Discourse Analysis Paragraph Format

PART ONE

PART TWO

How to write up a synthesis paragraph in a Discourse Analysis: A fill-in-the-blank template

Follow this fill-in the-blank template as you begin to write your synthesis paragraphs for your discourse analysis. Later, when you get really good at this, you can vary the structure a bit and find your own original voice --- as long as all the important elements are in there.

In (name the article in quotation marks), the author (name her or him) includes the excerpt (write down the author’s exact words and put them in quotation marks). (Last name of author) uses the discourse device (name the discourse device) to imply that (state the embedded assumption). (Now add 2-3 sentence discussion of the effect/ consequence of that combination of excerpt, discourse device, and embedded assumption on the intended audience).

NOTE: In paragraphs 2-5, you do not have to restate the name of the author. Thus, you would start paragraph #2 with, " (Last name) (transition) includes the excerpt (write down the author’s exact words and put them in quotation marks).