Fluent Essays

NO PLAGIARISMFOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONSTouchstone 3: Informative EssayASSIGNMENT: Select ONE of the following writing prompts and draft a 3-5 page (approximately 800-1300 words) informative essay. As a part of your completed draft, complete the color coding activity described below. In addition, answer the Think About Your Writing questions on a separate sheet of paper and include it with your draft submission.Note: Touchstone 4 will be a revision of the draft that you submit for Touchstone 3.Sample Image Analysis Essay: Prompt ASample Extended Definition Essay: Prompt BA. InstructionsChoose ONE of the following prompts for your informative essay.PROMPT A: IMAGE ANALYSIS: Although we look at print advertisements every day, we often do not consider the ways in which they affect us. Visual images in ads can influence and persuade us, so it is important to evaluate them critically to understand their meanings. Good image analysis involves examination of the components of an image to gain an understanding of the whole.Select an advertisement to analyze. The advertisement you choose should be directed towards a specific audience. To identify the intended audience, think about the members of the potential audience for the advertisement that you have chosen. Who are they? Ads for a beauty product, for example, may be aimed at young girls; ads for a deodorant might target men; a diaper commercial is likely intended for new parents; ads for cruise trips might be aimed at retirees. You can use any academically-appropriate advertisement to complete this assignment, as long as its intended audience is clearly identified.Your thesis must inform the reader of your topic and purpose. Because you are writing in the informative mode, use objective language and a neutral point of view.Draft an analytical essay that examines the audience, context, and purpose of the advertising image you’ve chosen. Read the article by Jenna Pack titled Breaking Down an Image for ideas about how to write an image analysis. Your analysis should lead to a conclusion about the ad’s effectiveness, based on examination of its components. Include the image with your draft.PROMPT B: EXTENDED DEFINITION: Define or redefine one of the following words:FamilySuccessCourageArtBeautyIn your draft, briefly explain how society, or the dictionary, defines the word youve selected, and then explain your unique or extended definition of the word. Provide examples and explanations to support your definition. Your thesis must inform your readers of your new definition and, because you are writing in the informative mode, you must use objective language.Draft an extended definition essay that defines or redefines a word or concept. Read the article by Dan Richards titled Digital Ethics for ideas about how to write an extended definition essay.B. Think About Your WritingAs a part of your completed draft, complete the color coding activity and include answers to all of the questions below your draft.PART 1: Color Coding Activity:Using the color codes provided, evaluate your draft as follows:Use red text to indicate your thesis statement.Use green text to indicate the topic sentence of each body paragraph.Part 2: Questions1. What is the significance of your essay? Why should readers care about what you have written? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: Think about why you decided to analyze this particular image, or why you picked the word you chose to define. Your interest in in your subject matter should be clear to readers.2. Which areas of your draft do you think will benefit most from revision? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: Consider the organization, style, focus, development, and conventions of your draft. Which areas did you struggle to complete?3. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your writing. How can you capitalize on your strengths and improve on your weaknesses in future essays? (3-4 sentences) Sophia says: Think about what was easy about writing the draft, and what was more difficult. For example, if you write paragraphs with strong topic sentences, but repeatedly use the same type of sentence to provide supporting details, you can improve your paragraphs by varying sentence structure.C. Informative Draft GuidelinesDIRECTIONS: Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until your draft meets all of the guidelines. Print this checklist!Essay Prompt: Image Analysis❒ If you chose the image analysis prompt, have you analyzed and interpreted — and not just described — the ads design?❒ Have you made conclusions about the audience and effectiveness of the ad?❒ Did you include the image in your draft?❒ Did you complete the color-coding activity?❒ Is your draft 800-1300 words long?Essay Prompt: Extended Definition❒ If you chose the extended definition prompt, did you indicate how society defines the word you selected, and then explain your definition (or an extended definition) of it?❒ Have you included examples and explanations to support your definition?❒ Did you complete the color-coding activity?❒ Is your draft 800-1300 words long?Working Thesis❒ Have you included a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement?❒ Does your thesis state the topic and purpose of your essay?❒ Is your thesis a single sentence, and is it located in the introductory paragraph?Focus and Organization❒ Is there an adequate number of body paragraphs, each with a clear topic sentence?❒ Is there a conclusion paragraph that makes a concluding statement?❒ Are your draft paragraphs sequenced properly?❒ Have you used transitions to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs?❒ Can your draft be described as having a good flow?❒ Does your draft have a clear focus?❒ Are all supporting details relevant?Style and Tone❒ Is the tone of your draft unbiased and informative?