This morning in class you will read the sample student analysis “Wait Means Never” and collaboratively answer the questions that follow.
- Does the writer present a summary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” before he presents his thesis?
- The authors of Writing Analytically note that “a productive thesis statement usually contains tension, the balance of this against that” (Rosenwasser and Stephen 248). Reread the thesis and note whether it includes any instances of “this against that.”
- What specific example stands as the writer’s most effective support for his thesis
- Effective strategies for concluding analyses include (1) offering an insight about the text or an additional quotation from it, (2) revisiting the thesis without stating it verbatim, and (3) pointing to the broader implications of the analysis. Does the writer employ any of those strategies? If so, which one or ones?
After you answer the questions above, review the grade criteria on your analysis assignment handout, and assign a grade. If you cannot reach a consensus, write each recommended grade.
Next Up
In class on Wednesday, you will compose a reflective essay on your analysis.
Jane Lucas 