Assignment 2A, 3A, and the essay
Assignment 2A, 3A, and the essay
Assignment 2A: Summary and Rhetorical Analysis
For this assignment, you will need to choose between one of the assigned chapters in Foer’s Eating
Animals, or Herzog’s Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat. This assignment has two parts to it:
Part one asks you to summarize the text. What is the argument/controlling idea that the author is
making. Consider the 5 W’s and H. Who is the text talking about, what is it saying (what is
happening?), when was it written (what insight might this context reveal), where is the text
discussing (the world? The US?, etc.), why does the author believe what he/she believes (why is
the what happening?), and how is this happening. Asking yourself these questions will help you to
come to the main idea of the text.
The second part of the assignment asks you to consider how the author makes his/her point. You
want to begin to understand how the writer led you to understand the essay’s idea — the one you
highlighted in your summary. Consider the rhetorical situation: What is the author’s intended
purpose in writing this essay? Who is the author’s audience? Why is he/she considering this
particular audience? What genre is the author writing in? Who is the author of this essay? Do
his/her beliefs/bias show in this essay? What kinds of rhetorical appeal or appeals is this text
making? Remember: ethos, pathos, and logos.What kind of language does the author use? Is the
style formal, informal, or academic? Does the author use sarcasm? Humor?
Spend about 100-250 words summarizing the controlling idea of the author. Then spend 200-300
words on the rhetorical analysis. This assignment calls for MLA documentation, which includes a
“Works Cited” page.
Assignment 3A: Sentence Outline
The purpose of this assignment is for you to begin brainstorming and organizing your ideas. Please
use roman numerals (I, II, III, etc.) to indicate paragraphs, and letters (A, B, C, etc.) to indicate
supporting ideas. Although this is a narrative essay, it should still have a clear structure and a
purpose. The thesis/main idea may not necessarily be found in the introduction, unlike a
traditional, expository essay; it may be found it the end of the narrative or even somewhere in theProfessor Batty English 113A/114A Fall 2014
middle. Your narrative should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. As a way to structure your
narrative, you should describe some kind of rising action that reaches a climax. Use this outline as
an opportunity to plan and organize your story. Consider where you will give sensory details to fill
out this world. Consider where you may include dialogue. Consider where you may provide
background information. The outline does not necessarily have to be written in complete
sentences, but it should be clear what you are trying to say. Outline should be approximately one
page in length, typed, MLA format.
Essay A
Write a narrative essay in which you describe a time when you have had power over a
nonhuman animal. Interrogate the significance of the interaction.
Research: Although you are not required to incorporate the assigned readings for this progression
into your essay, you are welcome to do so.
Final Draft Criteria:
1. You MUST include a progression packet that includes all three preliminary assignments
attached to the essay. You cannot earn higher than a D on the essay if you do not
include all three assignments in your packet.
2. Topic Selection: The essay focuses on a specific interaction with a nonhuman animal.
3. Title: The title should be both creative and informative.
4. Thesis: The essay may not have an argument, but it has a clear purpose and main idea. This
controlling idea may not necessarily be stated in the introduction.
5. Development/Support: Ideas are fully developed and supported. The writer includes
sensory details and/or dialogue to bring the story to life.
6. Content: The paper shows that the writer has thoroughly described the event and
considered the significance and implications of the interaction being described.
7. Organization: The ideas appear in a logical order; the paper uses transitions to move from
one idea to the next. The narrative has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
8. Spelling/Grammar/Mechanics: The paper is virtually free of spelling, grammar, or
mechanical errors.
9. Page Length: The paper is at least 3 complete pages long.
10.MLA Formatting: The paper uses MLA formatting, including 12 point Times New Roman
font, double spacing, one inch margins, etc. (See your handbook for a sample paper.)