❒ Is it clear that the purpose of your essay is to inform readers about your topic?❒ Have you carefully considered your word choices?Conventions❒ Have you checked your draft for grammatical errors?❒ Have you used Spell-Check or another method to check spelling?❒ Have you punctuated your draft correctly?Before You Submit❒ Have you included your name, date, and course at the top left of the page?❒ Have you completed the “Think About Your Writing” questions and color coding activity?❒ Is your draft between three and five pages long (approximately 800-1300 words)D. ScoringYour draft will be scored according to the Touchstone 3 Rubric, which considers required elements for either the analysis essay OR the definition essay, the thesis statement, organization, style and tone, focus, conventions, completion of the color-coding activity and answers to the “Think About your Writing” questions above.E. Helpful TutorialsDrafting and the Rhetorical SituationNarrowing Your ThesisThesis StatementsIntroduction to Informative WritingWriting Effective Informative EssaysModel Informative EssaysF. Rubric Advanced (90-100\%)Proficient (80-89\%)Acceptable (70-79\%)Needs Improvement (50-69\%)Non-Performance (0-49\%)Image AnalysisPrompt A: Analyze an advertisement using parts to draw conclusions.Consistently goes beyond description to analyze the design choices made in the advertisement, including layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components. Effectively draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement.Primarily goes beyond description to analyze the design choices made in the advertisement, including layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components. Draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement.Includes some analysis of the design choices made in the advertisement (i.e., layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components), but focuses primarily on description. Somewhat effectively draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement.Focuses heavily on description. Analysis of the design choices made in the advertisement is limited or absent. Conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement are very limited.Does not describe or analyze the advertisement. Does not draw conclusions about the advertisement.Extended Definition EssayPrompt B - Define a meaningful word or concept in a unique or compelling way.Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept in a coherent and compelling way, consistently using critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Consistently goes beyond traditional definitions to define or redefine the word in a new and unique way.Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept in a coherent way, primarily using critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Primarily goes beyond traditional definitions to define or redefine the word in a new and unique way.Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept adequately, but only sometimes uses critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Only sometimes goes beyond traditional definitions to define or redefine the word in a new and unique way.Defines a word or concept, although critical thinking and thoughtful examination are largely absent. Often relies too much on the traditional or dictionary definition and does not sufficiently explore a new or unique definition.Does not define a word or concept from the list provided and/or does not explore the definition in a thoughtful or critical manner. Relies almost entirely on the traditional or dictionary definition.Working ThesisState the focused central claim of the essay.Has a clear, focused, and detailed working thesis that is expressed in a single sentence that states the central claim of the essay.Has a clear and focused working thesis that is expressed in a single sentence that states the central claim of the essay.Has an acceptable working thesis that states a claim, but it may be unclear or unfocused, or consist of more than one sentence.Has a working thesis, but it is not clear and/or focused and/or it does not state a claim.Does not have an identifiable working thesis and/or the thesis is extremely unclear or unfocused.OrganizationExhibit competent organization, flow, and writing techniques.Includes all of the required components of an essay, including an introduction with a strong thesis; an adequate number of body paragraphs (3-6), each with an effective topic sentence; and a conclusion with an effective concluding statement. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical and flows well.Includes all of the required components of an essay, including an introduction with a thesis; an adequate number of body paragraphs (3-6), each with a topic sentence; and a conclusion with a concluding statement. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is predominantly logical and flows well.Includes all of the required components of an essay, including an introduction with a thesis; an adequate number of body paragraphs (3-6), each with a topic sentence; and a conclusion with a concluding statement. However, some components may be ineffective. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is somewhat logical, and may lack good flow.Is missing one of the required components of an essay or most of the components are ineffective. The sequence of sentences and/or paragraphs is frequently illogical and lacks flow.Is missing multiple required components of an essay or all of the components are ineffective. The sequence of sentences and/or paragraphs is consistently illogical and there is no flow.Style and ToneEstablish a consistent, informative tone and make thoughtful choices.Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices and uses a wide variety of sentence structures. Establishes a consistently unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate for an informative essay.Demonstrates effective word choices and uses a variety of sentence structures. Establishes an unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate for an informative essay, with occasional minor exceptions.Demonstrates generally effective style choices, but may include poor word choice, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Primarily establishes an unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate for an informative essay; but some sections express bias or include personal observations.Frequently includes poor word choices, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Primarily establishes a tone that is biased, and personal observations and opinions are expressed frequently.Consistently demonstrates poor word choices and/or repetitive sentence structures. Tone is consistently biased and the essay is dominated by personal observations and opinions.FocusInclude relevant details, effective connections.Details are relevant and support the purpose of the essay. The writer consistently makes effective connections between the supporting details and the working thesis.Details are relevant and support the purpose of the essay. The writer makes some effective connections between the supporting details and the working thesis.Details are predominantly relevant and generally support the purpose of the essay, though some details may be irrelevant and/or distracting.Details are often irrelevant and frequently distract from the purpose of the essay.Details are irrelevant and distract from the purpose of the essay.ConventionsDemonstrate command of standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage.There may be a few negligible errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.There are occasional minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.There are some significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.There are frequent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.There are consistent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.Think About Your WritingAnswer reflection questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses. Answers all reflection questions effectively, following or exceeding response length guidelines.Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; includes multiple insights, observations, and/or examples. Answers all reflection questions effectively, following response length guidelines.Primarily demonstrates thoughtful reflection, but some responses are lacking in detail or insight. Answers all reflection questions, primarily following response length guidelines.Shows limited reflection; the majority of responses are lacking in detail or insight. Answers reflection questions inadequately: may not answer all of the questions and/or may not follow response length guidelines.Does not answer the majority of reflection questions or the majority of answers do not follow response length guidelines.G. RequirementsYour draft must be 800 to 1300 words in length (approximately 3-5 pages).Informative Guidelines and Topic Selection Guidelines must be followed or your submission will not be graded.Double-space your draft and use one-inch margins.Use an easily-readable 12-point font.All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.Your draft must be original and written for this assignment.Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.Your submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your draft.Your submission must include both your color-coded informative draft and your answers to the Think About Your Writing questions.Submit a only single file that contains all of the assignment components.Acceptable file formats include .doc, .docx, and .pdf. touchstone_3_sample_essay__1_.pdf touchstone_3__image_analysis_draft__1_.pdf Unformatted Attachment Preview Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 Are you ready to write Touchstone 3? The informative essay below provides an example of a proficient level composition for prompt B: Extended Definition. As you read through the informative essay, notice the techniques that the author used to examine the definition in an interesting and novel way. This sample informative essay is generally focused and well organized, with support for the essay’s thesis, but does include room for improvement. The answers to the reflection questions that follow the informative essay show that the author has thoughtfully examined his own writing. Color-coding has been used to indicate key components of the essay, according to the dictates of the assignment. ______________________________________________________________________ Marcus Bishop English Composition I January 28, 2018 Intelligence: A Re-Definition Margarita and Walter live in the same small town. Margarita is a high school math teacher and Walter is an auto mechanic. Whom is more intelligent, Margarita or Comment [SL1]: Change to “who” Walter? Merriam Webster’s online dictionary defines the word intelligence variously as “the skilled use of reason,” and “the ability to apply knowledge to manipulate one’s environment or to think abstractly as measured by objective criteria (such as tests).” Most people in Margarita and Walter’s small town would consider Margarita to be more intelligent than Walter because she has graduated from college while Walter has simply Comment [SL2]: Nice choice to include the traditional definition in the introductory paragraph. This will help the reader see exactly how your re-definition will differ from the original. