English 108-04 Spring 2008 Essay 4 Analysis Assignment
Purpose: Practice analytical thinking and writing skills. Learn to organize a comparison/contrast
essay. Practice constructing a thesis statement. Write as a process: gather ideas, plan your draft, write a
first draft, obtain feedback from peers and tutors, revise, then proofread.
Assignment: Write a 2-page (minimum 2 pages, maximum 3 pages) comparison between two
advertisements for the same or a similar product. Use print sources (not TV). For example, you might
analyze two advertisements for shoes. In your essay, you will analyze the advertisements to show how
they attempt to appeal to their readers. Include comparison and contrast: how are the advertisements
similar or different? For each, you should explain how the ad “works”—or does not work, if you think
it is ineffective. Keep in mind that advertisements’ goal is to sell a product or service to a particular
audience. In your essay, explain how the advertisement attempts to appeal to its audiences.
Requirements:
1) Provide a thesis that compares the major selling point in one ad to the major selling point in
the other.
Examples:
“The Nike tennis shoe advertisement aimed at men focuses on how skilled and determined the male
athlete is, whereas the advertisement for New Balance tennis shoes aimed at women emphasizes the
woman’s need for comfort and confidence during workouts.”
“The advertisement for the Ford Focus emphasizes how economical the car is, including rebate and
other price information; the advertisement for the Mercedes only includes price information in fine
print, and focuses on the elegance and luxury of the vehicle.”
2) Regardless of how you organize your essay, you must answer the following questions:
a. Where did you find the advertisements? Who usually reads the bigger documents
(newspaper, magazine, etc.) that you found each in? What are that group’s values and/or
interests?
Put this information into your first paragraph.
b. How does each advertisement attempt to persuade its readers/viewers to buy the
product? Try to connect what you said in (a) above about the values of the group who
would be looking at the advertisement with what the advertisement does. (For example,
does the ad make the product look safe or healthy for children when appealing to
mothers? or does it make the product seem efficient and economical? or does it simply
make the product look sexy or cool?) Be sure to mention specific details—don’t
generalize.
This information should take up most of the body of your essay. If the advertisements
are similar, try organizing so that your paragraphs go point by point. If the
advertisements are different, try using different paragraphs to analyze the different ads.
c. How do the advertisements differ? Why are the products marketed differently in the
ads? Include this information in your concluding (last) paragraph.
3) MLA format. Use quotations to put any words from the advertisement that you use into your
essay. Underline or italicize the titles of newspapers, magazines, etc.
4) Do not use “I” (first person) or “you” (second person).
5) You must include the advertisements, as well as tutor and peer comments, when you turn in
your paper.
Follow due dates on the syllabus schedule unless otherwise directed.
Process:
1) Choose the advertisements. Find advertisements for the same or a similar product.
2) Analyze. Figure out who the readers are for each advertisement by looking more closely at the
magazine. Then, try to figure out how the creators of the advertisement tried to appeal to the
values of the readers when constructing the advertisement.
3) Write your thesis.
4) Write down 3-5 reasons your thesis is correct.
5) Write down 1-2 examples or details from the advertisements that support your REASONS!
6) Write one sentence PER EXAMPLE or DETAIL that explains why the example or detail
supports the reason. Each reason, with your description of the example or detail, plus your
explanation of how it provides evidence that the reason is true, could be a paragraph.
7) Write the rest of your introduction OR continue with the body of your essay.
8) Write your conclusion.
9) Submit your draft to Smarthinking and/or visit the writing lab for feedback. If you choose
to use Smarthinking, you should print out the comments you get to turn in with your final draft.
HIGHLIGHT the suggestions for revision you followed. UNDERLINE advice you got from
Smarthinking on proofreading (grammar/spelling/punctuation).
IMPORTANT REMINDER: using the tutor’s comments counts as 2.5% of your course grade.
10) Bring your draft to class on F 9/12 for a workshop with peers. Develop a revision agenda.
11) Bring your revised draft to class on W 9/17 for a proofreading workshop.
Rubric: What you will be graded on.
Criteria
All questions under #2 of requirements on assignment sheet
(a-c) are answered.
Thesis makes an argument comparing advertisements.
Overall organization works well (paragraphs are in a logical
order, paragraphs are connected to each other clearly with
transitional expressions).
Paragraphs are developed: each claim is supported by
evidence from the advertisements and explanations of how
the evidence supports the claims.
MLA format (margins, headings, pagination, use of
quotations).
“I” and “you” are avoided.
Excellent Good
Average Needs
Work
Proofreading for comma + FANBOYS or semi-colon
between independent clauses
Proofreading for commas and dependent clauses
Proofreading for homophones
Proofreading for apostrophes
BOTH of the advertisements are turned in with the paper.
Pass
XXXX XXXX
Fail