Writing Your Analysis Essay

Create Your Works Cited Entry Go to easybib.com Copy / paste the address Add any other information Remember: The first word of the works cited citation is how you will cite the article in your essay.

Practice Find the people who are using the same article that you are using Create your Works Cited entry Make sure everyone in your group has the same one

Decide What Appeals You Will Discuss Ethos Pathos (identify a specific emotion) Logos (identify a type) Definition Analogy Cause / Effect Examples Testimony from an Outside Authority

Begin Planning Your Paragraphs Body paragraphs must ALL have the following: Topic sentence Evidence Explanation of Evidence Final Explanation

Write a Topic Sentence 1st sentence of paragraph Identifies an appeal for analysis Example: Silko’s use of hyperbolic analogy weakens her credibility because it forces readers to question whether all of her claims might be overstatement of simple fact.

Practice Pick one of the appeals you will write about Turn it into a topic sentence that is specific and clear. Pathos: identify a specific emotion Logos: identify a specific type Remember, one of your topic sentences must identify two appeals to show how they work together When you are finished, share with your group.

Choose Your Evidence Pick specific parts of the text that represent your chosen appeal Ex: “Men who have been in combat know the feeling of being a predator’s target, but it is difficult for men to admit that we women live our entire lives in a combat zone” (Silko). Ex: “we are targeted as easy prey” (Silko). Ex: “we are sitting ducks for predatory strangers” (Silko).

Practice Identify at least two parts of the article that you will use as evidence. Write them / highlight them under your topic sentence. NOTE: For time, you don’t have to write the entire sentences / sections—just enough so that you will know where it is when you go back to it.

Write Your Explanation For each quote, you have to explain how it represents the idea presented in the topic sentence Pathos: How does it create the emotion? Ethos: How does it establish credibility? Definition: What is being defined, and why is the definition important? Analogy: What two things are being compared, and why? Cause / Effect: What is the cause? What is the effect? Testimony from an Authority: Who is the authority? How do you know he’s an authority on this subject? Example: What is the evidence an example of?

Explanation, Continued Quote: “Men who have been in combat know the feeling of being a predator’s target, but it is difficult for men to admit that we women live our entire lives in a combat zone” (Silko). Example of Explanation: Here, Silko is comparing the dangers of being out at night to the dangers of being in combat. This example, however, is extreme. Even though there are some similarities between the two, not much connection exists between being out at night in the United States and being in a war zone; the situations are too different for an effective comparison.

Practice Pick one of your pieces of evidence and explain how it is an example of the appeal you have identified. Remember to use these questions from earlier as a guide. Pathos: How does it create the emotion? Ethos: How does it establish credibility? Definition: What is being defined, and why is the definition important? Analogy: What two things are being compared, and why? Cause / Effect: What is the cause? What is the effect? Testimony from an Authority: Who is the authority? How do you know he’s an authority on this subject? Example: What is the evidence an example of?

Tie the Paragraph Together with Final Explanation Explain why the appeal is significant in terms of the entire article Tie up disparate evidence Example: Even though the analogies Silko uses are specific and vivid, they are so over-the-top that readers might question her objectivity and, therefore, her credibility.

Writing the Paragraph Put your examples in logical order Use transitions to move from one example to the next Vary your transitions Embed and cite your quotes

The Final Product Silko’s use of hyperbolic analogy weakens her credibility because it forces readers to question whether all of her claims might be overstatement of simple fact. Her main analogy comes from the title itself and is explained as follows: “Men who have been in combat know the feeling of being a predator’s target, but it is difficult for men to admit that we women live our entire lives in a combat zone” (Silko). Here, Silko is comparing the dangers of being out at night to the dangers of being in combat. This example, however, is extreme. Even though there are some similarities between the two, not much connection exists between being out at night in the United States and being in a war zone; the situations are too different for an effective comparison. In addition, Silko compares men to predators and women to prey when she says, “we are targeted as easy prey” and “we are sitting ducks for predatory strangers” (Silko). Again, similarities do exist; however, the comparison is extreme because it is not qualified in any way. Even though the analogies Silko uses are specific and vivid, they are so over- the-top that readers might question her objectivity and, therefore, her credibility.