Guidelines for analyzing a written text
Guidelines for analyzing a written text
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Instructors who ask you to analyze an essay or an article often expect you to address some of the following questions:
- What questions (stated or unstated) does the author address? Or what problem does the author attempt to solve?
- What is the author’s thesis, or central idea?
- How does the author structure the text? What are the key parts, and how do they relate to one another and to the thesis?
- Who is the intended audience? What strategies has the author used to generate interest in the argument and to persuade readers of its merit?
- What evidence does the author use to support the thesis? How persuasive is the evidence?
- Does the author anticipate objections and counter opposing views?
- Does the author use any faulty reasoning?
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