Assignment 2c: Critical Analysis Essay
Background
The Critical Analysis Essay builds on the research from Assignments 2a and 2b, which you will use to analyze your chosen topic and support your own ideas, arguments, and critical interventions. The objective of this assignment is to is to develop a convincing critical argument that addresses your research question, and uses strong evidence from your research to support your own analyses and conclusion. Once you have gathered and discussed your research (Assignment 2a) and critically evaluated it (Assignment 2b) you will be ready to apply the skills you have developed and feedback you have received to the Critical Analysis Essay. This assignment must include an abstract as well as a title page and reference page, and adhere to APA formatting guidelines. The body of the essay should be 1100-1300 words (not including the abstract, title page, or reference page). Every 50 words over or under this range will incur a 5% overall grade reduction from the assignment.
Required Components
Abstract
The abstract is a brief summary of your essay. It should be approximately 100 words, and must identify your main argument (thesis) as well as key evidence and supporting details. Though the abstract goes at the beginning of your essay, on its own page immediately following the title page, it should be the last thing you write (as you cannot accurately summarize your essay before it is fully revised and ready for submission). The abstract leaves no surprises. It walks the reader through the entire argument, at a high enough level that it can be summarized in 100 words.
Introduction
The goal of the introduction is to introduce the reader to the topic of your essay and to the dominant ‘voices’ from your research who you will present to weigh in on it. It should clearly identify your approach to the issue(s) the essay will address, the critical argument you will support throughout the essay, and the different perspectives from your research you will bring to bear. Begin the introduction with an opening statement that is specific to your essay topic, then provide a succinct and specific overview of your main arguments and ideas. Then, just like in Assignment 2b, put your sources into conversation with one another. Explain what position each occupies. Explain how they ‘talk’ to one another. Remember that the introduction must include your thesis statement.
Body Paragraphs
Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that identifies the paragraph’s central claim. This claim must be supported with evidence from your research. The majority of the paragraph should engage in analysis of the evidence and discussion of its significance to your
own arguments and ideas. Organize your paragraphs to build a convincing argument that flows logically from one idea to the next, and use level headings to group paragraphs together and identify the main ideas in your essay (each section may contain one or more paragraphs). Body paragraphs should be approximately 200-250 words.
Conclusion
A successful conclusion does not merely restate the introduction or summarize the essay (though it should do both to some extent). Consider the main points you have made in the body of the essay and how they support your thesis statement, and try to answer the question “so what?” What are the implications of your argument? What new insights do they bring to the issues you identify? Why do you think the critical interventions you discuss are important?
Instructions
- Review the assignment instructions. Before drafting your essay, read these instructions in detail, and ensure you contact the instructor with any questions not answered in the course materials. The instructions and example assignment should guide the format and organization of your essay.
- Review the feedback from the peer-review workshop. What were the major strengths of your essay draft? What were some areas identified for improvement? Your focus might be on addressing the organization of ideas, or incorporating additional research, or addressing potential counterarguments to your position. Use this feedback as a guide as you rethink, rehearse, refine, and revise your essay.
- Edit and revise your essay. Reorganize your ideas, restructure your argument, expand your ideas, and develop your essay in more depth and detail. Proofread your work, and correct any spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation errors you notice. Pay attention to sentence structure and syntax, and reread your essay out loud to ensure the writing is clear.
- Format your document. Follow the applicable APA guidelines for page and document formatting, apply correct APA formatting throughout the essay draft, ensure in-text citations and Reference citations are formatted correctly, etc. Consult the NorQuest Library APA resources for specific formatting guidelines, and follow the APA checklist to make sure you have met all of the requirements.
- Submit your assignment. Once you are satisfied that your essay meets all of the assignment requirements and has addressed any issues identified in the feedback you received, it is ready for submission. Ensure the file format is correct and upload your assignment to the appropriate Moodle dropbox.
Solution
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