Analyze a pop culture article in APA style
See link to article.
Essay prompt: analyze four writing techniques the author uses in the article you’ve chosen. Be sure to analyze the writing itself rather than comment on the subject of the article.
In this week’s Discussion you’ll call dibs on one renowned article to analyze from the website . As always, you’ll read, brainstorm, devise an outline, write a draft, proofread, revise, and repeat. Once you’ve done this multiple times, you’re encouraged to submit your essay to Smarthinking (see link on left navigation menu) for another review. Finally, you’ll upload your essay through this week’s Canvas Assignment page.
As always, the essay is due at the end of this week, Sunday at 11:59 p.m.; do begin drafting it as early in the week as possible.
OVERVIEW
You will write an intro paragraph, four body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. As described in detail below, each body paragraph should analyze a different element of the writing in the article (e.g., its claim / thesis, purpose, audience, rhetorical and literary techniques, style, diction, use of supporting details, organization, etc.). This is an analytical essay; the body paragraphs should drill into the writing techniques themselves rather than dwell on the topic of the article. The purpose is for you to become aware of how other writers construct their pieces.
Table shows essay organization |
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How to organize your essay’s content One introduction paragraph (6-10 sentences) Hook the reader with a catchy opening. Give the name of the author and the title, which should appear in quotation marks. Summarize and provide background to the article. Finish with a thesis sentence stating the purpose of this essay: to analyze four specific writing techniques used in the article. Four body paragraphs (6-10 sentences each) As always, open each body paragraph with a transition phrase leading to a topic sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph. Example: First, let’s analyze how and why the author of the article uses sophisticated diction. You’ll then provide major and minor details supporting the topic sentence. Those details include quotations with APA citations, analysis, and commentary. At the end of each body paragraph, you’ll write a concluding sentence that wraps up the paragraph. Each body paragraph should examine a different element of the article; see list of elements above. One conclusion paragraph (6-10 sentences long) Here you’ll critique the article’s strengths and weaknesses (including spelling and grammar errors, if you notice any!). References This section will consist of only your article, unless you include other sources (not required). to see how to acknowledge a source in APA format. It will usually look like this: Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume number (issue number if available). Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/ |
I. APA FORMAT Your essay this week will be in APA style. APA is used for essays in the social sciences (e.g., psychology, history, economics, sociology), whereas MLA style is used in English. Your essay in APA style will have the following elements:
- The first page of your essay will be a title page showing the essay title, your name, class, and date. (APA style uses a title page; MLA does not.)
- For an essay this short, you do not need to include an abstract (a summary page that goes after the title page).
- The middle pages of your essay will be your content–an intro paragraph, four body paragraphs analyzing specific elements of the article, and a conclusion critiquing the article.
- The last page of your essay will be the References page. As you are using only your article and no other sources this week, your References page will have only one entry.
- A running head appears on each page of the essay: in the upper left corner of each page appears the essay title in capital letters; in the upper right corner appears the page #.
- See the APA video explaining this format!
- Font is Times New Roman size 12.
- Margins are 1″ on all sides.
- Be sure to lead into all quotations with a signal phrase, e.g., The article states, “___
- After the quotation, you must give a citation in APA format: (author, year, page # / para. #).
- As you’re citing a digital article rather than a page from a book or magazine, please use “para. #” (paragraph number) in your citation instead of “p. #” (page number).
- Note that MLA style requires only (author page# / para. #).
II. ARRANGING CONTENT There will be only six paragraphs total: one intro paragraph giving background and/or summarizing the article; four body paragraphs, each analyzing a different element of the article; and one conclusion paragraph where you critique the article’s strengths and weaknesses.
Don’t forget that each body paragraph of this analytical mini-essay should drill down into a specific element of the article. Here are some elements you might examine in your body paragraphs:
- rhetorical devices and literary techniques
- pattern of organization (overall and paragraph-level)
- intended audience
- purpose (argue, explain, defend, etc.)
- point of view (1st, 2nd, etc.)
- tone or attitude
- diction (why certain words are used)
- syntax and phrasing
- use of support
- rhythm and style
GRADING ON Analyze an article rubric
/2 APA format (title page, running head, page #s, font, margins, References page)
/4 Organization (intro with opening, overview, and thesis; four bodies with transitions, topic sentences, analysis, and closings; one conclusion paragraph critiquing article)
/4 Grammar, punctuation, spelling, mechanics, syntax
/5 Depth, logic; use of signal phrases, ” “s, APA citations
/15 TOTAL
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