University of Missouri–St. Louis



Honors 1100: Freshman CompositionInstructor: Jennafer AlexanderFall 2015Unit 2: Rhetorical Analysis of Academic WritingThis project will help you gain a deeper understanding of the writing expectations in a certain academic discipline (like political science, biology, history, etc.), the qualities of writing in a particular profession, and the current perspectives on literacy-related issues within the discipline. You can choose your current major or any other field you’d like to explore. Start by thinking about the genre(s) that academic writers use in your discipline (such as scientific reports, journal articles, textbooks, poems, government documents, legal briefs, etc.). Select one of these genres, find at least one primary text(s) that exemplifies that genre, and analyze the rhetorical strategies that the author uses in that text. Other primary sources might include: assignment sheets, syllabi, class notes, course materials from classes you’ve taken, websites, manuals, and handbooks associated with the major institutions and organizations in your discipline. Read the primary source text(s) closely and critically, analyzing the rhetorical strategies and “moves” that the author employs. Consider the following questions:What are the purposes of writing this text? What are the author’s main arguments and goals? What patterns emerge within the text? (For example, do you notice certain tones, word choices, grammatical structures, or linguistic features?)Which lines stand out to you? Why do these lines seem significant?How does the author support the main argument? What types of evidence does the author use?How does the author organize the text? How do these organizational strategies reflect the author’s goals and assumptions? Who are the intended audiences for this text, and how did those audiences shape the text? How does the author use different rhetorical strategies to appeal to his or her audiences? In addition to your source text(s), you will also find at least two secondary sources that focus on the broad topics of academic writing and/or writing within your discipline. If the articles, book chapters, and essays that we read in class pertain to your topic, feel free to use those as your secondary sources. Or, you could find other academic resources about how writing works in your specific discipline. In the end, your essay should combine your secondary research (the two academic sources) with your own primary research, giving you at least three sources total. As we’ve discussed all semester, your goal should be to understand and explain how scholarly “conversations” operate. You should also consider what these “conversations” reveal about scholars’ attitudes toward literacy. In other words, what expectations and views about language do many scholars within your discipline share? What literacy-related assumptions do the scholars in your discipline make? (For example, do they share an adherence to the rules of Standard English? Do they rely on particular kinds of evidence? Do they assume a certain tone?) Then, in a 4-5 page paper, explain how scholars utilize and conceive of language within your discipline. Envision as your audience other new undergraduates who want to learn more about academic writing issues. Writing Calendar:Tuesday, October 13-Thursday, October 15: Conferences (first draft due at your conference).Wednesday, October 21: Second draft due (bring two copies to class with you).Monday, October 26: Portfolio 2 due (along with the final draft of the rhetorical analysis).Rubric(Subject to change as announced.)Essay Structure/Organization:Follows prompt, use approved topic Clear, focused purpose Well-written thesis, represents essay in entiretyIntroduction is attention-gettingSets context, motive and criteria for analysisIntroduces the sources by providing relevant background information (author, title)Clear organization that highlights the author’s strategies for developmentEach paragraph is structured well and clearly fits with the purpose of essayUtilizes effective transitions between main ideas and paragraphs (flows well)Resolution/conclusion Essay Development/Detail:Analysis is clear and fully explainedAnalysis demonstrates depth of thought, going beyond surface meaning for each exampleEach main point (paragraph) analyzes specific detail from text and connects to thesis Quotes are smoothly worked into paragraph, not dropped inQuotes and support from text are fully explained in connection to thesisEssay demonstrates a certain level of maturity, professionalism and appropriatenessMakes significant revisions from draft to draft, not just sentence-level changesPolish:GrammarActive verbs, present tense Clarity Sentence structure and varietyPunctuation—commas, colons, dashes and semi-colonsMechanicsWorks-Cited page in MLA format ................
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