Writing Assignment #1 Option A: Comparing and Contrasting Periodicals
PURPOSE: To learn the differences between scholarly and non-scholarly sources. To determine which periodicals the professionals in your discipline use most often and why. To practice using direct quotations and CMS documentation.
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT: Write a stylistic analysis essay in which you explore, compare, and contrast two or more serious interest and scholarly print periodicals in your prospective discipline. At least one of the print periodicals must be a scholarly journal. Survey articles in the issues you examine.
- Photocopy at least one scholarly article and one general interest article that peaks your interest. Hand these copies in along with your finished essay.
- Make a source card for each issue of a periodical that you personally examine and compile a Works Cited page using the CMS format in our handbook,
Use any or all of the following questions to start and fully develop an essay of at least 750 words (3 pages) for your own audience. Employ direct quotations from both periodicals somewhere in your essay to support or exemplify your thesis. In your final draft,be sure state your conclusion as your thesis in the last sentence of your first paragraph and stick to your thesis.
- What is the purpose of the publication? Who is its target audience? How specific is that audience and how do you know? What is the circulation of the magazine?
- What role does the periodical purport to play in the lives of its readers?
- Does the periodical contain advertisements? Who advertises and what do the ads “say” about the magazine and its readers? Does the periodical advertise itself in its own pages?
- Who publishes the periodical? Where is it published and how often? How much authority does the publication claim?
- Does the periodical have a web site? If so, how good is it?
- What can you tell from the titles of the essays in the periodical? How do they reflect differences between the purposes and audiences of the other magazines?
- What specific subjects did the issue of the periodical discuss? Which of the articles did you read and why? Which articles did you scan?
- Does the periodical have regular features (a letters column, for example)? Does it publish special issues?
- What are the backgrounds and interests of the authors of the articles?
- Is the periodical physically attractive? What kinds of illustrations, if any, does it contain? What are its physical dimensions?
Option B: Comparing and Contrasting articles on the same topic
INSTRUCTIONS: Write a stylistic analysis essay in which you explore, compare, and contrast two or more articles on the same limited topic (two articles that explore the differences, say, between the ways humans use language and the ways apes use language). At least one of the articles you include must be a scholarly article and one must be an article from a general interest or popular magazine. Be sure to photocopy the articles and turn these copies in along with your finished essay. Feel free to use these these questions to stimulate your thinking.
- Who is the author’s target audience? Is the author aiming at specialists, generalists, or lay people? How do you know?
- Is the language in the highly technical and specialized or rather general?
- Is the writer’s purpose for writing clear?
- Do you agree with author’s thesis, controlling idea, and conclusion? Where in the article does the author state a thesis?
- What is the author’s tone? How would you characterize the author’s attitude toward the subject? Does the tone remain constant throughout the essay or does it alter?
- Does the writer present opposing points of view, positives and negatives?
- How does the author establish credibility? Does the author cite sources? If so, how many and what kind of sources are they?
- How do the credentials of each author compare or differ? Which author knows the most about subject?
- About what issues do the authors of each article agree or disagree and why? Do they approach the topic the same way? Do they reach the same conclusions?
- What specific things did you like about each article? What did you dislike? How do the contents of the articles differ?
- What rhetorical strategies does the author employ? Narration? Classification? Definition? Description? Exemplification? Cause and Effect? Process Analysis?
- What kinds of sentences does the author usually employ? Simple? Compound? Complex? Long? Short?
- What differences and similarities do the writers exhibit in terms of their diction (word choice)? What key words and phrases, if any, do they both employ?
- Does the author have a sense of humor?
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