Meets or exceeds expectations for the assignment.
(N/A)
May require some revision to meet expectations for assignment.
The introductory paragraph of your essay should briefly summarize the piece of writing you’re analyzing (along with any relevant background information) to give your reader adequate background on the material. Craft this overview into a finely tuned thesis statement that lays out what you aim to prove about the author’s original text in the body of your own essay.
A Thesis Statement lays out what and how you aim to prove about the author’s original text in the body of your own essay.
Is the author a credible source for the topic? Why should we or shouldn't we listen to/believe them? Does the author not present themselves an expert, rather relaying information from another? If so, what is the source's Ethos?
How is the writer making their emotional appeals (pathos), if any? How effective are their reasoning and logical appeal (logos)? What is their credibility to even write about such a subject (ethos)? Support each point you make with concrete evidence like quotes or statements from the text that can further reinforce your point.
Does the word choice the author uses clarify or enforce their point? Or does the language the writer uses distract from the overall message? Do they use language to elicit a particular emotional response? Are there too many literary devices? Or not enough? How does each writing strategy help or hurt the author’s purpose? You can use these examples to back up your thesis.
The conclusion paragraph should restate your thesis, summarize the key supporting ideas you discussed throughout the work, and offer your final impression on the central idea. When you address your final impression of the central idea, discuss whether the author was able to successfully achieve their writing goal. Were their strategies effective? If so, what type of impact did they have on their target audience’s emotions or point of view?