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 been interested in cars and how they work for all of his life. I believe the definition of “intelligent” should be broadened to include physical actions as well as intellectual actions. Limiting intelligence to that which can be measured by “objective criteria” ignores the fact that human beings think and learn in different ways. Margarita may be intelligent Comment [SL3]: This is a good thesis statement; it’s clearly focused and is neither too broad nor too narrow. Just refrain from using first-person statements, as informative writing should maintain an objective tone. Comment [SL4]: You remembered to color code your thesis and topic sentences, which is great. in a logical, mathematical sense – she can easily grasp abstractions, reasoning, and numbers – but Walter is intelligent in a more physical sense – he has fine motor skills and expresses his intelligence through manipulating and skillfully handling objects. Margarita may be able to diagnose a student’s difficulty with learning the multiplication tables, but Walter can diagnose an engine knock as a problem with the car’s spark plugs. Margarita and Walter both possess a type of intelligence and one is not superior to the other. Margarita is not “more” intelligent than Walter; she is merely intelligent in a different way. Comment [SL5]: Multiple sentences in this paragraph begin with “Margarita.” Some of these could be revised for sentence variety. Other types of intelligence are sometimes referred to as “talents” or “special abilities.” Take a professional athlete, for example, a person like Michael Jordan becomes famous for his agility and physical prowess, rising above other most other competitors in his field. Is Michael Jordan more intellectually “intelligent” than other athletes, or does he possess a physical superiority that can be translated into a different type of “intelligence”? His control over his own body movements and his innate understanding of physical timing and personal effort demonstrate a broader definition of the term. This type of “physical intelligence” is found in many professions. Think of actors who delve deeply into a character by physically becoming homeless if they are to Comment [SL6]: To avoid a comma splice, change this comma to either a period or a colon. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 portray a homeless person on screen, for example, or who ride along with police officers as they do their job in real life so they can faithfully represent the life of a police officer in film. Professional dancers endure punishing physical routines to express themselves, and people who build houses or buildings are physically engaged in the process. These Comment [SL7]: Great examples! They really help illustrate your point. are all examples of people who may possess a greater physical intelligence than the intellectual intelligence most often accepted as the true definition of the word “intelligent.” (EDIT for punctuation – replace comma with a colon or period.) For many years, an IQ test has been society’s measure of intelligence. An “intelligence quotient” (IQ) is a total score arrived at through a series of standardized tests that have been developed to measure and assess human intelligence. Dividing a person’s mental age (derived from test scores) by his chronological age and multiplying by 100 has long been the standard of arriving at a number to reflect one’s IQ. The average IQ is often stated as being between 90 and 110, with a certain proportion being lower and a proportion being higher. I have an uncle who has never had musical training in his life, yet he can hear a song and sit down at the piano and reproduce that song note for note. Is this a type of “intelligence”? If not, how can one explain it? Why do some people simply have this musical ability and others do not? Another relative of mine is known as the “navigator” because she can easily visualize spatial settings – that is, when we’re traveling in an unknown territory, she unerringly gets us to the place we’re going without the use of maps or other outside sources. As someone who is quickly disoriented in unfamiliar Comment [SL8]: Since this paragraph introduces the topic of IQ tests, it should come before the second-tolast paragraph, which elaborates on this topic. Comment [SL9]: Remember to keep your language objective; “I” statements shouldn’t be used in informative writing. You also may want to consider revising this topic sentence to more accurately convey the main idea of the paragraph. Comment [SL10]: Revise for non-objective language. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 settings, this sure sense of direction and place is something to admire as a form of intelligence. At best, however, IQ scores are mere estimations of human intelligence. What of the person, perhaps a person like Walter, who does not perform well on a written test? Is an IQ score based on these tests truly reflective of his level of intelligence? What of my uncle who can play a tune on a guitar with no training but who may stumble to answer a question based on logic or reasoning? Because the word “intelligent” has so many possible interpretations and so many possible ways of manifesting itself in the physical world, I reject the idea that it can be accurately measured by a series of written tests designed by some supposedly intelligent professors in a laboratory. People who consider only intellectual prowess as a sign of intelligence are not very intelligent themselves. Comment [SL11]: Revise these sentences to remove non-objective language. In conclusion, I believe the definition of the word “intelligent” should be expanded to include the many different types of intelligence that human beings possess. Someone may be “book smart,” but someone else may be “street smart,” and I don’t believe that one is more intelligent than the other. Comment [SL12]: You have a good start to the conclusion, but you will want to expand more on the main idea of the essay, as well as remove the instances of non-objective language. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 Think About Your Writing: What is the significance of your essay? Why should your reader care about what you have written? (2-3 sentences) I think readers will care about the essay because it can affect the way we think about who we consider to be “intelligent” and who we consider to be less than “intelligent.” I’ve experienced this in my own life as I was a bartender for many years before I attended college. Working in the service industry, I had grown accustomed to being considered less intelligent than my professional and college-educated customers. No matter that I successfully managed a business, worked efficiently to provide quality service, and consistently increased profits, I was merely the “bartender.” I think it’s important to recognize that intelligence has a larger definition and far greater implications than a number from an outdated intelligence test. 1. What areas of your draft do you think will benefit most from revision? (2-3 sentences) I’m a bit unsure about the organization of my draft. I am not sure I have achieved a good flow of ideas because I struggled a bit with linking my ideas together to make a cohesive piece of writing. I’m also not sure if I retained focus in each paragraph and sufficiently supported each topic sentence. In general, I’m satisfied with my first draft, but I know the essay can be improved in content, focus, and relooking at my “big ideas.” 2. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of your writing. How can you capitalize on your strengths and improve on your weaknesses in future essays? (3-4 sentences) It’s fairly easy for me to draft an essay. I think of my main points and write a paragraph about each of them, and I try to make the introduction interesting and to sum up my main points in the conclusion. My weakness, I think, is that I’d like to be finished after my first draft, but I’m learning that revision and producing multiple drafts is what turns an OK piece of writing into a solidly academic piece of writing. For future essays, I will take this into consideration as I write and know that I what I produce the first time doesn’t have to be perfect and that it is during revision and editing that I can polish my work and say what I want to say in the most effective way possible. 3. SCORING APPEARS ON THE NEXT PAGE Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 SCORING for Sample Touchstone 3 The sample essay was evaluated according to the Touchstone 3 Rubric, which includes either the Image Analysis OR Expanded Definition Essay. This particular essay was written using the expanded definition approach. The rubric evaluates the expanded definition, the working thesis statement, organization, style and tone, focus, conventions, and responses to the “Think About Your Writing” questions. Each rubric area is evaluated according to the performance level. Expanded Definition The writer has met the criteria established for writing an extended definition. The writer has chosen a meaningful word and used critical thinking and logical reasoning to expand its meaning. With insight, thoughtful discussion, and real-life examples, the writer has created a strong rationale for expanding the definition of the word “intelligence” Area Score: Advanced Working Thesis The essay has a clear and focused thesis: “I believe the definition of “intelligent” should be broadened to include physical actions as well as intellectual actions.” The thesis is appropriately narrowed and states the central claim of the essay. However, it should be revised to use more objective language by removing the phrase “I believe.” Area Score: Proficient Organization The essay has an introduction with a thesis, an adequate number of body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Body paragraphs contain a topic sentence and supporting details. The writer generally uses transitions effectively within paragraphs, but the order of a few body paragraphs could be revised to improve flow and some topic sentences can be improved to better reflect the information in the body paragraph. Area Score: Acceptable Style and Tone Generally the writer does use effective style and word choices. However there exist multiple instances in which the writer uses repetitive sentence types, a non-objective tone, or includes personal observations which are not effective for informative writing. The writer uses logic and examples to support the thesis and purpose. Area Score: Needs Improvement Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 Focus Overall, the writer does a good job including relevant details and making connections between the working thesis statement and supporting details. However, there are a few sentences which include personal detail, as noted in the annotations. While they support the thesis, they detract from the focus of the essay and should be edited. Area Score: Proficient Conventions The writer has made few spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, or mechanics. The errors made were minor and did not detract from the essay. Area Score: Advanced “Think About Your Writing” Questions The answers to the questions are thoughtful and insightful. The answers effectively address the question and either adhere to or exceed the length guidelines. Additionally, the writer appropriately color coded his thesis and topic sentences. Area Score: Advanced TOTAL SCORE: PROFICIENT: 8/10 On the whole, this informative essay does a nice job of exploring an alternate definition for a meaningful term. The exploration of the term is detailed and well thought out. The writer uses an primarily informative style while maintaining a clear focus on the topic. Development of the core ideas could be improved, edits could be made to make the tone more objective and to vary sentence style in a few paragraphs, and the rearrangement of a few paragraphs would improve the flow and clarify connections between ideas. Overall, the composition meets the requirements of the prompt and offers a compelling discussion of the definition of a term. