidence, fallacies (not necessarily in this order), authors treatment of opposing views, and refutation
Ethos
the credibility of writer/common ground with audience/source of article/credibility of sources he quotes in article/credibility of his evidence, audience
Pathos
evidence that fits within this appeal/positive and negative connotations/effectiveness of emotional appeals, figurative language (schemes and tropes), tone, styles
