Essay 1: Analysis In academic writing and research, being able to read and engage a piece of writing intellectually is a necessary skill. Being able to create and utilize a set of criteria to evaluate a text is essential to constructing a well thought-out argument, being able to support that argument, and addressing opposing viewpoints on any given topic. After reading and discussing an article and some visual texts (advertisements) in class, you will be expected to draft an analysis. The Assignment You will be writing a 3-4 page essay outlining two to three criteria that you will use to evaluate and support your analysis. Your criteria should be clearly stated in your thesis. The body of your essay will be used to support each criterion used in your analysis. You may choose to analyze only one of the following below: • Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals (by Jib Fowles) OR • An ad of your choice (print or video) – it can be one covered in class! The basic premise is to determine to what extent the article/ad(s) achieve their goals based on the criteria you select. If you choose to analyze some advertising from the book (or outside of the book), be sure to still use some part of Fowles’ article as part of your criteria. In other words, be able to explain how at least one of the fifteen appeals he outlines is present in the ads you choose to analyze. You must format the essay according to MLA guidelines. MLA guidelines/rules can be found on pg. 109-118 in the Little Seagull Handbook (examples of Works Cited entries and a sample essay can be found on pg. 120-157 as well). These guidelines are as follows: • Essays must be word processed, double-spaced, and have standard 1” margins on the right and left sides, top, and bottom of the page. • The font used for your final drafts should be 12-point Times New Roman or another similarly proportioned and sized font. • Pages must be numbered in the upper right hand corner; last name with the page numbers is optional. • Your essays must have a title, but please don’t include a separate title page with your papers. • All sources must be cited according to MLA guidelines – even if you are only focusing on one source. Tips and Ideas An analysis is often seen as a unique form of a position essay, so it helps to think of it that way when prewriting. However, there are some easy pitfalls you need to avoid: • When developing criteria, make sure they are specific and have enough substance. Criticizing an article for comma usage when it discusses a serious social issue is often seen as trivial and lacking substance. Going for criteria based on content or overall themes/ideas in the article are better choices. • Be sure to keep your analysis in an objective tone. This means avoiding “I” statements – while it is your analysis, the audience will be more receptive to an essay that is attempting to argue a point than state an opinion. • Remember these basic questions: To what extent does the author/ad succeed in his/her/its purpose? To what extent do you agree (or disagree) with the author/ad?