Unpacking the Argument: A Critical Analysis

The thesis: Your argument in one sentence

Note for students: please bold thesis statement in introductory paragraph.

Part 1

Write the provisional thesis of your Research-driven Critique Essay:

1. Open the template or document where you are completing your work.
2. Think about your overall evaluation of the main source.
3. Draft your thesis—your one-sentence evaluation of the main source—as a clear statement of your opinion.

Part 2 

Complete the outline of your essay:

1. Open a word document where you are completing your work.
2. Write an outline of your essay, following the model below (feel free to copy and paste the outline into your word document and fill in the blanks with your individualized writing/essay content):

Outline

INTRODUCTION

Hook or Inciting Idea:

Background Context:

Main Source–author, title, one-sentence summary:

Thesis:

SUMMARY

Statement of issue/problem, thesis/message, reasons/narrative events:

RESPONSE

1. First paragraph/claim critiquing the main source (tied to the thesis):

• Start with topic sentence
• Textual evidence from the main source:
• Textual evidence from (one or more) research source(s):

2. Second paragraph/claim critiquing the main source:

• Start with topic sentence
• Textual evidence from the main source:
• Textual evidence from research source(s):

3. Etc., as applicable.

CONCLUSION

Restatement of the thesis in new words:

New question(s):

Concluding statement:

Part 3

In this step, you will write the first full draft of the essay. Following your outline (and departing from it wherever necessary), you’ll complete the middle of your paper (summary and response) and add in short framing sections (introduction, conclusion) that you can revise later

Your draft should be in the range of 1000+ words, and should be edited.

Complete the first full draft of your essay and save your work. 

1. Open your project document or template, where you are completing your work.
2. Open the main article and research sources you are using in this project.
3. Copy and paste any relevant completed sections or fragments (summary, initial response to the main source).
4. Using your outline as a guide, develop the essay in full, including brief framing sections (introduction, conclusion).  add the references section, which will be required in the final project.
5. Develop/ complete the sections as necessary, and read the whole essay over for completeness and clarity: it needs to be reader-friendly!

The essay draft should be in the range of 1000+ words. Later, the final essay should be about 1200-1500 words.

Revise your draft into a finished research-driven critical analysis essay of approximately 1200-1500 words on the source selected or provided in Unit 6. There should be an introduction, summary of the source argument, critical response with use of 3+ research sources and your main source, conclusion, and references section. The goal is to assess the quality of the source argument or narrative rather than to write on the same topic. Use a mixture of quotation and paraphrase, and format and document your essay according to APA conventions.

You will upload two versions in Word:

• Track Changes (showing your edits)
• Final Revised version.