At least one of the essays you include in your 100B/LART100 portfolio must be an analytical essay, one in which you respond to and examine a text or texts. Depending on the assignment, the texts you examine might include articles, movies, song lyrics, stories, advertisements, your own life experiences, and more. Your analytical essay will be based on a central idea or question, developed through your supporting points and the evidence and explanations you use to help your readers fully see those points.

Your essay will show a logical connection between the parts, one you'll likely discover as you write a first draft. By making such connections, by providing detailed support, and by revealing your own thinking process, you'll show that you have your readers' needs in mind. Your essay should show that you are aware of multiple perspectives, that you are thinking critically--making inferences, interpreting evidence, comparing and contrasting, synthesizing ideas, arguing or analyzing (or both), and/or problem-solving. How you do all this will vary from assignment to assignment as there are no formulas for good writing or good thinking, and different writing tasks require different approaches.

In addition to elements described above, your strongest analytical essays will include originality, creativity, and voice—your own unique way of expressing yourself in writing.

100B Essay Evaluation Criteria