Visual Analysis

What is this assignment?

Students will write an analysis of a visual text or artifact (movie, TV show, video, artwork, or
graphic) related to the student’s major of interest. The analysis must break down the artifact into
pieces and offer insights into that artifact. A minimum of four sources (including the visual text)
will be required for this essay. The final product will be 4+ pages in length plus a Works Cited
page that lists all sources cited in the essay. Essay is to be completed in MLA format.

How do I approach this assignment?

The most important aspect of this assignment is finding an appropriate text or artifact to study. If
you are doing a video, find something that has enough content or length that you can talk about it
in detail for 4+ pages. Once an artifact is chosen, spend some time with it to determine if it has
enough complexity to work for an analysis.
Research its origins, including who published it, where it was published, and when it was
published. Discuss key elements of the image, such as symbols, images, colors, focus, as well as
other significant elements, as well as how text is used. Go through a prewriting exercise, asking
what elements of the image mean and what kind of message the image is likely trying to convey.
Look for commonly used or repeated images, colors, or patterns.
Oftentimes your thesis can come from determining the purpose of the artifact, which can often
have more than one purpose (for example, movies have the purpose to entertain and make
money; branches of the military use posters for recruiting and signifying patriotism, etc.). Focus
on discussing the visual elements more than interpretive elements. Address how the visuals
in the text work together to communicate one unified message.
Analysis essays begin with an introduction, including a thesis statement about the quality of the
artifact being analyzed. The introduction should do a few things: introduce the artifact, including
its full name and the creator(s) of the artifact. The opening should be followed by a contextual
paragraph that discusses the key points of your essay that the audience needs to know in order to
understand your analysis. The following paragraphs should present a discussion of the aspects of
your visual text, in order of significance, that you discovered while performing a close
examination of it.
For this analysis you will need to access and research three sources to help you support your
claims. For example, visual texts often invite strong emotional reactions; thus, it would be
logical to access an article on psychology to help you explain why the human mind responds to
certain images as it does. Select sources that can support your claims authoritatively. You are
required to use direct quotes from your sources who should be experts in their field.
Related assigned readings
● From Student to Writer, “The Writing Process” and “Writing Genres”
● A Writer’s Resource, A Writer’s Resource, “Writing and Designing Texts,” “Common
Assignments across the Curriculum,” “APA Documentation Style”

Assignment Learning Objectives

● analyze rhetorical strategies, including noting areas of agreement and disagreement.
 ● raise questions and problems, demonstrating a clear understanding of audience through
effective and coherent prose.
● evaluate diverse texts.
● employ basic research skills to determine the extent of information needed to support
writing practices.
● access the needed information effectively and efficiently, addressing how texts address
different audiences and rhetorical situations.
● evaluate the reliability of various information sources in different technologies,
modalities, and formats.
● use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
● apply genre conventions.
● write a research essay using academic standards
● adapt composing processes for a variety of rhetorical situations.
● develop flexible strategies for reading, drafting, reviewing, collaborating, revising,
rewriting, rereading, and editing
● use information ethically, showing a basic understanding of citation practices, intellectual
property, and collaborative writing practices.

What will be turned in?

This assignment has multiple steps that will be submitted. Students are expected to turn in all the
writing steps or their grade will be reduced on the final draft.
 Students will submit a 2-3 page rough draft on Sunday, October 8.
 Students will write a revision plan and complete peer review due Sunday, October 15.
 The final draft submission will be due on Sunday, October 29.

How will it be graded?

This assignment is worth 200 points or 20 percent of your course grade. The essay will be
graded on the following criteria:
● Analytical strategies (60 points): The project shows a clear understanding of the
analysis genre. Project raises questions and problems, demonstrating a clear
understanding of the audience through effective and coherent prose. Project analyzes
rhetorical strategies, including noting areas of agreement and disagreement.
● Research (40 points): The project demonstrates research skills, including determining
the amount of information needed to support writing practices. Uses information for a
specific purpose.
● Audience (20 points): Uses writing that clearly reaches its intended audience. Conveys
information clearly with well written prose.
● Ethical information use (20 points): use information ethically, showing a basic
understanding of citation practices, intellectual property, and collaborative writing
practices.
● Writing Process (20 points): Completes all steps of the writing process and submits
prewriting, rough draft, peer review, revision plan, final draft, and reflection.
 ● Follows assignment directions (20 points): Meets assignment criteria for page count
(4+ full page minimum), submits draft on time, follows guidelines of assignment, such as
using MLA style.

Boost your score

There are two ways to increase the grade for this project. First, students who go to the Writing
Center for this assignment and present proof of the visit to the instructor, can receive 10 points of
extra credit for this assignment.
There will also be a revision option for this assignment. Revised essays will be due one week
after grades are released and will be graded on the merit for the new assignment. Projects
submitted after the due date are not eligible for a revision. Students who do not submit all of the
elements of the writing process cannot make up those points in a revision.