https://textbooks.lib.wvu.edu/wvhistory/files/html/08_wv_history_reader_fain/
Begin with this sentence: The main point of this article is that_______________.
Please note that 5 points will be deducted automatically from article analyses that do not begin with the
phrase highlighted above in red.
This opening sentence requirement may seem rigid but it is intrinsic to understanding and writing about what
you read in a critical way. The opening sentence is where you state as accurately as possible the main point
or unifying principle of the article.
Please note that the main point is not to tell a story or to show something or to describe something. The main
point is some conclusion or interpretation the author reaches by researching the subject of the article.
Continue by describing what everything in the article really talks about.
Do not quote from the article or simply summarize it.
Do not write about your personal reaction to the article. As valuable as this may be, the purpose of the
assignment is for you to analyze what you read rather than react to it. The best way to avoid writing about
your reaction is simply to avoid using the word “I.”
Also, always remember to proofread! I do expect your analyses to be well written and free of errors.
Finally, please be sure to write your analysis for someone who has not read the article. This means that all
people, places, issues, etc., need to be identified.