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2. Thesis: Most essays have a clear, central point—a claim or thesis, no matter the type of writing.
1. Paraphrase the thesis statement:
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2. Offer comments on how the author can narrow the thesis statement to give the essay more focus:
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Discuss your impressions of the rhetorical situation in this piece. For example, what is the purpose of the
writing and how does the author present that purpose (stance)? Does the author seem to know their audience
well? Who is the author’s audience?
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3. Narrative arc:
1. The beginning of arc (or first point) discusses
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Does the beginning work well? Does it introduce the author’s topic?
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How can the author develop the hook for the essay or pull the audience in more effectively?
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2. The middle of the arc discusses
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Does the author build up to the middle?
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How does the author build?
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How can the author develop the middle of the essay?
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The end of the essay discusses
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Does the author wrap-up all loose ends in the essay? Is the story complete? How can the author
improve the end by offering a stronger sense of conclusion? What is missing?
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4. What did you find unclear about the essay? How can the author develop the essay to remove confusion?
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5. Organization: Find at least two instances of transition and make suggestions for improvement
1. Paragraph #____
Suggestion:____________________________________________________________________
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2. Paragraph #___
Suggestion:____________________________________________________________________
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6. Tone and style:
I like the phrase that begins “________________________________________________” because
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Additional comments: