The Writing Program 1

ENGL 1113: Composition II Value: 50 points or worth 5% of the overall grade

Writing Assignment: Textual Analysis

Purpose
For this assignment you will critically read a text. This assignment is not an essay. It’s a short writing
assignment where you demonstrate you understand how to read a text and identify the strategies used by
another author.

Method of Organization
• a brief introduction that introduces the author and text
and establishes the thesis
• a paragraph (or two) that summarizes the author’s claims and/or sub-claims
• multiple paragraphs that evaluate the type and quality of evidence used
• a conclusion that reinforces the claim/thesis of the paper

Tasks

Identify academic Analyze the text to Analyze the

source using identify claims, relationship between
OCCC databases. evidence, warrants, the source text and
and assumptions. your belief.

Write a rough Submit a polished,

draft and revise. academic level
paper using MLA
citation and format.

• Identify Sources: Find an academic source using the online databases through OCCC’s library.
• Analyze Sources: Examine the text, identifying claims, evidence, warrants, and assumptions.
• Analyze Relationship between Text and Belief: Examine the text in relation to your belief, the
history of your belief, and the text’s application to your informative essay.
• Draft and Revise: Write a 350-550 word analysis of the author’s argument, breaking down their
usage of claims, evidence, and how you see this source fitting into your research on your belief.

Requirements
• MLA Format
• 350-550 words (double spaced)
• In-text citations in the body of your essay
• Work Cited page (because you are using an outside source)
• A minimum of one source should appear on the works cited page (the text examined)
The Writing Program 2

Criteria for Success

Category Description Points
Mechanics Students will communicate using academic language and conventions of 5
Standard American English.
Formatting and Students will format an essay utilizing MLA style formatting. 10
Citations
Organization Students will present information in a unified and coherent manner. 15
Content and Students will write an essay that responds to all parts of the prompt. 20
Analysis
Total 50 pts.