Lesson Plan: Analyzing an Ad

Examining the First Draft

Notes for teacher:

This exercise forces the writer who has a rough draft to think about it and revise it, emphasizing a good thesis statement, description of the advertisement that explores the thesis, and avoidance of a list-like essay.

This plan will work in the classroom or in the computer lab. I have the students arrive with their first draft of the analysis. They then read their own drafts and answer the questions below.

I ask that they write a paragraph about each step. This encourages them to really think about the essay, rather than just writing yes or no answers to some questions. You'll notice that if they see one of the problems, they will have time in class to fix the draft.

My class is over two hours in length, so this is no problem. If you have shorter class periods, you can adapt the exercise to fit your situation.
The questions are formulated to catch problems that I have seen in such drafts in the past.

Directions:

Complete the following response to your own paper. Write a paragraph for each section. Revise your paper if your examination of it warrants it.

List the three main suggestions that your teacher or your classmates made to improve your last paper:

Have you done those things in this draft? If not, revise before you hand it in tonight.

What is your thesis about the ad? How are you dipping below its surface to interpret it? Make an assertion about its significance. Why should we be interested in viewing it and reading about it? Remember, a thesis says something that is arguable. End the first paragraph with your thesis.

Your paper should not start with a long description of the ad. If it does, either cut it radically shorter, or distribute the description throughout your essay. The basic rule is this: describe to discuss. Unless you are going to discuss the details, do not drone on with a description. Your audience should always understand why you are describing, to make a point. You may write a very short description in the introduction, but only a few lines. If a description helps you to make a point, then develop it well.

An analysis should make a point, and sub points will support that main point. However, it should not read like a list of random observations, a big list of more or less unrelated points. Does your paper do that? If so, unify your points. Make them all support or elaborate upon the thesis. Your readers should always be able to see how each observation relates to your thesis.

If you used a source, which is OK, did you document it? Remember, document all borrowings, marking the start and end of summaries, quotations, borrowed ideas. Print out the source and highlight the text that you borrowed. It is perfectly acceptable to use outside sources, to apply their ideas to your ad, but give the source credit for its ideas.