For the first essay of the course, you will analyze and evaluate the readings from Michael Mann�s Salt Sugar Fat based on the writing strategies that we have discussed in class and the criteria established by the groups in class work. We are only reading excerpts from the book, but analyze and evaluate based on what you have read.

To analyze nonfiction, it is often best to begin with the audience and the purpose of the writer�s work. Then you can consider the strategies the writer uses to address that audience for that purpose. For instance, if a writer is trying to convince a very young audience to alter behavior, maybe scare tactics will work. On the other hand, if the writer is trying to persuade an older audience to change behavior the strategy might appeal to reason using research, facts, and statistics. Fearing that kind of writing could be too dry, the writer might incorporate narratives to appeal to the emotions of the reader or graphs and charts to make the statistics easier to �read.� Ask yourself who Michael Mann wants to reach and why and how he goes about enlisting the support and/or shaping the response of that particular reader. We have discussed the ways that writers do this with various forms of appeal, with language and word choice, with voice, with the organization of his/her work, etc. We talked about being aware of bias and the use of sources.

You should also evaluate the writings. Again, we are only reading a small portion, but evaluate what you have read. In class, we established criteria for evaluating nonfiction; use that criteria for the evaluation.

You should decide your own writing strategies for this essay, but please be sure that you name the book, the writer, and the chapter title in correct MLA format. You should have a very clear thesis statement, and you should develop that idea as you explain and illustrate in the body. Work from topic sentences that make connections to the thesis. Be sure to offer examples for your points of analysis. In other words, if you discuss the writer�s language, give an example from the text that illustrates your point. Do this with any and all of the points that you make. You might do the analysis first and then evaluate or you could incorporate the evaluation as you write. Incorporate any quotes seamlessly and in correct MLA style with citations. We will work on this in class specifically when we look at the first draft in peer review. Please refer to your handbook or to any of the available online sources; don�t guess.

Peer review on Tuesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 6. The work on Feb 6 will include MLA citations and incorporating quotes. The final draft is due at beginning of class on Tuesday, February 11.

Requirements for essay:

� essay must be an analysis and evaluation rather than a retelling of the reading

� clearly stated argument/central idea

� develop argument as you explain and illustrate in the body paragraphs

� work from topic sentences that make connections to the argument

� offer evidence for any claim

� name of the book, the writer, and the chapter titles in correct MLA format

� incorporate quotes seamlessly and in correct MLA style with citations

� include a Works Cited page

This is based on the Prologue and Epilogue of salt, sugar, fat

The teacher is stressing how the author appeals to the audience and what kind of writing styles he uses to sway the opinions with facts, statistics, opinions. also please include an outside source.