English 1001 Outline for the Source Evaluation Essay

Introduction Paragraph:

· Grab your audience’s attention with a catchy opening sentence pertaining to our topic. This could be a statistic, quote from the article, or a direct statement.

· Introduce the topic (lunch shaming)

· Introduce the article and its general argument (basics: author, year published, etc).

· Thesis statement (think about what works and what doesn’t work for the article presentation)

· Example: The way Shayna Cook presents her argument is ineffective due to her lack of point of view and unclear thesis statement. However, Shayna does not need to improve her argument when it comes to her education credentials she uses and source incorporation to voice her opinion on lunch shaming.

· Another Example: Shayna Cook’s presentation of her argument is effective when looking at her background, source incorporation, and use of pathos. However, Cook needs to incorporate more supporting viewpoints for the opposing side.

Body Paragraph Reminders:

· Use the questions from the prompt and class discussion worksheet to construct these (each section from the prompt has its own questions).

· Have topic and transition sentences for each body paragraph.

· Incorporate at least 6 direct quotes and 2 paraphrases as evidence to support your argument. You may have more than 6/2, but remember do not get crazy. I want to see your original thought. USE PROPER CITATIONS!

1st Body Paragraph: Background and Context (Yourself and the Audience):

a. What do you know about the topic the writer is treating?

b. What have people been saying about the topic?

c. What do they think the main issues are?

d. What seems to be at stake in these discussions?

e. Do people seem to be divided over these issues?

2nd Body Paragraph: Content

a. Provide an article summary.

b. Act as if your audience is not familiar with the article and you must explain it to them.

3rd Body Paragraph: About the Writer

a. Based on what you know about their background, how much authority or credibility can you attribute to the writer?

b. Is there a reason to believe that the writer will provide informed accounts and responsible arguments, whether you agree with them or not?

c. Does the information you’ve found offer suggestions about why the writer was moved to write on the topic?

d. What political, cultural, social, or other commitments is the writer known for?

e. How are these commitments likely to influence the writer’s argument?

f. How do these commitments relate to your own views?

g. How is this relationship likely to influence your evaluation of the writer’s argument?

4th Body Paragraph: Publisher(s)- You may use more than one mentioned in the author’s bio from the article.

a. What do you know about the publication?

b. Who is the publisher?

c. Is it a commercial publication?

d. Does it espouse an identifiable political, social, cultural, economic, or religious ideology?

e. If the publication is a periodical, what other writers—and types of writing and topics—appear in the issue?

f. Who would be likely to read the publication?

5th Body Paragraph: Writer’s Role

a. Based on what you have read and the available background information on the writer, can you identify on whose behalf the writer is speaking?

b. Whose interests does the writer seem to represent?

c. Where do their loyalties seem to reside?

d. What assumptions does the writer seem to make about readers? Is the writer trying to establish common ground with a particular audience or with many different audiences?

e. Does the author seem to assume that some readers are already predisposed to share their perspective and social allegiances?

f. What would it mean to agree with the writer?

g. How would agreement position readers in relation to what the writer and others have said about the topic?

h. Would agreement align readers with certain groups, individuals, points of view, institutions, values—and put them into opposition with others?

i. What would readers have to believe to agree with the writer?

6th Body Paragraph: Language Use

a. How does the writer use language?

b. What is the writer’s tone?

c. What does their word choice show about her assumptions about readers?

d. Does the author use specialized terms or slang?

e. Are there memorable figures of speech?

f. Does the writer stereotype?

Conclusion: (Overall concern)

· Restate your thesis, but change up your word choice, so it is not the exact same wording as your thesis in your introduction paragraph.

· Go back through your essay and pull out the main ideas you use to build your argument for an effective/ineffective/both thesis by your author.

· 4-6 sentences for your conclusion.

MAKE A WORKS CITED PAGE!