Contributors


Writing Program
English Dept

Article Analysis:

Choose an article from the Redbird Reader that we have read and analyze the article by answering the following questions:

1) What is the topic?

2) What is the author trying to persuade the audience to do or think or say? Why is he/she writing this article? What's the purpose?

3) Is the author convincing--do you believe what is being said? If so, what makes you believe the author? Are there particular paragraphs or sentences that persuaded you? Why?

4) If the author isn't convincing, then why do you think the persuasive argument the author used didn't persuade you? What could the author have done in the article to make you change your mind?

5) What kind of people speak/write in this article? What are their credentials? Are they experts? In other words, what is their authority on the issues? (For example, a general reporter will have less knowledge about rap music than an actual rapper might have)

6) who are the readers? What is the audience's background assumed to be? Level of proficiency, experience, and knowledge of subject matter? What are the beliefs, attitudes, values, and prejudices of the addressed audience? Why might the author need to consider this when writing to persuade the audience?

7) Where did the author get the information for the article? (Interviews, reading, first hand experience, library research, etc.?) Is it believable? How would this affect the article's chance of persuading the audience?
Is there a dominant tone? (For example, is it cold and analytical; snide; lighthearted and fresh; serious; personal; chatty; hip; and so on?) How might the tone help or hurt the author's argument?

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