Analytical: the writer s reaction to a body of work through a critical lens) Literary analysis: analyzes one aspect of the text (i.e. imagery, mood, etc.) to uncover the piece s theme Rhetorical analysis: examines how the author writes, and the effect of the author s style choices Argumentative: the writer s attempt to persuade the reader to adopt a point-of-view using evidence to support an argument (i.e. a persuasive essay) Expository: the writer s exploration of a topic; the writer informs the reader on a given topic (i.e. an informational essay) Narrative: the writer s telling of a real-life experience; an anecdotal or personal story
Insight into the work s theme is at the heart of every literary analysis although you may be asked to examine theme through another lens (such as characterization or symbolism) To complete a literary analysis, you must: Read the text critically Examine literary devices and techniques (patterns and/or notable additions) Analyze why the author included certain literary devices (what effect do they have on the theme?)
Hook: attention-grabber that piques the reader s interest in the essay Personal story (for use in essays that allow first person only) Anecdote Metaphor Unexpected claim Vivid description Humor (if appropriate) Bridge: group of sentences that bridges/links the hook to the main idea of the essay; transitions the introduction from general to specific Thesis: debatable, clear and concise statement that identifies the writer s argument and connects to theme In the (genre Title, author) (strong verb) (theme) through (prompt focus).
Topic sentence (overview of the paragraph and how it relates to the thesis) Context (who says the quote and what is happening in the text at the time) Quote from the text and citation Analysis of the quote (how it proves the thesis) Closing sentence (wraps up the paragraph and transitions to the next paragraph)
Remind the reader of the thesis by rephrasing, not repeating it, and extending the argument Summarize the main points Leave the reader with a profound thought on the subject #micdrop (also known as a clincher)
Rhetorical analysis looks at how the author crafts his/her argument and why To complete a rhetorical analysis, you must: Examine the SOAPS (speaker, occasion, audience, purpose and subject) Analyze the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos and logos) and tone (DIDLS most often diction and syntax) Discuss why the author chose particular strategies for the particular audience, occasion and/or purpose How do the rhetorical strategies help the author achieve his/her purpose? Why does the author rely on those strategies for the given audience and occasion?
Always work chronologically through the text Discuss what the author is saying and the effectiveness of his/her techniques in the beginning, middle and end of the text (paragraph-by-paragraph or section-by-section) Concise language is key (be straight-forward and use strong verbs) Specifically explain how the rhetorical strategies help the author achieve his/her purpose
Put SOAPS in your introduction and follow this format: Speaker, Occasion, and Subject (Writer s credentials), (writer s first and last name), in his/her (type of text), (title of text), (strong verb see list) (writer s subject). Purpose (Writer s last name) s purpose is to (what the writer does in the text). Audience He/she adopts a[n] (adjective describing the attitude/feeling conveyed by the writer) tone in order to (verb phrase describing what the writer wants readers to do/think) in his/her (intended audience).
Topic sentence (identifies the section of the text being discussed and its main idea) Embedded quote(s) and citation(s) that ties to one rhetorical strategy used by the author Explanation of how the rhetorical strategy helps the author achieve his/her purpose (an in order to statement) Analysis of the effect of the rhetorical strategy on the audience
Remind the reader of the points made in the introduction (rephrase, do not repeat) Be brief (one to two sentences)
Goal: persuade, argue or defend a position Assumes a knowledgeable audience Three primary types of argument Classical oration Oldest of the methods, centered around five parts ancient rhetoric teachers believed to be necessary for persuading audiences who might have mixed reactions Rogerian Best for psychological and emotional arguments where ethos and pathos dominant (and facts may be limited) Toulmin Best for arguments centered on research (facts are abundant)
Named for Stephen Toulmin (1922-2009), British philosopher/educator For an argument to succeed, it needs justification: testing and sifting through existing ideas (research) Take into account the whole human: rely on ethos, pathos and logos Important to know the audience and its possible reactions
Claim: the main point; what you are trying to prove (thesis) Data: the evidence or grounds (often in the form of a quotation, statistic or factual summary) that support your claim Warrant: the link between the evidence and your claim; the glue that holds your argument together Why is this evidence important/relevant? Backing: reasoning or logic that supports the warrant (usually in the form of a few additional sentences of elaboration) Qualifier(s): optional words that may prevent your argument from offending others, such as In some cases, or Most, but not all. Qualifiers also indicate the strength of the link between your data and warrant/backing Rebuttal: an exception to the claim you then deflect (the goal is to strengthen one s argument by acknowledging its limitations) Return/tie to thesis: a clear, pithy explanation of how the evidence and explanation presented relate to the original thesis
Follows a similar format to the literary analysis, but the goal is to explain or describe, rather than analyze Elaboration is key: you want the reader to see the ideas you describe by incorporating Show, Don t Tell-like techniques. Use: Descriptions based on the five senses (imagery) Anecdotes (short, true, personal stories) Specific examples Expository essays can be on any topic: Cause and effect Before and after Comparison and contrast Problems and solutions Theories, practices and examples If then
Introduction Hook (usually brief) Bridge Thesis Body paragraphs Topic sentence (a secondary sentence may follow) Detailed/illustrated example Explanation of how the example relates to the thesis (insight) Return to thesis Conclusion Rephrase the thesis Summary of main points Thought-provoking clincher (again, think #micdrop)
Tells an authentic story by presenting events in a chronological order Histories and biographies/memoirs are essentially long narrative essays; personal letters, diaries and journals are also considered narratives Goal is to explain how experiences lead to personal growth or realization Rich detail is key create a picture for the reader, and include specific dates, times and locations whenever possible Many narratives hook the reader by starting in the middle or the end of a story, then presenting the events that led up to that moment Pay attention to verb tense, as it may switch from past to present, depending on where you are in the story If tasked with writing a personal narrative, first person is okay!
Childhood event Achieving a goal Failure A good or bad deed Change in one s life A realization
Introduction Hook + Bridge Thesis: hints at the experience you are about to describe and its significance Although my sister and I have rarely seen eye-to-eye, it took a devastating illness to make me realize how much she truly means to me. Body paragraphs Detail the setting, characters and events in your story, leading up to a climax/resolution Frequently rely upon transition words, such as first, then, later Conclusion Rephrasing of the thesis and its importance Summary of the key events Final reflection (the permanent/lasting effect of the events)