Choose one of the reading selections and write a multi-paragraph critical analysis essay identifying the author's thesis and purpose, briefly summarizing the selected reading, and evaluating the author's success, or lack of success, in supporting the thesis and satisfying his purpose for writing. Make sure to AVOID logical fallacies when establishing your evidence and analysis. Your essay should include carefully considered analysis as well as proper in-text citations for the source material you integrate into your essay.
The essay should briefly summarize the claim in your chosen article as you discuss its message, and then move on to evaluate the article’s thesis (main claim), delivery/structure, purpose, overall impact, use of evidence, and strength of reasoning. It is important to know that a critical analysis goes beyond summary. Ultimately, you are deciding whether or not the author did an effective job of presenting his message to the intended audience. The information you include needs to show and support this opinion. This means each paragraph should be an evaluation of the author’s success or struggle with the article’s message and/or construction.
You will also need to include segments from the text in your essay as evidence to prove your point.
In all, you will have six paragraphs. You should have an introduction that is attention-grabbing and reveals your argument (your thesis goes here); four body paragraphs, each focusing on a different part of your critical analysis; and a conclusion that offers some memorable final thoughts on the author or article’s impact. Even though there are varying approaches to writing a critical analysis essay, the approach you should take for the body paragraphs in this essay is as follows: your first body paragraph will focus on the author’s message (providing a summary), your second body paragraph will focus on analyzing the article’s foundation, the third body paragraph will focus on analyzing the article’s structure, and the final body paragraph will focus on analyzing the article’s overall purpose and impact.
Each paragraph should have a unique link between it and the one that comes after it. The organization within the paragraphs should be purposeful and present a critical analysis of the text, not just a summary of the topic or the article’s content. Remember that you need to write sound arguments, so avoid logical fallacies. Refer to the foundation lesson on this topic if you need examples.
The grading rubric below will help you develop your paper.
Your essay will be graded using five separate categories: Purpose, Thesis Statement, Supporting Ideas, Paragraph Development, and Grammar & Punctuation. Each of these five categories will be rated as Proficient, Developing, or Needs Improvement.
Proficient means that you have met the standards of an effective response. Developing means you have partially met the standards of a response, but it needs some revision. Needs Improvement means you did not meet the standards of a response.
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Proficient |
Developing |
Needs Improvement |
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Purpose (critical analysis) |
Clearly presents a well- supported, interesting claim that analyzes how effectively the chosen article achieves its purpose. |
Includes a partial critical analysis, but doesn’t effectively evaluate the article and/or presents an unoriginal, unsound viewpoint. |
Does not present a critical analysis, or presents an undeveloped critical analysis. |
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Thesis Statement |
Clearly presents a thesis statement in an interesting way and shows how the essay will progress. |
Vaguely identifies a functional but uninteresting thesis statement. The overall essay direction is present but inconsistent. |
Does not include a thesis statement and the essay’s direction is unclear. |
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Supporting Ideas (use of Major and Minor Details, including evidence) |
Uses solid examples to support the thesis statement and prove important points; effectively incorporates source material. |
Partially uses examples as proof; lacks support for some important points; inclusion of source material is only partially effective. |
Does not develop or provide examples to illustrate the claim; does not include source material. |
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Paragraph Development (strength of introduction, conclusion and coherency) |
Smoothly connects ideas between/within paragraphs in a purposeful manner; introduction and conclusion make interesting, effective statements about the topic. |
Ideas between/within paragraphs are partially connected or moderately purposeful; introduction and conclusion are present but not effective. |
Missing connection between ideas; purpose of content is unclear; incomplete introduction and conclusion. |
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Grammar & Punctuation |
Essay contains concise, effective sentences and correctly incorporates source material with citations. |
Essay needs further editing and/or contains some problems with effective sentences and source inclusion/citation. |
Essay displays little attention to editing or effective sentence construction; attempts to include or cite sources are missing or incorrect. |
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