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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