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 Are you ready to write Touchstone 3? The informative essay below provides an example of a proficient level composition for prompt A: Image Analysis. As you read through the informative essay, notice the techniques that the author used to appropriately breakdown the image. This sample informative essay is generally focused and well organized, with support for the essay’s thesis, but does include room for improvement. The answers to the reflection questions that follow the informative essay show that the author has thoughtfully examined his own writing. Color-coding has been used to indicate key components of the essay, according to the dictates of the assignment. ______________________________________________________________________ Kaitlin Thompson English Composition I January 28, 2018 Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 Flipping through a magazine while sitting in a waiting room, hearing adds on the radio, or being Comment [SL1]: Watch your spelling here. This should be “ads.” exposed to billboards and television commercials are daily occurrences for most people. In fact, it’s difficult to escape advertisements in our daily lives. How does this onslaught of persuasive rhetoric affect people? And how can consumers resist being manipulated into believing a certain product or service can improve their lives? A careful analysis of advertisements can reveal the techniques advertisers use, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of those techniques. I think we should all learn to analyze images so that we can better understand their meanings and possible effects. By examining the individual components of an advertisement, I can more easily understand the overall meaning and effect of the ad on consumers. This advertisement for Clear shampoo targets a female audience. This is evident through the Comment [SL2]: Remember that this essay is informative, so your language must remain objective. This sentence isnt really necessary for the paragraph to function properly, and thus could be removed entirely. Comment [SL3]: You could make this thesis statement more specific-— what individual components are you referring to? Replace I with one to maintain an objective tone. central placement of a female figure and her glorious, shining mane of hair. Many ads use beautiful women in their advertisements. The model’s dark hair and dark clothing, along with the muted, Comment [SL4]: This detail is not relevant to your analysis of this particular advertisement. shadowy background, invite the audience to look for visible signs of white, flaky dandruff. Of course, there are none, which reinforces the advertisement’s textual message of “Zero dandruff.” Visually, the ad succeeds in making a clear link between the shampoo itself and the promise of no dandruff. Other signs pointing toward a female audience are more nuanced. The overall look of the ad is Comment [SL5]: So far your topic sentences have done a nice job of communicating the main idea of each paragraph. sleek and soft. Aside from the model and her hair, the most prominent image is the block of text which addresses the audience directly. Using a persuasive tone, the text encourages the audience to contact the company for tips on managing hair plagued by dandruff. Also an offer of a free product sample, a technique that appeals to many consumers. This context is an opportunity for the company, both in the Comment [SL6]: Revise this fragment to ensure sentence completeness. visual components of the ad and through the promised text message, to extol the virtues of its own shampoo. Clear shampoo, it promises, is powered by Cleartech Soft” (whatever that means) and Comment [SL7]: Remember to stick to academic language. This is too informal, and should be removed. essential oils, which will make hair up to 4 times softer and shinier. The model in the ad does indeed Comment [SL8]: This is a good use of specific language from the ad, but remember to use quotation marks around words that aren’t your own. Sophia Pathways for College Credit – English Composition I SAMPLE TOUCHSTONE 3 have hair which appears to be very soft and shiny, underscoring this point. In this way, the ad successfully links the context and imagery to effectively target a female audience that may be interested in – or in need of - a dandruff shampoo. The text in the center of the advertisement – “Say no to dandruff” – suggests that women have the power to choose beautiful, shiny hair over limp or problem hair. This is an empowering idea that will likely appeal to a young woman concerned with her appearance. I don’t think being overly concerned with your appearance is necessarily a good thing, but I know many women are. Simply by using this Comment [SL9]: This is another example of non-objective language that can be removed. product, women can take control of how they are perceived by the world. It is the woman who makes the choice, and she makes the choice by not accepting anything less than gorgeous, perfect hair. The model’s enigmatic expression reinforces this idea of the woman being in control. As a whole, the ad appears soft and subtly compelling. Its simplicity targets key stereotypes of women as the intended audience: women are soft, emotionally and physically. The text encourages women to stand up for themselves and just “say no,” playing into the stereotype that women are not assertive enough and too often passively accept things rather than try to change them. The link be ... Purchase answer to see full attachment