Posts on Fridays (Grades 9-12)

Course Objective: To introduce a new form of analytical writing which evaluates an author’s style and devices to determine overall success of a piece of academic writing.

Course Description:  In this class, students will learn to analyze a piece of work to decipher the techniques the author uses to present information. Students will utilize the SOAPSTone technique to determine if the piece of writing has been successful in informing, entertaining, or persuading. Emphasis will be placed on analyzing author appeals and style to formally critique a piece of academic writing including speeches, historical letters, and more. This critical analysis of a piece of writing is an important bridge to collegiate writing and assumes an existing understanding of the 5 paragraph paper format and strong grammar skills. This course also includes a vocabulary building section utilizing Latin and Greek roots to improve comprehension and facilitate a growing personal vocabulary.