Make sure that you discuss the author’s ideas and respond to the main elements of his/her argument. Your thesis should be a response to their essay or article. Use evidence in each P (paragraph) to support your claims. Quote and respnd to the author’s words/ideas/suggestions. Go into some detail summarizing and analyzing the article. Can you add to their opinion, defend it, or oppose it? Do you have personal experience to defend your position? Be clear and concise. Use a grammar checker like Word Edit to fix your sentence errors. Use your words or quote the author. Do not plagiarize!
As we discussed in class, come up with a clear thesis statement, underline or highlight it, and place it in your first P, preferably the last sentence. If your thesis is stated earlier, reiterate it in your final sentence. Name the author and the article in the 1st P and include the citation at the end of the essay.
Summarize the author’s argument so that you can respond to his/her claims. Do you agree? Disagree? Can you add anything tothe atuhor’s ideas? Has society changed? Do you have personal experience that sheds light on the issue or contradicts it? Organize your Ps by topic. (See the sample outline I posted on John Holt.)
Make each P support your thesis or state a counterargument. Write fully supported paragraphs that flow, and work on discussing several quotes that illustrate your argument. Remember, acknowledging a counterargument makes your case stronger.
1. Understand and summarize the author’s point of view on the issue. What evidence do they provide? Do they state the counterarguments? (See Ephron’s discussion of readers’ negative comment on the Boston photographs.)
2. Explain your analysis of their argument (agree/disagree/add to their analysis/update their findings). Note: You may diasagree with some claims and agree with others.
3. Support your analysis with evidence from the article. Make each P tackle one issue that the author raises. State your view of their tactic or example.
4. Add to their argument. Have times changed? Think of women smiling today if you review Cunningham. Think of the plight of the scholarship child today (the immigrant child). Think about whether disturbing photos, or videos, should be published online v. in print news in 1975 (Boston photos).
5. Find flaws or weaknesses in their argument? State the strengths of their piece.
Other ideas:
Reread the article! Understand the author’s opinion. Decide if you agree or disagree or have a different opinion of their analysis.
Brainstorm on your opinion of their argument. Can you think of current applications? Personal experience?
Stick to that author’s ideas and how they set up their essay. For example, you might agree with Turkle that technology is breaking down our ability to communicate, and you might add how Google and Amazon monetize and influence our content to our disadvantage.
Make sure that your thesis (about their argument) is clear in the first P of your essay. Name the author and the essay and highlight your thesis statement.