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ENG 1510: Writing and Rhetoric I – Unit 2: Writing About Writing

Essay 2: Textual Analysis

Context In this unit, we explored methods of critique. Now, you will practice these techniques by writing a critical analysis of one of four chosen political op-ed pieces selected by your instructor. The four choices are available on Blackboard.

Assignment Question: Does this piece help you make an informed vote? Your goal is to write an analysis of academic textual discourse in which you focus on what the text says both explicitly and implicitly as well as how it says it. Your goal is to summarize the discourse, explain what is at stake in the text, situate the reading rhetorically (attend to pitch, complaint, and moment), analyze the text’s structure of thinking, and describe its organizational pattern (inductive, deductive, or some combination of both), uncover its assumptions, interpret the implications and/or hidden meanings of the text, and then conclude by forwarding your own plausible interpretive context for the text.

Requirements § be at least 1,500 words § include cited paraphrases or quotations from your academic text formatted consistently in a style of

your choosing (see Style Guide below) § summarize the text in an objective and academic fashion § describe the pitch, complaint, and the moment of the text § explain the Method to identify binaries and patterns to make the implicit explicit § describe the logical structure of the text and the organizing contrast(s) § uncover assumptions of the text and answer the question, “so what?” § conclude by offering and supporting with textual evidence your own interpretive context that

explains the implications of and/or hidden meanings in the text. Your interpretive context should be interesting and not readily apparent to anyone who reads the text (meaning, your idea is not on “the surface” but offers a deeper insight into the text).

Sources You must draw upon (and cite) your text at least three times to support your analysis. Your essay must include in-text citations and a Works Cited page.

Style Guide WAR: The Four Documentation Styles (p. 220) *You may choose which documentation style you want to use out of the four described in our textbook. Whichever style you choose, you must be consistent.

Due-Dates and Deliverables Friday 3/11: Has chosen & read text for class discussion Monday 3/14: Rough Draft (80% complete) for peer review (and submitted to Blackboard) Wednesday 3/16: Final Draft submitted to Blackboard Friday 3/18: Essay 2 Reflection submitted to Blackboard

Essay 2: Textual Analysis Grading Rubric

Requirements +, √, -, 0 Introduces the text, author, and context in which it appears assuming a reader unfamiliar with the text and situation

Is at least 1,500 words in length and is consistently formatted according to chosen style

Summarizes the text objectively and resists jumping to interpretation

Includes paraphrasing and quotations from the text in the analysis, as well as a Works Cited page

Describes the pitch, complaint, and the moment of the text

Transitions smoothly to analysis

Uses The Method to uncover interesting, significant, and/or strange details and examines one or a few of these details to uncover binaries and patterns making the implicit claims of the text explicit

Describes the logical structure of the text in the analysis and organizing contrast(s)

Uncovers assumptions made by the text and pushes these to implications and conclusions by answering the question, “so what?”

Concludes with a well-supported own interpretive context that explains in an interesting way the implications the text. The interpretive context is not readily apparent to anyone who reads the text (reporting); rather, it offers a deeper insight into the text and expands the possible meanings of the text (analyzing).

Overall Score: